For a party that says they made mistakes in the past by overspending their budget, for a party that has repudiated the excesses of the Bush White House, and in a year when voters say “the economy” is their number one concern, how is it that the guy who was the freaking budget director of that same White House is running as an intellectually serious candidate for president? How does that work?

• Never mind the whole defunding of Indiana Planned Parenthood (the defunding of which had nothing to do with abortions). Never mind that it’s going to be a mind-boggling bumper sticker that says “Less Health Care for All: Daniels 2012.” How does that work?
• Never mind the weird backstory of the Daniels’ marriage — and, trust me, it is really weird. You know that I’m going to be the first guy to say that a person’s marital history is not fair game when judging their capacity to lead. But I would never run for public office either.
• And never mind that this country almost always prefers the taller candidates. I’m assuming that Daniels — who is shorter than Obama’s 12-year-old daughter, Malia — has stocked up on humorous short jokes for his stump speeches and debate prep . But really: “I’m taller than a coffee table” will only take you so far, Governor.

Has no one in the party figured out that the Republican nomination alone is worthless unless you also have a strategy for winning the White House with it?