MITCH DANIELS FOR PRESIDENT?

[There was] no real news came out of last night’s Indiana state Republican Party dinner. Cheri Daniels gave a well-received speech, but offered no insight into which way she is leaning. If anything, Mitch threw cold water on the possibility of a run saying, “You ought not underestimate the fact that there’s not one woman involved – there’s five,” referring to Daniels four daughters.

The reason for his families hesitation has been amply demonstrated this week with the Indianapolis Star, New York Times, AP, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post, all doing profiles of the Daniels family, including his divorce and remarriage to Cheri. The Post reported that a rival campaign even offered up contact info for the other man’s ex-wife. Daniels potential rivals clearly want the Daniels family to know that the primary will be every bit as dirty as they think it could be (emphasis added).

Meanwhile, CBS News reports that if Daniels should run, he has an impressive list of endorsements lined up including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. CBS also reports that former First Lady Laura Bush has called Cheri personally with support.

My sympathies are with the Daniels family. What decent family would want to subject themselves to the vicious slander sure to come from the opposition just to run for public office? Nevertheless, I hope Daniels has the courage to to so - and the willingness to “punch back twice as hard”.

From the Washington Examiner’s daily email.