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Bayh throws himself under the bus — 21 Comments

  1. Could there be a sleeper anti-dynastic movement after Scott Brown? The Bayh dynasty is much smaller and less dramatic than the Kennedy’s, but if you look around you see that Joe Biden’s son is not going to run for his seat.

    If you are going to throw the bums out, sons and heirs are particularly attractive targets.

  2. In my view, you have it exactly right neo.

    Bayh is getting off the ‘Titanic’ while he still can and recognizes that his party’s leadership has completely abandoned any lingering support for blue dog democrats.

    Strong possibility that Blanche Lincoln will be the next to ‘realize’ that they can “best contribute to society in another way”.

  3. Strong possibility that Blanche Lincoln will be the next to ‘realize’ that they can “best contribute to society in another way”.

    I wish to God that Boxer would make the only contribution to America of which she is capable, and resign.

  4. I live in Indiana and I am not so sure Bayh would be reelected.

    There are also polls that show him within the margin of error with Hostettler and losing to Pence. In fact in most recent polls Bayh can not muster 50% and that is not good for an incumbent, especially one whose last name is Bayh and who was not so long ago a popular Governor.

    I think that once Coats got in the race, Bayh realized that he just might lose that election. That is not for sure of course, but the very fact that he might have to fight for it after all these years might have seemed just to disheartening for him.

  5. The folks at National Review are speculating that he may be trying to position himself in order to challenge Obama in the 2012 primary.

  6. Via Powerline, The Vail Spot says Barbara Mikulski is also retiring, but apparently for medical reasons (poorly healing broken leg). She has had the seat since 86. I don’t know whether MD can come up with a reasonable Rep candidate, but wouldn’t it be nice?

  7. 2010 is shaping up to be interesting indeed. As I often say: I’m waiting in anticipation for November!

  8. I agree with Geoffrey Britain: think Evan Bayh is gettin’ off while the gettin’ is good! I happen to like Bayh well enough even tho’ he’s a Democrat. Maybe because he’s a Blue Dog. He’s always acquitted himself with class. And as Neo said, he GOT the mssg. voters sent after MA. ( I was just saying this to my Dad, and he replied that his father, Birch Bayh was a nice man, too. (Dad is not big on politicians, so that’s a major compliment.) Anyway, was I surprised that he knew him! (Dad’s a Floridian). Ya never know.

    Back to topic, I don’t know what this Administration is thinking. But if they are throwing their moderates under the bus thinking they are going to replace them w/ far lefties, they are exhibiting a mother of a tin ear that’s much worse than many of us have thought. Then again, maybe it’s that arrogance that has not only become a hallmark of the entire Obama administration, but has now permeated the leadership of the Democratic Party.

    The thing is, does this mean these Democratic retirees-to-be are just sick and disgusted w/ the status quo, with the hi-jacking of their party by the far left? Or does it indicate that they have been pursuaded to fall on their swords for the party, and go along to get along until they get out? One more possibility: Rahm Emanuel & Chicago thug tactics. Might they have “skeleton in the closet” info to force compliance or leave? (Should they have such info, I have no doubts about their willingness to use it).

  9. Some mouthpiece on Fox earlier today said Harry Reid ditching the bi-partisan jobs bill in favor of one that is more acceptable to liberals was the last straw for Bayh.

    Other reports on Fox today said he didn’t even have the courtesy to call Dingy Harry about his decision to retire.

    He is one frustrated man with his party.

  10. With Bayh’s talk of excessive partisanship and emphasis on deficit reduction he could be positioning himself for a role in the Tea Party

  11. Expat, thanks. I hope Boxer wins re-election. With Scott Brown’s victory, and the decision by Patrick Kennedy and Chris Dodd not to run for re-election, I’ll die of ecstasy if we also manage to kick her funky butt out of Congress.

  12. I’m also wondering how Bayh is going to vote until his term expires. Could he be another “no” on healhcare, etc.? If so, he’s only going to enhance his image, imo, for whatever else he decides to do.

  13. Bayh’s retirement is huge.

    Bayh is a top-flight moderate Democrat who was on the short list for 2008 VP. He may still have presidential aspirations. If he is leaving the scene for now, that means something is deeply wrong.

    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. It looks to me like the core of Obama and the Democrats has imploded.

  14. Given the timing and the election problems this will cause the Dems, I can’t help but wondering if Bayh didn’t time it deliberately to step on the foot of the party bosses on the way out.

  15. I’d say – impeccable timing on President’s Day with only hours to go to submit another Democratic candidate with enough signatures.

    Don’t get mad – get even. njcommuter called it correctly… Don’t Step on my new blue suede shoes.

  16. Bayh could’ve just said, “I will not seek re-election”.

    But Bayh went further. 🙂 He went way further 🙂

    There really isn’t that much mystery in what he said either.

  17. Clip from the Washington Post political blog: Bayh to Obama: take this job and shove it


    . . . [Bayh’s] stunning retirement from the Senate is essentially a loud and emphatic “screw you” to President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. For months now, Bayh has been screaming at the top of his voice that the party needs to reorient toward a more popular, centrist agenda — one that emphasizes jobs and fiscal responsibility over health care and cap and trade. Neither the White House nor the Senate leadership has given him the response he wanted. Their bungling of what should have been a routine bipartisan jobs bill last week seems to have been the last straw.
    . . . Quitting the Senate was a no-lose move for the presidentially ambitious Bayh, since he can now crawl away from the political wreckage for a couple of years, plausibly alleging that he tried to steer the party in a different direction — and then be perfectly positioned to mount a centrist primary challenge to Obama in 2012, depending on circumstances.
    . . . On a more pragmatic view, Bayh’s dramatic vote of no-confidence in his own party’s leadership looks like another Massachusetts-sized political earthquake for the Democrats. Not only does it imperil the president’s short-term hopes of passing health care and other major legislation this year. It also makes it much more likely that the Republicans can pick up Bayh’s Senate seat in normally red Indiana and, with it, control of the Senate itself. If present trends continue, November could turn into a Republican rout.

    Looking forward to November 2010!!
    And, to November 2012, too. As others here have mentioned, I have no intention to vote for the Democrat candidate, but a centrist challenge to Obama is good “intervention” for that party, which has gone off the wagon of Leftism.

  18. Beware of rising expectiations. The way things are being spun, the Dems could lose 8 seats and proclaim a major comeback victory.

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