and he's the guy who runs elections in the state of indiana. mitch daniels, the republican governor in indiana, had refused to appoint anybody permanently to replace this guy once he was convicted of voter fraud. the governor saying that if the felony convictions could get knocked down to misdemeanors, maybe, then he would be happy to reinstate this guy to run indiana's elections. ultimately, late last week, the republican secretary of state did not get his felony convictions busted down to misdemeanors, so he can't get back into office. and now indiana might get a democrat installed in the secretary of state's seat instead. but mitch daniels saying he wanted to put a convicted voter fraud felon in charge of the state's elections, that probably does not help mitch daniels' vice presidential chances either. which brings, of course, to the other great milk toast hope for the vice presidential running