In Forbes, Reihan Salam, an associate editor of The Atlantic, has a nice write-up on Mitch Daniels as one of a long line of "sober Republican pragmatists" from which Indiana has benefited. Depending on what the landscape looks like in 2012, such a common-sense conservative could even be a good match in a run against Barack Obama:
There will never be a cult of personality around Daniels, who is hardly known for his soaring rhetoric. He's a mild-mannered, unassuming and unpretentious Midwesterner. Unlike Obama, he hasn't exactly had a meteoric rise. Instead, Daniels is an experienced executive with a record of turning dysfunctional governments around. Best of all, Daniels is not under the illusion that government is meant to give purpose and meaning to our lives--the politics of "Yes We Can." Rather, Daniels is offering a politics of "Yes You Can." He's focused on making sure that government does a few things well, and that it helps and does not hinder hardworking families who are trying to get ahead. Republicans should follow his lead.
I dunno. Seems like a reach to me, though I agree with most of what he says about Daniels. And since my record is so good -- after all, I predicted John McCain's early demise fro the GOP primary and said I wouldn't mind at all seeing a Fred Thompson-Hillary Clinton race -- you should definitely pay attention to me.
