Bye Bayh
In a very surprising announcement, Indiana Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh says he has decided not to run for re-election. Polls had him ahead of both major Republican contenders, former Sen. Dan Coats and former Rep. John Hostettler. Will Bayh’s retreat lure Rep. Mike Pence into the race? The seat looks like a Republican pickup now.
Not surprising really. Obama’s a joke, people realize it. And if it wasn’t for the illegal alien vote. Not to mention acorns machinations. Plus amazing vote totals that come out of the inner city. There wouldn’t be any Democrats left in congress beyond the core Pelosi, Rangel, Bernie Sanders types.
I’d love to see Hostettler win, but I acknowledge that he’s the longest of longshots. Being a Republican who voted against the war gives him an edge with me, but probably not with GOP primary voters.
Pondering a primary challenge to Obama, perhaps?
Huff Post is betting that it’s all about his wife being so closely tied to big Pharma. She make millions from them. they’d be surprised if he’s positioning to run for anything.
Adam’s speculation is the most interesting, in my opinion. Then again, there’s the slight possibility that Bayh won’t be able to challenge Obama because Obama will withdraw after one term. Think about it; he peaked when he won and became the First Black President Ever. Now that he’s in, accomplishments have been harder to come by, and it’s possible he finds the job to be a bore.
LBJ is another example of a Democrat winning election, refusing to stop a war, and bowing out after one term. There’s a tiny chance Obama will do the same.
Matt, I have indeed speculated that Obama’s greatest accomplishment may very well be recorded in history as SIMPLY GETTING ELECTED.
That said, I cannot conceive of a man with the President’s ego eschewing the opportunity for a second term.
I live in Bayh’s state and the news that Bayh was ahead of Republican contenders is not true. The reason I know this is I was called to participate in the poll by Rasmussen Reports on January 25. The findings are listed on http://tinyurl.com/ygovxts
As you can see, it was far from a sure thing that he would have won the election if he had stayed in the race. As an Independent I had become disappointed in him as he voted for the healthcare plan as well as turned a blind eye to the antics of Congress. Although he likes to identify himself as a centrist, his voting record is quite liberal.
@ Bill Perleman – Get over it – Obama’s margin of victory was north of 9M votes. This wasn’t Kennedy winning Illinois over Nixon by a margin of 9,000 votes with Mayor Daley giving Kennedy a suspiciously high 450,000 vote margin. Are you telling me that Acorn has more pull than Chicago’s Mayor Daley? The sort of pull that Acorn can use to deliver a nationwide margin 1,000 times greater than Chicago’s 1960 Democratic machine? Are you high on smoke?
Despite your sad implication that only blacks voted for him, the fact is a large plurality of the people voted for him. Some due to them actually thinking he was the best qualified, and many as a refutation of President Bush and that pathetic individual Sarah Palin.
You can legitimately criticize President Obama on promises made and not kept, naivete, etc. without having to resort to this drivel.
It’s too bad Bayh is getting out because I would have loved a one-on-one shot Hostettler would have had against an unpopular incumbent. Don’t let his poll numbers or his money fool you, Bayh’s getting out for a reason and he’s no fool. He knew he had a tough campaign ahead and he’s getting out because he’s not used to it. The sad thing for Hostettler is that everyone may very well get into the act like Pence and whatnot.
You know, Bayh’s old man was a senator too and he lost his last election to Dan Quayle of all people. 1980 wasn’t a good year for any incumbent Democrat but at least Birch Bayh had the guts to run and run on what he stood for despite how unpopular it was in Indiana at that time. He let the voters make their decision on his career and that was that. If it meant he was out of the Senate so be it. His mush-minded son is a coward pure and simple and more than likely cash-in as some Washington lobbyist just like Andy Coats. I’m glad he never became President.