Call it Orszag chic: Rick Snyder, a Republican candidate for governor in Michigan, ran an ad spot during the Super Bowl that touted his bona fides as "one tough nerd," though one of his achievements is distinctly more geeky than nerdy in the details, and that's his tenure as the Chief Operating Officer at Gateway, a.k.a. the computers with the cow spots on the box.

No matter. Being a geek and/or nerd in politics has sometimes earned politicians the label of technocrat -- and it's not always used in an endearing way, particularly in contrast to leaders who offer grander visions about how the world should change. But perhaps its a sign of our data-lovin' times, where the President is cheered for battling to hang onto his BlackBerry, that Synder views his nerd cred as an asset in the beleaguered state of Michigan.

Evidence in favor of the idea of that Synder is, in fact, a detail-obsessed nerd? His campaign website at RickForMichigan.com adds footnotes to his Super Bowl ad.