What is with all the Bayh hate on this site?

[LostInAnomie]

I been keeping up on posts that mention Bayh, and I have been shocked from what I have read. I have seen him referred to as a republican slut; without substance; worthless; etc... I don't get it. I thought he did a great job as a governor, and has been a fine senator. I know people are afraid that Kerry may pick him for VP and he won't be able to bring IN, or draw other votes but that is not reason to insult him.

What do people have against him?

[LynzM]

1. I don't really know

I don't think he's a good VP choice, but I also don't think he deserves this huge amount of bashing.... one more topic to go read up, I guess!

[IrishBloodEngHeart]

2. here's why

From an Indiana paper. The last paragraph is key, he votes with Bush more than most Democrats. He's the kind of senate dem who loves Bush 3 years, and then suddenly gets a tiny bit of spine around election:



"Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh's support for Bush dropped even more, to 55percent last year from 79percent in 2002. Only one Hoosier, freshman Republican Chris Chocola, voted with Bush 100percent of the time last year.

Congressional Quarterly, which has been tracking presidential support levels for decades, said increased partisanship in the Senate last year caused Bush's overall congressional support rate to drop 9percentage points to 79percent. But, the magazine noted, the president still managed to reverse many of his initial defeats.

Bayh led the Senate in a high-profile rebuke of Bush on Iraq reconstruction. The Senate approved Bayh's amendment requiring the Iraqis to pay back some of the war reconstruction costs, against the president's wishes. But that measure was knocked out of the final version of the $87billion spending bill for Iraq and Afghanistan that passed, with Bayh's support.

On Bush's $350billion tax cut package, Bayh sided with Democrats to modify it, voted for the initial Senate version, then opposed the final version that passed 51-50.

He still, however, backed Bush more than the average Senate Democrat, who supported Bush 48percent of the time. "

[schultzee]

3. I hate him because he is the perfect DLC democrat. Those who

deserted the democratic core and did not support Gore when the metal hit the fan and Bu$h stole the election.

[Sadie5]

5. Evan Bayh

His father was one of the finest Democratic Senators in the world, he did a great job, but something happened to Evan after going to Washington. He seemed to turn Republican almost before one's eyes. He certainly doesn't act like a Democrat, but plays the part well at election time. I have seen him speak, and he gives goos speeches, but little go on.

[Indiana_Dem]

6. I've received better responses from Lugar than Bayh.

Same thing happened to my grandpa.

Lugar ALWAYS give me nice, seemingly very personalized letters explaining his stances on the issues I'm concerned about and he tells me which bills he co-sponsored and voted on and what he is doing about it. I have been impressed. I respect that even if some of the issues I don't agree with him on.

My most recent response concerned alternative energy and environmental issues. I was impressed about how deeply he went into his explanation and thinking on certain bills he's been trying to get through.

Oh how I would love to receive something like that from Bayh. But....nada.

[salin]

7. many point to his shift right as political opportunism

as his positions have moved further to the right after Bush was elected. Almost as if he was positioning himself to be the VP alternative by going right of center (in democratic terms.) At the end of the last year, however, he did suddenly vote against bush on several key votes (particularly the medicare/prescription drug bill) - but on tax cuts (which confounds his long-term stand for revenue neutral policies and fiscal conservatism), on war issues (as recently as January - after the Kay report - he was still claiming that WMDs will be found in Iraq... sound familiar?), and on a slew of smaller issues he has sided with bush. One surprising thing - he, along with Zell Miller, almost tanked the entire Accounting Reform initiatives after the Enron implosions - by holding out for watering down provisions (esp the "wall" between accounting and business consulting services being provided by the same firm - a system that gave incentives for the firms NOT to play the independent auditing role - as their own co. was giving advice (for big money) on the business strategies for using aggressive (fudged) accounting methods in the first place... he wanted loopholes to allow the practice to continue.) If it were not for the second round of corporate implosions which pushed the bill back into action - no action would have been taken - severly underminding the entire market system (where good, reliable information on companies performance is necessary for investing decisions.) To many Hoosier democrats, Evan Bayh has seriously lost his way. Will certainly continue to support him in the Senate (heck the repubs can't even run a serious challenger) - but would hate to see him in national leadership.

[IndianaGreen]

9. Birch Bayh was a great Hoosier, Senator, and patriotic American

qualities that his son Evan severely lacks.

I liked Evan as governor, which is why I voted for him when he ran for the Senate.

When Evan moved to the Beltway and drank the Kool-Aid there, he became a DLC zombie.

[mistertrickster]

4. He's a DINO . . . not as bad a Zell Miller, but then no one is as bad

as he is.

Exhibit A--The Honorable Senator Bayh still believes that WMD's will be found in Iraq--"you could hide tons in a swimming pool" he said.

What a dumbass . . . is there any Bush crap this man won't eat?

Pathetic.

Now his father, Birch Bayh--there was a Democrat!

[BiggJawn]

8. Let me count the ways....

First, Evan is still strong on the Enviroment. He continues to oppose ANWAR rape and votes pro-enviroment.

Now, for the dark side....

He collects LOTS of campaign bling-bling from the drug companies. Any wonder he's in the Shrub's jock on prescription bills?

He was invited to the Rose Garden for snackies with LIEberman and McClain and came away with a yard-on a hard long for the War for OIL. He voted FOR Halliburton's war and still insists the Weapons of Mass Deception are there.

And he doesn't answer my Emails, either. Lugar does, even when I disagree with him.

Bayh is a DLC DINO, the Heir-Appearant to Jowly Joe in DLC leasdership.

I wish another Democrat would oppose him in the primaries.

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. Lieberman does not hald a leadership position in the DLC

Bayh isn't anyone's 'heir-appearant.' He is the current chairman of the DLC.

[faithfulcitizen]

12. and don't forget....

He voted for both Bush tax cuts! 1 of only 2 Dem's to do so!! :(

[yellowdog]

10. If you examined Evan Bayh in a vacuum

he might not look as bad. But when you compare him to his father he suffers greatly. Indiana had a great combo in Birch Bayh and Vance Hartke. Evan isn't fit to carry his father's briefcase.