Do you like Obama/Bayh?

[Colobo]

Simple question that demands a simple answer.

[mcctatas]

1. Other....

I support the democratic nominee and whoever he chooses for veep (as long as it's not Liebermann;) )

[Meshuga]

2. No

But I will learn to live with it.

[ingac70]

3. If he helps turn a red state blue...

fine by me.

[dansolo]

47. Even if it means losing a Dem Senate seat?

His Senate seat (his replacement would be chosen by a Republican governor) is much more important that Indiana's electoral votes.

[nsd]

4. Yes.

Picking Bayh makes a lot of sense.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

5. Hell no. Bayh is intellectually lazy. I will never forget when an 80

year old woman asked him about the election and how she was worried her vote wasn't counted
fairly. He didn't know what she was talking about. And said, that he thought it was
all on the up and up.

Crazy, creepy choice. And, boring as all get out. Many, many more - much more deserving.

[alarimer]

6. No. another right-wing Democrat who will be the nominee in 8 years.

We are going backwards as fast as we can if we keep nominating right-wing Democrats to anything.

[wyldwolf]

8. so tell us how many issues he differs with Obama on?

[Muttocracy]

14. yep, a young VP would pretty much automatically be the nominee in 8 years. nt

[bigwillq]

7. No

I am not a Bayh fan. I will hold my nose and vote it if that is the ticket though.

[liberalmuse]

9. If it's not Obama/Clinton, anything else will do.

I really don't care at this point, as long as I'm saying, "President Obama" this time next year.

[saltpoint]

10. I voted yes because I'm supporting the blue team, but

have other Democrats I'd prefer to Bayh, should Barack ring me up this week.

So far, though, that durn phone hasn't rung.

[highplainsdem]

11. No. And I believe the McCain campaign will be celebrating if Obama picks anyone but Clinton.

Bayh is a very weak choice, as are Kaine and Sebelius. If not Clinton, then Biden would be the strongest choice...but given how close the primary race was, I feel Obama has to choose Clinton as his running mate to unite the party.

If she isn't on the ticket, the Democrats will be in trouble in November. Especially since if many of those who believe strongly that Hillary should at least be the VP simply stay home -- which I think is something we have to worry about much more than the smaller number of Dems who might vote for McCain because Clinton isn't the presidential nominee -- then it will also hurt Democrats down-ticket.

[earthlover]

19. Wes Clark!

Bye is boring.

Hillary is History.

Obama's trip to Europe didn't help him much in the polls. Why? Because people still don't think he is stong enough on security/defense/foreign policy. A trip won't change this. This is his weakness.

Clark as VP CAN help. He can be the attack dog. And he has a tremendous amount of clout behind his name. Certainly more clout than the lackadaisical flyboy who crashed three planes!

Clark would, since he was in the Hillary camp, unite the party even more than Hillary would. He would be Hillary without the enevitable downside to a Hillary VP.

Obama needs someone strong on the foreign policy theme as VP. Bayh? You gotta be kidding! Kaine? Does Virginia have a foreign policy? Come on! Do we want four-eight years of President McCain?

McCain can win on the security/defense/foreign policy meme. If Obama picks someone equally lacking in this area, he is sunk.

[MrSlayer]

29. Absolutely.

Clark shores up all points.

[Hoof Hearted]

12. No, and I don't think it's Bayh. He gains nothing for Obama

[ingac70]

13. He'll gain Indiana for him.

hands down.

[yurbud]

42. how many electoral votes in Indiana?

[ingac70]

45. eleven. n/t

[yurbud]

43. couldn't he get Indiana by sponsoring a NASCAR?

[Arnold Judas Rimmer]

15. Indiana isn't likely to go blue anyway.

Why give up that much (and put a hard right winger on the ticket) for the slim chance of taking one state?

[Awsi Dooger]

16. No, Bayh is remarkably boring and Indiana is a wild stab

Even with Bayh at VP.

These are the numerical realities, digits that reveal how the states vote, even if the mainstream media and tunnel vision state poll lovers happily ignore them. It's similar to NFL football pundits who thrill to use lazy worthless numbers like the overall QB rating instead of the more relevant stats like Adjusted Yards Per Pass Attempt.

* Indiana, according to the 2004 exit poll -- 14% self-identified liberals, 42% self-identified conservatives

Gad. Does anyone realize what a hurdle that is? The typical swing state is 20-22% liberals and 32-34% conservatives. When a state is reluctant by even a few points it is basically out of reach, other than landslide conditions. Gore and Kerry lost every state with 35% or higher self-identified conservatives. Bush lost every state in 2000 and 2004 with at least 24% self-identified liberals.

I'll be honest: I want to bet on McCain in Indiana. The current odds are a glorifed pickup, if Obama doesn't identify Bayh for VP. Even with Bayh I think Indiana is unlikely, state polls be damned. Partisan reality tends to set in. Indiana was +18 Republican in the partisan index in 2004.

Virginia is a much more sensible investment. Here are the numbers from 2004 and 2006:

* 2004 Virginia exit poll, 17% self-identified liberals, 38% self-identified conservatives

* 2006, Virginia exit poll, 21% self-identified liberals, 35% self-identified conservatives

Obviously 2006 was an abnormal tilt, a second term midterm with the GOP in freefall. Virginia even two years later is probably more red than that 14 point gap, all things being equal.

But 2008 is not equal. We still own a situational landscape edge and a favorite son bump like Tim Kaine should be enough to tug Virginia.

[PresidentObama]

17. It's alright.

[PBS Poll-435]

18. Nah....Bye, bye, Bayh.

[Sugarcoated]

20. If he chooses Bayh

I'll be very very very disappointed.

I just can't see him choosing Bayh - another senator? What about some foreign policy experience?

I'm for Wes. But that comment that got twisted . . . and then Obama's response, I don't know how he would finesse that.

[TheDonkey]

21. I'm not sure. Not my favorite pick, but I could warm up. he isn't AWFUL

but he isn't Lieberman either.

[Renew Deal]

22. It's not my favorite

but I see why it would be compelling.

[Solon]

23. Iraq war cheerleading, anti-GLBT Bayh? What the fuck type of message would that send...

to the American people?

[DFLforever]

24. I'm neutral on Bayh but I can't see how choosing him would help

Obama's message or help him get elected.

Like Richardson, Bayh has an impressive resume but he and Obama don't agree on much in term of changing politics or changing Washington or opposition to dominance of lobbyists.Unless they can reach an accommodation I can't even imagine, I don't see Bayh stumping effectively for Obama.

IMO, consistency of message is what has brought Obama this far - which allowed him to defeat the formidable Clintons - and which will earn him the White House in November.

[FrenchieCat]

25. The name is awful........

The GOP will have a field day with that one.

Yes we can! Obama bye!

[Independent_Voice]

26. Meh, I'm not crazy about it, but I'd tolerate it.

Obama/Clinton and Obama/Kaine make me a lot more nervous.

[Divine Discontent]

27. EXCELLENT POINT being made here

IF O picked him, and won, then in 8 years he'd possibly be running as the party's nom for president, and he's too far right.

Obama is probably more than safe picking someone as progressive as himself, or more left!


More at - www.cafepress.com/warisprofitable

[Awsi Dooger]

28. Correct, that's the second variable

After the question if Bayh helps Obama to 270.

I can't imagine the nation embracing Evan Bayh in 2016. You know damn well he would be the butt of latenight boring jokes for 8 years. That's extremely difficult to overcome.

Not to mention too far right for the base. I'm not exactly wild left and Bayh is too far right for me.

[TheKentuckian]

30. I don't care

I think he actually does help with Indiana but agree he's a pretty damned Republican-lite.

By no means would the selection make me bitter because on day one, he's one of the boring middle-right people I thought we should throw out to guarantee the White House.

The message sent to the American people is, here's a fairly experienced Senator that was also a two term Democrat Governor in Indiana that apparently did well enough that they trust him to represent their state in Washington.

This guy can be packaged nicely and he's the type of boring midwest guy that is seen as a centrist in the corporate media that can give the ticket a settling factor. Bayh is the kind of pick that tells mouthbreathing America that they can trust Obama.

I don't think he's the strongest pick because he waxes empty suitish and just isn't bright and articulate enough to bash Republicans constructively but as long as he can be competent then he helps more than hurts.

[Cosmocat]

31. You're right on all accounts, except one ...

someone posted the clip with him and JoeMentum on Fox, and he was getting tag teamed by JoMo and Wallace, and he did a VERY nice job both with strong and coherent points AND not letting them talk over him ... It was a Crossfire type thing except two on one, and he came out of it AT LEAST breaking even ...

What people here just cannot wrap their heads around with him is that his home state is INDIANA, and Even Bayh would not even have won office as dogcatcher if he was a fraction of the fire breathing progressive people here THINK BO needs as VP (and, in fact, that is the LAST thing he needs in that slot) ...

Someone noted, no ethical glitches, the other thing is that he has NOT been sullied as a "partisan" ... It isn't that he is "dumb" ... It just is the opposite ... He has done what is needed to be a democrat in republican territory - and people here want to bash the guy for it while having delusional thoughts about a fillibuster proof majority in the senate, how in the world do people think they could have that pipe dream if not for Democrats who HAVE to function like Bayh has had to function in conservative areas ???

The media is going to negatively frame WHOEVER the VP pick is ... I am looking at the "top" three and the frames are:

1) Bayh - boring
2) Kaine - inexperienced insider
3) Biden - loose cannon

IMO, both Kaine and Biden's negative frames are far more damaging ... Both go directly to the assault on BO as being not ready tio lead, choosing another not ready to lead VP or choosing a VP he can't handle, and make no mistake, they WILL beat up on him with Biden for that left and right ...

If people get past their childish impulses in relation to Bayh, he brings an EXCEPTIONALLY strong resume, and he brings A LOT of potential electoral help - he very likely will ensure an Indiana pickup, he will help in neighboring Ohio and even Michigan, and as someone in Central Pa, I can say he definitely will do more than Kaine, to an extent Biden, except Biden has the Scranton roots ...

[yurbud]

44. somebody as progressive or more so would be life insurance for him.

[Supersedeas]

32. hell no

[JTFrog]

33. No. Don't need another Senator on the ticket. Especially a 50% NARAL rated Pro-War Bush enabler.

[Douglas Carpenter]

34. Bayh can reach out to the pro-war neocons and bring more of them into the Party leadership

Perhaps with someone like Evan Bayh, former Democrats like Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz could feel at home in the Democratic Party once again.

"This is a hallmark of Evan Bayh. A former chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council and a past recipient Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson Award for Distinguished Service from the neoconservative security think tank JINSA, Bayh has been running to the right of his Democratic colleagues on foreign affairs for a while now.

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/02/03/evan_bayh_tough_but_smart.php

------------

"The Committee for the Liberation of Iraq (CLI) is pleased to welcome Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) as an Honorary Co-Chairman. Bayh becomes the third U.S. Senator to join the committee after Sens. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) announced their participation on January 28."The Committee for the Liberation of Iraq (CLI) is pleased to welcome Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) as an Honorary Co-Chairman. Bayh becomes the third U.S. Senator to join the committee after Sens. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) announced their participation on January 28.

The Committee is a neo-con group that was formed to propagandize the country into war. It boasted such illustrious neocon members as Bill Kristol, former CIA director James Woolsey, and even McCain senior foreign policy adviser and Chalabi-bamboozler Randy Scheunemann, whom Josh has been blogging about."

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/02/03/evan_bayh_tough_but_smart.php

---

Perhaps with Bayh as Vice President there might be a strong advocate for war with Iran.

Perhaps he can even be a strong influence for more future wars and help push the Democratic Party in that direction.

Just think how great it would be to have not one, but two parties dominated by neoconservative thinking.

[flaminbats]

35. I like Obama but not Bayh..

but I would still vote for Obama even with Bayh on the ticket. Should I vote yes or no? :shrug:

[Upton]

36. No way

[musicblind]

37. No n/t

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

38. NO FUCKING WAY!! NO MORE DLC/Republican-lite, Warmongering Scum!!!

[zulchzulu]

39. No. Fucking. Way.

It sounds stupid... Bayh is stupid... and his state won't deliver for him.

Yick!

[yurbud]

40. If he's going to pick a DLCer, why pick a Hillary clone instead of the original?

[book_worm]

41. I voted "I don't know" I know I could live with it.

[Alexander]

46. God. Awful.

I'd prefer Hillary Clinton over Bayh.

[IndianaGreen]

48. I'll take Obama with Satan if that means beating McInsane

Do anyone seriously prefer 4 more years of this shit, with someone more crazy than Bush?