Part wanker, part wisdom.

Rothenberg (my emphasis)...

Earned Another Run for Something

• Tessa Hafen (D-Nev.)
• John Gard (R-Wis.)
• Darcy Burner (D-Wash.)
• Michael Steele (R-Md.)
• Dan Seals (D-Ill.)

Analysis: All of these unsuccessful candidates either exceeded my expectations or demonstrated potential. They shouldn’t give up on politics just yet.

Of course, I'm in total agreement about Darcy. I don't know enough about Hafen or Seals to judge, but I'll concede the benefit of the doubt for Democrats. I'd say he's wrong about Gard just because I think all Republicans should give up on politics.

Michael Steele, on the other hand, ran an endlessly dishonest campaign, culminating in the importation a busload of homeless folks from Philly to istribute 'Democratic' sample ballots featuring the Republican candidate's name. If he "demonstrated potential" it would seem to be more for the used car or aluminum siding trades than the political arena. If, on the other hand, he exceeded Rothenberg's expectations, that says more about the sorry state of those expectations than Steele's achievements.