Does the VP selection of Biden make Obama look stronger or weaker?

Now, Cheney IMHO made Bush look weaker.

I think Biden will do the same for Obama.

And as Marine has suggested -- how do you bring change to Washington with someone who has been there as long as McCain just about?

On economics Obama needs someone who can talk the issues to middle America --- bread and butter --- the red state lingo...

Richardson or Bayh could do that --- Kaine and Warner could do that...Biden -- another Northeast liberal elitist can not IMHO...

Cuz he's a northeast liberal elitist to people in the Midwest who plagiarized...

Well democrats ought to bow down and pay homage to Ross Perot cause if Bill Clinton hadn't a got a chance to prove a democrat was capable of running the country it would a been a while before a democrat ever got elected again. Jimmy Carter was a wonderful human being but he was a disaster as a president; if you think America's standing in the world and America's economy is bad now you weren't alive in the late seventies.

I'll tell y'all a secret about Northeastern Liberals.

The rest of the country pretty much thinks they are all blithering idiots.

see how hard taz is fighting

snuffy-this is a knockout blow to bayh.

"I don't remember this"
McCain is 72 and can feign senility...

THIS KNOCKSOUT BAYH

and taz fighting so hard prooves he knows he is staggering and about to take that trip to the mat
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 LOSER IS BAYH

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MARINE cares...

this picture is worth 100000000000000000000 words

Taz, I agree with your vetting and disqualifying Biden and I agree with g4a's vetting and disqualifying Bayh.

And did the Iraq liberation committee license the stress positions utilized in softening prisoners for interrogation in Abu Ghraib?

No. I didn't think so.

So that picture is really irrelevant to the story...

Yeah.

We all know via Sy Hersh that Bush was the only one to license the use of physical coercion and sexual humiliation as an interrogation technique and he did not seek or inform Bayh's committee which may have never even conducted a meeting...

Nice.

Here's the wiki...

No evidence Bayh ever attended a meeting...

They were interested in the liberation of Iraq...

So was I.

Not the way Bush did it -- but I wanted Iraq liberated...

The Committee had no formal role doing anything...they heard some briefing...big deal...

Scandal Graham -- where's that scandal involving Bayh....

Committee for the Liberation of Iraq
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Committee_for...eration_of_Iraq

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
The Committee for the Liberation of Iraq (CLI) was described as a "non-governmental organization" which described itself as a "distinguished group of Americans" who wanted to free Iraq from Saddam Hussein. In a news release announcing its formation, the group said its goal was to "promote regional peace, political freedom and international security through replacement of the Saddam Hussein regime with a democratic government that respects the rights of the Iraqi people and ceases to threaten the community of nations." It had close links to the Project for the New American Century (PNAC) and the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), important shapers of the Bush administration's foreign policy.

The Washington Post reported in November 2002 that "the organization is modeled on a successful lobbying campaign to expand the NATO alliance. Members include former secretary of state George P. Shultz, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and former senator Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.). ... While the Iraq committee is an independent entity, committee officers said they expect to work closely with the administration. They already have met with Hadley and Bush political adviser Karl Rove. Committee officers and a White House spokesman said Rice, Hadley and Cheney will soon meet with the group." [1]

With the successful removal of Saddam Hussein, the committee appears to have disbanded, and its once-prominent website no longer exists. However, its offices still remain on Pennsylvania Avenue and 10th Street.

The film Syriana portrays a similar group, using the same initials, but bearing the name 'Committee for the Liberation of Iran'.

You must be psychic...

Without Clinton (and Perot), BushI would have had another term to really screw things up... or not.

And we would have had a much different series of events...

The main difference between the BushCo economy and the current economy is that the FED didn't just crank up the presses to keep the whole shebang from going into the crapper under Bush. We have not yet begun to pay for the sins of the FED and this administration.

Bush believes that it's alright to crush America by devaluing its worth... the worth of its workers, the worth of its assets, and by mortgaging its future. Carter did not believe so... and we endured a temporary pain. Guess which one we'll be paying for decades from now.

Richardson would be a good choice, he's got the experience but not the big dumb mouth. And he might bring in the Hispainics.

Taz... looks like everyone else is out of the running.

So the choice for VP must be..... Taz.

No baggage, never gives up, will talk the leg off anyone, and makes long, logical arguments designed to wear down all but the most dedicated opponents.

Taz' motto: "If you can't convince 'em, talk 'em to death".

and.. Taz can do that... in spades.

DISQUALIFIED TO BE VP

AND QUALIFIED TO BE BEATEN NEXT TIME HE RUNS FOR REELECTION BY A MUCH BETTER DEMOCRAT, ONE THAT
DOES NOT WANT THE ABOVE PICTURE

DISQUALIFIED
DISQUALIFIED
DISQUALIFIED
DISQUALIFIED
DISQUALIFIED
DISQUALIFIED (and possibly guilty of war crimes if the above is taken to a court of war crimes and found guilty in the Hague)

I just don't think that is true. I can remember reading an analysis of who Perot helped and hurt in what states, apparently it was a wash. And that makes sense because Perot essentially ran a centrist campaign (he edged more to the Right in 1996) in 1992. Clinton won by five points, no landslide but a pretty healthy margin. I think he would have won anyway. Now I do agree that he showed that the Democrats hadn't lost their capacity to govern, even if at times he could not govern himself all that well.



I agree that Carter lacked the savvy that might have made him a much better President. We did have pretty high inflation and relatively high unemployment in 1980. In terms of comparing the economy to now I think it is difficult because the main problem now is fear of the future, this credit crunch/housing crisis still has to unwind further, and it could yet unwind disastrously, making things much worse. (And while we are starting from a much lower base than in the 70's inflation is looking like a growing problem.) He seemed rather naive when it came to foreign policy. But at least not so many people hated us as they do now.

I would agree with Richardson being VP... the only downside would be that a two-minority ticket may be a problem for many.

Not quite. If you'd ever studied economics you'd know that a nation's economy is largerly governed by the expectations of it's participants. Bush 1 was trying to jawbone the participants into believing the economy was doing swell, well if they were convinced then the economy wasn't doing swell and it made Bush 1 look out of touch. I thoroughly understand what Poppy was trying to do but I have a degree in Economics; most folks havn't a clue how a nations economy chugs along.

putting jimmy carter here is a distraction after the FATAL BLOW TO BAYH that picture/article was.

Jimmy Carter was a great president but a lousy politician.

I don't much want Biden either, but he is as Kos wrote earlier, looks 1 million times better than Bayh or Kaine

I would rather Gore, Kucinich, Kerry Feingold Bloomberg if I had my choice.

Yes, well which VP choice gives Barack the best chance to win...in November...

I think Biden points to Obama's experience weakness in an area Obama has repeatedly said is a strength -- he offers no gains in the midwest -- or any red states ---

Bayh, Kaine and Richardson would allow Obama to reach out to the people in those states...

Biden would not.

Obama cannot win without red states.

So, you can like whomevers arguments you like -- but the reality is who will help win the white house...

You do not want a VP who does harm...

Biden accentuates Obama's weakness on foreign policy and offers nothing on domestic policy which matters most to Amercians...

Its a dangerous choice...

Bayh has an excellent record on jobs and economics...

Has Joe Biden ever created a job or an economic policy?

Can he speak to the people in America who are jobless, homeless, in need of economic assistance?

What does Iraq and Georgia matter to out of work people in WV or OH or PA who have suffered from a loss of manufacturing jobs?

What does Iran and North Korea matter to an employer who cannot afford to provide his employees with health insurance?

Nothing.

Obama VEEPwatch: Who Is Evan Bayh?
By Jennn Fusion | Related entries in Veep

http://donklephant.com/2008/07/21/obama-ve...o-is-evan-bayh/

Whether you knew it or not, ObamaBayh.com is up and running in a subtle campaign to keep the public informed about how awesome this dream team is. Once a fiercely loyal Clintonite, the Indiana Senator has instantly thrown his support behind Barack Obama and most recently accompanied the presidential hopeful and Sam Nunn to the Middle East. Could it be a trial run for VP?



Congressional Credentials:

Indiana Senator (1999 – Present)
- Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
- Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
- Subcommittee on Financial Institutions
- Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance and Investment
- Subcommittee on Security and International Trade and Finance (Chairman)
- Committee on Armed Services
- Subcommittee on Airland
- Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities
- Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
- Select Committee on Intelligence
- Special Committee on Aging

Governor of Indiana (1989 – 1997)
Secretary of State Indiana (1987 – 1989)

Background :
Evan Bayh was born in Shirkieville, Indiana. His father, Birch, was a state senator from 1963 – 1981 who also ran for president in 1976 (losing in the primaries to Jimmy Carter). Evan graduated with honors from a prestigious highschool — St. Albans School in Washington DC, obtained his business economics BA from Indiana University and went on to get his JD from the University of Virginia.

His Agenda:

Education:
Descending from a line of teachers, Bayh’s always had a soft spot for education. He cut interest rates, proposed student loan relief for active duty soldiers, passed legislation to help middle and lower income families send their kids to college, proposed tax relief for “teachers who go the extra mile” and announced $400,000 in grants to help schools prepare for emergencies.

Pro-business:
Bayh’s also really into helping out small businesses. He offered a 50% tax credit for businesses who offer health insurance for their workers in 2005. He’s credited with securing over $500 million for local research/technology projects — all military products. He also invested $158,000 in Northeast Indiana and pledged to protect the job security of local workers, calling for a reversal of the tax breaks given to companies that move overseas. Instead he offered tax credits for those who stay local and offer their employees health insurance benefits.

Energy:
He urged the President to fund electric vehicle technology to end oil dependence, invested in fuel-efficient public transportation, joined bipartisan bills to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil, promoted new energy technologies and secured $2.8 million in federal funding to help Hoosiers deal with high energy costs.

Health:
Bayh co-sponsored bills to provide Cancer screening to women, triple Cancer research funds and eliminate penalties for late medical sign-up. He called on the FDA to improve regulation of products from China, spent $50,000 on combating obesity and secured over $9.1 million in federal grants to improve Indiana healthcare.

American Security: (See next section for details.)

Foreign Policy Cred:
As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Armed Services Committee, Bayh is well-versed and well-respected on foreign matters, which is why Obama chose him to come along on the highly publicized Middle East tour. He’s been working on several high-profile projects with Dick Lugar, like the non-proliferation treaty, two bills to build a new electronic warfare and national guard facilities and a defense bill (S. 1138, The Nuclear Safeguards and Supply Act of 2007). Getting “tough on trade” with countries like China and reforming World Bank is also of utmost importance in the senator’s work.

Domestic Policy Cred:
As Governor, Bayh was noted by the Wall Street Journal as a “fiscally conservative Democrat.” Republicans called his administration “cautious but responsible.” His eight years in office was marked by lower taxes, over 350,000 new jobs, “welfare-to-work” programs, lean government and increased school funding. He cares very much about health care, jobs, education and energy independence.

Star Achievements:
Bayh was credited with “the largest single tax cut and budget surplus” in state history.

He also saw to it that low-income public school children received free lunches and were able to attend university for free, as long as the high school students pledged to keep off drugs (21st Century Scholars Act of 1992).

His approval rating ended with 80%.

Possible Snafus:
Bayh = Bait!
In 2002, Evan authorized the invasion of Iraq. Not only that, but he was honorary co-chairman of the Committee to Liberate Iraq – working alongside Neocon Bill Kristol, former CIA director James Woolsey, Joe Lieberman and John McCain! (Yowch.) Sure, he’s entitled to change his mind, especially given the fact that many hawkish senators have admitted the war wasn’t what they had anticipated; however, the Republicans might have a hay-day with Bayh regardless.

Too centrist?
I came across an article penned by Dylan Matthews at The American Prospect, home of super Liberals. Matthews wrote, “If Obama wants to alienate progressives while reinforcing the media narratives that he’s ‘flip-flopping’ and ‘moving toward the center’, then Bayh is a good pick. If he wants to win and work toward liberal policy goals while in office, I suggest he look elsewhere.” For the most part, I think the criticism is unfair.

His voting record looks a little like this:
60% Pro-civil liberty votes (ACLU)
100% Pro-affirmative action (NAACP)
90% Pro-senior (ARA)
91% Pro-education (NEA)
100% Pro-energy independence (CAF)
Pro-environment (LCV)
Pro-public health (APHA)
Mixed record on Criminal justice (NCJA)
Mixed record on Rehabilitation (CURE)
Mixed record on Trade (CATO)
31% anti-family (Christian Coalition)

He has some wild card votes – like reauthorizing the Patriot Act (but voting against the wiretap provision). He voted for a flag-burning amendment, supported McCain’s proposal to get Russia out of the G8, voted “Yes” to keep funds going to sanctuary cities and the NTU rated him a “Big Spender” on tax votes. But look, Liberals, he voted against Alito and Roberts for Supreme Court. In fact, he voted with Democratic Party lines 86% of the time. Moreover, his vote record is classified by VoteSmart as a “Populist-leaning Liberal”… is that so different than Obama?

Boring?
The Democratic Underground called Bayh a “boring centrist white guy” and you can even find a youtube video labeled “Boring Bayh” if you’re looking. The prattle gets even worse over at “Bob Cesca’s Goddamn Awesome Blog,” where he’s called everything from a “tepid DLC hack” to a “Kenbot.” Even TIME Magazine cited Evan as having “Gore-like blandness.” However, Midwestern housewives over at NBC called Evan Bayh “campaign eye-candy” — as good as John Edwards. If you caught him on Fox News Sunday against Joe Lieberman, Bayh was far from boring and came off prepared on every talking point.

Corporate Ties?
Some Liberals find it interesting that Bayh would vote for “stricter laws pertaining to campaign finance” – and yet, would also accept $14,000 from one of the nation’s biggest polluters AK Steel, despite all his other “pro-environment” votes. His wife Susan sits as director on ten corporate boards, including: Wellpoint Inc (largest US health insurer), Dendreon Corp (biotechnology), Dyax Corp. (biopharmaceutical), Nastech Pharmaceutical (biopharmaceutical), Novavax Inc. (biotech), Curis Inc. (biomedical), Esperion Therapeutics Inc. (biomedical) and Emmis Communications Corp (telecomm). One can only hope she would resign from her post (like Senator George Allen’s wife who was on the corporate board of a major utility company but didn’t want to hold her husband back when he was appointed to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.) According to economic insiders, Susan Bayh is “spreading herself too thin” anyway, causing some of her companies – notably Emmis – to fall by the wayside.


VicePresidents.com Assessment…

Some say Evan Bayh was simply born to lead.
He was the son of a politician who almost effortlessly ascended the ranks from sec of state to governor to senator. Over the past two years, he’s been setting up networks in Iowa, New Hampshire and other key states to prepare himself for a presidential run. However, with so many “star” contenders in 2008, he abandoned his bid just 13 days after his exploratory committee set out. Yet, deep down, Bayh wanted to be in the White House so badly. He was a very quick supporter of Hillary Clinton and for a while, everyone was sure he’d be her #1 VP pick. Her husband had called upon Bayh to give the keynote address at the 1996 Democratic National Convention because he represented the “moderate image” Clinton himself wished to imbue. “I hope and expect one day I’ll be voting for Evan Bayh for President of the United States,” Bill Clinton had remarked. When Hill left the race, Bayh followed Clinton’s lead and immediately gave his unfettered support to Obama. Over the past few months, Bayh has campaigned, debated on TV and traveled with Obama. Geographically speaking, Indiana has always caught the eye of presidential campaign staff, since it’s full of blue collars but prone to swinging red. Bayh was considered a possible running mate for Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004, so is now his time to shine?

Barack & Evan have been buddies since 2004.
In a July 18th interview with the National Journal, Bayh was quoted as saying that he and Obama “know each other, we’re friends, we’re about the same age, we both have young kids, we both like sports, we made that trip to Iraq [in 2006]. You know, you get to know somebody when you’re traveling in the belly of a C-130 or lifting off in a Blackhawk for somewhere like Fallujah or Kirkuk.” He added, “Like I said, we’re the same generation, so we have a comfort level, but I don’t want to overstate any of that. I like him, I hope he likes me, and after that dinner I could tell one thing. My wife is a talented person in her own right, and I could tell with Michelle that Barack and I — one other thing that we have in common is we both married up.”

Obama has been speaking highly of Evan Bayh lately too.
At Purdue University, Obama referred to Bayh as “one of the finest senators” – and, “prior to that, one of the finest governors we’ve had in the country.” Later he told Indiana’s News 8, “I have said that I will not talk about my vice presidential process until I’m introducing the person who, I believe, will be the next vice president. But I can say that Evan Bayh is one of the most gifted public servants we have. He’s done an extraordinary job as senator…and he’s somebody who, I think, would be a great asset to any Democratic administration.” Obama pointed out that Bayh’s “doing some good work with Dick Lugar with respect to a proposal to stop the flow of nuclear weapons while safely meeting the demand for nuclear power,” which aligns perfectly with some of Obama’s foreign policy initiatives.

Bayh brings common sense.
While some people call Evan “Republican Lite,” others say he’s just a sensible politician. “Leading this country has to be about something other than ideological division,” Bayh told the Washington Post. “It’s got to be about how we move this country forward in practical terms, not looking at issues as left or right or even center but instead do they make sense, will they matter in peoples’ lives?” Back in February, he had said, “We’ve got to be somewhere between ‘cut and run’…and mindlessly staying the course. You’ve got to have a sensible middle ground.” Lately the media has been accusing Obama of waffling on some of his more Liberal views in favor of a moderate, bipartisan vision like Bayh proposes. Perhaps that’s not such a bad thing in a world where Bush and Cheney pushed forward their agenda, despite all logical reasoning that indicated disaster.

Bayh’s loaded.
Bayh is also a strong fundraiser who’d be ready to spar against a heavy hitter like Mitt Romney. His senate committee raised $3 million in 2005, finishing off the year with a $9.5 million surplus. He also brought in $1.5 million with his All America PAC. Even though he’s a fundraising fool, he still manages to give off that Midwestern “Blue Collar” image.

Bayh brings balance.
I guess the million-dollar question is: Are there enough super left-leaning Liberals ready to vote that would sway the election? Or should Obama focus on reaching across the aisle a little bit, snagging a couple Reagan Republicans, moderates and centrists? I think the Veep selection is typically chosen to “balance the ticket,” not marginalize voters outside a particular niche, so adding Bayh to the ticket wouldn’t be a bad idea. If Evan is hoping to run for president himself one day, the #2 spot would be the next logical move. Even though it didn’t work out for Al Gore, five vice presidents were later elected president: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Van Buren, Richard Nixon and George HW Bush. (Additionally, four more Veeps succeeded to the presidency: Teddy Roosevelt, Coolidge, Truman and Johnson.)

Bayh = a Youthful Ticket Brand.
Talking “Ticket Brand,” Bayh boosts Obama’s foreign policy creds a bit and adds to the “youthful vigor” of the Obama campaign. He’s well-liked, he loves his two children and he’s had the executive experience that Obama lacks. In addition to foreign policy, he echoes Obama on the environment, trade negotiations, health policies and energy independence. He’d be loyal to Obama and he’d help bolster Obama’s “unity” message, bringing some jaded Neocons and old friend Republicans to the negotiating table, if need be. He may not be as exciting as an Edwards or a Biden, but what distinguishes Bayh from the pack is that… well, he actually WANTS the job!

DISQUALIFIED

I was more alive from 1975 through 1980 than any 5-year period from 1935 t0 2008. I conducted training groups with Professionals, para-professionals or clients in the Human Services during that time when I was in every state in the Union (at least once) except N.D. and Alaska--often sitting in a small circle of from 10 to 15 persons for 3 or 4 days. I totally disagree with your major thesis.

Graham --- you love to misrepresent...

That picture does not scare me --- because its a lie.

Evan Bayh did not license such atrocious acts and you know it.

Its the dishonest banter of persons like yourself which gives the Democratic party a bad name...

But since I know its all lies -- I can laugh at it and you...

Prove Bayh ever attended a meeting of the group -- they likely asked him to be an honorary co-chair to put a Democratic twist on the committee...

Well, when Barack Obama loses the electon because Biden accentuates his foreign policy weaknesses and because Obama cannot communicate effectively with red staters who do not trust him and McCain wins because Obama could not sell himself in the red states on economic issues...think back to your silly Bayh phobia....and think of what might have been...

I have a minor is econ...

Yes expectations drive the economy... and it is the unrealistic expectations of the past decade (first in the internet / dotcom boom and subsequently in the housing boom/bubble) which have kept things propped up. The Fed and Bush have relied on this smoke and mirror charade to keep things going and now the piggy bank is empty... for the nation and its people... and sooner or later we'll have a major change in the standard of living for most Americans. We can only run on debt without repayment for so long....

Now they are doing the only thing left... taking the dollar down. Keep the illusion alive while the real purchasing power of the dollar squeezes the life out of most working class people.

BTW - I misstated my original post.... saying Bush and meaning Carter.

The FED didn't proactively prop up the economy under Carter... and they have done nothing but prop it up under Bush.

Graham, that picture of yours can be misleadingly attached to any politician's name, so how do you think that it delivers the fatal blow to Bayh?

As far as the article goes, Bayh would seem to be guilty of no more than the typical hedging of a politician. Yes, he voted wrong on the IWR, but a lot of people did. I fault him for that, but as most people supported the invasion at the time (a mistake that I admit to) I would keep it in perspective. I have no problem with him being associated with the cause of Iraqi liberation. He was wrong on the means of doing so, and perhaps he should have avoided that particular group. But this does not look like a "fatal blow" by any means.

Marine, you are correct that expectations are important, but only so important. If the general public does not believe that a presidential candidate is credible/realistic in his statements -- then its little use what he tries to project.

When you visit people who have lost their jobs --- who have been unemployed for months -- who have stopped looking for work -- you can talk till you are blue in the face about how things will get better and are on their way to improving -- but it will do little good.

Bush lost because people did not trust that he was in touch with them -- not because of expectations...

We were in a recession -- the eocnomic numbers did not support them...

Biden is also an attack dog type, that is needed as vp

not someone with big hair(a toupe???) and a smile
We saw in 2004

that Bob Graham was needed and we got chickenspitEdwards who lied and cheated

Bush lateral'd to Clointon because the heat was on and he wanted out
Bush threw it to Clinton in other words. once the two made a fool of perot

So your point would be what?

I mean just a little while ago you basically said that lying and cheating was what is needed.

To put it in the context of fatal blow or not prematurly forces what is essentially a part-whole analysis into a cause-effect analysis.

Well, I think that's what I wrote, eh?

Bush 1 tried to convince people the economy was doing swell. If he'd succeeded the economy would a responded to those expectations. If he failed it made Bush 1 look out of touch.

That's a problem with what some democrats have been doing too. Bad mouthing the economy and saying the country is in a recession when it's not makes them look as out of touch as Poppy was. And we also got the problem if they succeed in getting the American people to believe the economy sucks guess who's to blame for the downturn? You can bet your bippy they won't accept the responsibility.

There are a lot a factors which determine where a nations economy goes but using the economy as a political battleax inappropriately is about the most irresponsible thing a politician can do. I'd rather them be taking bribes, at least that don't screw up my life.

So much for a new kind of politics...the attack dog VP type seems like the old type of politics to me. The Biden choice will be a look to the past instead of the future.

I also think it may help to diminish the reservations people might have regarding McCain's age. Biden and McCain look to be a few years from one another...so his choice as VP may actually help McCain...

I think you are missing my point.

Expectations can only do so much to help an economy that is truly on a downturn.

It was not just consumer expectations that were low -- consumer expectations could have been high as a kite --- but the fact that businesses were closing , foreclosures were up, etc. was the real factor that destroyed Bush's efforts and made him look so out of touch -- thus -- he was trying to change expectations to be different from what the reality was and that was crazy ---

He would have done better suggesting that indeed after the prosperity of the Reagan years we have hit a cyclical downturn -- I understand that times are tough for some -- but my policies are working -- and they will be effective to turn around the economy...in a short period of time...like Clinton did...

Bush never empathized with anyone which is why he lost...

Yeah, right...

Where's the scandal on Bayh, Graham?

Where are the skeletons?

I just asked for one...

Provide it...

You have nothing on Bayh...

So now you're admitting Obama isn't doing better as he was expected to do..

I'd say it's people who go around spouting HANOI McCain will eventually lose Obama the election.

So, if he chooses Bayh - you aren't voting for Obama. Interesting.

What is this Graham -- just when you think Bayh is out of the picture...

Will It Be an Obama-Bayh Ticket?
With an announcement due soon, some Democratic Party officials think Sen. Evan Bayh will get the nod
By Paul Bedard
Posted August 18, 2008

http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campai...ayh-ticket.html

Top Democratic Party officials are expecting Sen. Barack Obama to select Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh as his running mate as early as midweek. "He brings state and federal experience, helps us in the Midwest, and is a good complement to Barack," said a top party source.

However, the source noted, Obama hasn't signaled yet who his pick will be, and a number of other candidates, including New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, are still under consideration.

Party officials are expecting the announcement earlier rather than later this week so that the Democratic ticket can capture the media coverage leading into next week's Democratic National Convention in Denver. "They'll want to show the new ticket off and give it a good walk-up to Denver," said the official.

The campaign has been ready for over a week to have the running mate on board, having hired a full staff to handle the new candidate.

On the Republican side, Sen. John McCain is still hiring his vice presidential nominee's staff, having just selected a spokeswoman, Maria Comella, the former spokeswoman for Rudy Giuliani. She worked for the Bush-Cheney 2004 re-election as part of Steve Schmidt's press show. He now runs McCain's campaign.

There is more uncertainty about who McCain will pick for a running mate, though Republican officials said that earlier expectations that he would spring a surprise pick are being muted by concerns that a newcomer to the political scene, such as former eBay boss Meg Whitman, would be too politically green to run on the national stage.

August 17, 2008
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...S0502/808170404

Bayh defends Obama, challenges McCain stance

By MAUREEN GROPPE
Star Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - Sen. Evan Bayh aggressively defended Barack Obama and went after John McCain at the start of the week in which Obama is likely to reveal his running mate.

Interviewed on CBS' "Face the Nation," the Indiana Democrat said McCain is given to "bellicose rhetoric which has a tendency to inflame conflicts rather than to defuse them." He also said McCain should denounce a new book about Obama that Bayh said is full of "lies and allegations."

"The old John McCain would denounce that," Bayh said. "The new John McCain has embraced those kind of tactics."

With the Democratic National Convention beginning next week, Bayh is continuing to be talked about as a potential running mate for Obama.

One of the question marks pundits have raised is how tough an attack dog Bayh would be in that role.

On "Face the Nation," Bayh took his first chance to criticize McCain when asked whether McCain went too far in commenting on the conflict between Russia and Georgia in declaring, "Today, we are all Georgians."

Bayh said he had.

"We are not all Georgians now," Bayh said. "If we were Georgians and the Russians were invading our country and killing our people, we'd be in a state of war. And clearly that's not what we want."

In addition to criticizing McCain's "bellicose rhetoric," Bayh said that if "the president and Senator McCain weren't so obsessed with an open-ended commitment to Iraq, perhaps we would have paid greater attention to some of these issues."

"The Russians know we're bogged down in Iraq," Bayh said.

At the start of the interview, both Bayh and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty - a possible McCain running mate - were asked if they'd been told they will be the nominee.

"Does anybody have an announcement here?" asked host Bob Schieffer.

"I think the senator does," Pawlenty said.

But Bayh did not.

"We may make news this morning, but it's not going to be that," Bayh said.

Bayh was not the only potential Democratic vice presidential candidate appearing on the Sunday talk shows or criticizing McCain's foreign policy.

On CNN's "Late Edition," New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson likewise accused McCain of "making a lot of rhetorical, bellicose statements but without any specific policies."

On NBC's "Meet the Press," Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine said the Bush administration's intensive focus on Iraq has caused it to take its eye off the ball in other places like Russia, which is one reason Obama wants to wind down U.S. involvement in Iraq.

Asked about his vice presidential prospects, Kaine said he thinks he's unlikely to be chosen, but will help Obama "in whatever way he thinks I can be helpful."

Sen. Joe Biden, the Delaware Democrat who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and also is believed to be in the mix to become Obama's running mate, headed to Georgia over the weekend at the request of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.

ABC New's George Stephanopoulos raised the question on his Sunday show of whether the situation in Georgia makes it even more important that Obama pick a running mate with national security experience like Biden's or perhaps Bayh's. (Bayh serves on the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence committees.)

Not commenting specifically about either Biden or Bayh, former South Dakota Sen. Tom Daschle, a national co-chair of Obama's campaign, said there's a difference between experience and good judgment.

"I don't think experience has ultimately given us a great deal of confidence these last eight years," Daschle said. "What Senator Obama has said from the very beginning is that he wants somebody with good judgment."

Obama's VP: It's Evan Bayh, highly reliable internet hoax reveals
Yes, it's a prank. But it's probably as trustworthy as any other running-mate rumour right now...
August 19, 2008 10:19 AM
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/usa/2008/08/ob...ayh_highly.html

This picture, according to the right-wing rumourmongers at Free Republic, is a screenshot of a story, published in error and since removed from CNN.com. If it really is, I'll eat my own face, but the tale it relates deserves points for being imaginative. Sadly it loses them for being full of spelling errors and ridiculously bad writing, and for using the wrong font:



In a move to increase its mailing list, the Obama campaign had planned to give supporters a heads-up prior to the official announce[ment] through a massive email and text-message campaign. In order to reduce the amount of work that had to be completed the day of the announcement, the campaign had maintained a generic email that only required the name of the pick to be filled in. But when the name of the pick -- now known to be Indiana Senator Evan Bayh -- was filled in, the aide working on the email accidentally pressed the "send" button, rather than the intended "save" button.

And let's be honest -- we have all been there.

no, I am answering those who use that logic

Historically, NO candidate has had a big lead in August

But if his CORE BASE don't vote for him, he won't win. (that is the left)...
Everytime someone mentions Bayh, it helps McCain
Everytime someone mentions Hillary, it helps McCain

We don't want Lamont/Lieberman2