MARK SHIELDS
N1963, the legendary Russell Baker, writing in The New York Times, explained how we in the press, years before the nation’s next presidential campaign, are miraculously able to agree upon who qualify—and, perhaps more importantly, who do not qualify—as plausible White House contenders. Baker identified the “Great Mentioner” as the mythical author of this list. (We say such things as, “Sen. Striving and Gov. Driven are frequently mentioned for the national ticket.”)