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November 1, 2010
DON'T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU ON THE WAY OUT.... When we last checked in with Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), he was chatting with MSNBC's Chuck Todd in September. Todd, to his credit, asked about the disconnect between Congress fighting over tax cuts for millionaires while one in seven Americans live in poverty. Bayh replied that "things like that can wait." He was talking about the poor, not the tax cuts. This morning, Bayh was back on MSNBC, predicting major losses for his party tomorrow. Dave Weigel highlighted the fact that there isn't enough attention right now on "how glib and useless he is."
This has long been part of Bayh's m.o. -- plenty of lectures, weak follow-through. Indeed, Bayh is retiring at the same time he's presenting himself as a beacon of ideas and quality governance. Why doesn't he stick around and try to make things better? Bayh doesn't feel like it. He wants to help, but he prefers to walk away, even if it makes things worse. Bayh announced he'd walk away, despite being on track for re-election, despite the fact that his departure would push his priorities further away, despite an alleged desire to try to make things better. Tomorrow, voters in Indiana will elect a corporate lobbyist to replace him. And yet, there he was on television again, with yet another lecture about how bad his party is, how bad the process is, and how bad Congress looks in the eyes of voters. I don't know who'll miss Bayh's more insufferable qualities, but I imagine the number is pretty low. —Steve Benen 11:30 AM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (24)
Comments
I expect Bayh to rest up and run for governor of Indiana again. It's something he was actually good at. The fact that Bayh was/is taken seriously is one of the most glaring symptoms of Beltway rot. He's a Democrat who wants to gut Social Security (not as much as he wants to eliminate the Estate Tax, which seems to be the only thing he really cares about), therefore he is a serious and courageous thinker. There's no other issue that gets a non-entity a stamp of Broderist aprroval. Posted by: Jim on November 1, 2010 at 11:37 AM | PERMALINKWasn't he in the final 2 in the VP race? Yikes. Posted by: RolloTomasi on November 1, 2010 at 11:38 AM | PERMALINKThe Democratic establishment and O-Co. should have promoted progressive real Democrats more, done less hippie-punching and shored up the base. So now, the election hinges on turn out and look who effed up making enough people feel like voting for Democrats. You can't please "the others" anyway so please who counts. But it's still important to get out and stop the Republicans, note that if Dems hold on they'll have to appreciate us more from having come so close to the brink. Watch this and see what you should stop Republicans, even if not really happy right now: Evan Bayh is the last honest democrat. He will be missed. Posted by: Al on November 1, 2010 at 11:43 AM | PERMALINKTomorrow Indiana will elect a corporate lobbyist to replace Evan Bayh, who will become a corporate lobbyist. Posted by: Proudhon on November 1, 2010 at 11:49 AM | PERMALINKThose of us in Indiana, even we progressive Democrats, find Bayh to be completely useless for any reason. Any call to his office for help on anything will result in a canned message and/or mealy-mouthed response from his staff (if they even bother to call you back). On the other hand, re Senator Lugar (R-IN) - his staff will take your call or call right back, they will consider what you say and give a straight answer, either with helpful advice, or a clear statement of his position. I ran into Dick Lugar and an aide at the Indy airport security line a few months ago. I got a big smile and a "You really made my day." from him when I said "Senator Lugar, my favorite Republican," (I'm a hippie-looking older guy) and a big laugh from both of them when I told him that I had run into Mitch Daniels at the airport in Phoenix and couldn't say the same thing to him. Politics 101, Senator Bayh. Try and connect with voters in some way besides having Indiana political name recognition. Posted by: Paris Sailin on November 1, 2010 at 11:50 AM | PERMALINKBayh has ALWAYS acted as if he is 'to the manor born'...sometimes it's not ENOUGH to be a Democrat. You actually have to work at it. Posted by: SYSPROG on November 1, 2010 at 11:57 AM | PERMALINKso is he not even supporting the democratic candidate who's running to replace him as senator? if not all out support, is he dropping a kind word or two for Ellsworth? Posted by: Gus on November 1, 2010 at 12:01 PM | PERMALINKSeriously I don't even think about him until someone mentions him. he is completely forgettable. Posted by: Alli on November 1, 2010 at 12:02 PM | PERMALINKThis is why my nickname for Bayh has long been, "Big Bag of Useless." And not for nothing, he really ramped up his uselessness when the junior senator from Illinois seemed to come out of nowhere to snatch away Bayh's presidential dreams in 2008. But I don't count this guy out yet. He's going to make yet another run at the presidency, no doubt. Posted by: June on November 1, 2010 at 12:11 PM | PERMALINKCant be a lobbyist while espousing things good for living breathing constituents. Posted by: Kill Bill on November 1, 2010 at 12:15 PM | PERMALINKAt the very least Bayh can feel he has earned the honor of not being compared to or fêted by sissy Sara . Posted by: FRP on November 1, 2010 at 12:17 PM | PERMALINKBat's right, Bayh won't be gone for long. He's not keeping $10 million in the bank for nothing. Posted by: Stetson Kennedy on November 1, 2010 at 12:32 PM | PERMALINKI think he's going to try to run for president. Posted by: Sam on November 1, 2010 at 12:53 PM | PERMALINKHe's not keeping $10 million in the bank for nothing. I confess I'm looking forward to Bayh's prospective run for President. Not because I think he's worth a bucket of warm piss, but because the voters in the early primaries will quickly conclude that he *isn't* worth a bucket of warm piss, no matter how big his ad budget is. Posted by: low-tech cyclist on November 1, 2010 at 1:07 PM | PERMALINKBayh's one of those guys who gets a lot of love from the Broders of the world. He's probably dumb enough to confuse that with the prospect of widespread popular support. Posted by: low-tech cyclist on November 1, 2010 at 1:10 PM | PERMALINKBuh-Bayh, Evan. I for one can't stand the sight of Dems to the right of Bill Clinton anymore. They all seem as superficial and pathetic as the GOP is dishonest amd ridiculous. Posted by: ManOutOfTime on November 1, 2010 at 1:10 PM | PERMALINKThe asshole fell a bit too far from the tree in this case. His father Birch was a proud liberal, his son a squishy centrist. Posted by: fry1laurie on November 1, 2010 at 4:27 PM | PERMALINKHe's not keeping $10 million in the bank for nothing. That's bupkies, these days, Meg Whitman having set a new price ceiling on offices. If 140mil isn't enough to buy a Governor's office, do you think 10 will be enough to buy the "ultimate executive" (Presidential)one? Posted by: exlibra on November 1, 2010 at 4:50 PM | PERMALINKBayh = Democratic Newt Gingrich? If the mainstream media starts referring to him as as a visionary, you heard it here first. Good riddance.He is a DINO a Democrat in name only. Posted by: delphine1968 on November 1, 2010 at 9:45 PM | PERMALINKDid anyone ever think that Evan Bayh was at all intelligent? Or accomplished on his own, if not for his father? Or a real democrat? He probably just got sick of feeling like a deer in the headlights. Anyone else occupying his seat will at least be change. With hope of reasoning. Posted by: Fitz Tobitied on November 2, 2010 at 4:57 AM | PERMALINKPost a comment
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