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The Irony Of Evan Bayh's Name Texted To My Phone
Time flies in presidential races, it seems like yesterday that a good friend of mine met with Barack Obama about running the online portion of his campaign. He didn't want the job after the interview, sensing, correctly, that Obama was centrist, maybe even centrist-right and my friend is more of a Democrat.
I remember the exact quote so well: "If he ran as a true Progressive, he'd run away with this thing."
Indeed.
Now, we are anticipating the announcement of Barack Obama's running mate and the rumor mills were churning and turning and then the water seemed to settle down when Evan Bayh's name came up a while ago. I am pretty good at watching tea leaves inside the party and at this point, it would shock me if Bayh was not the VP nominee.
I, like millions of Americans, will learn about Barack's choice via text message, standard rates apply, and when I get that text, if it's not Bayh's name, it will be someone equally centrist, maybe even further right.
Howard Dean grabbed and held dear to the technology of the day in 2004 because he had no choice; he had no legacy power or mainstream media to help him, so he went outside their web to the Internet where a thousand points of support gathered together and propelled him to the front of the race.
This time around, all of the top six who ran for the Democratic nomination used the technology of the day to far greater lengths than the Kerry Campaign did in 2004, but none really captured the outside in, the power of the people inherent in the technology and that's a shame.
In fact, the more Barack Obama uses the technology, the clearer it is that he has not captured the soul of the party and now he fails to ignite the passions of the left.
Does it date to when he threw General Clark under the bus? Or when he flipped on FISA, or guns, or Iraq or Public Financing? I actually think it goes back farther than that.
Hillary Hatred was a very real blinding rage that consumed so many Democrats. Anyone But Her became I love Barack. We overlooked his lack of experience, his policies, his love of Joe Lieberman. The warning signs were there and those, like Taylor Marsh or Kristen Breitweiser, who suggested we look at those signs, well, shouted down is far too polite a term for what they endured.
Barack is the nominee, and our country will be far better off if he wins versus John McCain. Like many, however, I am more interested in beating McCain and helping Congressional Candidates. McCain is very dangerous, I have said this for months, and he understands one fundamental political reality that Obama has missed so far.
McCain does just enough to keep his "maverick" label slightly in tact. He did do McCain-Feingold. He did stand up on Global Warming. He did turn down secret service protection earlier this year.
His positions don't stand up to any scrutiny but he understands in the broad media narrative world we live in, every so often, you have to throw the narrative a bone.
Barack and his mantra of change remains boneless. When he opted out of Public Financing, he could have said he would change the law to be $100 maximum contribution for all Americans, real public financing.
But he didn't.
With Iraq, the economy, global warming, anything, Barack needs to show there is some reality to the rhetoric, he hasn't done so yet.
And if he picks Evan Bayh, the son of a political family, the ultimate legacy politician, a supporter of the Iraq War, a centrist / centrist right politician and if it is Evan's name that comes through the phone that day to you, it will mean that once again, change is how you talk the talk.
But when you walk the walk, it's the same old path.
Follow James Boyce on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jamesboyce
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"Hillary Hatred" never had an effect on my choice. I just looked deeper than some headlines and thought about what I found rationally. So many people don't even go that far, and it's sad. Most of them have high profile blogs, which is even more sad, because people read and agree without thinking.
I looked squarely at Obama's state record in Illinois, and what I saw was a stealth progressive. He's like the antithesis of Ronald Reagan, the stealth conservative...able to work progressively minded legislation in very carefully where it's needed. To do that, he tricks people on a level into thinking he's a lot more conservative than people think, and it works. Unfortunately, as of late, the people he's been tricking are the people that should be voting for him...considering the alternative choice, there really shouldn't be any question.
That said, of course, you should always push your leaders to adopt legislation more in line with your ideals. That's what being politically active is all about. When you stop doing that, people who act against your interests will, and then you get Presidents like Reagan and Bush.
Where is everyone braying about Bayh's unacceptability because he voted for the war? Not only voted for it, but acted as a primary Democratic cheerleader for it. Come on, how many times was I told Hillary was unacceptable as a candidate or a candidate for VP because of her qualified vote for the war before Obama was in the Senate? Now it's all about pragmatism huh.
He's boring and safe, but Barack shouldn't really be looking for a risk right now. I don't see what the problem is. Truly, the only person I see having any effect, whether it would be a good or bad one, is Hillary. I'd be pleased with anyone he chooses, really. Unless it's just so mind-blowingly, asteroid-striking the earth catastrophic like George Bush or something, the vice president will prove to not be worth the over-speculation by the media we've suffered over the past few months.
I don't know why all the whining. Barack Obama isn't Jesus or Moses or Mohammad. He is just a politician. I wish we could have a Mr. Perfect but he (or she) simply doesn't exist. I too am bummed about his flip-flop on FISA but that is history. Hey cheer up! If you've been reading any of the other articles around here you would know he is still favored to win this thing. That means no more clones of Scalia, Alito, Thomas or Roberts. It means the Democrats in control of the house and the executive and, if we are lucky, a 60 vote majority in the senate. If Obama picks Bayh he is playing "mistake-free Baseball". That still means a win. Look forward.
Lets see Obama is center-right but Hillary was more center-right and therefore many will support McCain far-right with Bomb-Bomb-Bomb my friends there will be more wars...Lets invade Russia.
Obama has not flipped on issues. He has always been right of center. Study his past and read his books.
He has always been moderately hawkish when it comes to America's military power in the world and he holds many neo-liberal views on economics.
The problem with Americans is they are now so far to the right that center looks far left to them.
Some in the Republican camp have managed to push the entire country to the right in the last two decades using the media. They have been extremely successful - "Liberal" is now tantamount to a swearword.
'And if he picks Evan Bayh, the son of a political family, the ultimate legacy politician, a supporter of the Iraq War, a centrist / centrist right politician and if it is Evan' Bayh ... the
sun will still come up tomorrow.
I'd rather the VP be chosen from the ranks of the Demos who voted against the War
Resolution, but I can live with Evan Bayh. The moderate center must be heard.
Barack Obama was NEVER a true progressive democrat. He is and always was a pragmatist centrist. The irony is that the republicans are now trying to brand him a socialist of all things. I understand why they are trying to paint him that way, but I'm not sure why progressives ever thought he was one of their own.
Be ready for Evan Bayh on your cell. And how will you feel if the name is Chuck Hagel?
Many of his supporters are calling for Hagel now -- in the interest of bi-partisan Unity. This is really what the change is about. One party. One big love.
I agree that Obama has always been more of a moderate than
a progressive. What is suggested perhaps is the 'last best hope'
of true Progressive Demos is to obtain a Progressive VP nominee.
Unfortunately I think for the sake of realism, we need to accept a centrist ticket and fight for progressives down ticket. It is the hope.
What I won't accept is a right wing republican on the ticket. And it's freaking me out that so many Obamaites seem to want this.
I feel like I've entered the twilight zone.
Not all Democrats are on the far left end of the spectrum. I prefer a moderate.
If you want a Democrat that only represents your interests, Kucinich would probably be your candidate. I prefer a president of ALL the United States, not just the bluest of the blue.
Well as much as I agree with you on him being centrist, Democrats have no choice. The majority of the country is still to the right of center. The word liberal is a dirty word. Democrats don't have the cajones to change the narrative.
The last democratic president we had was a centrist, Bill Clinton. Either you get a centrist who leans pretty much left or you get a hard rightwinger, McCain.
"In fact, the more Barack Obama uses the technology, the clearer it is that he has not captured the soul of the party and now he fails to ignite the passions of the left."
Sorry, I beg to differ Mr. Boyce. I don't know that anyone has ever, nor could ever ignite more passion in this country than O has... left, right or center.
Wrong. Bush has ignited the passions of the country. Obama is riding those passions into office. Think "Jimmy Carter" and Ford's pardon of Nixon.
Would the world end if he picks Byah. Anyone he picks is not going to satisfy everyone. He stated the qualities he is looking for. You may not trust his judgement but I do. Whoever he picks I'm sure will be the best choice for him. I just want someone to go to Washington and start fixing this country and getting it on the right track I'm tired of these ideological fights that gets nothing done and just hash and rehash the same old arguments. You dont really know people wether they are democrats or not. Look at Edwards someone folks thought had character would make a good VP or Attorney General personally I never trusted the guy and look at his mess. More important than policy and ideology is CHARACTER. Obama wants someone with character and integrity. Guess what as shocking as it is for some that may NOT necessarily be someone on the left or a democrat. Because they DONT corner the market on integrity and character.
Carol
Very well said Carol.
He hasn't changed positions. The media, I guess including you, would like you to think he has. If you you read his books and listen to what he says, not what someone says he says, he's following what his positions have been all along.
But what story would there be in that. I hope the automatic cynicism and sarcasm that has become the norm in the Bush years soon goes away. I don't think it was misplaced for the Bush administration, but I hope people know how to turn it off when it's not warranted.
Thanks to my son, I looked up Barack Obama online more than a year and a half ago. I found out who he is, what he believes, how he thinks, what he stands for and what he believes our country shouldn't stand for. Yet, everyone has a bone to pick with him for whatever "story" a totally self-serving media is dishing up this week/day.
One can only conclude that the country suffers from attention deficit disorder because the MSM feeds it to them 24/7. Either that or they just don't want to be bothered with finding out actual facts.
So, we should all refrain from voting until someone somewhere finds us a perfect presidential candidate who will choose a perfect vice-presidential candidate.
Thanks bobbym for a great response.
The candidate you wanted him to be does not exist nor will such a candidate ever exist, you need to calm down and think carefully for a bit about this. He is far less centrist than Hillary, and was always more viable than the others. be happy with what you have, because grumblings like this will not get us anywhere
the idea that a true progressive would win the presidency is just plain lunacy, unsupported by any facts. Look at Dennis Kucinich. He ran as a Democrat. Yet how many Democrats did you know who supported him? Get a grip: Most people in America do not agree with the most liberal Democrats.
I agree that it would be disappointing if Obama picked Bayh or Clinton or anyone who supported the Iraq War. I don't think he will. If he does, I'll still volunteer and donate to him because McCain is horrible.
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