I just saw Mitch Daniels at the American Enterprise Institute. If he became president, it would be the ultimate “reset” button. I don’t mean just in terms of policy, health care and all that. I mean it would be a rejection of American Idol politics. A man of real substance and competence and wonkery, he would give the media so much to cover besides their tiresome “would you have a beer with him” political litmus tests.

He didn’t talk truce, and, interestingly, no one asked him. My seat was such that I might have had to trample countless interns to ask a question, and that’s just not humane. (It wasn’t a lack of hospitality on anyone’s part, it’s that I squeezed in a radio interview moments before and so didn’t catch a good seat!)

Good luck to the man (never mind politician), by the way, who lives his life avoiding all divisive issues! I’m beginning to wonder if this is the Mitch Daniels political-commentator-job-security plan — keeping us occupied and employed.