Mitch Daniels Out - Leaves a Void

Just heard the news that Mitch Daniels announced he is not running. A 1:00 a.m. Sunday announcement is about as deep as you can try to bury the story. Nice try.

I am more upset than I anticipated. I agree with Indianapolis Star:

Daniels was the one potential candidate from either major party who appeared ready to lead a serious conversation about the immense dangers created by a $14.3 trillion, and still rapidly climbing, national debt.
. . .
Other Republican candidates so far have been too afraid of the possible political fallout [from discussing Social Security and Medicare] to engage in that much-needed discussion. President Obama, for his part, has done virtually nothing to shore up the major entitlement programs, despite prompting from his own debt commission.

The country is the worse off for not having a candidate in the race who has both the guts to discuss the issue of entitlements sensibly AND the proven executive experience dealing with a state budget.

2012 won't be 2010. The public will want proven experience, having been burned by hopey-changey empty-suited rhetoric. Where is that experience going to come from?