But neither the New Mexico governor nor the two senators with the most time in office said or did anything that ignited the sparks you need to move up in the hierarchy of the race, which inevitably becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. ~Susan Estrich

This is something I hate about the political media.  The “hierarchy” didn’t exist four months ago until political journalists created it by dubbing the people they had chosen to write about the most the “most viable,” and then the pundits, who are lower on the political media food chain, reinforce the mythical hierarchy by treating it as if it were an actual structure that just came into being on its own.  The only reason why the “frontrunners” have managed to establish themselves as presumptive favourites is that they are already famous and have access to money because of their fame, while lesser-known candidates, who are inevitably better qualified and would probably be better at the position, must complete Herculean labours before they will even be given a brief look.  Then, once someone gives them a brief look, he declares them hopeless because they have not completed all twleve Herculean labours.