Money <i>Can't</i> Buy It All

After spending five years and at least $66 million of his own money, Steve Forbes folded his Presidential campaign last week.

When he began his quest in 1995, there was some interest in his "flat tax" idea, but Americans have never looked on the Presidency as an entry level position - so the man who had never run for anything else never really caught on.

Who then, kept telling him he could be President?

Anyone and everyone in the political community who had something to sell, be it polls or advice or commercials or whatever.

When you're the richest guy on the block, people line up to boost your ego.

I never doubted Forbes' sincerity or patriotism. But there are no short cuts in American politics. Americans like to see how a politician handles the lesser jobs before they trust him with the big one.

Even so, his campaign will be remembered for something positive: he is one more example that no matter how big the bankroll, no one has yet been able to buy the Presidency.

Nor will he be forgotten by all the people in all those cottage industries that have grown up around politics.

To them, he will always be one swell customer.