Now that, according to the USA Today article,

some Euros are describing Condi as

“… newspapers quoted French students who attended and described her as “brilliant,” “charismatic,” “savvy” and “cultivated.”

We’ll stop hearing about “ignorant, unsophisticated, redneck, American cowboys” from the Euro elites and media?

Nope, me neither.

It may be the case that governorship is less a positive factor than senate tenure a negative one. The senate today is well insulated from many of the most contentious political issues that have the greatest impact on not just the voters but also the hardcore activists who dominate the nominating process in each party.

By contrast, take a look at the four key issues that Arnold is addressing this year (actually, he’s staking everything on them):

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12489-2005Feb9.html?nav=hcmodule

1) merit pay for public schoolteachers;

2) pension reform;

3) budget reform;

4) electoral redistricting reform.

Each of those issues pits el gubernator against extremely powerful, well-organized opponents– both in and out of government– who can make or break him politically. Without question, to succeed on these fronts requires both hardball and soft political skills greater than anything required of senators whose greatest tests are whether to support Sen. X by posturing on issue Y so as to grab X’s support for pork on issue Z. COmpare what Arnold is achieving, or what Bredesen has achieved already, with the farce that was the Senate’s energy bill, or its near-complete failures to rein in medicare spending or farm subsidies.

As a training ground, governorships compare to the senate as NATO experience compares to experience in the UN. The senate has become a playground of posturing by millionaires who are increasingly out of touch with core issues facing the nation.

BTW ó She’s a damned impressive woman, but “America’s Black Queen?” Can I assume the hyperbole filter has been disabled?

One of the things that’s struck me most is how well Gov. Bredesen does on conservative talk radio. He answers questions rather than ducking them or retreating into slogans and sound bites, and as a result the hosts (and listeners) respect him even when they disagree…. If you can imagine a Democratic presidential nominee who will hold his own on Rush Limbaugh or Hugh Hewitt, you’re imagining a Democrat who could win the general election.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-02-09-rice-tune_x.htm

The reason for this is not so much that being governor prepares one to be president as that it gives one a huge advantage in the bloodsport that is the nominating and electoral process. Governors are past masters at neutralizing single-interest groups; senators in their cozy club are generally spared this indignity. Governors are forced to justify their stands on god gays guns; balance budgets; and fight like hell to turn federalism to their advantage. Senators are encouraged to split differences and fudge or ignore such issues whenever possible.

Unless and until Condi enters and succeeds in the crucible of gubernatorial politics, she’ll likely commit the same fatal screw-ups as Kerry Gore Bradley McCain Dole Bush Sr. Hart and Mondale. Ditto, btw, for Hillary.

Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen is the Dems’ likely candidate in 2008. The Republicans would be wise to go with Giuliani.

Let her do her job and represent US.

Actually the line they seem to be trying is that she’s involved in some sort of love triangle with the President and Mrs Bush. No, I am not kidding; Maureen Dowd even slipped a reference into one of her recent columns.