All I want to say about Mike Tate is...

I cannot imagine a tougher job than managing a coalition party when the other side has big money, more media reinforcement, a near-monopoly on talk radio allies and, above all, a simpler and manipulative message centered around self-centeredness.

Whomever takes over will find it's a thankless, uphill job with problems that include a surplus of critics around all 360 degrees of the political spectrum.

I'm not carrying a brief here for a friend. I do not know Mike, but I know he did his level best with a very tough hand that reflected, in part, some national trends far beyond the control of any single person.

So I wish Mike and his successor all the fortune and support they need and deserve.