Daschle Closer To a White House Run
Daschle's decision: President, Senate or retire
So now its Daschle's turn to try and generate some buzz for a possible Presidential run. I gotta admit, I'm of two minds when it comes to Daschle. Personally, tempermentally, I like the guy. But like many Red-state Dems, he tends to play things way too closely to his vest. He offsets it often with a nonthreatening, prairie centrist personality.
I recall reading (perhaps in Sam Popkins' The Reasoning Voter) that voters look for cues in how candidates might act as whatever it is their running for in how they handle their campaign. Taking Daschle's actions as party leader as a precursor, I've got to think he'll get passed over in no time. Do I want a President who has all the temperment in the world to give Trent Lott a free pass on a racist comment? Is this a guy who's going to claw and fight for the nomination? ... the top job in the land? ... in a land war in the Middle East?
Its my contention that voters want a fighter, a true believer, someone who is cocksure of their own selves. Reagan sure was. Bush41 ... well, compared to Dukakis. Clinton absolutely was. And in 2000, Gore tried, but it came across as phony ... Bush43 was at least comfortable in his own skin. Daschle may be as comfortable, but Bush43 is taking battle lessons from Rove, so I expect 2004 to be a much different campaign than 2000. Nice guys may or may not finish last ... but they don't finish first.