i think spitzer’s rise illustrates what a compliant (or intimidated) media and control of the dominant party’s apparatus can do. It was all he needed to jump from AG to Governor. NY voters get flak over this, but in reality the small % of voters that actually even knew who he was, much less knew some things about him not from cnn, never had a practical chance to keep him out once he had the party itself under control. McCain is another good example of this, with some differences.
Next day (information) BUMP!