Idle thought: character matters

Perhaps if the electorate had taken more seriously W's personal history of academic, business, and personal failures, he'd not now be #43. Character matters. Biography matters as it relates to character.

In judging the 2008 field, pay attention to biography as it sheds light on character. "A leopard cannot change its spots."

Candidates with a history of failure (academic, business, personal) are likely to continue to fail. Candidates with a history of "being all things to all people" will continue to dissemble. Liars - even little-white-liars - will continue to lie. Those who have run away from danger are unlikely now to demonstrate courage.

On the positive side, candidates whose biographies demonstrate courage, honesty, charity, and success are unlikely to turn into mendacious cowards.

I mean to point the finger at no one in particular - this is just an observation that may prove useful.