That's actually not true. Clinton had been the head of the DLC, and he had given a nationwide address at the Democrat Convention in 1988.
We'll have to see how well Pence raises his image.
Just getting back to Free Republic. Thanks for the update and correction. However my point is still that at this early stage of the game we don't really have a bonafide conservative candidate that we can rally around and get energized with. Instead we have a couple of RINOs like McCain and Guiliani (especially McCain) that the left-wing mass media is just falling all over themselves to print articles and reports that portray these two RINOs (especially McCain) as being the overwhelming favorite choice for Republicans. Because the left-wing media is so out of touch with reality and consumed with their own biases, they fail to understand that McCain especially is endorsed by really no one other then his left-wing media buddies and also Dick Morris, who is doing all he can to convince us that only McCain can beat Hillary. I don't trust Morris as Clinton's former press secretary and I am convinced he is a stealth Hillary supporter.
So my point to all this, is that in the absence of any currently well known conservative candidates, I think that we the conservatives in the Republicans would do far better to go with a relatively unknown but solid, strong principled, conservative candidate (not another pragmatic Bush-type person, but one who is a principled conservative and it would be nice to have one who is articulate and can debate well and slam the DimWits at their own game). I think that a sharp, articulate, well-versed conservative candidate will bury Hillary (or any other left-wing DimWit) in 2008.
I don't think Clinton had that much name recognition, despite what you cite. I don't think being the head of DLC makes one a national figure, and if I recall, his 1988 speech was a disaster. Wasn't that the one where the audience burst into wild applause only when he said, "In conclusion"? I suspect a lot of politicians have given nationwide addresses at the convention, but most voters (even relatively educated ones) couldn't pick them out of a lineup or come up with much info on them. I definitely don't think Clinton was a well known figure in 1990. I do think it's too early for this kind of assessment. I simply cannot see McCain or Giuliani getting the nomination. I think McCain's name recognition is a two edged sword, and I just don't think Giuliani, despite his impressive showing after 9/11, has the national experience to run for President.