December 16, 2006
Bye Bayh (See Update)
It appears the CBS News story about Evan Bayh deciding against a WH '08 bid may be true. Fox News now has their own sources telling them Bayh won't make a bid. FWIW, we tried to get our Bayh sources to debunk the news and they wouldn't.
Bayh would have started a campaign with more than $10M in the bank and while no one was talking about Bayh as a first tier candidate just yet, there was an assumption he'd be a leader of the second tier and no modern primary campaign to date hasn't had a second tier candidate make the jump to top competitor. Bayh's most recent trip to NH coincided with Barack Obama's first visit to the state. One wonders if the sudden rise of Obama spooked Bayh. The coverage of the two trips was, well, incomparable. A few months ago in Iowa, Mark Warner shared the stage with Obama at the Harkin Steak Fry. It was seen by some as a real eye-opener for Warner, who made the decision not to run a few weeks later.
If Bayh does indeed pass up a WH campaign, it will be the second WH cycle in a row where Bayh has flirted but decided against a bid. Will there be a third time? [CHUCK TODD]
Update: A Dem close to Bayh confirms that the senator will put a statement out tomorrow confirming that he's decided against a WH bid.
Posted at 12:21 AM
Comments
Evan Bayh believed in the old school politics look good, be connected to a political family and that would get you elected to president. This is new school, you got to have substance and standing on the podium with Obama more than likely unmasked BayH as a pretty boy moreso than spooked him to his supporters. Bayh is a fund raiser and is not presidential material. His family does not have the money to buy the seat of power as the Bushes. Bye Bayh
FWIE | 12.16.06 11:46 AM
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vp run shooooooooin for 2012?
bk? | 12.16.06 12:33 PM
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