For those who would prefer a different presidential candidate than Hillary

[zipplewrath]

69. Sorry, but you were the "only one"

I'm obviously exaggerating (engaging in a tad bit of hyperbole) but he was the keynote speaker in '04 at the DNC. You don't get that because no one has heard of you. That said, it was a leap to believe he could go from a good speech, to the White House. However, certain power brokers connected to the Kennedy clan saw it differently and convinced him to run.

The silliness of serious discussion about potential 2016 democratic candidates is that none of us are that kind of power broker and until they decide who can and will run, we don't have much of a say. All of the "draft [fill in candidate name]" efforts are pointless if the brokers never show up to promise money and support. It's not that the candidate can't initiate the effort, but their primary efforts will be to find that kind of backing.

There is a developing political class euphemistically called the "political industrial complex". It's the class of pundits, pollsters, consultants, and former administration officials, as well as party leaders and such, that are where these efforts get started. Without them you'll go no where. No one will talk about you on the Sunday shows, there'll be no op-ed columns about you, no Late Night appearances, no real "buzz" without their cooperation. Not all of them by any stretch. You'll need a core set that basically sees that you have a chance, one that can either immediately line their pockets, or give them credibility in the long run (to land the next candidate job). And it is a minority core set. But you'll need them, and they don't read DU.