Why Are So Many Republicans Running for President?

Morning Line: “We are in a new age in politics. There’s a train of thought that says if you’re not in the conversation for president, they won’t pay attention to you. They all want to be president, but if it doesn’t work out, most believe they can at least make money (or get a talk show) off running for it.”

Also: “Many conservatives are confounded by the idea that Barack Obama, someone who had so little experience before running, could win. (Remember, he was just a state senator four years before running for president.) Many Republicans wake up and look at themselves in the morning and say, ‘Hey, if he could do it, why not me?’ But that can be a dangerous takeaway from Obama’s election. Catching lightning in a bottle twice is nearly impossible. And the fact is, for as much as conservatives have underestimated him, not everyone is Barack Obama — with his personality, oratory, campaign skills, ability to raise money, and perhaps most importantly, an ahead-of-its time campaign.”