FIRST ONE IN IS FIRST ONE OUT

After a 15 week admittedly underdog campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack called it quits this afternoon. He admitted that it was money --- and the need for lots of it --- that caused this decision.

Between November 9 and December 31, his fundraising efforts only netted $1.17 million...barely enough to do a week's worth of advertising in big ticket primary states such as Florida.

While it was well known that better known players on the national scene such as U.S. Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama would likely enter the presidential race, Vilsack was the first to officially announce that he would do so in November, two months before his term as governor ended. He's now the first to officially announce that he is no longer running, and we'll likely hear from other presidential wannabees who will follow suit as they realize that they simply do not have the national name or ability to match the major players when it comes to fundraising and publicity.

It's too bad...more voices mean a wider range of opinions and ideas on important issues that need to be seriously discussed.

His name is now removed from the list of official candidates.