The 60th presidential election is upon us. Candidates are debatingpressing the flesh, airing TV ads, raising and spending boatloads of money and already re-booting strategy and staff. All of this is happening a full year before delegates from the states and territories gather at the Democratic and Republican national conventions to nominate their standard bearers for the Nov. 2024 election.

Although the outcome of the primary season seems inevitable (Biden v. Trump, Redux), just think of Democrats Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, as well as Republicans Ronald Reagan, John McCain and Donald Trump. Each faced long odds whose campaigns were dismissed—until they emerged victorious. After all, history teaches us that "the best laid plans…" (you know the rest).