Bayh's BS statement

[ProSense]

Bayh claims excessive partisanship motivated retirement

by Jed Lewison

In a statement, Evan Bayh claims he is retiring because excessive partisanship has brought the U.S. Senate to a standstill:

"Two weeks ago, the Senate voted down a bipartisan commission to deal with one of the greatest threats facing our nation: our exploding deficits and debt. The measure would have passed, but seven members who had endorsed the idea instead voted ‘no’ for short-term political reasons," he said. "Just last week, a major piece of legislation to create jobs — the public’s top priority — fell apart amid complaints from both the left and right. All of this and much more has led me to believe that there are better ways to serve my fellow citizens, my beloved state and our nation than continued service in Congress."

The one thing we know is that statement is total bullshit. If Evan Bayh were in the least concerned about legislative gridlock, he'd have been fighting to get rid of the filibuster instead of using it at every opportunity to slow down or scuttle Democratic initiatives.

[Joanne98]

1. Yeah thanks to him and the conservadems!

[Arkana]

2. So you just QUIT, Evan?

You spineless little worm.

[democraticinsurgent]

3. I'm glad that he's gone, I'm not a fan

But I'm also fairly certain that this is an orchestrated succession plan. He's clearly collaborated with the state party to get out at the last minute, giving them the power to draft the best possible candidate rather than risk a crazy open primary. That candidate is almost certain to be a sitting Congressman--either Baron Hill or Brad Ellsworth, both of whom are actively campaigning for re-election to their respective seats.

This way, they simply move into a new slot, with the state party again choosing who runs for the abandoned Congressional seat.

[JTFrog]

6. He's been a traitor to the party for years. He just quit and threw a big fuck you to the Dems.

Tomorrow is the last day that a candidate can start collecting signatures for a Senate race. By Friday, that candidate needs to have 500 valid signatures in all nine of Indiana’s congressional districts.

I'm sure they'll get someone in... but what a fucked up way to leave the party hanging.

[dmr]

29. That is a BIG FU! Your post is alarming! Can the state Dems recover from this?

Might he have told the state party early enough that he may not run again so that they be prepared?

It would be nice to think he held off announcing his decision until a near deadline to throw off the state's Republican party. But I'm not holding my breath.

Were there any Dems working to primary him?

If not, how are the state Dems going to recover?

I just logged on to DU & am not up to date on what's really going on - but your post is alarming to me.

[prolesunited]

19. He's not running for re-election

He'll finish his term

[Lochloosa]

4. When did Sarah Palin become his speech writer?

:shrug:

[otohara]

5. Spineless DINO

good Bayh, good riddance.

[izzybeans]

7. Bayh pulled a Palin.

[prolesunited]

17. No, he's finishing his term

and not running again. He's not resigning now.

[quiet.american]

8. Although his timing screws Dems, I'm glad he'll finally be somebody else's big bag of useless. nt

[Raine1967]

12. Exactly. We have 4 days to find a candidate.

Bayh's decision will set Dems scrambling for a replacement. The deadline to file to reach the ballot is Friday, meaning any Dem considering running for the seat must make a decision quickly.

http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/02/bayh_to_retire.php

He was an asshole right to the end.

[IndianaGreen]

15. The actual deadline is TOMORROW at noon!

http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/fe2010/2010pdates.pdf

[liberalpragmatist]

27. No, the party can pick a candidate after that

If nobody qualifies by Friday.

[karynnj]

44. Has Bayh already filed?

I know in NJ, when Torecelli was pushed not to run, well after the primary even - the Democratic party was allowed to replace him with Lautenberg. For different reasons, candiates who have died have been replaced.

This timing just does not jibe with Bayh's reasons.

[DrToast]

9. He's compalining about the Estate tax fix

That's the criticism "from the left" he's describing.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

10. He wasn't a Democrat, anyway. We're better off with a Repuke. n/t

[prolesunited]

18. You do realize that committees are controlled

by the party in charge and what legislation gets to the floor?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

22. Of course I do. I know all about governance and am a political scientist by trade.

However, what good is it if Bayh was actually contributing to the problem? He voted with the Repukes throughout his entire Senate career.

Don't be naive, please. The Democrats never really controlled the Senate. With a number of Blue Dog Democrats and DLCers who tended to vote with the Republicans, not to mention the likes of Joe LIEberman, we never really had power. The obsession with bipartisanship, coupled with the lack of leadership from Harry Reid, made things worse and impossible to govern.

Please don't lecture me about these things, sweetie. You have no idea who you're dealing with.

[prolesunited]

23. Sweetie?!?

You're patronizing me while you use silly, juvenile constructions like "LIEberman"?

Don't worry. I won't bother with you again.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

25. Yeah, don't bother me again, SWEETIE!!!

[PeaceNikki]

30. Wow. You're being rather patronizing and pissy, arntcha?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

32. No, I am not. This person attacked me and was patronizing towards me.

I am fighting back because I'm tired of it on DU.

[Richardo]

37. Attacked you?

The poster merely asked if you were AWARE of something.

[damonm]

39. If that was an attack, I'm the rightful Czar of all the Russias.

And your response WAS pissy and patronizing.

[PeaceNikki]

43. ATTACKED YOU!? Rigoddamdiculous.

Hogwash. In fact, I call shenanigans.

[EstimatedProphet]

49. You call what she wrote an attack?

And she was patronizing, and the bad guy here? Really? Did you follow what transpired? Because it seems to me that the only way that could be true is if your name was Prolesunited instead of hers.

[Enthusiast]

51. I don't consider LIEberman a

juvenile construction. It perfectly illustrates the turn coat and dishonest nature of LIEberman. Hundreds of us use it and every chance we get. So lighten up Francis. Or is that Sweetie?

Sometimes it's fun to be juvenile, especially when denigrating such a cartoonish figure as LIEberman.

[Richardo]

33. "Repuke" "LIEberman" - Yeah, you're a deep thinker all right.

A regular Noam Chomsky you are.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

34. You're defending the Republicans and Joe Lieberman and yet you go after me

for being a "deep thinker"? Disgusting and ignorant.

[Richardo]

35. I'm not defending either one - I'm commenting on YOUR use of elementary school invective

Including 'sweetie' in reply to a poster upthread. Not very becoming of a 'political scientist by trade'. Not one to be taken seriously anyway.

[Blue-Jay]

47. Richardo - for your tireless work in the field of Political Science,

I hereby award you a certificate in "Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence"!

It will be mailed out soon, Honey-Nuts!

[EstimatedProphet]

50. Maybe he's a political analyst at Politico.

[damonm]

41. I must say...

that your reading comprehension appears to leave much to be desired. He attacked your choice of words, and you say he's defending the Repubs and Lieberman? Not. even. close.

[karynnj]

45. Having the chairs is important

Right now we are usually failing to pass legislation we want, but when they had the majority. we were failing to stop them from destroying things already passed and from passign things like the bankruptcy bill.

[Blue-Jay]

48. Do some research.

"He voted with the Repukes throughout his entire Senate career."

That's either an intentionally false statement or a lack of knowledge on your part. (I'd guess both)

Look up his votes. (I already have, but I'd rather such a renowned political scientist do a simple google search, before I respond further.) Sure, I'd have rather had an actual progressive Democrat as Indiana senator, but he in no way did he vote "with the Repukes throughout his entire Senate career."

Look it up, darling.

[PeaceNikki]

59. Evan Bayh has voted with a majority of his Democratic colleagues 71.3% of the time

during the current Congress.

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/b001233/

Perfect? No. Could it be better? Absolutely. Would a Republican vote with the Dems 71.3% of the time? Not a fucking chance in hell. Someone here is naive and it's not prolesunited. Don't make up bullshit facts and patronize her with your misogynistic "sweetie" bullshit.

"You have no idea who you're dealing with." :eyes: Take yourself a bit too seriously much?

[gateley]

28. I don't think we'd be better off with a Repuke in any instance --

there seems to be no chance of the current crop EVER supporting anything we do. At least with Bayh there, there was a CHANCE -- not a big one, just teensie weensie, but a chance nonetheless.

Wonder what's gonna happen.

[harun]

11. So one of the biggest grid-lockers in Congress complains of grid-lock.

[flpoljunkie]

13. Goodbye to the Honorary Co-Chair of the 'Committee to Liberate Iraq.'

If you're wondering who his co-chair was, it was none other than Holy Joe Lieberman.

Evidently, Bayh did this to stick his finger in the eye of liberal democrats. He's a former chairman of the DLC, as well (2001-2005). We are the base, Senator Bayh. 'Centrist Dem' is another word for 'Corporate Dem'-beholden to the same special interests as Republicans.

Bayh is said to be upset about the 'personal attacks' on his wife who has earned, between 2006 and 2008 Susan $2.1 million from health insurers. Susan Bayh refused to step down from WellPoint's board and her husband denied the millions she earned from them would influence him.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matt-sledge/evan-bayhs-very-long-2009_b_462736.html

[Enthusiast]

52. Nice post!

Fuck a bunch of DINOs.

[IndianaGreen]

14. Even you recognize that Evan Bayh is bullshitting us!

Wonders never cease!

[Uzybone]

16. A lot of what he says is true though, the Senate is broken

when a phony like Bayh can see that, something needs to change. The Senate is broken, and right now it is an obstacle to governing.

[IndianaGreen]

20. Notice that Bayh did not blame the GOP for the abuse of filibuster

We all know why the Senate is broken!

[Uzybone]

21. he is a very dishonest man, but I'm grading him on a curve

He at least mentioned the 7 GOP dogs who voted against the deficit reduction panel after co sponsoring the bill.

[Enthusiast]

53. And this is the point.

Instead of defending Bayh we should be shouting out why the damn Senate is broken.

[LiberalFighter]

31. Bayh was part of the problem.

[Phx_Dem]

24. Quitter. The message is, all Republicans have to do is keep up

the obstruction and hateful rhetoric until they make the rest of the incumbent Democrats cry and quit. And wasn't Bayh who said we needed 60 votes to get anything done? Not only is he a wuss, he's a capitulating wuss.

[Vinca]

26. Something is very fishy about all of this. Has he got a soul mate somewhere?

[ChicagoSuz219]

42. Another posting is suggesting something similar... n/t

[zulchzulu]

36. Bayh/Palin 2012

Quitters with bad excuses!

:rofl:

[Enthusiast]

54. They could "claim" bipartisanship.

[wisteria]

38. So you think he is disingenuous in mentioning gridlock as a reason to exit?

What do you think his motives are?

[AllentownJake]

40. Evan Bayh is the worst democrat in the Senate

and the second worse person in the caucus, he will not be missed by anyone other than his donors.

[flpoljunkie]

46. Bayh voted with Dems only 71% this session of Congress. Deemed most likely to vote with R's.

[wisteria]

57. Do you have a link for what you post? n/t

[Enthusiast]

55. +1, Jake! nt

[Cha]

56. So he goes out as a BIG

WHINO.

First I heard he's retiring and I can't help but think since he's a dino and deceptive that this is good for the country.

[Cha]

58. "WHAT BAYH IS THINKING"

"WHAT BAYH IS THINKING.... Sen. Evan Bayh's (D-Ind.) retirement is a shocker, leading many to wonder what on earth a popular incumbent with plenty of money and a big lead in the polls is thinking. Bayh alluded to his frustrations on the Hill as part of his rationale.

"Two weeks ago, the Senate voted down a bipartisan commission to deal with one of the greatest threats facing our nation: our exploding deficits and debt. The measure would have passed, but seven members who had endorsed the idea instead voted 'no' for short-term political reasons," he said. "Just last week, a major piece of legislation to create jobs -- the public's top priority -- fell apart amid complaints from both the left and right. All of this and much more has led me to believe that there are better ways to serve my fellow citizens, my beloved state4 and our nation than continued service in Congress."

This sounds a bit like Bill Bradley's rationale in 1996 -- politics on Capitol Hill has become ugly and difficult, so I'm walking away.

But it's not exactly a compelling explanation. To hear Evan Bayh tell it, Republicans have made it impossible for Congress to work on issues important to him ... so he's decided to make it easier for the Republican caucus to have more power.
When the going gets tough, the conserva-Dems pack up and go home?

What's more, while I'm hardly familiar with Indiana's election procedures, reliable sources report that the filing deadline for candidates interested in the Senate race is this week, meaning Dems will have to scramble. If these reports are accurate, it would appear Bayh is hurting Democrats twice -- once by walking away when they need his vote, and again by making it extremely difficult for the party to find, recruit, and qualify a top-tier candidate to run in his stead.

For what it's worth, a great deal of the early talk -- and by "early," I mean "the last hour" -- is about the DSCC recruiting Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D), a Blue Dog and former county police sheriff from Indiana's Southwest corner.

Stay tuned.

Update: It appears that the signatures for a prospective candidate are due tomorrow, and it's extremely unlikely any Dem could pull this off in time. What's more likely, then, is that the Indiana Democratic Party will be responsible for selecting a candidate -- there would be no primary."

—Steve Benen 11:25 AM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (45)
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/

So, not only does bayh go out whining he goes out at a time that seems deliberately calculated to hurt the Dems. Now there's a shocker.