I hope that the person who voted "Death to non-liberal Democrats" is, in fact, a Republican.  Because guess what?  There hasn't been a "liberal" statewide Democrat in years.  Wilder, Warner, Kaine, Webb: they're all moderates!

I personally voted for needing to learn more about him.

3 votes for "Death".  Apparently, I am destined to die along with Mark Warner, Bill Clinton, and the majority of Democrats elected to the House this year.

To see a good interview with Bayh, check out my blog:

www.donkeywithatrunk.blogspot.com

is that they really aren't a "centrist group" at all.

They are a front group for corporate interests within the Democratic Party.  To the best of my knowledge, the DLC is NOT centrist in its positions on abortion, gun rights, gay marriage, or the environment.  Their supposed "centrism" is in their opposition to economic populism.  The DLC has been an advocate for forms of social security privitization and corporate written trade deals WITHOUT labor or environmental protections. 

So when you hear people critiqing candidates for being associated with the DLC (mainly Bayh and Vilsack), it's not necessarily because we oppose them for being "moderate" or "centrist".  It's because the issues they are centrist on are not the issues that will bring working class Reagan democrats BACK into the party.

It's because we fear that they are NOT like Jim Webb and John Tester, who believe there are serious problems with economic fairness in this country.

 

I don't think complete free trade is a good idea.  I don't think restricting it is either.  We need some kind of middle ground, were participation global economy is encouraged by free trade, but not at the expense of the American worker.  I know that sounds contradictory, but I just think we need some middle ground.

I'm sorry but there's nothing less original on the blogosphere than "the DLC is a front for corporate groups planning Republican world domination"

The DLC is a think tank. They're not a grassroos group, nor do they claim to be.

Although you have to fault them for including those far right wackos like Tim Kaine and Mark Warner.

  See here: http://www.dlc.org/n...

  and here: http://www.dlc.org/n...

The DLC is not actually a think tank per se (the Progressive Policy Institute does their "thinking" for them).  More than anything it's a network of elected officials, and yes, I realize that some of it's members are not anti-labor pro-corporate sellouts.

But Evan Bayh is past CHAIRPERSON of the DLC.  And Tom Vilsack is the current chair .  Thus I think it is perfectly reasonable to question both of these Presidential candidates for their previous and current leadership positions in the DLC.

I apologize if my comment seems "unoriginal" but as a union shop steward I've seen first hand the damage done by the anti-worker DLC generated policies that were embraced by Clinton administration (whom was also a past CHAIR of the DLC). 

 

I would also seriously look at a Wes Clark nomination, but I don't think there's any question that Bayh would make a fine president. 

If you look at potential challengers to McCain, there isn't much question in my mind that Bayh represents the Democrats best hope. 

Who else among the likely Democratic nominees will flip Indiana, Ohio, and possibly Virginia?

After living in Indiana for 33 years I had enough of the Bayh's. They were in the southern part of the state while I was in the Northern part of the state. I couldn't vote for them then and I wouldn't vote for them now.
  I do not like stagnant politics. I want poitics to move the country forward. Because they are stagnant is why you never hear about the Bayh's in the rest of the country. Besides he is one who is getting ahead because of his daddy and I do not want another one of those.

If Obama doesn't run...and Gore doesn't run..

That sounds like a reluctant endorsement but I do like Bayh. He's got the resume, but I really wonder if he's got the vision. If he just recites "elected 5 times in a red state" he's going to get nowhere.

you agree with stagnant politics; "elected 5 times in a red state"

I think if Bayh plays his hand right who could be a very interesting candidate. He's got a weird underground following among young people in red states, and with Warner out moderates have no one else to turn to. But he has to take some stands that are unpopular and not just say 'consensus' and 'bipartisanship' every 30 seconds if he wants anything serious to happen.

Anyone reading my posts knows that my issue is economics and trade.

Any good links on where Senator Bayh stands on the budget deficit, trade deficits, offshoring, unions, and H-1b/L1 visas?

Here's some info . . .

On globalization:

http://bayh.senate.g...

Economic policy:

http://bayh.senate.g...

Voting record . . .
http://www.ontheissu...

Based on political rhetoric my read is that John Edwards is going to be the favorite of labor unions.  On trade issues though Bayh looks like he leans toward the side of economic populism and "fair trade".

He voted yes on PNTR with China.  I wonder, if he knew now what he knew then if he would vote the same.

And what he will do to fix the ginormous trade deficit with ever trading partner, but most especially China.

Roy,

Do you see what's going on right now with Cornyn?

We're in big trouble!  Can you either repost my diary (I put one on here) or write your own on dailykos as an action alert?

We have about 3 hours if we haven't already lost.  It's fast, dirty pool, deals, arm twisting classic 3am "let's pass another bad bill under the wire" Tom Delay tactics.

We have plenty of time to expose Biden later.

If this thing gets in tonight, there are some sneaky SOBs in the Senate. 

Kos offered a link to the following . . .

http://www.prospect....

This is something that I find deeply troubling.  On paper there are aspects of Bayh's candidacy that I like a great deal, but I definitely need to do some more due diligence on him.  I'd move my vote from "Yes" to "Maybe".

I think they will come back and bite more than a few candidates.  It's important to look at what they say now, but equally important to look at what they have said in the past and how they have voted.

Personally, I've had enough lip-service.  I'm looking for someone who can back what they say with past actions and achievements.  The voting records of some of the establishment has a foul odor, IMHO.

Bayh is bad news.
No one stays in Indiana politics that long, without having long ties to the Republican Party.
Democrats come and go in that state, but Bayh has hung there for a long time for a reason.