Speaking for me only (but not really), it’s not a good idea for Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley to telegraph his intention to drop a potential presidential bid if Hillary Clinton should choose to run. The reason should be obvious. Anyone who is interested in getting on board the O’Malley train at this early stop, is obviously not satisfied with the prospect of a Hillary Clinton candidacy. But, how much work are they going to be willing to put in if they think that O’Malley will drop out the moment that Clinton gets in?
There is something to be said for honesty, and it wouldn’t be nice to give your staffers a false sense that you’re in the race come hell or high water, when you’re really just preparing to take advantage in the unlikely scenario that Clinton doesn’t run. But you don’t have to make your candidacy completely contingent on what Clinton is going to do. I have no reason to want to help you if you aren’t serious.
In any case, Clinton could use a couple of challengers just to help her hone her skills again, and also so that she can choose a running mate who has been on the trail building their own little universe of passionate support.
Then there is the branding. What does O’Malley plan to offer that distinguishes him from a run-of-the-mill Democrat?
Asked whether he thought he would be a good president, O’Malley said, “Yes, I think I would be, for these times especially.”
He cited his adherence to “a new way of leadership in our country,” including the statistics-driven CityStat and StateStat initiatives he launched in Baltimore and Annapolis, respectively, to measure the performance of government agencies.
“It is very much a way of leadership that’s more collaborative, that’s much more open, that is performance-measured, that is much more interactive, and it is the new way of leadership in the information age,” he said. “I believe in my bones that this is the future.”
I can get behind an effort to make government agencies work at peak efficiency, but “statistics” isn’t a very exciting “change” message.
He needs to work on that.
