warner ducks out

I was as surprised as anybody by Mark Warner's sudden decision NOT to seek the Democratic 2008 presidential nomination. Rumors immediately began about whether there was a scandal afoot, although Libby Copeland in the Post reports that one reason at least for the timing is that Warner friends were about to quit jobs to work for him fulltime.

No question he was a long-shot, with little support in the polls so far. But he is a savvy guy who did a good job as a Democratic governor in Republican Virginia, working with Democrats and pragmatic (as in sane) Republicans to raise some taxes to avert a state budgetary crisis. And he had looks and a lot of his own money to spend -- he was a credible candidate.

Well, he'll still only be 61 in 2016 (only 57 in 2012 if the Democrats lose in 2008)...