Senator Bayh of Indiana not Seeking Re-election

[Gawain 0]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20100216/pl_bloomberg/a6qybv5vkza4

This is a pretty significant development in my book. Considering his two terms as Governor, followed by two terms as Senator, and his pointed remarks about the legislative body as whole, he will, I think, position himself to run against President Obama for the democratic nomination if current trends continue.

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Bayh said he is an “executive at heart,” a trait “not highly valued in Congress.” The son of former U.S. Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana formed a presidential exploratory committee in 2008 before deciding to endorse then-Senator Hillary Clinton, now U.S. secretary of state.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[rushmc 23]

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20100216/pl_bloomberg/a6qybv5vkza4

This is a pretty significant development in my book. Considering his two terms as Governor, followed by two terms as Senator, and his pointed remarks about the legislative body as whole, he will, I think, position himself to run against President Obama for the democratic nomination if current trends continue.

Quote

Bayh said he is an “executive at heart,” a trait “not highly valued in Congress.” The son of former U.S. Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana formed a presidential exploratory committee in 2008 before deciding to endorse then-Senator Hillary Clinton, now U.S. secretary of state.

The guy has a signifiant amount of money in his war chest (something like 13 million)
There is more going on here I think. I feel his decision has less to do with the Senate and washington and more to do with his future career plans. (as you mentioned) I have heard a sugestion he is thinking of returning to the govenorship

Time will tell

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[quade 4]

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I think, position himself to run against President Obama for the democratic nomination if current trends continue.

That would be a futile effort. There is absolutely no way Obama doesn't get the nomination. Nobody in his right mind would attempt to oppose him from the Democrat side.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[JohnnyD 0]

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20100216/pl_bloomberg/a6qybv5vkza4

This is a pretty significant development in my book. Considering his two terms as Governor, followed by two terms as Senator, and his pointed remarks about the legislative body as whole, he will, I think, position himself to run against President Obama for the democratic nomination if current trends continue.

Quote

Bayh said he is an “executive at heart,” a trait “not highly valued in Congress.” The son of former U.S. Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana formed a presidential exploratory committee in 2008 before deciding to endorse then-Senator Hillary Clinton, now U.S. secretary of state.

So he's saying he doesn't want to be there.
Personally, it would rub me the wrong way if he were to run for higher office.

[kallend 2,231]

Maybe there's something else that hasn't come out yet.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[quade 4]

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Maybe there's something else that hasn't come out yet.

Or doesn't need to now that he's leaving.

I do appreciate the timing of his departure, less than 48 hours before the deadline for declaring candidacy for his potential replacements. This puts the Democrats in a slightly advantageous position and might lock out some Republicans that were caught off guard.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[matthewcline 0]

But wouldn't the Opposing Candidates already have declared their intent to run by now?

If he was to run against them, they would already be lined up. If any thing I think this would upset any Dem Candidate who may have sat out since he held the seat (unless he talked it over and they new, like you pointed out) thinking he would be the one to get the nod.

Matt

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[quade 4]

Here's the way I see it and understand the rules.

If NO Democratic candidate files by the deadline, then they get a de facto extension since then is left up to the Democratic Party in the state to decide and they can take their time doing it.

On the Republican side, only the most well prepared and well financed candidates would have run against an incumbent, so yes, you're right they already would have filed. However, in an uncontested race, lesser known talent comes out of the woodwork and it's those people that are essentially shut out on the Republican side due to the timing of this.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[matthewcline 0]

If the Dem's are not sure who to put up, is there a chance they screw up and miss a deadline and have to try and put up a "hail Mary"?

Just seems that this is playing in the Republicans favor, they have a guy all supported to try and bump out the incumbent, then bam. no Dem to run against but still holding all the support needed to win.

TN had a bit of a snafu with the Dem party last year and they have been suffering for it since. They turned on one of their leaders of the Party since she used common sense and at times voted for the greater good of the state and not only her party. So they decided that even though she won the primary not to honor her win and poured all their efforts into electing a unknown "Yes Man". They neglected their other contests and lost them, but they did toss out their "old Speaker". They ended up losing the majority.

I know that was state level and this is National level but it seems that although the Republicans are screwed up the Democrats are following their lead across the board.

Matt

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[Andrewwhyte 1]

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If the Dem's are not sure who to put up, is there a chance they screw up and miss a deadline and have to try and put up a "hail Mary"?

,..or the "chosen one" steps forward. Good tactic for keeping out one of your own who could cause trouble during a primary fight.

[matthewcline 0]

That was kind of how TN went down, "won the battle", but "lost the war" though.

Matt

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[brenthutch 444]

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I think, position himself to run against President Obama for the democratic nomination if current trends continue.

That would be a futile effort. There is absolutely no way Obama doesn't get the nomination. Nobody in his right mind would attempt to oppose him from the Democrat side.

Ted Kenedy ran against Jimmy and JC had better numbers at this time in his presidency. OTOH Clinton looked week at this point and made a big comeback.

[Lucky... 0]

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20100216/pl_bloomberg/a6qybv5vkza4

This is a pretty significant development in my book. Considering his two terms as Governor, followed by two terms as Senator, and his pointed remarks about the legislative body as whole, he will, I think, position himself to run against President Obama for the democratic nomination if current trends continue.

Quote

Bayh said he is an “executive at heart,” a trait “not highly valued in Congress.” The son of former U.S. Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana formed a presidential exploratory committee in 2008 before deciding to endorse then-Senator Hillary Clinton, now U.S. secretary of state.

Nah, I don't think so. I don't see anyone winning the 2012 Dem nomination other than Obama; let it go.....

[Lucky... 0]

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I think, position himself to run against President Obama for the democratic nomination if current trends continue.

That would be a futile effort. There is absolutely no way Obama doesn't get the nomination. Nobody in his right mind would attempt to oppose him from the Democrat side.

Ted Kenedy ran against Jimmy and JC had better numbers at this time in his presidency. OTOH Clinton looked week at this point and made a big comeback.

After a yeat in Clinton looked weak? Not sure I saw that. He had just raised taxes, which were the seeds that made him. But I think he ws OK after a year.

[kelpdiver 2]

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After a yeat in Clinton looked weak? Not sure I saw that. He had just raised taxes, which were the seeds that made him. But I think he ws OK after a year.

He had a terrible first year. Took 3 attempts to get a woman AG, flopped on health care reform and gay servicemen, and got hit with that Travelgate event that was an annoyance the rest of his reign. All despite having 57 Senators.

[kelpdiver 2]

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I think, position himself to run against President Obama for the democratic nomination if current trends continue.

That would be a futile effort. There is absolutely no way Obama doesn't get the nomination. Nobody in his right mind would attempt to oppose him from the Democrat side.

Ted Kenedy ran against Jimmy and JC had better numbers at this time in his presidency. OTOH Clinton looked week at this point and made a big comeback.

It was also Jerry Brown's second attempt. These are two serious contenders against an incumbent. If matters stayed flat for the next 2 years, I would expect to see a challenge, though I think I'd also expect to see a GOP victory. But that's still very far away.

[Lucky... 0]

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Took 3 attempts to get a woman AG

Is that that bad? It wasn't a Bork-type matter. And the Jocelyn Elder flap, truely a bad decsion, was handled with grace.

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flopped on health care reform

Or was that congress that flopped by never sending him a bill of any type? I guess Obama is flopping too, even tho exec priv doesn't allow for a president to unilatterally appoint HC reform, just jabber about it hoping congress picks it up. Fortunatley for corporations, bad for common people, GWB's 1st term was a smashing success as he drove his turds in congress to write and pass the Overtime Bill to him so some people could be ripped of their OT pay. What a success.

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gay servicemen

Was don't ask / don't tell later? I don't recall.

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got hit with that Travelgate event that was an annoyance the rest of his reign.

Wasn't that later, not his 1st year?

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clinton_approval_rating.png

It dropped from 55% to 47% at a year, I don't see that as a huge drop.