Will Mitch walk away?

The great mentioners are at it again.

But our guess is Gov. Daniels has enough sense to ignore them.

Sure, it must be incredibly flattering to the ego to have people float your name as a possible candidate for president.

But flattery won't carry you very far when weighed against the personal cost of a national campaign, and Mitch Daniels has made it abundantly clear he has no interest in subjecting his family to that sort of "savagery."

Ironically, part of what prompts the great mentioners to float the Daniels name is that the governor has built a reputation of meaning what he says.

You can disagree with the guy - and we've often found ourselves in disagreement - but you have to respect his intellectual honesty. He says what he believes, and he believes what he says.

And what he has consistently said is that governor of Indiana is the highest office he aspires to, that he has no interest in the trappings of power of the presidency, and that he's capable of building a successful personal life beyond the realm of politics. His ego doesn't require a daily feeding.

What awaits Mitch Daniels after his second term? Our guess is that there are books he wants to write and maybe some college courses he'd like to teach.

Will he play a role in Republican politics and conservative thought after leaving office? Of course he will.

But don't be surprised if it doesn't involve another elective office. - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]