In 2014 let’s hope the Democratic party machinery big wigs find a way to position 3 or 4 personalities into the public spotlight. A few should be seen as being “anointed” by the President as his choices, while there also needs to be a couple of people who pop up as the outsiders, the other ones, who can be seen as challengers to the Democratic Party big shots.

This dynamic is lacking currently. The one advantage the tea partying GOP has is that their constant braying is making some of them household names - Rand Paul for example - who otherwise would not be known outside of their own little region.

For 2016 we can come up with a longish list of names that the GOP will be throwing in hat - Paul, Rubio, Huckabee, Santorum, Ryan, etc. Can’t do that for the Democratic Party. The GOP has benefitted from their public debates of stupidity. They may be displaying their ignorance, but at the same time getting name recognition.