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Why The Evan Bayh VP Reverse Draft Matters
Four years ago, on the day before the VP Selection, I sat at The Four Seasons in a room with John Edwards, Fred Baron and Cam Kerry. The process was near the end and it had been a very tightly guarded process and despite being asked a million times, I had no idea who John Kerry was going to pick -- and in fact, no one did till we found out what name was going on the plane.
Four years ago, the Democratic base, those outside the inner circle of the campaign- didn't really have a voice or means to express and organize- but the events of the past four days show how far the world has changed, for the better I believe.
Barack Obama has been willing and quite smart in his use of new technologies but the same technologies that have enabled him to raise hundreds of millions of dollars have also this week given momentum and voice to Democrats who do not want Evan Bayh to be the Vice Presidential Nominee.
I feel our concerns are valid.
Choosing Evan Bayh would damage the message of change that Senator Obama was been pounding on America for over a year now. Choosing Evan Bayh, not only a supporter of the war but a leading proponent of the war, would diminish the ticket's stance on Iraq.
In years past, thousands of Democrats, isolated in their homes or offices, would have expressed frustration with the potential of a Bayh choice, but this week, we saw what technology can do.
Four years ago, the Huffington Post didn't exist.
Earlier this week, I wrote a post here "The Irony Of Evan Bayh's Name Texted To My Phone."
Other bloggers, at the same time or even earlier started to write as well. Ari Melber, Steve Clemons and more -- together, our voice started to grow.
Max Bernstein, our political director here at Common Sense NMS, put up a Facebook Group, another tool that was a non-factor in 2004- - 100,000 Strong Against Evan Bayh For VP.
That group was launched on Tuesday, hitting 1,000 people in the first day. Another 1,000 yesterday and is now over 3,000. 3,000 people willing to show their name and face and send a message to Senator Obama.
At this point, the narrative moved to what some circles would consider more traditional outlets.
The New York Times picked it up.
The Washington Post picked it up.
And finally, the tone of the conversation changed, as the title of this article from the San Francisco Chronicle's web site clearly shows: Will Obama Wave Bye to Bayh?
Add to that three radio appearances, two by Max yesterday and one by me, on
The Mario Solis Marich Show. And you have a narrative forming.
The question is now, what happens? We've seen more talk about Joe Biden, Wes Clark and even Al Gore over the past 24 hours then we've seen in the last few weeks.
Clearly, the decision remains, and always was Senator Obama's. But now instead of hearing from only those close to him, only those inside the beltway, he now has heard from thousands of people outside that circle. The question is, will he listen.
We'll find out next week.
P.S. This and many more topics like it will be the subject of some great panels that are happening at The Starz Green Room in Denver during the week of the Convention. I am on a panel with Will I Am, Adam Conner from Facebook, and more called "Viral Videos And Social Networks: How Campaigning Has Changed Forever. Click here to learn more.
Follow James Boyce on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jamesboyce
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The one thing I was so naive about with the internet previously to this election cycle was that we could gather together via the internet with petitions and just posting our thoughts to make a difference in what might/is happening. Sveral times via petitions we have made impacts never before possible. People get on a blog and ask questions and answers come from real people not cronies of the candidate only. In a lot ofways it makes me feel proud to be involved even at a base level with what candidate I have chosen. It is just a begining as some of the candidates running the "old ways" have had to learn the impact others via the internet now have. Like with McCain now we watch and listen and catch the things he says which are lies/misrepresentations/distortions and we shout out on the internet. As with Bayh he reminds me of plain milk soured by the association and things he has said while with Hillary and with McCain. He has little I can see of positive value now and I will be mightly disappointed with Obama should he chose him.
It would appear from recent accounts the impulse toward progressive outcome has been quashed. Depressing it may be progressives throwing their hope and weight to Obama win are in deep denial. An assessment of the November outcome engenders nearly complete establishment win. This is a bitter pill the sooner swallowed the better.
The bright red flags are in full view:
Kissing up AIPAC, FISA vote, getting in line on Iran, War funding , escalation in Afhhanistan, expanded military, health policy run by pharma and HMO, etc. Just this past week our hero joins the Georgia propaganda bandwagon. Let's hurry up and show Russia who's boss! Hey, another vote: Clinton vs. Obama with speeches by Bill and Hillary on their very own time slots. And Chelsea too!
I had high hopes as many others and made some contributions. Then no more contributions but will vote for the man. That's now in doubt. Clinging to remaining Obama policies such as in energy and jobs may be fuitless as well. There is not enough in the tax rollback to balance the budget let alone add new programs and more war.
Discredited Edwards was right claiming the establishment cannot be beaten without a fight. Witness battles over race and Viet Nam war 60's/70's. American values and justice will not be restored via ballot or the keyboard. A McCain win might be enough to raise a shout and stampede.
If you want change then ....change.
Otherwise good luck practicing the secret Pelosi-Reid handshake.
If he wants to reach across the aisle and pick a Republican, Bayh makes perfect sense. But has he considered Zell Miller?
Insofar as Even Bayh's personal Facebook page still has almost twice as many members as those produced by this nationwide blogosphere hatchet job, I certainly hope the reverse draft does NOT matter.
If you look at Bayh's record as governor, you'll see he created 350,000 job and increased the state's education budget every year. He guaranteed higher education for lower-income high school students and never had to raise taxes to do it.
Education and economic prosperity are still important to the 299,997,000 Americans who choose not to anti-draft Bayh. I hope we still matter, too.
The choice of VP is not like American Idol - we do not get to 'vote" for our VP choice. However, maybe we should!
That would be a disaster!
Obama/Clark
If we really want to win in November.
On the topic of choosing a Veep:
just speaking for myself, I don't know much about Bayh. What is the rationale for picking him? I have not seen him speaking out on the national stage.
My own choices? While first stating that there is no way I would vote for McCain over Obama, there are some dems I like more than others. Biden has spoken out well. I like Chris Dodd a lot, and Richardson. Webb seems pretty good, but there is apparently something in his past that he doesn't want brought out, since he has stated that he would not accept the nod. Sibelius seems OK, although again, I haven't heard her say anything much. I like Hillary, but there seems to be some friction between her and Barack, and besides, she might be able to push her own agenda more while in the Senate.
I posted this on Obama's official site:
Assuming that the selection has not already been made, I was thinking it would be interesting to combine making our voices heard with the opportunity to make a donation. My thinking is that those of us who are willing to join Senator Obama's official campaign website AND make a donation should be given an opportunity to express our choice for the most viable VP. For example, if you made at least a $10 donation you could sign into this site and either select from a list of known contenders OR write in someone that you think would make a strong choice, perhaps accompanied by your reasoning, i.e., strong in national defense or able to help in a particular swing state, etc. I personally keep thinking that General Wesley Clark would bring outstanding balance to the team. Anyway, I think it would be an interesting opportunity for the two million people who have supported Senator Obama, even though I do feel that he rightly ultimately makes the choice that fulfils his own unique strategy and vision.
Jim Webb all the way! Wait and see.
All salient points but recall that in a democracy no one gets their full plate. No one.
I haven't even gotten a plate.
Here we go. The Obama purists have the long knives out for any VP pick that isn't liberal enough
for them. Evan Bayh is too American for you, too white bread. Heaven forbid Obama picks someone that might win over moderate voters like me!
You've got it completely wrong. The Obama purist will accept whoever Obama chooses because they trust his judgment. It's the progressive purist who are rejecting Bayh. Obama isn't far enough to the left for them and Bayh would just confirm their view (according to them).
P.S. See hopeless277 below.
Johnnn, I am registered Independent and my leanings are fairly moderate like yours. I don't want Bayh.
I'll accept it if he chooses him. I'd rather see a Biden or a Clark - preferably Biden - because if I got a vote (which I don't) I'd want him to choose someone with serious foreign policy credentials and who's been visible in the public eye for that expertise in a way that Bayh hasn't. He's not as famiiar to many people.
I am not a liberal and definitely don't want him to pick a liberal. I definitely don't want him to pick Bayh, either.
Where the hell is obama coming from...even considering Bayh as hi RM???? I really wonder about his ability to lead.......
Come up with someone different, from the list of Demo senators
& congressmen who voted against the War Resolution then. NOT one
of the standard choices that everyone has the usual objections to.
It's not whom Obama shouldn't choose, it's about who he should.
After Obama chooses the highly decent and well qualified Evan Bayh as his running mate, come November you can write in your hero John Edwards.
Yeah, like The New Boss cares about what YOU think. HA! He knows you have to vote for him no matter who he picks for VP. He could pick Cheney and you'd STILL have to vote for The New Boss. Remember FISA? Remember offshore drilling? Remember his 'bygones' qoute about the Bush crimes? The New Boss wants Republican ideas intergrated into his junta. He'll give equal weight to Inhofe's climate change denial as he will to Gore's climate change challenges. He will give the same weight to Lieberman as Feingold. Bottom line: Meet the New Boss.................
A little cynical I would say. However, the political system forces everyone to compromise
themselves. Things have to get done. The new boss will always end up being the same as the old boss. We want results not inconsequential ideals.
I have a motto: Honesty is no substitute for experience.
Hopeless is totally correct. Obama has turned himself inside out selling out what
he was supposed to stand for, for going on 2.5 months now, so no reason to think he will suddenly have an 'intregrity attack' between now and the convention. There's something about Obama's recent behavior that puts one in mind of Clarence "Go Along" Thomas. And yeah, the in-your-face stance, is 'no where else left for you to go, suckers'.
Actually I think he's wrong on that, Johnnn, but time will tell. But to be blunt, it seems to
me that yours is the far more cynical attitude. Your stance is consistent with the old
70's thing about "Blessed is he who expects nothing for he will never be disappointed".
The political system invites compromise, provides opportunities for it and makes it
worthwhile (or more accurately, well-paying) but it 'forces' NO ONE to compromise.
That takes weakness of character, failure of courage, and the substitution of ambition for patriotism. The 70s also gave us "You'd better not compromise yourself - 'cause its all you got." And whatever Ms. Joplin's personal demons may have been, she got that
one right.
I appreciate these groups informing us voters. The more you here about Bayh, the more ridiculous the choice seems. Besides, as one writer pointed out Bayh supported Clinton in ultra-red Indiana, and Obama almost beat her there. So much for influence over the voters.
Obama can't pick Bayh, the most hawkish pre-war Democrat in the Senate (except for maybe Hillary).
Too bad, because Bayh would satiate the Clintonistas.
I thought the Democrats had learned a lesson when they put up Bill: nominate a moderate and win. But no, the fact that so many people hate Bush gave them the big head: "The time has come for another McGovern," let's give them liberal-ass Kerry -- NOT! Now, they say, "America hates Bush soooo much, we can win with the most liberal nominee since McGovern" -- Not.
If Hillary had won, this election would be over.
Working class Americans (at least those not black) will not vote for Obama (not enough for him to win anyway).
When the Democrats lose this election, the party should be disbanded.
When they lost to Bush in '04, I was amazed.
When they lose to McCain in '08, I'll laugh so hard I cry.
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