The last time the political stars lined up like this was in 1920. In that year's presidential contest, the nation was licking its wounds from a bruising war, and many Americans were angered by outgoing President Woodrow Wilson's attempt to turn that fight into a crusade to spread democracy around the globe.

Neither Wilson - who was ailing and had served two terms - nor his vice president, Thomas Marshall, sought the presidency in 1920. That lack of an incumbent candidate and the nation's obsession with foreign policy issues propelled Ohio Sen. Warren Harding into the White House.

"America's present need is not heroics, but healing; not nostrums, but normalcy … not submergence in internationality, but sustainment in triumphant nationality," Harding said before winning a landslide victory.

Not surprisingly, with neither President Bush nor Vice President Cheney seeking the presidency next year, and foreign policy again the cause of great discontent, a growing number of senators are lining up for the job. And journalists are treating them as though they have the inside track.

Yahoo! News