Great leaders are hard to come by since they never run for office.

+10

People looking to gain something are the ones who run for office. People who are elected are those willing to bend the most to gain said office, or who are good with words.

The likelihood of a decent party becoming mainstream? Zero percent.

A sad fate.

I do feel that there's a certain idealism that pushes many young leaders to run at the start; it's not wholly about gain. In fact one might ask, what gain? Their salaries are pathetic compared to what they can earn in the private sector. They get lampooned, caricatured, spat venomously on for much of their lives. It's hard to believe that altruism and idealism didn't play a bit role at the very least.

it's not wholly about gain. In fact one might ask, what gain?

Fame, popularity, etc.

Anyone with common sense could tell you that being the president is not worth all the ridiculous things they have to go through just to get there, as well as all the crap they have to put up with during and after their time in office.

Of course, when was the last time anyone with common sense ran for president?

I doubt notoriety and 50% popularity straw polls is the main reason or their entrance.

Of course, when was the last time anyone with common sense ran for president?

We always have the benefit of hindsight when we evaluate Presidents. The Iraq War and the Vietnam War were popular at their time for example.

it's not wholly about gain

Certainly not. They're going to do what they think is best. Probably this is why I get called a cynic, but I would wager they also have ulterior motives which play a large part. Desire for fame/power, wanting to make an impact on the world...they are doing it for themselves for others, not because their one and only goal is to make the world go round.

It's like when someone donates money. Yes, they're doing it to help. They also are doing it because it makes them feel like a better person. The only time I wouldn't question that they're doing it because they believe it's the right thing to do is if they never told anyone unless asked about it, and weren't expecting to be asked about it. Which would likely mean that no one would ever know they had donated something. Likewise, they also wouldn't tell anyone that they had done so not to prove to themselves that they aren't doing it for another reason, but because it does not matter if their action is known.

Of course, when was the last time anyone with common sense ran for president?

Probably this election. I didn't pay attention to -every- person who tried to run. They just didn't get very far because they weren't known/weren't apart of one of the two parties.