Mark Warner for Senate 2008
At this point, if you read this blog you've probably heard that Mark Warner is not going to run for president. Although I have my favorite already, I love all the guys (and gal) considering a run, and it's kind of a shame to think that Mark Warner will not be our nominee for president. (This time.) It's sort of like my feelings on baseball this year: I really like three of the four teams in it, and I have nothing against the fourth, so while I'd love to see the A's vindicate Moneyball with a World Series win, I'm kind of rooting for everyone to do well.
The official statement, posted on Mark Warner's PAC page, is actually really good, with that "you can tell he wrote it himself" vibe that marks the best in the underrated field of short political statements. This section is key:
I have decided not to run for President.This past weekend, my family and I went to Connecticut to celebrate my Dad’s 81st birthday, and then we took my oldest daughter Madison to start looking at colleges.
I know these moments are never going to come again. This weekend made clear what I’d been thinking about for many weeks—that while politically this appears to be the right time for me to take the plunge—at this point, I want to have a real life.
And while the chance may never come again, I shouldn’t move forward unless I’m willing to put everything else in my life on the back burner.
This has been a difficult decision, but for me, it’s the right decision.
Hard to argue with that. The other interesting piece I saw was from Taegan Goddard, whose excellent site Political Wire has increasingly included his own commentary. That's fine (I mean, it's his site), but I suppose I have to agree when he says Edwards is the clear winner from Warner's decision. You can't attack his logic, but in a good general life lesson about sucking up, I'm sure all those times Edwards met with Goddard and other bloggers doesn't hurt his analysis either (link, link). (In fact, I heard Taegan Goddard was at the Elizabeth Edwards event I went to last week.)