Russ at the bottom

It is odd that Al Gore’s name does not appear on the list. Heh.

(from the Sunday, March 26, 2006 issue of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Feingold ranks at the bottom of one list of 2008 hopefuls

By CRAIG GILBERT and KATHERINE M. SKIBA
Posted: March 25, 2006

Washington - Russ Feingold is the longest of long shots to win his party's presidential nomination in 2008, according to ABC's The Note, a daily digest and commentary compiled by the network's political unit.

In what it calls its "Invisible Primary Ratings" - a first stab at handicapping the '08 field - ABC ranked Feingold 11th out of 11 possible Democratic candidates, trailing, in order: Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Mark Warner, John Kerry, Tom Vilsack, Evan Bayh, Bill Richardson, Joe Biden, Wesley Clark and Tom Daschle.

The Note says its rankings are "inherently subjective" but guided by conversations with a broad variety of sources: Washington savants of both parties, real-life activists in real states, interest group chieftains and strategists for the candidates.

Potential candidates were handicapped in 19 categories. Feingold was ranked last or next to last in several: television skills; perceived electability in November '08; national security credentials; name ID; prospects for winning endorsements of other politicians; a category called "biography and spouse" (Feingold is twice divorced); support among key Democratic constituencies; support among party officials; and backing from "big name" staff and consultants.