Today, the Democrats have no bench strength, and Barack Obama had to run this time around. 1) if he didn't, he would be old news in 2012 or 2016, like John Edwards is now. 2) If he had to wait to build an actual record of accomplishment, where would he go and what would he do to have accomplishments?
The Senate is not a place to build a track-record; just a place to take up space and brag about small victories. I'd say moral victories, but he is a Democrat....
On paper Quayle was quite good, he just didn't have the ability to get out of his own way in public appearances and gave the DBM way too many opportunities to take him out of context and ridicule him. I mean, technically he was correct on the whole "Potatoes" thing and the card he'd been given by the teacher spelled it that way, but it fit the template and the DBM was going to crucify him for anything they could, real or not.
I think your analysis on "bench strength" is spot on. What about the Republicans? How are they set for 2012 and 2016? Will the Bush name be sufficiently redeemed for Jeb to run? Or George P? This is the only time through, IMHO, for Rudy, Romney and Fred, but what about the rest? Are there any "up and comers" on our side of the fence that you see waiting in the wings?