Not every Indiana governor’s endorsement of a presidential candidate has made instant national news as did Mitch Daniels’ support for Mitt Romney on Wednesday. And it’s more than the cyber-instancy of an Internet-obsessed world that made the endorsement resound. It’s that Daniels, like him or lump him, truly does hold sway in national politics unlike any of his recent predecessors. Even after deciding not to run for the presidency, our governor is a major player because of his accomplishments, intelligence, insistence and eloquence — described in a Wall Street Journal blog Wednesday afternoon as “the budget hawk who many Republicans hoped would run for president himself.”
Surprising no one, Daniels wrote of the presumed Republican nominee: “... Mitt Romney has proven that he understands what is at stake and is prepared to summon Americans to the changes that will restore the American Dream and our national greatness. I’ll do whatever I’m asked to help him.”
In an exchange of mutual-admiration-society quotes, Romney said of Daniels: “Governor Daniels shares my background in business, and he has used the principles of the private sector in government. … I am honored to have his support and look forward to working with him to fix our economy and get our country on the right track.”
The only thing at all surprising about the announcement, which was made live on Fox News, was its timing. We’re willing to make a $20 bet at an Indiana casino craps table that Romney has long been Daniels’ choice within the winnowing, self-eliminating field of Republicans seeking the nomination. Daniels says he waited, we trust as a courtesy, to make an endorsement until Rick Santorum withdrew from the race in case there were to be a closely contested primary on May 8 in Indiana.
Both Daniels’ and Romney’s statements will be parsed for hints about whether the endorsement signals anything about Daniels’ potential role in a Romney administration, should Romney defeat Barack Obama.
“It sounds a lot like a tryout for the #2 position [vice president] on the ticket,” conservative blogger and TV host Ed Morrissey said on hotair.com. “Fiscal conservatives who remain leery of Romney might feel more enthused if Daniels makes the argument for Mitt in the weeks between now and the convention,” Morrissey added.
When asked on Fox News about the vice presidency, Daniels said, “It won’t happen so we won’t take the audience’s time with it.”
Forgive us if we take that statement with a few thousand grains of salt, for it’s not clear how that statement squares with Daniels’ written I’ll-do-whatever-I’m-asked-to-help-him statement.
Neither would it surprise anyone if Daniels ended up as Romney’s vice presidential choice or as a ranking member of the team should Romney win the Oval Office.
Editorials
EDITORIAL: A match of Mitt and Mitch?
Daniels finally makes way into Romney camp
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EDITORIAL: Insult to an independent press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news: Dashing finish for the Sycamores
It’s always thrilling to see Indiana State University’s athletic teams do well in high-level competition, and two specific teams rose to impressive heights last weekend in the Missouri Valley Conference outdoor track and field championships.
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EDITORIAL: Better monitoring needed to prevent local environmental messes
The nasty, hazardous messes lurking in the community raise a bottom-line, red-flag question. Could these environmental problems have been monitored and, thus, prevented?
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EDITORIAL: Memo to U.S.A.: You can ‘SPPRAK’ just as we do in Vigo County
Our kids, truly, are ‘Making a Difference’
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Some words in praise of boring government — Indiana’s
A conservative Republican governor has super majorities in both branches of the legislature. One might suspect such one-party government leads to major changes in public policy. This did not happen in 2013 in Indiana.
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EDITORIAL: Doc’s prescient prescription
Viewed through a 2013 prism, Doc Bowen’s response to the AIDS epidemic looks merely prudent, routine.
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EDITORIAL: Education remains worth the cost
Within the next few weeks, each of the local colleges will have conducted graduation ceremonies. A few days later, a different Class of 2013 will don caps and gowns for commencement — the seniors at five Vigo County high schools. It is still a smart, worthy aspiration for those high school grads to replicate the achievement of those college students by earning a higher-education degree.
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EDITORIAL: Good news for downtown
For decades, it seems, downtown Terre Haute has been in the throes of change
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EDITORIAL: Overall, state budget step in the right direction
For average Hoosiers uninterested in political point-scoring, the budget crafted by the Indiana Legislature inspires only muted, if any, fanfare.
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EDITORIAL: The lessons of organ donation
The range of emotion surrounding life-saving transplantation of a vital organ is extreme. It is the ultimate “good news-bad news” scenario.
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READERS’ FORUM: April 26, 2013
• Pence’s tax cuts benefit wealthiest
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news
This does not qualify as a surprise in any way. But the Wabash Valley’s response to widespread flooding of recent days has been nothing short of impressive, even inspirational.
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EDITORIAL: Still waiting for the jobs reward
The forces in control of Indiana government for most of the past decade need to show some results to Hoosiers in one primary category.
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MARK BENNETT: Littered with irony: Why do people callously discard their trash, and who are they?
Though they aren’t acknowledged by the U.S. Census Bureau, there are basically two demographic groups of people … Those who would dump their old toilet on the banks of the Wabash River or a rural roadside. And those who wouldn’t.
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EDITORIAL: Doing the dirty work to clean up tossed trash
A first-of-its-kind, coast-to-coast project to remove litter from U.S. roadsides brought the Pick Up America crew through the Wabash Valley two years ago.
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EDITORIAL: Keep school security a local issue
The decision to provide armed security inside a schoolhouse should be made locally.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news
Indiana’s parks need your help.
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EDITORIAL: The return of terror
Emotions today remain strong and raw in wake of Monday’s terror bombings near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.
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EDITORIAL: A solution to distracted driving … stop it … now
You’ve got to stop. You know you do it. It’s a miracle you haven’t caused a tragedy already.
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EDITORIAL: ‘Women of Influence’: 2013 selectees have given much to their communities
For the second year, United Way of the Wabash Valley has teamed up with local sponsors to select and honor a group of women who have made outstanding contributions to their communities, professions and families.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news: A new honor for our veterans
A commendation goes out today to state Rep. Clyde Kersey, a Terre Haute Democrat who led the charge this week in the Indiana House of Representatives to pay tribute to the nation’s Purple Heart recipients.
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EDITORIAL: Shifting view on marriage
One could argue, as many have, that Sen. Joe Donnelly did the right thing last week when he dropped his support of government-sanctioned opposition to same-sex marriage. It wasn’t a radical move, considering most Democrats have now made the switch.
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MAX JONES: The American Newspaper: Changing? Yes. Dying? No way!
It happened again this past January when all those “looking at the year ahead” stories started popping up on Internet “news” websites and broadcast “news” programs. Under a provocative headline reading something like “Five industries/businesses doomed to tank in the coming year,” there it was, a prediction based on an unsubstantiated “expert” analysis that the newspaper industry will continue in 2013 to suffer its slide into oblivion.
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EDITORIAL: A chance to change our bad cultural habits
The sight of diligent, eager young people dragging trash out of the Wabash River wetlands is both inspiring and sad.
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EDITORIAL: Maintaining high standards
Standards
It’s the raging buzzword in education circles these days. Everyone insists that higher standards must be met. Anything less is, doggone it, unacceptable. -
Noteworthy in the news
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EDITORIAL: Crack down on dumpers
There is a reason it’s called “illegal” dumping. It’s against the law. And there is a very good reason illegal dumping is against the law.
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Season of Day 2s arrives
Calendars in Cincinnati contain one extra holiday — Opening Day, traditionally the first Monday in April.
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Congress fails to recognize problem of education costs
Who hasn’t gotten this message yet? The cost of a college degree has become unaffordable for a wide swath of middle-class America.
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EDITORIAL: The cause of public safety: Firefighter group dedicates itself to preventing tragedy
Ensuring that smoke detectors are in working order is one of those periodic chores that’s so simple, yet seemingly so difficult in terms of follow-through.
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EDITORIAL: Insult to an independent press
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
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Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country
Raw: Germany Protestors Picket Barbie House
China, Others Want What's Under the Arctic Ice
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
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One Million Evacuated As Cyclone Hits Bangladesh
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
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Raw: Texas Gov. Flies Over Tornado Damage
Raw: Pope Frees Doves From Cage
Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction
Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids
Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday
Brothers Arrested in NOLA Parade Shooting
Coffee Stop Leads To Arrest Of YouTube Sensation Wanted For Murder
Bearded Dragon Reunited With Owner
Marine Reunited with Warzone Companion
Beyonce Is Pregnant!
SF baseball player overpaid $500,000 RETURNS money -- and team says KEEP IT
Dad returns from Afghanistan, surprises family during Rays' first pitch
See Jennifer Lopez's New $10m Hamptons Mansion
Woman tricked into taking abortion pill
Emma Watson Goes Pantless
IRS scandal: Republicans seek to tie Obama to agency's woes
Play of the Day: Flipping to Safety
Pregnant Kim Kardashian Squeezes Her Swollen Feet Into Stilettos
Top Videos of the Week: Angry Taco Bell Guy, Glacier Moves on House, Dog Hates Baths
Cindy Crawford Stuns At Cannes
Raw: Marines Come to Obama's Aid in the Rain
CUTE: Monkey shares lollipop with dog, then HITS pooch on head with it
Miranda Kerr Looks Sexy in a Bikini Photo Shoot
