Bayh's out, Edwards is in

Posted: Saturday, December 16, 2006 2:34 PM by Elizabeth Wilner
Filed Under: Democrats

From NBC's Elizabeth Wilner
Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana, who on paper looked like a formidable presidential contender in 2008 (former red-state governor with sizeable campaign bank account and extensive political network), has announced that he will not, in fact, seek his party's nomination. "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. It wasn’t an easy decision but it was the right one for my family, my friends and my state. I have always prided myself on putting my public responsibilities ahead of my own ambitions," he said in a written statement.

Why, if so strong on paper, did Bayh conclude this wasn't in the cards? Probably because three contenders are sucking up so much oxygen: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards, who plans to announce his candidacy in late December, per the AP. (Of these three, Edwards was the only one to defeat GOP Sen. John McCain in a hypothetical match-up in the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll.)

"The odds were always going to be very long for a relatively unknown candidate like myself, a little bit like David and Goliath," Bayh goes on to say in his statement. "And whether there were too many Goliaths or whether I’m just not the right David, the fact remains that at the end of the day, I concluded that due to circumstances beyond our control the odds were longer than I felt I could responsibly pursue."

Bayh's considerable campaign apparatus is now up for grabs.

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Comments

Among millions of Democrats, Evan Bayh couldn't win an election to Deputy Dog Catcher. Mr. Bayh was from the very outset an staunch supporter of the Iraq adventure and has remained a staunch supporter of that adventure. To many Democrats, Mr. Bayh isn't Republican Lite. He's heavy-duty Republican.

Bernie Bierman (Sent Saturday, December 16, 2006 7:50 PM)

I am 100% for John Edward's for our next president of the good old USA. The south will go for John Edward! We love him.

Pearl Bible ,Newport, Tn. (Sent Saturday, December 16, 2006 10:20 PM)

Intellectually, ethically, and experience-based, Bayh would have been far superior to Edwards in serving our Nation. We do not need an ambulance chasing, polarizing, unethically rich skudzball in the capacity of POTUS. Edwards is NOT acceptable at any level of consideration.

Kenneth Kierland, Minneapolis, MN (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 7:36 AM)

Evan Bayh has more substance than your average politician. Obama? He is exciting, but is he experienced enough? Hilary has substance, she is nobody's fool. But is she electable? Sen. Bayh's polls must have shown him his time was not now. Problem is, coming from Red Indiana, next to Red turning Blue Ohio, Bayh could win the heartland and the rest of the country is ready to go Blue. Maybe VP? He'd bring a positive balance to Hilary (midwestern, good conservative record, no negative baggage, beautiful spouse with no baggage). He is a brilliant pol with a great pedigree. Is he his father? In some ways he doesn't match up. In others, he soars over Birch's legacy. His time will come.

David, Cincinnati OH (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 9:02 AM)

As a Republican I consider Sen. Obama to be a breath of fresh air. I'd vote for him, even though we may agree on every issue. Even met once in the Capitol in March, 2005. He actually spoke first while walking alone in the Capitol tunnel between Russell and Hart Senate Office Buildings. This election will not necessarily be about ideology. Bush II has seen to that and he has left the GOP in worse shape than his dad, fifteen years ago. Go Obama!

Don Howell Raleigh, NC (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 9:21 AM)

Edwards is the superior candidate. He comes from a working class family and he has spent his entire career fighting for working class people. To call him unethical and polarizing is plainly ignorant. Ambulance chaser??? Far from it. He has made large corporations and insurance companies accountable for their horrendous negligence.

Frank, Cleveland, Ohio (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 11:15 AM)

The Dream Team for 2008 for the Democrats? Edwards/Clinton, with Obama receiving a high cabinet post, and if he is smart, Bill Clinton as Secretary of State, and Al Gore as head of the EPA. Edwards/Clinton will easily defeat a McCain/Giuliani ticket and sweep the South and the North, plus the coast states.

John Mitchell, Hollywood (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 11:21 AM)

Gov. Mitt Romney is the only sound and responsible candidate in the entire field. I hope he get some traction nationally and becomes our next President.

Nicholas Smith, Phillipsburg, NJ (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 11:48 AM)

Clinton Clinton Clinton need I say more. !!!!!!!!!

Mark Gallegos Albuquerque, NM (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 11:53 AM)

Bayh had the potential & experience to run & unite the USA, but apparently not the guts. Obama? Oh really? NO way as he's too green. Hillary? Give me a break! No way in heck is she elected as the outside world (i.e. Middle East) won't respect or respond to her & she's too polarizing here in the states. It must be a moderate person & more than likely, a moderate Republican like Guliani. Edwards should go back to chasing ambulances as he did nothing for NC when we was a senator other than aim for POTUS.

Greg Godsil, Arvada, CO (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 11:57 AM)

"Intellectually, ethically, and experience-based, Bayh would have been far superior to Edwards in serving our Nation. We do not need an ambulance chasing, polarizing, unethically rich skudzball in the capacity of POTUS. Edwards is NOT acceptable at any level of consideration. " Listen, Ken - after a retarded monkey and alcoholic felon like George W. Bush, it is pure and utter non-sense to say ANYONE is too much of a "polarizing, unethically rich skudzball" to be POTUS. The bar has been buried - been in a cave for 6 years?

Lee in CA (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 12:03 PM)

John Edwards could not even win his home state for his running mate in 2004. How is he going to win the south when the Republicans actually have a good candidate running in 2008?

Jeff, Columbus, OH (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 12:05 PM)

Also, a Die-hard Republican, I think Senator Obama would be good for "we the people". Wouldn't it be scarey to see Hillary as the President of the United States and "Good Ole Bill" as President of the European Union. I served 24 yrs. active duty U.S. Navy and I do not think Hiliary Would support our troops like they should be supported.

David A. Swanger, Shippensburg, Pa. (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 12:37 PM)

It sill looks like Senator John Edwards is the solid candidate in the race. He is well known, well liked, and has been campaigning non stop and polishing his natiioanal security credentials for two years. The race does not necessarily go to the swiftest!

Ken McGee Louisburg, NC (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 12:55 PM)

I think that Hillary Clinton would be an outstanding politician. She is bright but if she proceeds forward; she must be careful in her pick of a vice presidential running mate. There are alot of viscious people in this country that would like to take her down. The Democratic party must move forward cautiously.

Kathryn W Cormier. Aberdeen, SD (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 1:05 PM)

I volunteered for Wes Clark in NH in 2004 and later in Chicago for Barak Obama's Senate campaign. I would love to see Clark win in 2008 and Obama in 2016. If you have or will take the time to read his policy papers, I'm sure you'll find refreshing his fresh approach and willingness to take a stand on the most complicated issues of our time. He has the leadership skills, military experience, and even the southern Red State roots needed to lead this country from 2009-2017. As for John Edwards, he's all charm and no substance. We would go to his campaign events and he knew just enough to sound intelligent but never proved he had any detailed knowledge of the key issues. If somebody asked him a tough question he would say, "Thank you for coming out today and asking such an important question. Everybody, give him a hand for coming out today." And then after the applause died down, he would move on to the next question without ever answering the first. Are we really looking for somebody who can only handle softballs or somebody who can take the high and tight fastballs too?

Brad A., San Diego, CA (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 1:27 PM)

Edwards may have the southern charm but can he create a media frenzy Obama and Clinton have made? Everywhere you look its Obama and Clinton. Not even a mention of Republicans which, considering the current situation, is a very good thing. I think Edwards will be a strong contender for Primaries...Clinton, Obama, Edwards will be the top three. I however think Clinton and Obama running together for the white house can get otherwise nonvoters engergized about voting...imagine, every black male and female voting for the Clinton-Obama ticket and every female, single mother voting too?? It's unstoppable.

Ryan, Oak Hill, West Virginia (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 1:31 PM)

All this is really helping McCain!

Dennis Smith (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 1:31 PM)

Obama is a breath of fresh air. We want change? Then let's do something radical like vote in man for POTUS who's actually qualified and capable of doing the job.

Kentucky voter (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 1:33 PM)

Yes - Edwards is Da Man!

Nancy, Jacksonville, FL (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 1:39 PM)

John Edward is the only one that can win.The Republicans will do every thing they can saying how great Sen.Obama trying to make sure he runs.Hillary Clinton is so hated by the extreme right they will spend an do what ever it takes to keep her from winning. I Like Sen. John McCain but his age and health are not so good also he has sold out to the extreme

RC (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 1:47 PM)

I have often thought that the president should be a black woman. They have a history of taking care of families and running things well. With Hilary and Barak Obama we may have the best of both. Linda

Linda Jackson Pekin,Illinois (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 1:52 PM)

its time to put someone in office that serve in the arm service. its time that the american people comes first. it feel like the viet nam war, ew lost to many americans. we lost the battle. lets look in the future. our kids, and grand kids.

joseph agell huntington new york. (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 1:53 PM)

It's incredible to hear questions of Clinton's "electability" with the veiled references to gentder, and touts of Bayh's assets to include his "beautiful spouse with no baggage". I want the election to focus on issues, period. It sounds as if equal rights equates to liberal veiws for some. It may not be 2008 yet - in fact, it feels a bit more like 1908 at times - but perhaps we can bring ourselves into the present with considerate, intelligent disucssion.

Virginia Terhaar, Portland, OR (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 2:00 PM)

Sen. Obama will definitely be the first African-American President for the US...just not in 2008. Likely in 2016 after serving as Vice President under either John Edwards or Hillary Clinton. While I like Hillary a lot, she has so much negative baggage with Republicans she would likely mobilize them leading to our defeat and 8 more years of our country's decline, social injustice, elimination of our civil rights and war at the hands of another Republican by any other name. Edwards and Obama in 2008 and 2012! I like the ring of that!

Matt Gentile, Glendale, CA (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 2:01 PM)

I admire Hillery but as with G. Bush people either love or hate her- intensly! I thing the next President should be less contraversial and one who could best unite this country. At this point I think Edwards would best fill that roll. Obama is exciting but needs some seasoning so we would know better what we would be getting.

K Walton. Seattle WA (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 2:21 PM)

If a democrat has to be our next preisdent I hope it is Obama. The fact that he has not been in Washington very long might mean he hasn't learned all the bad things that the others have.

Joyce Streible, Arthur, IL (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 2:39 PM)

As a blue state liberal, and someone who voted for Bill Clinton twice, I consider his Presidency to be orders of magnitude superior to the current squatter in the White House. Similarly, I have always respected and admired the former first lady very much. However, the venom and irrationality that have been vented against the Clinton's cannot be overcome by Senator Clinton. The same voters who can't find anything wrong with the war crimes, loss of U.S. respect abroad, and other economic and environmental crimes against U.S. citizen's, inflicted by King George and his henchmen, go ballistic at the thought of Senator Clinton running for POTUS. Senator Clinton's considerable knowledge, connections, and experience would be better suited to her staying in the U.S. Senate, and helping to ensure that a democratic candidate wins the Presidency in 2008, 20012, 2016, etc. A combination ticket of Edwards and Obama would seem to be extremely electable, and pave the way for Obama to pursue the presidency in 2016. As vice-president for 8 years, no one could complain about a lack of experience then. The country needs to change course desparately, and it can occur if the Democrats unite behind an electable POTUS/VP ticket, well in advance of the 2008 convention. I don't believe that can happen with Senator Clinton on the ticket. Rather than democratic candiates pissing away millions in campaign spending, use the money to begin to help our current and returning veterans, who besides being placed in harm's way in a non-winnable crusade, are being treated shabbily by POTUS and DOD.

r.j. mchenry county, il (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 2:56 PM)

Per an MSNBC article, John Edwards is planning to announce his candidacy from New Orleans' 9th Ward to publicize inequality in this country. This is an excellent decision. Because national attention needs to be focused on the fact that New Orleans more than a year after Katrina still needs a great deal of help. (On Thanksgiving Eve, Brian Williams said in effect that he'd be anchoring from New Orleans "sometime soon." Why hasn't he?) I've also read the distressing news that a "brain drain" of young professionals is going on in New Orleans. Due to her de-populated state, they just can't find the business they need to survive. Not to mention the fact that due to New Orleans' continuing hardships, life is difficult there. The article cited the example of a doctor who just pulled up stakea and re-settled in Raleigh, North Carolina. Consequently, there are major shortages of such necessary personnel as health professionals and teachers. This "brain drain" is an early sign that New Orleans is headed down the tubes. It's time the mainstream media started paying more frequent and consistent attention to what's happening in that city because New Orleans is dying without the help she needs to recover. It's time for the media to regularly cover New Orleans and push the Bush Administration and Congress to take meaningful action to help that beautiful, historic city recover and re-populate herself. So per one of Bush's Jackson Square promises, New Orleans will "rise again."

Olivia, Peoria, Ill. (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 3:25 PM)

I believe its to early to pick. History has shown use in the past that a new leader will come, Its as thought, from out of the woodwork! Example: Bill Clinton D, T. Rosevelt R, Jimmy Carter D, all late arrivals, someone will fill that spot. We need a man that will make us feel comfterable, then the whole show runs smoothly. It's to just early to tell! Just remember to vote when the time comes.

rodney arnold, miami, fl. 33169 (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 3:29 PM)

Anyone who really thinks a 2 year unproven,untested Sen.Obama would be a better candidate than John Edwards is just being silly. For some reason the news media has decided he is all that. Well compared to John Edwards or Joe Biden Obama is nothing. He is a 40 state loser. the democrats need to elect someone much moore deeper than Obama. He is just the flaver of the week.

Dale Hartline, Canton, Ohio (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 3:45 PM)

Obama is too green, Obama is the flavor of the week. Barak Obama is the child of a white woman and a black man. That is a fact. And that is what America will vote on. I have not decided who I will vote for, but I do know I will vote. As a Democrat, there is a Republican whom I would think positively of, that person has been mentioned, just not a front runner.I still stand by my statment, this country will not elect a black President because they are too racist.You can use all the code words you want. I have been there and learned the new lingo. "Green means he is black, and thus not a WASP.

Desmond (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 5:21 PM)

As for "ambulance chaser", gosh the republicans labelled John Edwards that a lifetime ago. Get those Swift boaters to put their thinking caps on.

Desmond (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 5:23 PM)

Olivia, I understand what you are saying. Thanks for contuining to post about New Orleans. You are even more stubborn than I am, and that's saying alot.

Desmond (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 5:26 PM)

South will go for edwards? LOL They didn't in the last round. LOL

Mike, ME (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 7:11 PM)

Why is Clinton even a contender? What are her crendentials, a one-term Senator and a former first lady. Why don't the Democrats just find a bum to run for president.

Chris Meluch, Palmyra, Ohio (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 7:24 PM)

Keep in mind that the early media darling of the last Democratic primary was Howard Dean, we all know how that went (Sorry Obama). Hillary is unelectable. So far the only potentially good democratic candidate out there is John Edwards.

John (Sent Sunday, December 17, 2006 8:49 PM)

Having Your State and Winning It Too As may of us have heard, Evan Bayh has bowed out of the Presidential primaries, but John Edwards is still in. There is nothing about Edwards that's wrong. He has come from humble beginnings in a sea of red to become a successful professional and politician. And for those who note how much Americans dislike formerly unsuccessful politicians, this tends not to prove true as much for failed VP candidates as much as for their Presidential counterparts. He is incredibly attractive on electoral standards; a Southern Democrat could bode better on a national election more so than any other candidate. However, there is a glaring fact that will disgrace any attempts by Edwards to gain the support of his party: he lost his home state in 2004. It is utterly useless to nominate a Southern candidate who cannot appeal to Southerners. John Edwards may taunt his Southern heritage, but he'll have to do more. He can't just have his state; he'll have to win it, and he'll have to win the Mid-West, too.

Jason Gerson, Marietta, GA (Sent Monday, December 18, 2006 9:26 AM)

Laura Bush / Tom Delay '08!

Asad, Atlanta GA (Sent Monday, December 18, 2006 10:19 AM)

Chris Meluch, We have had a bum for the past six years. Why would we want another bum to run for President?

Seattle Sue (Sent Monday, December 18, 2006 12:09 PM)

Asad, You are right Laura Bush/Tom Delay would be an unbeatable pair for 08. Please encourage all Republicans to run this team.

Seattle Sue (Sent Monday, December 18, 2006 12:13 PM)

I think Kerry lost in Tennessee more than Edwards did. Kerrry was number one on the ticket, not Edwards, and water's gone under the bridge since then.

Jane, Southern Mississippi (Sent Monday, December 18, 2006 4:05 PM)

I also like Joseph Biden.

Jane, Southern Mississippi (Sent Monday, December 18, 2006 4:20 PM)

If Obama decides to run it would be a good idea for him, too, to announce his candidacy from New Orleans and call attention to governmental inaction there--but with New Orleans' luck, the "drive-by" media will probably have moved on from Obama by then.

Olivia, Peoria, Ill. (Sent Monday, December 18, 2006 4:35 PM)

And per Desmond--intriguing how green is the new black...

Olivia, Peoria, Ill. (Sent Monday, December 18, 2006 4:36 PM)

Anybody who says McCain is a shoe in, better look at his statements the last couple of weeks about Iraq. Most of Americans want us to get out, but Bush is said to be ready to add more troops to Iraq, and surprise so does McCain. If Bush sends more troops in and one man dies what do you think will be McCain's statement. He would say that he does not want anymore troops in, like he did when he caved in on the loss of our freedoms to Bush. There is another person who would rather tell us half truths and then sy he did not mean that. Let Obama or another Dem run this country for awhile and set us back on the ight road

Brandon Makoroff, Los Angeles, Ca (Sent Monday, December 18, 2006 5:25 PM)

Did it ever occur to you Libs that there are a good number of Conservatives who really aren't interested in "uniting" with you? Maybe we aren’t interested in “closing the income gap”. Maybe the lower wage earners should work harder on getting a better education. Plus, an industrial nation needs lower income workers to keep it going. That is just the nature of the beast. Maybe we aren’t interested in universal health care. It is ruining the countries in Europe that have it. I am not interested in paying 51 percent of my income in taxes and anther 19 per cent in sales taxes (Germany) just to support more social programs. And maybe most of all, we don’t want to unite with a political party who rallies behind roe v wade. Which by the way, will kill more Americans this month than the entire Iraq war has done so far. I don’t give a rat’s butt about your perceived loss of civil liberties. If you are calling to the Middle East to talk to terrorists then I think the USofA should listen to every word you have to say. If you are caught hanging out with known enemies of the US then you go to prison with them. Your mom told you would be judged by the company you keep, you should have listened. If you want to unite, then unite with me and the people who feel the way I do.

Red White and Blue from the Midwest. (Sent Tuesday, December 19, 2006 5:48 AM)

Virginia from Oregon, it is naive to expect an election on the issues in this country at this time. There are no veiled references to Hillary's gender. I'm pretty sure she is a woman. If we close her eys and pretend she is something she isn't, well, all we have done is close our eyes to the obvious. I prefer her politics over most. I recognize her intelligence is superior to most. Her political skills match those of the master, her "beautiful spouse" Bill. But come on, our voters don't vote on the issues, they vote on what the spin doctors tell them is important. And the 2008 version of the Swift Boaters will have more crap to throw at a Hillary candidacy than any other. I'm not saying we should be intimidated by those idiots, but I think lack of baggage, whether real or imagined, is preferable to a provenover-loaded samsonite. I would vote for Hillary. Darn, I fantasize about voting for Bill again. Those two votes were the most proud votes of my life. What we would want to see and what we will see are totally different. Dems must not squander this opportunity. I do feel Bayh has what it takes to get elected. We need another Bill Clinton to come in and keep the Dems' mojo moving in the right direction (not right as in left, but forward, as opposed to on it's face).

David, Cin OH (Sent Tuesday, December 19, 2006 5:55 AM)

Red White and Blue from the Midwest has done us all a favor by articulating the views of a large portion of Americans. I know I've heard similar opinions expressed in Maine. Now it is up to the rest of us to explain 1). Why the widening gap between rich and poor represents a threat to our national prosperity. A heavy concentration of wealth in the top 1% is a hallmark of a third world country. It is just not a good sign that our middle class is slipping into debt. 2) How the high cost of American health care cripples our ability to compete in the world, just ask the large automakers, 3). That protecting civil liberties is a core American value and not a sign of "weakness." There are legal ways to listen in on phone calls, it is not necessary to shred the constituition to do so, and it lowers our standing in the world to kidnap, torture, and incarcerate suspects, illegally. 4). Abortion is illegal in manny Catholic countries in this world. It might be educational to R, W and B to read about the trials of women in those countries who performed abortions on themselves, and imagine that happening to his neighbor, and the predicament of doctors who must stand by and watch a woman's fallopian tube burst because they can't "abort" the fetus growing there. I can understand being against abortion, but not to be so fanatical that you don't understand why compassionate people might feel it should be legal.

Amy B. ME (Sent Tuesday, December 19, 2006 9:30 AM)

If I were going to vote for a first-term Senator it would be Jim Webb, not Barack Obama. Obama has learned the art of kowtowing to the right from his mentor Joe Lieberman, and I don't need to be scolded by him about being nice to the Christofascist Zombie Brigade. Jim Webb has military experience, national government experience, and he's a social progressive to boot.

JJ in NJ (Sent Tuesday, December 19, 2006 11:08 AM)

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