Why is Bayh repeating Republican talking points?

[montana500]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11133256/

"Picking up Rove's gauntlet
Rove, he said, had thrown down the gauntlet. “We intend to pick it up…. I welcome this debate because it is one that we can win.”

He explained that Franklin Roosevelt, and Harry Truman had strong records in defending America. “It has only been since the Vietnam War that Democrats have been viewed by the American people as congenitally weak, too soft to be entrusted with our national security,” he said. “But that can change, and if we aspire to national leadership, it must.”

[Roland99]

1. Considering we've only had Carter and Clinton since the Vietnam War...

Carter was saddled with the American hostages in Iran and that fouled up rescue operation. Clinton was labeled a draft-dodger and didn't really have a strong enemy to fight and worked to right-size (reduce) the military in the wake of the post-Cold War era.

Along comes 9/11 and the whole word has changed. :eyes:

[davidwparker]

2. I believe he's DLC. It's hard to tell the difference between them and

the Repugs.

[JeffR]

3. Give Bayh a break

At least he does one thing well.
:sarcasm:

[samurai_jack]

4. He's not

Bayh's challenging GOP talking points. Media talking heads like Tweety and Russert set the conventional wisdom that Dems can't handle defense issues. Unfortunately, many polls repeatedly confirm that the public thinks that the GOP is more credible than Dems on defense in general (it changes when you talk about certain specifics). Problem is that, yes, there are some dems who don't like to talk about defense and who don't like dealing with the hard choices and realities presented by national defense. The only way we can defeat the conventional wisdom is by taking it head on, but then doing as bayh does here, kicking Rove squarely in the bee-hind.

[montana500]

5. He is repeating GOP talking points.

He really is. The GOP machine doesn't put the party down in ANY way, wether trying to refute the opponents points or talking of something else.

[samurai_jack]

6. compassionate conservatism?

Remember compassionate conservatism? That's called leading with a self-critique to undermine the opposition.

[montana500]

8. that tactic won't work on national defense issues

It comes off as very weak.

[nickshepDEM]

9. You, sir, are correct.

Bayh never once said we deserve to be labled as weak on these issues, but the facts are, the public trusts Republicans more with defense and security issues. I dont care what the polls say.

We can change that though.

[thatsrightimirish]

7. Believe me, I'm not a huge Bayh fan

But I don't see how challenging Karl Rove on foreign policy is a bad thing.