How not to be an Insider

A ray of hope had been declared in the mist of the Clone Wars. In today's Phoenix, Dan Kennedy interviews Atlantic Monthly editor Jack Beatty on great political writing. It's not all historical. As they were musing on Eleanor Roosevelt, Beatty made a prediction:

I think that if we--when we--get a woman president, there will be a self-made aspect to it. I have a candidate: Stephanie Herseth, a congresswoman. She is the female Barack Obama. Shes a 33-year-old South Dakotan who, while Tom Daschle was losing statewide, was winning by six or seven points, and Bush was pulling the state out by 25 points. I've watched her on C-SPAN. She is a political talent. You know how John Edwards just seems to have it? Shes got it.

We agree. One of Herseth's campaign TV-ads from early this year was among the best campaign ads we have ever seen. (And btw you may not know this, but we are academically qualified to judge these things.) We were almost ready to relocate to South Dakota. In the middle of winter.

Also, she's from a small, rural state with a degree from Georgetown. Remind you of anybody?