I Got a Fever and the Only Prescription is Mitch Daniels

Because of a few articles and feature pieces that have recently come out one on top of the other, the Mitch Daniels 2012 Train is picking up some steam. Now we're really not into being partisans for particular candidates on this site, at least not this early as it pertains to 2012. But when we see politicians and candidates who embody philosophies, principles, and qualities we value, we will point them out when we can.

Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana is such a politician.

Though he has maintained he has no interest in running for president in 2012, his success as a reform-minded governor along with his intellect, fiscal conservatism, and humble demeanor have created some buzz that Daniels might be the right guy to unite the different strands of conservatism for the 2012 race. John and I met Gov. Daniels in October at a conference in Indianapolis, and we immediately struck by how he was clearly the smartest guy in the room, but didn't seem to care he was the smartest guy in the room. He had no entourage, spoke with no notes, and we came to find out several conference guests were staying at his house. He's short. He's balding. And he clearly prefers substance to style. As one columnist concluded this week, he's the anti-Obama. However, it is important to note he was able to connect well enough with Indiana voters, often on his personal bus tours through the state, to be handily elected to two terms, most recently winning in 2008 with 58% in a state Obama carried. They'll be plenty of time between now and 2012 to learn about Daniels' education (BA Princeton, JD Georgetown), private sector experience (CEO Hudson Institute, Senior Vice President Eli Lilly), and public service (Office of Management and Budget Director, two-term Governor of Indiana). And though plenty has been written about him, I just wanted to highlight some of the recent pieces involving Gov. Daniels since there have been several of them in short succession:

"Hoosiers and Health Savings Accounts" by Gov. Daniels in Monday's WSJ

"A Republican Surprise" by Ross Douthat, NYT 2/28

"The Anti-Obama?" by Mona Charen, National Review 2/26

"Daniels open to run despite 100 reasons not to" Christian Science Monitor 2/23

Here is the text of Gov. Daniels commencement speech at Butler University last May, which has been extremely well-received by those who have heard it. The most significant part:

"We Baby Boomers are likely to be remembered by history for our numbers, and little else, at least little else that is admirable. 

We Boomers were the children that the Second World War was fought for. Parents who had endured both war and the Great Depression devoted themselves sacrificially to ensuring us a better life than they had.  We were pampered in ways no children in human history would recognize.  With minor exceptions, we have lived in blissfully fortunate times.  The numbers of us who perished in plagues, in famine, or in combat were tiny in comparison to previous generations of Americans, to say nothing of humanity elsewhere. 

All our lives, it's been all about us. We were the "Me Generation."  We wore t-shirts that said "If it feels good, do it."  The year of my high school commencement, a hit song featured the immortal lyric "Sha-la-la-la-la-la, live for today."  As a group, we have been self-centered, self-absorbed, self-indulgent, and all too often just plain selfish.  Our current Baby Boomer President has written two eloquent, erudite books, both about..himself.

As a generation, we did tend to live for today.  We have spent more and saved less than any previous Americans.  Year after year, regardless which party we picked to lead the country, we ran up deficits that have multiplied the debt you and your children will be paying off your entire working lives.  Far more burdensome to you mathematically, we voted ourselves increasing levels of Social Security pensions and Medicare health care benefits, but never summoned the political maturity to put those programs on anything resembling a sound actuarial footing. 

In sum, our parents scrimped and saved to provide us a better living standard than theirs; we borrowed and splurged and will leave you a staggering pile of bills to pay.  It's been a blast; good luck cleaning up after us."

And lastly, if you have the time to kill, here is an hour-long interview CSPAN did with him this summer: