Can someone give some Evan Bayh pros/cons?

[InhaleToTheChief]

There seem to be a lot of people around here who don't like Bayh. Some like him, but many don't. So, can some people in the know post some relevant Bayh info? I just don't know much about the guy.

Also, if you don't like Bayh, who would you rather see as VP?

[dolstein]

1. Pros and Cons

Pros -- Young and good looking, excellent resume (two-term governor, one-term senator, son of Democratic icon), foreign policy experience, leading moderate voice in party

Cons -- Moderate record highlights just how liberal Kerry is, no military service, no impact on electoral college, currently up for reelection

[ieoeja]

2. Not so sure about electoral college

He was pretty popular in Indiana. You think he has no chance of swinging those votes?

[dolstein]

3. Zero chance of Indiana going for Kerry in 2004

The last Democrat to carry Indiana in a presidential election was Lyndon Johnson. Kerry's no Johnson. And Bush is no Goldwater. Bayh would have a difficult enough time carrying Indiana if he were at the top of the ticket -- there's no way he could deliver it for Kerry.

[ladjf]

4. Bayh is OK if you want a Zell Miller for our VP

Throughout the past year, a major times when Bush was being criticized for one policy or another, Bayh would go on the national tv and defend him. I don't think we need that kind of attitude. Why not just go ahead and offer the VP candidacy to Zell Miller?

[InhaleToTheChief]

5. OK, maybe that's why...

...everyone but me knows him. I don't watch TV.

[Thrill]

6. He's the one Democratic Senator that

the women's rights folks don't like. His pro choice votes are very shaky

[JohnKleeb]

7. the man in your avatar but pragmatically I would like Edwards

[seventhson]

8. he's a Bilderberger member

they are a fascist organization IMHO full of corporate fascists and spooks

[Josh]

9. Evan Bayh is John Edwards with more experience and less populism

Edwards was very in favour of this war, too. People tend to forget that.

Bayh has a tremendous track record in an extremely conservative state. He is more on the conservative side, but he might help out in Midwestern states like Ohio and Missouri. Not my first or second choice, but worth a look.

[Khephra]

10. He's Faux's second son

If you can't get Lieberman on, get him. He'll trash other Democrats with no prompting. A TOTAL AEI/PNAC Preacher.

[farmbo]

11. Bayh was the DLC's hitman against all things Dean last year...

Pros: Hair is perfect

Cons: Self-serving, light weight chickenhawk from an out-of-play GOP state who has never basked in the warm sunshine of his own creative thought....and who's hair is perfect.

[Finch]

12. My second choice...

Evan Byah, Senator and former Governor IN, probably the top choice after Edwards imho…I did think that he was wooden and uninspiring however recently what I have heard from him has been good and has impressed me, this has effectively removed my biggest objection to him (lack of charisma) as Kerry’s VP… I now think he would be a very good choice for Kerry however I would still argue that Edwards overall was the better choice… some points concerning Bayh…


.Not as charismatic as some of the other potential VPs, but has a straight forward and “common sense” style of speaking that many swing voters would reach well to, he is also an effective (if not awe inspiring) debater perfectly capable of taking on Cheney and holding him in check.

.A Moderate who balances Kerry well, selecting Byah with such a principled record of moderation and standing up to both the GOP and the left of the Democratic Party would add flesh to Kerry claims on issues such as taxation and national security, With Bayh as a running mate Kerry’s positions on tax and defence would seem all the stronger and republican attacks all the more ill thought out.

. From the Midwest with a proven ability of winning elections in a strongly republican state, Indiana is also a very rural state and appealing to rural voters (who have not generally prospered under Bush) who be a very sensible thing for Kerry and the democrats to attempt to do. Bayh would also assist Kerry in winning over “floating voters” in other Midwestern states such as Ohio and Wisconsin as well as other states such as Pennsylvanian and West Virginia especially amongst those suburban moderates who’s minds are as yet not made up. Another interesting point, position wise I think that Bayh would be the VP (along with Edwards on the grounds of charisma) best suited to helping Kerry win in NH by boosting Kerry positions on the essential issues of Tax and Defence.


... on the negative side (for the left I should stress, for most voters this just isn’t an issue)... He has said that he is in favour of allowing a woman to chose but is personally against abortion in most instances (which I happen to agree with), he was hawkish over the Iraq war (as was Edwards) and has been a supporter of the Bush tax cuts (I probably disagree with him here, the problem with Bush’s tax cuts is they massively favour the rich, but I have to confess a real liking for Kerry proposals on tax), that’s about it… he a moderate democrat, HE IS NO ZELL MILLER, such talk is just plain irresponsible, he is to the left of say Breaux but I’d say on many issues on a par with Lieberman and Landrieu… and that is not bad thing, but I’m sure I’ll get the “Republican wing of the Democratic Party” lecture, well if your thinking of delivering that little speech shove it… :mad:


Bayh would be a good choice not great, but after Edwards he is probably Kerry’s best choice, with the likes of Bill Nelson, Mary Landrieu and Mark Warner coming in behind him… but a good choice never the less, a Kerry/ Bayh ticket would probably be a bit stronger than Gore/ Lieberman (Lieberman on the ticket and the efforts of Donna Brazil was the reason we “won” Florida, Bayh would similarly help us in the steel states with moderate voters in PA, OH and WV as well as nationally)… so good choice not as good as Edwards but good never the less…