Everything you always wanted to know about Evan Bayh - but were afraid to ask

[Hawaii Hiker]

http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Evan_Bayh.htm

I know, I know, I know, were just speculating here, but just like people are wondering where Brett Farve is going to play this year, us Democrats are wondering who Obama will select, :popcorn:

I have to admit, originally wasn't crazy about Bayh as a possible pick, but after reading about him, it's a good choice...Popular senator in a red state, former governor to....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evan_Bayh#Governor_of_Indiana

He also voted NO on both the Roberts & Ailito confirmations which is good, (shame the Democrats didn't filibuster Ailito, but that's another post)...

[Zynx]

1. He actually has a pretty progressive voting record on taxes.

[Cosmocat]

15. His tax record is fantastic ...

Keep in mind, A LOT of those middle of the roaders who actually might be on the fence are tax issue types ...

As governor he NEVER raised taxes, and in fact oversaw the largest tax cut in state history ...

[nsd]

2. Bayh would be a good, smart choice.

I realize Bayh is not wildly popular on DU, but anyone who is wildly popular here would be unlikely to help Obama much. Obama's main audience now consists of purple voters, the ones who could go either way. Bayh's vanilla quality, his middle-of-the-roadness, will reassure such voters, I think. It might help convince them that voting for Obama is a safe thing to do. (As this week has demonstrated, trying to convince them that Obama is unsafe, radical, and foreign is going to be John McCain's principal strategy.)

And, looking over Bayh's record, I'd say he's definitely a Democrat. On several issues he strays, but he's clearly one of us, not one of them ("Voted with Democratic Party 86.8% of 319 votes. (Sep 2007)").

[Unsane]

3. I agree, but fear he has John Edwards syndrome (pretty, but can't win own state).

[Quixote1818]

5. Obama has a shot at Indiana with or without him. With him it should be a lock

North Carolina wouldn't have voted for Kerry even with Jesse Helms on the ticket.

[Unsane]

9. Based on what? Dem candidates normally get demolished there.

Even with Bayh it will be close. Why not go with Kaine and play it safer in VA?

[Quixote1818]

11. Right now this map shows us doing better in IN

http://www.electoral-vote.com/

I don't have a problem with trying to win VA instead. Both would be good choices.

[nsd]

6. You're right that Indiana is going to be hard to swing.

I would hope that Obama-Bayh might create the kind of synergy that Clinton-Gore had. (Two young Midwestern guys instead of two young Southern guys.) I don't think Clinton picked Gore for the sake of Tennessee, but because they complemented each other personally. Maybe Obama and Bayh could recreate that? One of them a little to the left of the party's center, the other a little to the right. Both offering a dose of Midwestern reasonableness, a welcome relief after the bitterness of Bush-Cheney.

[jefferson_dem]

7. When I hear "john edwards syndrome" I think about

Whether bayh will play attack dog like obama sorely needs. Sad to say, edwards disappointed in 04.

[Cosmocat]

14. For the love of god, he is NOTHING like Edwards ...

1) the margin in NC was FAR greater than the margin in Indiana at this point, which is anywhere from dead even to two, three points to McCain ... Some polls have BO up ...
2) Kerry was one of those evil Ivy league northern liberals to people in NC ... A half dozen states away and as far as they were concerned, a freakin communist ... Indiana is next to Illinois, and Obama already has a significant core of support in the upper northern areas ...
3) John Edwards was a FIRST term senator ... He did not have any real political roots there ... Bayh had a father who was a well regarded state level elected official, he started his career as Secretary of State, was a two term governor and is in his third term in the Senate ...

All this, a VP NEVER brings a state, or he is like Edwards stuff is republican like dismissal of facts ...

NOTHING is a sure thing, but I can't remember any scenario where a VP choice had a better shot at having a very real effect on flipping a red state to a dem presidential candidate ...

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

8. I think your right. My #1 pick right now is Schweitzer. I think Bayh would probably help turn

IN blue more then Kaine would help turn VA.

[Cosmocat]

17. You got it right ...

1) Spot on, anyone who would be wildly popular here would be a PROBLEM for BO as VP ...
2) Bayh is not even close to the heretic some on here want to make him out to be ... You can pick and choose with anyone, but he voted against confirming Roberts/Alito ... ect ... And, I repeat, what issues he is not directly in line with the party on are NOT going to be a problem for him as a general election candidate ...
3) HE BRINGS THAT "EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE" factor to the ticket ... Heck, for his age, he brings more experience than could reasonably be expected ... Secretary of State, two term governor, third term senate - great senate committee appointments ...
4) For all this "he isn't change" stuff, he 1) has not ethical issues 2) is not considered and does not have a highly partisan reputation or manner ... Sorry, folks, going by BO's generic lable of "change" that fits the bill ...
5) The situation is lined up as well as any I can remember in my life for Bayh, as a VP pick to bring his home state with him ... He also should be a help in neighboring Indiana/Michigan, and won't hurt on bit in Pa ...

[salonghorn70]

19. Bayh Is Wildly Popular With Me

[quiet.american]

4. I really hope it won't be former DLC Chairman Bayh for VP.

I'll never forget how, as Bush stole into office in 2000, on every talking head program Bayh appeared on, he couldn't seem to stop himself from saying of Bush, "...well, it is true that this popular president is strong on national security..." (paraphrasing there, but the point is, it was painful to watch as he used the GOP fantasy framing of George W. Bush to "defend" Democrats.)

I'll also never forget how, as he questioned Rumsfeld during the Abu Ghraib hearings, he said:

I believe very strongly that our cause -- and these are not words I use frequently -- but that our cause is morally superior to our adversaries', both the terrorists we fight and those who now seek to undo the future of a free Iraq.

That Bayh could say these words about the neo-cons invasion of a sovereign country, that he could say these words after having just viewed the carnage and horror of Abu Ghraib -- turned me off him forever.

Anything is possible, but for Obama to choose as his VP someone who fully endorsed the Iraq invasion and was leader of the epitome of the force against change in the Democratic Party (the DLC), would seem to go against "change we can believe in."

[snowbear]

10. After asking about him on here a few days ago, I don't mind him so much...

.... and besides that, the dude is easy on the eyes...

[Egnever]

12. NO!

That is all

[Phoonzang]

13. There's some splotches on his record, but he's acceptable.

We really need to win this time. If he's the best chance of helping Obama win, then he should be picked.

[TexasObserver]

16. he's a yawner

[Skwmom]

18. How is a guy who voted for the biggest debacle in U.S. history going to tell you when you're wrong.

That's like asking George Bush to be an adviser so he can tell you when your wrong.