Six Terms?

A wafer-thin mint from the end of Rod Boshart's rundown of Gov. Terry Branstad's appearance on Iowa Public Television's "Iowa Press" show over the weekend:

On another topic, Branstad dodged questions about whether he planned to seek an unprecedented six term as governor in 2014.

“I don't know,” he told reporters. “We'll make that decision come 2014. That's a long time off. We haven't made that decision.”

When he appeared before our editorial board last month, I sort of jokingly asked Branstad about needing a sixth term to get all his goals accomplished. He also dodged, but in a way that suggested he doesn't think running again would be unthinkable.

"Time will tell," Branstad said then. "I only have one speed. Overdrive."

I know, I know, one dang election at a time. And no chief exec. wants to be a lame duck before his time. So his hedging is mostly strategery.

But 24 years? Think about that for a minute. Like or dislike TB, regardless, that would be an awful lot to ask of voters. I have a hard time believing he will. But I've also seen a lot of politicians who don't know when to quit, until they finally lose. So maybe Gov. 5-0 has to go 5-1 before departing the stage.

I still doubt it. But who will Republicans put up as an alternative? Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds is a possibility. Congressional potentials like Tom Latham or Steve King. Umpteen state lawmakers. A fourth try for BVP? Yikes. A Republican captain of industry, perhaps?

Fun parlor game for bloggery. Perhaps you'd like to engage in this recreation speculation. Otherwise, it's back to the 2012 campaign already in progress.