At the risk of inviting charges of superficiality or chauvinism, I’ll toss this comment into the presidential-politics mix. I think it wise to discount the prospects of Giuliani, Clinton, and now Bloomberg for the simple reason that they are New Yorkers (well, in one case sort-of, but you know what I mean). Pretend if you wish that regional distinctions, preferences, and prejudices don’t exist anymore, but that doesn’t make it true.

Americans have elected presidents from the Sunbelt (from the former Confederacy over to Southern California) since 1964. Bush ‘41 is a bit of an exception, despite his Texas domicile, but his election was mostly thanks to Reagan. This is not an accident. There is an extensive political-science literature on all this. Setting aside 60s-era issues for the moment, although their influence lingers, swing voters in swing states typically connect on personality, authenticity, he’s-one-of-us-ness. Like it or not, they seem to see these qualities more in folks with drawls, twangs, or California sunniness. Want to understand the Fred Thompson boomlet? Don’t just listen with your policy ears. Listen with your dipthong ears. I wish this were different. But I’m just saying — Yankees start out at a significant disadvantage, which will have to be offset heavily by other factors. In Bloomberg’s case, it’s hopeless.

And don’t get me started on height and hair.