[DerailAmnesty.com]

There are no "steps backwards" for her. She hasn't won anything. She's never held elected office ... or even appointed office. And insofar as "joke" status, she'll remain one so long as she's part of the Constitution Party. And that's not a reflection on Chelene. With the exception of Ross Perot, no one in modern American politics, other than an incumbent going independent, is taken seriously unless he's a Democrat or Republican. And unlike even the Greens or Libertarians, no one's ever heard of the Constitution Party.

Besides, I think it is fair to expect the AIP folks to ask her to run again. If no one else likes her, they should. She's run admirably. From their perspective, they have to be terribly happy with her. She got practically no real financial assistance. Nonetheless, she has shown up at these Mickey Mouse functions and small gatherings for months on end. Chelene has shaken a lot of hands, doled out a goodly number of hugs, built up a carefully crafted internet presence, and really done the best she could. I'm sure they've had a lot of folks they've offered up to California voters in the past who put forth a fraction of the effort Nightingale did.

If you're a small independent party, you can't ask any more of someone you can't finance to the extent that she has even an outside shot. Whatever her other failings (many of which have been enumerated in this thread), you can't accuse her of mailing it in. They'll ask her to run again.

Hiding and teaching kids at home without the roar of the crowd and people seeking her wise counsel? You must be talking about some other Chelene Nightingale.