Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels says sorry, not running for president
In a season of mad pols and paranoia what’s a semi sane pol to do?
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, a former top aide to George W. Bush, ended his very public flirtation with running for president early Sunday with an e-mail to supporters that narrowed the field of plausible 2012 Republican challengers to President Barack Obama.
“The counsel and encouragement I received from important citizens like you caused me to think very deeply about becoming a national candidate,” Daniels said in the message distributed through the Indiana Republican Party.
“In the end, I was able to resolve every competing consideration but one, but that, the interests and wishes of my family, is the most important consideration of all.”
With top Republicans anxious about the underwhelming state of the Republican field, Daniels was pressed to enter the race by close advisers and former Bush administration officials who worked with him when he served as White House budget director from 2001 to 2003.