Mitch Daniels: the quintessential family man

IF YOU HAPPENED to be gazing at the southern sky for any sign of the Rapture Saturday night, you might have mistaken a faint earthward streak for a falling star. Actually, it was Mitch Daniels. After providing the pundits with endless speculation that vaulted him as the go-to Alternative in the wacko GOP presidential field, the Indiana governor told us that he preferred his life with his family. Obviously, the thought of being No.1 in the Oval Office just isn't as fetching as it used to be.

You might consider this:

The GOP has Newt, Mitt, TPa, Paul and Cain,

But the polls tell us they're all running in vain.

Oh, yes. Sorry that we overlooked Lady Michele.

But outside of the Tea Party she'd be a hard sell.

The week end also brought us a hysterical gasp from Mitt Romney, who accused President Obama of "throwing Israel under the bus." Fortunately calmer minds prevailed that left Mitt, starchy white shirt and casual Levis, appearing to be a lightweight political opportunist in search of an audience.

Speaking of daring lightweights, how about Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who is openly defying a state law that grants visitation rights for same-sex couples. The man is driven by right-wing religious ardor and his public support c0ntinues to fall as he attempts to rebuild Wisconsin into a second rate theocratic state. Glad the folks up there are paying attention.

Meantime, for all of the clucking about Gingrich's flip-flops, there may be method to his madness. As soon as he begins denying that he didn't say what everybody else thought he said the media rush to his side demanding that he explain his looniness. All of which means that he gets more national air time. He'a now ahead of Sarah Palin in that game. Didn't hear a peep from her over the week end.

Help: Who said:

"When this group of Republican candidates eventually vanish, they will leave behind no intellectual history"

GOP presidential: Three on base, two out

THE REPUBLICAN presidential field? Let me guess. The number running: 3. The number running away: 2. The number of mentionables: roughly 6. The number of unmentionables: How many bananas are there in a bunch?

So far, it hasn't been a good year for the political pundits trying to tout a mock draft. Two of the potential candidates have now explained their departures in biological terms. Haley Barbour, the Mississippi governor, said he just didn't have fire in his belly. And now Mike Huckabee says it was his heart who told him not to run. In his heart he also knew he would have to give up his Fox TV show.

All this b0dy talk has become the new X-factor for the politicos trying to figure out one party's presidential race in which people are gasping, None of the Above. Will Sunday morning panelists begin to take a more serious look at Donald Trump's hair, not as a helicopter pad, but as a much more decisive element in his final decision? Peoria wants to know.

The official GOP field as we speak includes Rick Santorum, the former senator from Pennsylvania who was routed in this bid for reelection; Newt Gingrich, who said he has overcome his past sins with help from God; and Rep. Ron Paul, who has just likened Medicare and Social Security to slavery. Should we remind them that they might find their next line of work on craigslist?

Among the unmentionables that leaves us with Michelle Bachmann, who is already said to benefit from Huckabee's heart-felt decision since both are the sort of conservatives who function out of the same shell; Mitt Romney, who was boasting about his health care reforms as Governor of Massachusetts when it was still socially acceptable for Republicans to say so; Sarah Palin, who appears to have peaked in 2008; Tim Pawlenty, who doesn't make a shadow on the sunniest day, and Gov. Mitch Daniels, former director of George Bush's Office of Management and Budget.

Oh, and Herman Cain, too. He's the founder of Godfather's Pizza who will soon make his candidacy official. . There are others, but why bother? I think I'll just hang around until the helicopter lands safely on Trump's unique coiffure.

UPDATE: Saying that his business was his greatest passion in life, Trump today declared his un-candidacy. Fortunately he didn't mention his hair as a factor in his decision. That leaves three who are running and three who are running away.