Upcoming
Mary
True Loved
October 22
Stranded, I Have Come From a Plane that Crashed on the Mountains
October 24
Dalton Trumbo's Johnny Got His Gun
High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Roadside Romeo
The Universe of Keith Haring
October 29
The First Basket
Done Deal?
Two and a half hours ago Indiana-based activist and writer Bill Browning posted a short Huffington Post article containing four reasons why he believes Barack Obama will announce Evan Bayh as his vice-presidential pick on Wednesday morning, plus one other.
One, BHO will want to announce before the start of the Beijing Olympics. Two, Obama and Bayh are coming to Indiana on Tuesday afternoon, and the press has been told they'll stay in the region until Wednesday afternoon or evening. Three, click on ObamaBayh08.com and it takes you to a Democratic Party site. And four, Browning "just got an invite from the Obama campaign to attend an appearance on Wednesday "that isn't on Obama's official calendar. Why not? The campaign said, 'I can't tell you what the event is about, but we want to make sure you have a ticket so you can cover it for the Bilerico Project. We want Bilerico Project to be there for this one.'"
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on August 4, 2008 at 1:44 PM
comment #1
lazarus says ...
Bayh's slightly-odd last name doesn't exactly balance the ticket, even if he is from Indiana.
I'm picturing some shitkicker looking at that bumper sticker and thinking to himself "More like Obama bye-bye".
Just sayin'.
Posted by lazarus at August 4, 2008 2:19 PM
comment #2
nelson37 says ...
Jeffrey, do you think Bayh is the right guy or not? Seems like a good choice to me.
Posted by nelson37 at August 4, 2008 2:22 PM
comment #3
Midwest Doug says ...
Another smart-alecky PUMA comment: we'd prefer if the ticket were reversed, and it were Bayh-Obama.
I like the choice. It's not unlike Clinton picking Gore in 1992, though Bayh is a bit older. And while Indiana doesn't have a ton of electoral votes, a win in Indiana would give Obama 11 electoral votes that haven't gone Democratic since I don't know when -- before 1968. Obama's close enough in Indiana that Bayh could give him the edge. And more importantly, Bayh seems like a good enough VP. Way more qualified than the last VP from Indiana...
Posted by Midwest Doug at August 4, 2008 2:31 PM
comment #4
BurmaShave says ...
Bayh is actually a plausible President, unlike Tim Kaine. Of the two, who do roughly the same thing, this is a much better choice.
Posted by BurmaShave at August 4, 2008 3:08 PM
comment #5
TheJeff says ...
And while Indiana doesn't have a ton of electoral votes, a win in Indiana would give Obama 11 electoral votes that haven't gone Democratic since I don't know when -- before 1968. Obama's close enough in Indiana that Bayh could give him the edge.
Absolutely. Bayh is about as fiscally conservative as dems come, and he had an 80% approval rating in Indiana when he finished his term as governor. I don't see eye-to-eye with the dude on everything, but if Obama wants to win, it's a good move. Bayh's authorization of Iraq is going to bite him in the ass now though.
Posted by TheJeff at August 4, 2008 3:09 PM
comment #6
nemo says ...
Bayh is conservative for a Democrat, even more conservative that his father Birch Bayh (how's that for a funny name?), who was the Democratic senator from Indiana from 1962 to 1980.
Bayh is as conservative as a Democrat needs to be to win in Indiana, and in a lot of other states where Republicans have prevailed in recent decades. At least he's not outright traitor like Lieberman or Billy Tauzin or Zell Miller. He's not not exciting, but he won't do any damage.
Posted by nemo at August 4, 2008 3:48 PM
comment #7
Mgmax says ...
"At least he's not outright traitor like Lieberman or Billy Tauzin or Zell Miller."
Or Jon Voight!
Bayh would be a smart choice. He's exactly the boring white guy governor Obama needs for balance. I've never thought he needed a heavier foreign policy hitter (the people who are voting against Bush's foreign policy are already in his camp). he just needs a grounded midwestern type.
Posted by Mgmax at August 4, 2008 4:22 PM
comment #8
GlassFamily says ...
As someone born and bred in Indiana, I've always really liked Bayh and know that almost everyone in the state does too. He's been rumored to be a vp candidate for pretty much every candidate since Clinton and is almost universally well liked and respected.
Can't think of a better running mate.
Posted by GlassFamily at August 4, 2008 5:26 PM
comment #9
Josh Massey says ...
Obama-bayh, obama-bayh, Obama-bayh, obama-bayh,
In the jungle, the mighty jungle,
The lion sleeps tonight!
Posted by Josh Massey at August 4, 2008 5:48 PM
comment #10
iamjoe says ...
Josh Massey: Great work, thanks for the laugh!!
Posted by iamjoe at August 4, 2008 6:43 PM
comment #11
Mgmax says ...
Damned good David Brooks piece on Obama's persona:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/05/opinion/05brooks.html?hp
Posted by Mgmax at August 4, 2008 9:49 PM
comment #12
palmreader says ...
Right after Kerry lost, I was hoping Bayh would run for president.
2 terms as governor, 2 terms in the Senate. Not too shabby
Posted by palmreader at August 5, 2008 1:52 AM
comment #13
JHRussell says ...
Bayh is a smart, safe VP pick, but I really do not understand why Obama doesn't go with Hillary or Bill Richardson...I am really hoping Obama iwll pick Biden - or Dodd - oh my, how disastrous would those picks be?
If I was Obama, I would pick Hillary and put her in charge of the health care initiatives...that would keep her occupied for the next 4 to 8 years...
Posted by JHRussell at August 5, 2008 6:57 AM
comment #14
Mgmax says ...
Obama won't pick Hillary because he wants to actually be the president, and not open the paper everyday (out of date metaphor noted) and see his vice president and her husband above the fold. She's the Tallulah Bankhead of political costars-- oh, were you on the stage, too?
Obama won't pick Bill Richardson because who's Bill Richardson? How many delegates did he get?
He needs to reach out to middle America-- you know, all those people who have jobs and watch TV and fill Jeff with rage with their unhipness. A midwestern governor is exactly what he's needed all along. Ted Strickland, Kathleeen Sebelius, Bayh-- these were the candidates.
By the way, Mickey Kaus is on fire about the Edwards love child scandal and its non-coverage. Read it!
http://www.slate.com/id/2196758/
Posted by Mgmax at August 5, 2008 7:12 AM
comment #15
Josh says ...
If Obama was really into a new kind of politics he would find someone just as liberal as him.
then again obama would have to take one position instead of many.
Posted by Josh at August 5, 2008 8:05 AM
comment #16
JHRussell says ...
"Obama won't pick Bill Richardson because who's Bill Richardson?"
Umm, Bill Richardson would be the only experienced grown-up on the ticket...Obama has ZERO experience for the gig...ZERO executive / admin experience...Obama was a state legislator just 4 years ago...
Not as if I care who he picks...Bayh is a safe, boring pick...where is the "change" in that kind of pick?
Posted by JHRussell at August 5, 2008 8:12 AM
comment #17
George Prager says ...
I remember when Clinton picked Gore, Cal Thomas on Crossfire was full of righteous indignation. He should've picked Jesse Jackson. Why didn't he pick Jesse Jackson? He snubbed Jesse. Then Michael Kinsley asked Mike Murphy if he was going to shed crocodile tears over the snubbing of Jesse Jackson. Murphy, to his credit, couldn't keep a straight face. Cal Thomas moved on to some of the more important issues surrounding the Presidential campiagn of 1992, namely Mike Dukakis and the pledge of allegiance. A few months later, Bill Clinton was elected President.
Posted by George Prager at August 5, 2008 11:05 AM
Post a comment