OT: Bayh out!

[ProSense]

Bayh Bailing On '08?

(CBS) There has been intense speculation among Democrats Friday night that Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh will not seek his party's nomination for president in 2008, CBS News has learned. Bayh’s office has not yet responded to requests for comment.

The speculation comes less than two weeks after Bayh hired campaign staff and announced plans to form a fundraising committee for a potential presidential bid.

"He has this very serious team ... some very high-powered help," Mark Blumenthal — aka Mysterypollster, editor of pollster.com — said at the time. Blumenthal noted that he's worked in the past with some of Bayh’s new staff.

Bayh might have been a strong Democratic contender in a presidential race. A two-term governor before being sent to Washington, Bayh would have come to the contest with the advantage of having both Capitol Hill and gubernatorial experience.

more...

[beachmom]

1. So do you think it's true? That he's out? I suppose CBS must

have one hell of a source to run this story. This is a bit shocking. What happened? Kinda weird the way the centrists are dropping out. First Warner, now Bayh. I think the fact that he was polling 1 to 3 % was absolutely irrelevant -- he could have turned that around. Wasn't somebody like Bill Clinton not even on the radar screen in 1990?

[ProSense]

2. Not sure, posted here too:

http://www.mydd.com/bb#2653

[Blaukraut]

3. I just put my tinfoil hat on

I wonder who is 'urging' these guys to drop out of the race...

[rox63]

6. Yeah, I'm sporting that same look tonight n/t

[Blaukraut]

8. What I'd like to know is this;

What does this particular centrist have on the others to compel them to drop out of the race?

[rox63]

9. Confirmation from someone with access to the Bayh camp

This poster on CGCS has been very involved with the Bayh camp, and she says a formal statement is forthcoming. Marie is a very reliable source when it comes all things Bayh.

http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/forums/index.php...

Dec 15 2006, 10:03 PM Post #7

Yes it is true. Had confirmation a bit earlier.

A formal statement is forthcoming but my understandidng is that he has made the decision to spend more time with his family. Nothing shocking or scandalous. His family has always come first.

[rox63]

4. My inner conspiracy theorist has an idea where this may be coming from

Which candidate wants to keep all the DLC/centrist support for themselves in 2008? Who has the money to make things very difficult for any other candidate running under that banner? Which Dem candidate has no problem playing dirty and messing with other Dems?

Am I just being paranoid or what?

[fedupinBushcountry]

5. Well if you're paranoid

I am too. I get that same feeling.

[whometense]

10. Seems a little early to me

to start thinning the herd.

Shoot, in 2003 there were 9 or so candidates pretty much all year long.

[wisteria]

7. Nope,I don't think so.

I would even guess this DLC centrist doesn't want to go through a tough primary either and has a pattern of winning Senate seats this way.

[JI7]

11. if this is true then there has to be some pressure being put on them

at least from my view. first Mark Warner and now Bayh. two guys who did make serious steps to run but suddenly back out ? and then the odd announcement of Vilsack to run but who doesn't seem to have done much for it to be serious.

also consider that Bayh and Warner would appeal to the same type mostly. the dlc ,moderate, centrist etc type.

not that i thought they would do so well but why now ? why not at least wait until a few debates and other appearances.

[kerrygoddess]

12. He's out - statement released

Bayh Out of ‘08 Race
December 15th, 2006 @ 11:47 pm

{SNIP}
Bayh’s decision was made public tonight in a statement released to The Indianapolis Star:

“As you know I have been exploring helping the people of my state and our country in a different capacity,” he wrote. “After talking with family and friends over the past several days, I have decided that this is not the year for me to run for President and I will not be a candidate for the presidency in 2008.

MORE & LINKS - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=4963

[JI7]

13. "this is not the year for me to run"

could it be that him and Warner and some others will wait for 2012 in the assumption that Republicans will win in 2008. could their getting out of the race now have more to do with not wanting to go up against McCain in 2008 rather than thinking they can't win the Primary.

i wonder this because it's the same thoughts have had about Kerry. it's not just the Primary he has to think about. but assuming he wins he will have to face a possible McCain candidicacy in the GE.

i wonder what everyone thinks here about this.

[kerrygoddess]

14. I think

JK would welcome a Kerry - McCain race, personally. It would be very interesting. Far more interesting than Hillary - McCain.

[karynnj]

15. Kerry may be one of the only people who can best McCain when they are actually seen on the same

stage. Of the top condenders, he is the only one with real diplomatic and military experience AND political experience - other than Gore, who looks like he is not running.

Kerry, not McCain has been right on the Iraq and the war on terror. On corruption, Kerry can easliy have a one liner about closing a corrupt bank, while McCain was involved with one. (Hillary so can't do this) McCain might even be able to steal the environmental issue from Hillary and others - but not Kerry.

[JI7]

16. i would love to see Kerry and McCain debate each other

one on one. it doesn't even have to be within the context of a Presidential run although you know it would be brought up.but how about just an appearance on MTP or some other show with both of them to discuss the current Iraq situation and other foreign policy issues. one Republican, one Democrat as they sometimes do. i wonder why this hasn't happened so far. has it ever happened ?

are there any appearances of Kerry and McCain appearing together but on different sides of the issue from any time going back even into the 80s ? i don't mean stuff like the Vietnam investigations either and they were on the same side on that anyways. but anything else ?

i would be interested in seeing this.

[karynnj]

17. Even transcripts of such a show if it existed would be great

There had to be a reason that McCain, per his book, let Kerry make a case on normalizing relationships with Vietnam to Clinton and then simply said - I agree with Kerry on all of this.

[whometense]

18. Salon War Room:

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2006/12/16/bye_b...

...Bayh's departure from the Democratic field leaves one major Goliath (Sen. Hillary Clinton), a dwindling number of bright-eyed Davids (Tom Vilsack, Wesley Clark, Chris Dodd, Joe Biden, Bill Richardson), a few old warriors (John Edwards, John Kerry, Al Gore), and one rock star (Barack Obama). Only Vilsack has officially announced his campaign, though the Associated Press is reporting today that Edwards will announce his intention to run before New Years.

But stay tuned. The field is in flux. Winter is only now setting in.

[Mass]

19. This surprised me, but Edwards apparently will not surprise me.

If anybody was doubting, he is running.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061216/ap_on_el_pr/democra...