Summer wind

While many lawmakers are enjoying a break from the intense congressional schedule, other Washington insiders — and wannabe insiders — are seeking the elusive summer wind.

Politicians constantly are chasing momentum. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) had it in 2000. He had it in 2004, when he beat out both President Bush and Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) in polls. But somewhere along the line, he lost it and has been struggling since to get back up to speed.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) is riding a wave of positive publicity following his Iowa Straw Poll win.
Romney is attracting more criticism from other GOP White House hopefuls — an indicator they see him as a significant threat. How he handles such arrows will be a test of his leadership skills.

Romney is not the only presidential contender who has gained traction in recent weeks. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R), who finished second in the straw poll, is pulling ahead of the pack of second- and third-tier candidates. He remains a long shot to win his party’s nomination, but American history is filled with leaders who were written off by so-called political experts.

On the Democratic side, another governor has picked up some political momentum. Looming ever larger in former Sen. John Edwards’s (N.C.) rearview mirror, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is keenly focused on grabbing third place and pushing the Carolinian into fourth — for now.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) is still the favorite to win the Democratic nomination, with Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) as her primary threat. Some have decried the recent political punches Clinton and Obama have thrown at each other. They forget politics is a blood sport. Making jabs and absorbing blows are vital parts of the process.

As campaigns ride the merry-go-round that is running for executive office, the Bush administration is attempting to recapture some of its heavily faded political magic. Karl Rove’s stunning announcement that he will leave Bush’s side at the end of the month has triggered debate about whether the president can convince Congress to pass parts of his agenda during his remaining 17 months in office.

Rove, who showed repeatedly during Bush’s career that he knew how to summon political momentum, lost much of of his fastball since 2004. Rove’s legacy will be debated for years to come, but one thing is clear: He is not leaving at the top of his game.