Let me make something clear about Evan Bayh, for clarity

[ShaneGR]

There has been a weird "Ohio voters like Evan Bayh" meme floating around the darkened corners of DU. Since I'm from Ohio, I'll tell you what Ohio voters thing of Evan Bayh,

They don't know him. Haven't heard from him, and don't give a crap about him. Heck, Ohio voters (abouut 75%) don't even know who half their own Representatives are.

Keep in mind Ohio is bordered by 5 states. Michigan, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Indiana. Indiana isn't exactly the biggest factor when it comes to the main population centers, including Franklin County (Colombus) that will make or break it for us.

If you're going to pick an exciting VP (Kerry is being SMART by keeping the VEEPStakes in the news for a long time) then here is my list.

1. Edwards- Excellent name recognition, along with Kerry. People don't realize Edwards got nearly 40% here and WON the biggest Dem voting County in the State (Summit, Akron). The Anti-Nafta stuffs plays REALLY well.

2. Rendell- He's a governor, savvy politico, and can spend a lot of time in Youngstown, Marietta, Cleveland, and Colombus.

3. John Glenn- Hey, the guys 1000 yrs. old, but you put the living legend on the ticket and Ohio will go 70% Dem.

[codegreen]

1. Glenn declined VP in an interview recently

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/politics/8124899.htm

from the article:

For the record, former Sen. John Glenn last week took himself out of the running to be John Kerry's running mate.

Glenn, 82, has been described as arguably Ohio's most popular Democrat. He could, pundits were saying, apparently with straight faces, put the most crucial state in the union squarely in Kerry's corner in November.

“Forget it,” Glenn told The Plain Dealer of Cleveland. “I am too old to do that — not that I am that old.”

[ShaneGR]

3. Yeah, I know

But I'm pretty sure if Kerry begged him he'd do it. Although I recognize it's unlikely.

I should have also mentioned Clark, he'd be 4th down my list.

[BeatleBoot]

2. I agree

I'm not from Ohio, but what you say makes alot of sense

[King of New Orleans]

4. a few minor corrections

It was Trumbull county that Edwards won (Youngstown I believe) not Summit. Trumbull isn't the biggest Dem county,that would be Cuyahoga (Cleveland), but it's probably the most Dem county in the state in most elections.

I do agree that Edwards would probably be more effective than Bayh in pulling in votes in Ohio. The anti-Nafta crowd would view Edwards as keeping Kerry "honest" on the issue.

[Bombtrack]

5. Although I'm realizing it's pointless to argue about vp, because I doubt

that Kerry is reading DU for advice, I agree strongly with one point about people saying that so and so is popular here and hear, you used Bayh and Ohio. You're right, Ohio doesn't know who the hell he is for the most part. Alot of Clark vp supporters have been declaring Clark to be practically the favorite son for anywhere they could point to him having noticable support in a democratic primary.

That kind of reaching is just dumb. I'm not completely against Edwards being vp by the way, but I wouldn't be all that thrilled about it. I'm more against Clark, but remember, I supported both of them for president(Edwards supporter, then when Clark announced I jumped to him, then Edwards again when WC quit).

I really think Graham would be the smartest choice. It is the most prudent in my opinion to have a new vp after 4 years, because you can reasses your strategy, and not be stuck with someone if anything bad emerges, and they don't carry as much baggage etc.

Graham does that for you, because he would retire after 4 years. He would also be better against Cheney in the debate than Edwards on foriegn policy, and better than Clark on domestic policy

[RainDog]

6. Bayh is not the guy for vp

I live in Indiana and let me tell you, Bayh is not considered the greatest thing since sliced bread where I am. In fact, many people look at Lugar's leadership, with Biden, to halt the march of folly that was and is the Iraq invasion and think Lugar's done more to oppose Bush than Bayh has. The photos of Bayh toadying up to Bush to go to war (along with too many other members of Congress) still makes me sick.

In addition, Lugar voiced his vote against Bush's marriage amendment before Bayh did.

In addition, Bayh adds nothing to a Kerry ticket...Let's see...he's a white, totally from and into the established order guy who does not, in any way, seem to connect to any of the rural stereotypes of Indiana, any of the populism. btw, he's sometimes called "Ken" around here..as in Barbie and Ken.

Progressives that I know in my college town don't think he's especially progressive, either.

If someone thinks he'd appeal to the Nascar voters...I don't know, but I would think that someone like Edwards or anyone who seems to have some connection with a blue collar life could do that better than Bayh.

I cannot say what would appeal to Ohio, but with the amount of job losses in this country, again, I think someone who would appear to have a passing interest in labor would have more appeal than someone who looks like he has been groomed to be a prez nominee for a while.

What are people talking about as Bayh's strengths? On what issues has he taken a leadership role? How has he openly opposed anything Bush has said or done?

[Khephra]

10. I'd say 90% of DU Hoosiers absolutely hate Bayh with a passion

He's our Lieberman. :puke:

[IndianaGreen]

15. Bayh called the SWAT team on a group of Quakers that came to his office

to petition against the war in Iraq. On that same day, a similar group of people met with Senator Lugar's staff without incident.

The Republican Lugar acted as a responsible elected official. The Democrat Bayh acted as a Fascist thug.

As Governor, Evan Bayh supported and sign into law a bill requiring women seeking to endure pro-life counseling that also included being forced to view pictures of aborted fetuses.

[King of New Orleans]

19. ya got a link to that one?

That seems a bit too fantastic to take at face value

[IndianaGreen]

21. It happened to Hoosier peace activists

and it was reported widely among peace groups in Indiana which are very tightly knit.

Our media doesn't report crap, and when they do report something, it is highly distorted and selective.

The incident was posted in DU shortly after it happened because on that same day Hillary Clinton had the police arrest a group of peace demonstrators that had come to her office.

Some DUers did not take kindly to criticism directed at Hillary.

The following eyewitness account about another Evan Bayh encounter with peace activists was written by Cathy McGuire, a well respected peace activist from Terre Haute. Our Hoosiers for Dean DUers know her well.

Sen. Evan Bayh Asks Terre Haute Demonstrator, "What Do You People Want From Me?" Current rating: 0
by Cathy McGuire
26 Oct 2002

The special guest tonight at the Vigo Co., Indiana Democratic fundraiser was Sen. Evan Bayh. Three members of the Terre Haute Stop War on Iraq went down to the Holiday Inn with their signs and stood next to the driveway to the hotel. They saw the senator arrive and he did not acknowledge them. Unknown to them until later, he and his aides apparently stayed in his car in the parking lot watching the demonstrators until after the cocktail hour was over. Apparently, the senator did not want to be seen in public at the cocktail part of the event.

The demonstrators had stayed on a little past the cocktail hour thinking the press would come out and talk to them. When it became obvious by 7:20 p.m. past the starting time of the dinner that they were not going to interview them, they decided to break up. Bryan Smith decided to go into the side entrance of the hotel to find a restroom. Bayh and one of his aides were following him.

Bayh initiated the conversation with "What do you people want from me?" Smith explained that millions of people are opposed to this war and that he thought Bayh is out of touch with the people on this. Bayh replied to the effect that he didn't want war either but that he felt that Saddam Hussein needed to be threatened seriously in order for there to be peace.

Of the five TV stations covering the event, two of them from Indianapolis, only the reporter from Terre Haute's WTHI Channel 10 interviewed Smith after he approached her after she had interviewed Bayh. He asked her shouldn't the anti-war people be given equal time? She agreed and did a 10 minute interview with him. Hopefully it will run at 11 p.m. and will help bring out more demonstrators to tomorrow's local solidarity demonstration.

http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display/8113/index.php

[ShaneGR]

24. No offense, but I don't see anything about a SWAT team

That's what he asked for.

[Lady President]

7. Another Ohioan Checking In

I completely agree with your analysis of Ohio voters. Other than a few political junkies, no one knows Bayh. Assuming he does run commercials in Ohio, they would be seen in the southwestern part of the state which is not our focus.

He's not my favorite, but Gephardt could bring Ohio voters. I live in Columbus which isn't known as a strong union city in comparison to the northeast, but the unions here are ready and willing to work hard for the Dems. Gephardt could only help with their support. He also has a lot of name recognition.

I agree with you that people genuinely like Edwards. He made a strong showing in Ohio and gives a great stump speech.

Of course, if you really want the central Ohio vote, then you should see what Jim Tressel is doing. ;-)

[ShaneGR]

17. Rumor has it

Tressel is Republican, he's supposedly good friends with Voinovich. Though I really don't give a damn, as long as he doesn't run for office and keeps winning!

[funky_bug]

8. Evan-essence

I'm from Indiana and lived for several years under the legendary Evan Bayh. He is, for all intensive purposes, an elephant in donkey's clothing. My mother, a life-long Republican, thinks to this day that he walks on water. She said she doesn't like John Kerry (she is only as opinionated about politics as her party affiliation takes her) but that she would vote for him if Bayh was his VP. Incidentally, she also said that she would have voted for Clark (career military-man's wife).

So Bayh can guarantee us little ol' Indiana? Is that honestly a reason to pick a VP? Indi-friggin-ana? It's a red state, but it's a small one. I hope that Kerry and the powers that be have more sense than to select their veep with the bigger picture in mind. As for Buckeyes adoring Bayh... I agree that's a phenomina I've missed, and all my Mom's family live in Indiana.

I still think Clark might be a strategic choice, as would Graham.

[ozymandius]

9. The elephant-as-donkey

Zell Miller, my esteemed jackass Senator, likes Evan Bayh. He would even support him if he were to run for president. This fact makes me suspicious of a man who could woo a crackpot like Zell Miller away from the Bush camp.

[RainDog]

11. Zell Miller likes Bayh?? 'nuff said

because, though I do not hate Bayh, I do hate Zell Miller with a passion.

Bayh is about as substantial as a soap bubble, to me. The only reason he wins in Indiana is because of name recognition, and because he is the machine, and no one opposes him with the power to get him out of office.

Whenever I have contacted his office on any issue, I have been met with silence.

He doesn't give a flip, apparently.

On the other hand, Lugar has replied to my emails on the issue of Iraq, for instance.

My representative, too, has responded to my calls about issues...such as the Zealot Miller and others' attempt to destroy the separation of church and state known as (so-called) The Constitution Restoration Act of 2004.

If Kerry chooses Bayh, I will hold my nose and vote for a dem, and finally choose to turn my efforts to making it possible for me to emigrate to a country which actually gives a damn about its citizens, rather than its corporate masters.

[Bread and Circus]

12. Bayh who?

[Khephra]

13. I'm not a conspiracy theorist

But Bayh is a also a Bilderberger.

[ithacan]

14. not to mention hard core DLCer

this would be a disaster. The surest way to turn off the base.

[Khephra]

16. Like I said above

Bayh is Indiana's Lieberman.

[ShaneGR]

18. I really don't think Kerry would be dumb enough to pick Bayh

It doesn't make any sense.

[PassingFair]

23. Kerry's been in the senate for a long time...

he owes many. His "choice" will not be up to him.

[ShaneGR]

25. Nah, he has all the power now, it's all up to his gang

Trust me, by the time they're done the DNC will be exclusively staffed with their handpicked people. Clinton did it, and so will Kerry. The second Kerry picked up the nomination he became the ultimate defacto ruler of the Dem party. We just haven't seen it yet.

He'll pick who he feels gives him the best chance to win the election. If he follows the polling, it will probably be Edwards.

[PassingFair]

26. His "gang" is the DLC

...they will install who they want. Favors must be returned.

[katieforeman]

20. I'm originally form OH and couldn't agree more with your

assessment of Bahy.

[TomSeaver]

22. I think Breaux has a better

chance at being the VP than Bayh