I’m reading Andrew Young’s tell-all book on John Edwards. Dull stuff — not much in the way of surprises. Anyone who pays attention to politics had the measure of John Edwards by Fall of ‘04.

Books like this are worth reading, though, for their occasional insights into high politics.

Here, for example, on page 66:

One of the most illuminating duties I performed while in Washington involved driving Senator Edwards, Senator Chris Dodd, and a couple of other Democrats to a meeting with Clinton where he allowed them to pick his brain. I waited outside, and when my charges returned and we got back on the road, they all sat in stunned silence. Clinton had been so impressive that they didn’t know what to say. Finally Dodd muttered: “I don’t care how long I live. I’ll never be that good.”

There really is such a thing as political genius; and the people who have it, are not necessarily the ones you would want to have it.