Why Bob Graham Didn’t Have a Prayer

Bob Graham, a Democrat, quit his campaign for the presidency Monday night, citing poor fund raising after he got a late start to the race. Actually, he had a bigger problem: He was a respected member of the United States Senate. In May, Chris Suellentrop tagged Graham as the latest in a parade of senators who blow their credibility by running for the White House. (Graham’s forebears include Orrin Hatch and Dick Lugar.) Suellentrop wrote, “Bob Graham is knowledgeable, likable, and smart. But so’s Orrin Hatch. There’s a place for politicians like them. It’s called the U.S. Senate.”