Re: Are you guys dead? On vacation?

I think those excess donations get to be used for future campaigns.

I'm bored with the Obama issues. It's too hot and I care much less about campaign finance than the substantive issues. I'll get my oomph back after the conventions.

But I will say that this weekend Johnnie Mac made inroads on energy with his Continental Shelf flip-flop. What is that quote attributed to Keynes?

"When the facts change, so do my opinions; don't yours?" Paraphrased but close. Good thing for Sen. McCain that he flipped so early. Good thing, too, that he's not flipping on his other issues that so rile the elephant base. He picked the one issue on which to flip that won't hurt him as the "maverick."

I'm still not so cynical as you about politicians but agree that any Presidential candidate has to have a huge ego and hunger for power to put themselves and families through the media spotlight. I'd say that the only Presidents who truly fit your model in the last fifty years were Presidents Nixon and Clinton.