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Layover in Indiana Tuesday (Bayh VP??)
Firstread thinks it's suspicious. I don't know if it's a good idea, but Bayh could guarantee Indiana. I don't like Bayh personally and as a VP choice (due to being on the Iraq Commission) but if he guarantees Indiana, that would be okay.
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/
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Please, please, please don't let it be Bayh.
August 2, 2008 8:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope this is just rumor -- Bayh as VP bad.
Also, it would mean that the DLC still is in control of the Party and Ari Berman will have to revise his 2005 article on the demise of the DLC
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050321/berman
Bayh on the ticket will mean DLC republican-lite business as usual.
August 2, 2008 8:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Bayh could guarantee Indiana". Yeah, just like he delivered Indiana democrats to Clinton.
The guy is a vacuous DLC talking hairdo.
August 2, 2008 9:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not a big fan of Bayh, but please let's not overplay the significance of a VP choice. If -- god forbid -- Obama dies, it becomes a very important choice. But it's not necessarily a sign about the way he plans to govern.
August 2, 2008 10:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
It about judgment...
Bringing in a pro-war/anti-change running mate stinks -- Heck, why doesn't he just hand over the nomination to Hillary now instead of 2012.
God if a DLCer came in it would certainly show me just how many claws the guy currently has in his back.
August 2, 2008 10:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
It would also demonstrate that he is totally gutless.
What he really needs on the ticket is a fighter not another privileged son of a Senator who has never done anything on his own or ever made a mark in the zillion years he's been occupying a seat in the coward caucus. Bayh is cross between Dan Quayle and George Bush.
August 2, 2008 11:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good observation.
But whether we will it or no, a lot of people are going to make global judgements on Obama's character and style from the decision he makes on the running mate.
August 2, 2008 10:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
True. But Bayh sucks. (How's that for high minded?)
August 2, 2008 10:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
What she said.
A really third-rate choice from a first-rate operation.
So, hopefully it won't happen
August 2, 2008 10:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Most vp picks in the pool of potentials would be, if chosen, quickly dismissed as political in nature..."Oh, he picked X because he wants the Hispanic vote" or "Oh, he picked Y because he wants to bring in a swing state." or "Oh, he picked Z because he is beholden to the labor unions."
Kiss of death, these type observations, to the Obama branding.
So he must-no wiggle room here make a pick that has a high "WTF?" initial reaction and a secondary reaction immediately following of, "Of Course! Why didn't we think of that? Perfect choice!"
Bayh doesn't meet that standard.
August 2, 2008 10:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't see what's so bad about trying to appease the HRC people and trying to pick up Indiana and shore up Michigan and Ohio at the same time.
Orlando, I really respect your opinion a lot, can you explain why you so strongly think Bayh sucks?
August 2, 2008 11:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bayh's '05 speech at AIPAC.
http://americansforbayh.blogspot.com/2006/03/senator-evan-bayhs-speech-at-aipac.html
oh boy I think I'm moving...
August 2, 2008 11:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Adding folks:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/23/evan-bayh-defends-clinton_n_98240.html
August 2, 2008 11:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
He's a little bit scary on the death penalty and he's generally been of the "use more prisons to fight crime" school.
He sold out really early on the Iraq war. I believe he was one of the first democrats to support the idea.
He doesn't have the best record on choice, although I think he's gotten a little better on that lately.
They say he's loved in Indiana, but Lugar is the one that everybody talks about. I seriously forget Bayh is a senator sometimes. I think he's been wanting to run for president for a good long while and he saw supporting Hillary as his ticket to the top. That didn't work out so well for him. For all of his executive experience as governor of Indiana added to his years in the Senate, I think he's a bit of an empty suit.
August 2, 2008 11:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
I live in Indiana and I would not want Bayh as a VP. Not only is his voting record ughh but he is non - responsive. Also, I don't know that he has done much to promote Sen. Obama either in state or nationally. I know that he was big with HRC. NO to Bayh from a fellow Hoosier !
August 3, 2008 1:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
One other thing - here in Indiana, we are all working very hard - we believe that Sen. Obama can win Indiana without Bayh. We're turning the state Blue - not an easy task, but we're working at it everyday.
August 3, 2008 1:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
No thanks to Bayh. Personally, I want Brian Schweitzer. There's more and more reason to take him every time I see a new poll from Montana putting it in play for Obama.
August 3, 2008 1:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
From a 'general audience' (not too much into the nitty-gritty, doesn't know what DLC is, etc.) perspective, Bayh would not be a bad choice, and getting a prominant Clinton backer would go over well and help cut away at the PUMA factor. Older folk (those most likely to prefer McCain) know the heritage their: his father, Birch Bayh, was very respected (and to my mind more in depth than the son). Good opticals and if he's a little short on charisma ..... well, Obama's got sufficient of that to share.
However, for reasons mentioned, he's not a strong, exciting choice and it's an open question as to how he would be as a campaigner (apparently never had a really serious challenge in IN) or - God forbid - as president.
I'm hoping it's not him, although I'd take him over a couple of others.
Know what you mean about the "Of Course! Why didn't we think of that? Perfect choice!"
reaction that would be so grand (and, blessedly, typical of Obama). But I already had that moment, in January, when Joe Biden pulled out of the primary and I happened to think "but what if Obama wins and makes him the VP candidate?"
That was the "Bingo!!" moment from me and I haven't been able to shake the idea, or grow unenthused about it, ever since. I think they would be a dynamite team - both in the campaign and governing ............. and have wished very much that he was already in the spot this week, 'cause I would LOVE to hear his comments on Paris, Britney and Charlton Heston as Moses! If McCain is going to continue his current spiral into the ridiculous, you can't find anyone who says "Bullshit" more effectively than Joe Biden.
August 3, 2008 2:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hi Elizabeth2,
I like Biden a lot also and would pick him over most anybody else.
And for the same reasons, you mention.
But he does have a considerable paper-trail (or in his case, audio-clip trail) that could be used pretty effectively too diminish him.
But live, one on one against ANY republican currently living, in a formal debate setting or in an informal townhall, he would decisively demolish them.
August 3, 2008 10:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think the media is too caught up in Bayh. Tim Roemer is originally from South Bend, where Obama will be according to the report. It would be a surprise choice, but not completely off the radar . . .
August 3, 2008 3:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Isn't Tim Roemer pro-life? I'm sure the Hillary supporters will be happy with him.
August 3, 2008 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hmmm -- I'll admit relative ignorance. Tell more about Tim Roemer.
August 3, 2008 12:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
I posted a little more on Roemer in another thread:
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/08/election_central_sunday_roundu_26.php#comment-2999340
No great insights here, but I think there's enough to consider it within the realm of possibility. Pro-life hurts him with some demos, helps him with others. I long ago gave up on pretending I have any talent for guessing VPs, but who knows . . .
August 3, 2008 6:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
He campaigned all over Indiana in the primary. He's got some national security credentials. He is (or was) the head of a national security think tank and he was on the 9/11 commission. He's a good-looking guy who is also a pretty good speaker. I'm not sure he's a good choice though. He is pro-life, which is problematic. And very few people outside of his former district have heard of him. I'd be surprised.
But then, I'm hoping to be surprised because there are no names currently being floated that I'm all that wild about.
August 3, 2008 3:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just found out that he has a town hall meeting scheduled for Wednesday in Elkhart, Indiana. Maybe he's just stopping in Indiana to spend the night.
August 3, 2008 4:08 PM | Reply | Permalink