Bayh's Burning Bridges

[otohara]

Evan Bayh could not have hurt his party more if he had spent years planning a way to stab his fellow Democrats in the back.

Bayh's stunning "retirement" announcement came less than 24 hours before petitions are due for Senate candidates, making it virtually impossible for the Democrats to have a candidate on the May primary ballot. The state central committee will appoint a candidate, who will have to launch a fund-raising campaign and assemble a statewide organization that should have been in place a year ago.

Forcing the party to find a candidate less than nine months before this important election is thumbing his nose at Hoosier Democrats who have supported him through five statewide elections.

Had he had his sudden epiphany that being in politics means partisan fights even a few months ago, a competitive Democrat could have emerged. After all, the Republican field wasn't exactly full of widely known candidates, and Dan Coats – if he wins the primary – would have faced an uphill battle.

Now, Bayh's decision greatly increases the chances of Republicans picking up another Senate seat, so Bayh has lost friends in the national party as well.

Whatever Bayh was thinking, he shouldn't count on the support of the Democratic Party again. For anything.

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100216/EDIT0502/302169933/1021/EDIT

[Jim Sagle]

1. He won't need it. He'll be lapping up big $ in private industry.

As for ruining Democrats, that's what he's always done. What's different about this?

[rurallib]

2. You mean health insurance industry lobbyist Evan Bayh?

That is my humble prediction.

[yurbud]

5. senators should be banned from being corporate lobbyists for life

[CanonRay]

3. The same idiots forgave Lieberman, wny shouldnt' e count on future Dem support?

[corkhead]

4. Buh Bayh you fucking dino

edit to make clear the otohara wasn't the target of my comment :hi:

[Uncle Joe]

6. Apparently Bayh wanted to screw the people of Indiana out of the right to choose their own candidate

I imagine he thought this strategy of waiting until less than 24 hours before petitions were due would insure a corporate supremacist Democrat would be "appointed."

Maybe Bayh saw the writing on the wall and he feared growing populism with the prospects of the people choosing a more liberal/progressive Democratic Candidate in the primaries?

This way Bayh gets his wish a Republican win or a corporatist Democrat takes his seat.

Thanks for the thread, otohara.

[wisteria]

7. I agree and his comments recommending that the American public vote out all incumbents in November

and stating they are all partisan and not working for the people is just over the top.

[otohara]

8. No Way

ALL - douchebag Bayh just trying to justify stabbing Dems in the back.