Sidelining Candidates For 2016—Already

For John, BLUF:  Sometimes politics is dirty.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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An OpEd in The Boston Globe caught my attention.  Mr Tom Keane wrote to ask Governor Mitt Romney to not run for President in 2016.  Mr Keane does not deny that Governor Romney would make a great President, just that he would make a bad candidate.

On the one hand, I thought Mr Romney had already said no.  On the other hand, observing from afar, I haven't judged Mr Romney as a man, like say Governor Adlai Stevenson, who just has to have the job.  No, this is some sort of eminence gris operation, and both Major Parties do it.  Look at the "Hillary File" that as just been released.

So what is up?

• Kill an opponent early.
• Get your guy some notice, early.
• Damage "A" so "B" will rise, creating an opening for "C".
• Get the bad news out early (half life of a political memory being 90 days).
• Political payback.
• Personal payback.
• Other.
• Some of the above.

Happy Saint Valentine's Day.

Regards  —  Cliff