Petersen's attempt to save face also a flop

Matthew Petersen, whose painful performance under Senate questioning made him the wrong kind of viral video star last week, announced on Monday that he was withdrawing his nomination to be a U.S. District Court judge.

“While I am honored to have been nominated for this position, it has become clear to me over the past few days that my nomination has become a distraction — and that is not fair to you or your Administration,” he wrote in a letter.

  NY Magazine

Not, "I realize I'm totally unsuited for the job," but, "I don't want to be a distraction."

In his note, Petersen also wrote, “I had hoped my nearly two decades of public service might carry more weight than my two worse minutes on television. However, I am no stranger to political realities.”

Public service, sadly, isn't a substitute for knowledge. Politics is, though. So I can see why he thought he might get the job.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.