All of the elite strategists and conservative opinion writers encouraging a Paul Ryan candidacy are making a strong case but not for the Wisconsin congressman. In fact, it’s difficult not to get the impression that, at this early stage, Ryan is a poor (conservative) man’s Mitch Daniels.

Don’t get me wrong—I believe the chorus of Ryan’s backers truly like Ryan, and they mean what they say. But the Indiana governor is the man these Republicans really want. Ryan is young and bright and full of ideas. But the conservative critiques of Obama’s lack of experience were genuine too. Democrats have a history of getting swept away by the sweet words of the Music Man as he promises the Wells Fargo wagon is a-coming down the street. Conservatives loathe such garish displays of fandom. That’s what made Mitch Daniels attractive to conservatives in the first place: he was a man of words and deeds, and proved that conservative solutions can solve severe budget problems.

A weary Allahpundit pleads, “Tell me how this ends.” (I see he’s also asking the question I’ve been asking anyone who supports a Ryan candidacy: Where, exactly, is the money for this candidacy coming from?) In person, Daniels impressed conservatives at CPAC, and won over (well, sort of) Hendrik Hertzberg. He gave the appearance of a man who could win swing states and perhaps even blue states. (Once New Jersey residents found out Daniels trimmed the wait times at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles from over 40 minutes to less than 10, Garden Staters would swoon.)

OK, he probably wouldn’t win New Jersey. But the point that Daniels’ supporters kept making was that he appealed to voters across partisan lines. And they were, in many cases, correct. But they cannot summon a Ryan candidacy from the wreckage of the failed campaign to draft Daniels. Ryan seems to have a bright career ahead of him. That career is unlikely to benefit, and may even suffer, from a presidential candidacy this year.