If Obama picks Empty Suit Bayh

[Laura PourMeADrink]

he is not the brilliant man I think he is.

If he is, he will pick a solid, seasoned veteran.

NOT because he can't figure everything out by himself

BUT because he will not be elected if he doesn't.

Let's see how brilliant he really is. Too bad the
future of our country depends on it.

If McDummy gets elected -4 more years of nothingness. Not bad stuff because
we will have a majority. Just 4 more years of stagnation.

[book_worm]

1. If Bayh can be enough deliver Indiana (and some pundits say he could)

then it would be seen as a brilliant move, but if he can't it would be like with Edwards in 2004--he didn't really add anything to the ticket electorally.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

3. well, Obama says he wants a person with his vision. Enough

said = I doubt the man even reads the paper.

[mzmolly]

21. I was surprised to learn that Bayh leans left according to ontheissues.org.

Scores pretty much were I do. ;)

[gblady]

52. Here's Barack's leanings

according to the same website....pretty close, I'd say...

[mzmolly]

53. Indeed they are.

Thanks. :D

[Cosmocat]

49. Chuck Todd flat out said he likely would ...

Said he has heard from REPUBILCANS that Indiana already is on the edge, and if Bayh is on the ticket it woudl likely flip Indiana ...

I repeat, Bayh is NOTHING like Edwards in this regard ...

1) NC was NEVER even close to attainable for John Kerry ... He was never closer than just under double didgets ... According to Pollster.com the current trend in Indiana is McCain 43 and BO 42.4 ...

2) To NC, Kerry was just another windsurfing, latte drinking NORTHERN liberal ... His home state was MASSACHUESETTES (sp) which was 6 states away ... Indiana is next to Illinois, in what is BO's power zone ...

3) Edwards was a first term senator with no established political roots ... Bayh is the son of a widely respected senator, was Secretary of State in Inidiana, a two term governor and is in his third term in the Senate - he has a reputation for cleaning things up as governor, NEVER RAISED TAXES and in fact instituted the biggest tax cut in state history ...

[TwilightGardener]

2. I seriously don't know why people see Bayh as an "empty suit"--

8 years as Governor, two terms as Senator, sits on some of the most relevant committees in terms of good experience for the office--not too many other VP choices are that solid in terms of experience. Not Kaine, not Sebelius, not Joe Biden, not Hillary. Is he kind of boring? Yeah. Is he accomplished? Yeah.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

5. OMG - have you ever listened to him.? He's this side of a freakin

moron. I heard him respond to an old woman after 04 who asked about
her worries that the election wasn't fair. He was dumbfounded. He
had no clue whatsoever and finally said that everything was on the
up and up.

[TwilightGardener]

9. I was pissed at him during the Petraeus hearings last September--

he annoyed me. I got over it, though. He's pretty smooth on the stump, and I think he's just a solid, safe pick who won't blow it for us.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

10. but, what about that creepy haircut? looks like they put a bowl

on his head.

[book_worm]

12. A brilliant ploy to win the "Moe" vote.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

13. lol

[Laura PourMeADrink]

14. lol

[TwilightGardener]

35. Yes, that haircut has to GO. Drives me effin' nuts.

[snowbear]

38. Would you prefer a hockey hair mullet?

....

[TwilightGardener]

41. Business in the front, party in the back!

[Clark2008]

55. I think his hair looks like John Edwards' hair.

Of course, I don't like his either...

:evilgrin:

[AwakeAtLast]

11. That's how we grow VPs in Indiana

Sorry about that. :yoiks:




;)

[Laura PourMeADrink]

15. is it real?

[AwakeAtLast]

19. Um, not sure of your question

?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

16. is it real?

[Motown_Johnny]

18. Richardson's resume makes Bayh look like an intern (not that he is an empty suit IMO)

http://www.governor.state.nm.us/governor.php


Bill Richardson is serving his second term as Governor of New Mexico. He was re-elected in 2006 with the support of 69 percent of voters, representing the largest margin of victory for any Governor in state history.

Bill Richardson served for fifteen years in northern New Mexico representing the 3rd Congressional District, one of the most ethnically diverse in the country. He won every election with more than 60% of the vote, revealing a real mandate for his vision for New Mexico and his ability to effectively represent and serve his constituents

In 1998, Richardson was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate as Secretary of Energy --


As Chairman of the Democratic Governor's Association, Governor Richardson raised more than $28 million for gubernatorial candidates and helped elect the first Democratic majority of governors since 1994


In addition to his duties as Governor, Richardson has taught a course at New Mexico State University, where he provided students with unique perspectives on the inner workings of state government

In 2001, Richardson assumed the chairmanship of Freedom House, a private, non-partisan organization that promotes democracy worldwide. He also worked as a business consultant in Santa Fe and served on several boards including the Natural Resource Defense Council and United Way International.


During the 2002 campaign for Governor, Bill Richardson broke a world record. He shook 13,392 hands in an 8-hour period – shattering the record that former president Theodore Roosevelt set on inauguration day in 1907.


While a congressman, Richardson served as a special envoy on many sensitive international missions. He successfully won the release of hostages, American servicemen, and prisoners in North Korea, Iraq, and Cuba. He also secured the release of an Albuquerque resident who was kept hostage in Sudan


Prior to being elected governor, Bill Richardson enjoyed a very successful and fulfilling career in public service, academia and the private sector - few can match his wide-ranging experience and his level of dedication to protecting the rights and improving the quality of life of people in New Mexico




OK, I broke the 3 paragraph rule.. but it was worth it

[Laura PourMeADrink]

29. and..he won the world's record for shaking the most hands

[Hippo_Tron]

22. And what has he accomplished during that long resume of his?

As far as I know his biggest accomplishment is winning re-election a bunch of times which isn't hard when your daddy was a Senator and the Republicans keep running token opposition against you.

[TwilightGardener]

39. Honestly, I don't know--someone posted some stuff about his

tax cuts and budget balancing as gov, and some sort of pioneer education program involving free tuition, but I haven't read up on him too much--I was not, and am not now, a Bayh fan. I was as nasty towards him as anyone here. It's only recently that I've come to accept that he might make a decent VP, for the same reasons he doesn't knock anyone's socks off.

[tulip]

57. Bayh ?

While Governor he created a program to assist students who wish to go to college. It's called the 21st Century Scholars. It's been wildly successful and has been a model program for other states. That may not be important to everyone but if you're poor and want to go to college in Indiana Bayh made it possible.

http://www.learnmoreindiana.org/college/paying/TwentyFirstCenturyScholars/Pages/home.aspx

There's alot out there all you have to do I guess is go to his Senate Website.

[Cosmocat]

48. "solid, seasoned veteran."

That is what the OP said Obama needs or will pick in his VP - if ANYTHING describes Evan Bayh to a T, it would be solid and seasoned ...

The bizarre and irrational hating of this guy by people is bewildering, nay, it is republican like - throw facts and reality out the window, grab onto one or two outlying points and create an alternative reality ...

[Skink]

4. Baynh could be enough to say fuck it. Richardson is the man.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

7. amen. he's perfect =but unfortunately - I guess 2 minorities are too

much for the world to handle. Plus - they really really like each other.

I love the story Bill told - why he likes Obama. He never got called on
during debates and he did. But, they called on him on the very next
question and he didn't hear it. Obama whispered..say something about
Katrina...

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. A legacy guy. Another son of a son of a son of a son.

[book_worm]

8. Birch Bayh was a great senator and a true liberal. The son is not.

[mzmolly]

17. I just read his bio, I think he's far from an empty suit.

I take it you prefer Richardson? ;)

[snowbear]

24. I could live with him..

I mean..

I don't necessarily want Obama to pick him, but if Evan wants to move in and sleep on the couch..

hey...

I mean, sheeyat. Don't tell me he's not HOT!




~~~

[Beacool]

27. Down girl!!!!

:rofl:

[snowbear]

34. You know how those shy, quiet boys always turn out....

....

[Beacool]

36. Yeah, still waters and all that..............

:P

[Inuca]

56. Love your smileys :-) n/t

[mzmolly]

28. Like

.......... totally. ;)

[TwilightGardener]

43. See, now that's a good haircut. He should just go back to that, and

not that poofy high bowl-cut he's got now.

[wisteria]

20. If he picks the dull Bayh it is because he is playing the state hand.

He wants to win In and he thinks Bayh can deliver it. Of course, look how well that strategy worked for Senator Kerry in 04. I don't care for Bayh at all and if he is chosen his next move is going to be to run for President in 2012. Oh, boy. He wanted to run this time but Pres. Clinton talked him out of it for one reason or another.

[Hippo_Tron]

23. So basically, if Obama listens to you he's brilliant, if he doesn't he's not

[Laura PourMeADrink]

30. exactly

[DFLforever]

25. I don't think he'll pick a "solid, seasoned" senator

He's already attacking McCain's 26 yrs of worthless service in the Senate. I doubt he'll want someone similar on his team. In case we forget, he's been running against not with Washington DC politics.

If there were a 'solid, seasoned governor', that might be possible.

I think O will pick a non-DCer whose thinking about politics and government is compatible with his own.

This senator as Pres nominee really has screwed up the natural order of things. Usually, it's the governor who is the Pres and the senator who is the VP. Looks like it's going to be the other way around in both parties this year.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

31. solid seasoned gov - richardson - not too Washington

[Beacool]

26. I'll just give a big yawn, shrug and forget about it.

There are only a couple of people who would excite the party if chosen as VP: Gore and Hillary.

The rest are a bore and the average voter wouldn't care less.

[davidpdx]

32. Let me see, when did we last hear the "empty suit" argument?

I'm not for or against Bayh, but this argument is just insane. If you dislike Bayh that's fine, but repeating the "empty suit" mantra from the primary is like having leftover pizza that was sitting out for two days.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

33. that is just crazy talk

[nsd]

37. Bayh's not an empty suit.

He's overly cautious and much too conventional, but he's not a Democratic version of Bush.

While it's true that Evan Bayh got his start in politics by being Birch Bayh's son, the fact that his father was a senator 30 years ago does not in any way account for his popularity today. In fact, electorally Evan Bayh has outpaced the old man by a quite lot.

Bayh was a very successful two-term governor (cut taxes, balanced budget, passed tuition program). As a senator, he's on both the armed service and intelligence committees. In TV interviews, he comes across as knowledgeable (albeit bland).

Some of his positions -- notably on whether to go into Iraq -- are troublesome, but it's not fair to say he's an empty suit.

[zulchzulu]

40. It would be like Jimi Hendrix hiring Lawrence Welk as the backup band n/t

[CitizenLeft]

61. okay, that was damned funny.

:rofl:

[Renew Deal]

42. Only an empty suit would say Bayh is an empty suit.

[DFLforever]

44. I think what hurts Bayh's chances the most is his tie-in with

DLC type funders. Plus his wife is a lobbyist for big pharma.

I suspect the only reason Bayh is being 'considered' is to placate the Clinton sector of the party.

[Skink]

45. Skink has spoken.....

Pick that guy that has a son in the war.

[JI7]

46. Bayh may be bland, boring, blah, but he is not an empty suit

[Douglas Carpenter]

47. 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

-----

Bayh As Veep? But He Co-Chaired Neocon Committee For The Liberation Of Iraq With McCain!

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/07/bayh_as_veep_he_cochaired_wing.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."

----

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.

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

[Tektonik]

50. Picking Bayh would be a disaster

[TwilightGardener]

60. See, no--that doesn't make sense. Picking Bayh would be the OPPOSITE

of courting disaster. He's safe, clean, easy to vet, and non-controversial (at least in the real world).

[bigwillq]

51. Obama can't pick anyone from the DLC

or his message of "change" will no longer be valid.

[RBInMaine]

54. STOP THE BAYH BASHING !! This needs to be a big tent party, and that means Bayh Dems too !

Bayh is a moderate centrist, and he is a Dem who wins handily in a very red state. If he could actually help deliver a state like Indiana, than fine. He helps with Indys, white men, and white working class voters. Like it or not, these are constituencies we have lost and need to cut into again if we are going to be a national party. Stop the circular firing squad crap, and get your heads into reality please. Think outside your own ideological box.

[PassingFair]

58. If we want a red state THAT badly, why don't we just

attach Hagel?

I would rather have an anti-Iraq war Republican
like Lincoln Chaffee than a DLC, Liebermanesque
collaborator.

[Skwmom]

62. It's not about being a liberal, moderate, or conservative.

It's about cleaning up the corporate influence in D.C. and that will hardly occur with a corporate Democrat (especially one who has a corporate lobbyist for a wife).

[trewsx11]

59. Bayh was a successful 2-term governor...How is he an empty suit ???

Huh?

[Skwmom]

63. He destroys Obama's positives and enhances his negatives.

It's much more than the empty suit charge. I posted this on another thread.

Obama is change we can believe in. Oh really? Picking a Washington Insider, a Corporate Democrat kills the Change you Can Believe in message, and the I will take on corporate lobbyist message. B/C no one with an ounce of common sense would make it so they were the only person standing between corporations and trillions (yes trillions) of dollars.

Obama has good judgment and wants a VP to tell him when he is wrong. Hmmm... so a man who was WRONG on the biggest debacle of U.S. history is going to tell Obama when he's wrong. Plus, I think they'd better can the criticism of John McCain's march to war when you've picked as VP one of it's biggest cheerleaders. Yeah, that should make the troops feel like there's a great commander-in-chief waiting in the wings.

Obama is an empty suit. Have you really taken a look at Bayh photos? He reminds me of Bush and his "I don't have a clue" looks. The song that comes to mind is the Wizard of Oz - If I Only Had a Brain. The guy has such a DOPEY look on his face. Bayh does not come across as a person of substance.

Obama is a weakling. Bayh is a big zero on the "I will keep the nation safe" scale. Newsflash to the great Democratic Strategists, telling people that someone sat on some stupid committee in D.C. will NOT make the average American believe that means they can keep you safe. Just the thought of dopey being the commander-in-chief in waiting makes me uneasy.

Obama is an elitist. Birch Evans Bayh III.

Obama is to inexperienced. It must be true if he needs to pick a Washington Insider like Bayh.

Plus: Bayh is another George Bush in that he wouldn't be where he is if it wasn't for his daddy. Just what this country needs.

This, if we pick a Clinton supporter it will help with Clinton supporters is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. The only Clinton supporters it will help with is the big money corporate donors who want to be assured that it will be business as usual in D.C. Plus, it will give the media and RNC an excuse to constantly remind us that Bayh didn't even think Obama was up to the job, he backed Clinton. There has to be some great footage out there.

I think what points to it being Bayh is his increased dopey look and the "fact" that Obama had his ad guys filming Bayh in Indiana (or at least it was reported).

Bayh as VP is a lousy choice and does not reflect well on Obama.

If the Clinton Camp has been pushing the safe bet meme, I'd make sure to run the other way b/c they have their sights set on 2012. And of course, if Obama can't serve out his term I'm sure they'd expect Bayh to tap Hillary for VP. Plus, it has been their hacks pushing the Obama needs to pick an "experienced" aka Washington Insider Guy. Nothing like killing the change message but what they heck it will help out their good buddy John McCain.

Obama must think he has it in the bag to go with a "perceived" safe pick. Me. I think they are still defining Obama and a Bayh pick will go a long way in helping them negatively define him.

Bayh - Do no Harm. I'd have to have a lobotomy to agree with that one

[oasis]

64. What is your definition of an "empty suit"?

:wow:

[snowbear]

65. That's a great question that the OP should address!

A very popular 2-term Governor, now a U.S. Senator, foreign policy experience, from the rural heartland.

Should be nice to read the list of the OP's oppositions because right off the bat, there pros are pretty evident.

[oasis]

66. Dems need a balanced ticket. Bayh fills the bill. (eom)