Let's give a big, warm DU welcome to the clown car for Mark Everson!

[KamaAina]

I can hear your cries of "Who?" all the way out here.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/03/05/mark-everson-enters-the-2016-race-because-sometimes-random-people-run-for-president/

There are a lot of reasons to run for president. Some people run for president because they want to marry Lil Wayne. Some people run for president because they like talking about old work e-mail. Some people run for president because they are legitimate candidates that have a real shot; some do it as a lark, because they're goofing around or are perhaps a bit emotionally unstable.

But then there's a middle ground — people who seem to actually think they might be able to somehow pull off the miracle that every first-grader is told is possible and every high school freshman realizes isn't: That they might be able to get elected despite no one ever having heard of them....

Everson was commissioner of the IRS for four years under President George W. Bush, and the energy and charisma that job must have required is conveyed in the video announcing his presidential bid....

Mark Everson will not be our next president. Mid-tier presidential campaigns — or, probably more accurately, just-above-bottom-tier campaigns — can often be attention-seeking plays more than anything, moves to try to land some other job or to bolster the value of an endorsement or whatever move to accumulate political capital is most appealing to the "candidate." But Everson went all out, with a nice Web site and a professionally produced introductory video. It cost money! What's the play?

[gordianot]

1. Republicans do embrace redundancy.

If you cannot get the bootstraps pulled up to wealth you too might become President.

[brer cat]

2. I'm glad you are keeping track of this, KamaAina.

I gave up when all the tires went flat and the engine started smoking.

[brooklynite]

3. My wife gave up hope of a Treasury Dept appointment because she's a "Wall Street Lawyer"...

...and would have a hard time getting through Senate confirmation. I can't imagine what kind of traction a "former IRS Commissioner" is going to get.