Obama sure dodged a bullet by not picking Evan Bayh as his VP last year...

[Bicoastal]

Remember THIS debacle?

[sui generis]

1. old dromedary lips hisself

[Bankhead_ATL]

2. Yes he did....Oh Hi every one

[tekisui]

3. Welcome to DU.

:hi:

[Bicoastal]

4. Welcome to DU!

[Bankhead_ATL]

6. Hello BTW i am not new to DU :)

[Occam Bandage]

8. Ominous!

[Bicoastal]

9. Uh oh...are you a longtime lurker or did you have a tombstoned account?

(clllllick)

[Occam Bandage]

7. Hi there!

[bigwillq]

19. Hello.

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[NewJeffCT]

5. However, maybe no DINO coalition forms without Bayh's leadership?

who knows?

[ieoeja]

10. I was going to suggest we might have been better off with Bayh out of the Senate.

I'd certainly take Biden in the Senate over Bayh any day.

[Jennicut]

11. Perhaps. Was Biden more liberal in the Senate then Bayh? I cannot stand Bayh at all.

And am so glad he is not our VP but maybe you are right.
Any Dem would have beaten Palin in the debates. Joe just seems to get along with Obama well and I am not so sure how well he would have gotten along with Bayh. Bayh is ambitious and probably wants to be President some day.

[asphalt.jungle]

14. the thought of him being vp instead of causing mischief in the senate is more troubling

he has no principles. he's like mccain. mccain can switch from seemingly moderate to a wingnut in the span of months. bayh had a liberal voting record before he decided that his best move would be as obama's nemesis. that's what mccain did to bush for a couple years before he realized he wanted to run for president again in 2008. if bayh was VP he would feel empowered like he actually was the reason for obama's victory ("you know those blue collar white guys wouldn't have come around to you if it wasn't for me and my indiana red state credentials."). he's young enough where if obama is successful he would be a lock for president in 2016 and a man with no principles as our candidate for president? how horrifying. i'd rather he cause mischief in the senate and poison his 2016 viability.

[Jennicut]

16. That is what I think as well. Joe is very loyal to Prez Obama, Evan Bayh...not so much.

[Zodiak]

17. According to my calculations....

From 2004-2006, Biden was definitely more "liberal" than Bayh.

And you know what? Bayh wasn't really all that bad, either. He was DLC, but his voting record was more like Hillary Clinton's than the rest of the DLC. However, that is pretty much how the DLC works...the more liebral and acceptable members are out front and the more odious and conservative members stay out of the spotlight. This gives even more of an impression of "moderation". Here are the numbers I got:

Democratic Senator percentage

Harkin (Iowa) 82.75862069
Boxer (California) 82.75862069
Feingold (Wisconsin) 82.75862069
Kennedy (Massacheusetts) 77.5862069
Corzine (New Jersey) now Gov. 76.66666667
Lautenberg (New Jersey) 75.86206897
Durbin (Illinois) 75.86206897
Akaka (Hawaii) 75.86206897
Sarbanes (Maryland) 72.4137931
Kerry (Massacheusetts) DLC 70.68965517
Leahy (Vermont) 70.68965517
Levin (Michigan) 68.96551724
Mikulski (Maryland) 68.96551724
Reed (Rhode Island) 68.96551724
Biden (Deleware) 67.24137931
Dodd (Connecticut) 65.51724138
Wyden (Oregon) 65.51724138
Dayton (Minnesota) 65.51724138
Obama (Illinois) 63.79310345
Bayh (Indiana) DLC 60.34482759
Murray (Washington) 60.34482759
Schumer (New York) DLC 58.62068966
Inouye (Hawaii) DLC 56.89655172
Bingaman (New Mexico) 56.89655172
Dorgan (North Dakota) DLC 55.17241379
Reid (Nevada) 55.17241379
Byrd (West Virginia) 55.17241379
Clinton (New York) DLC 53.44827586
Menendez (New Jersey) DLC 50
Cantwell (Washington) DLC 48.27586207
Stabenow (Michigan) DLC 46.55172414
Kohl (Wisconsin) DLC 44.82758621
Feinstein (California) DLC 44.82758621
Leiberman (Connecticut) DLC 44.82758621
Rockefeller (West Virginia) 41.37931034
Conrad (North Dakota) DLC 41.37931034
Baucus (Montana) DLC 39.65517241
Carper (Deleware) DLC 34.48275862
Johnson (South Dakota) DLC 31.03448276
Lincoln (Arkansas) DLC 31.03448276
Salazar (Colorado) DLC 24.13793103
Pryor (Arkansas) DLC 22.4137931
Nelson (Florida) DLC 20.68965517
Landrieu (Louisianna) DLC 17.24137931
Nelson (Nebraska) DLC 3.448275862

This study was an experiment I did on my own for my own edification because the numbers ADA and progressive punch came up with were too full of noise from minor votes. All of the info about it is in my journal, and I ran the numbers as a running total for an entire Congressional session.

It is IMPERATIVE that DUers get to know the Democratic Senators by name and familiarize themselves with their voting records. Support from the left should be contingent with shared goals, not just the D after their name. It is too easy to set up a mole organization when no one is looking over their shoulders.

[Jennicut]

24. Thanks! I had no idea about how conservative some of them really were

The Nelsons...yuck!
Still, to win in those areas I suppose they have to be more conservative. Its a catch-22.
What I find amusing is how people here used to call Biden DLC-ish and he was always way more liberal then that.

[DefenseLawyer]

13. Except Bayh is probably the only Democrat that can get elected to the Senate

in Indiana, so basically that is one less seat if he is gone. Even though he is "moderate" i.e. willing to sell out at the drop of a hat, he is still a reliable vote for the most part. Or do you like the sound of Senator Pence?

[asphalt.jungle]

15. if obama can win that state why can't someone with a similar political perspective

win the state?

[AllentownJake]

21. Part of Obama's victory is historic turnout numbers amongst youth and African American voters

My answer to that question is no.

Indiana has its great areas like Indianapolis, the Chicago burbs, and Bloomington but by and large the state is populated by ignorant fucktards.

[Solomon]

12. Damn. Thanks for reminding me. I forgot about Lieberman

Jeeeze. We dodged more than a bullet.

[Clio the Leo]

18. I believe that Biden was always the choice....

... with the possible exception of Hillary, the rest were always decoys.

[Raine]

20. Obama was smarter than that

Thank goodness. :thumbsup:

[JI7]

22. Hillary was going to pick Bayh for VP if she won the nomination

Bayh was never in serious consideration for Obama.

Bayh had said something once about how he could never win in a Primary in his current position because he is too conservative for Dem primary voters. the only way he could have a chance is if he could become vp and run after serving as VP.

Obama took that away from him.

[chollybocker]

23. Obama dodged another bullet by not nominating Tom Cruise.

Or Santa Claus. Or Papa Smurff. Point?