Posted on 02/15/2010 1:05:00 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (AFP) – US President Barack Obama suffered another setback Monday as a fifth Democratic senator, centrist heavyweight Evan Bayh, decided not to run for re-election in dismay at the bitter political climate.
Obama, who reportedly tried to talk Bayh out of retiring, faces a looming Republican resurgence and risks watching strong majorities in Congress crumble in November mid-term elections, and with them his ambitious reform agenda.
With his tearful wife and two sons at his side, Bayh, 54, expressed disenchantment with excessive partisanship in the Congress as he announced his decision at a press conference in the state capital Indianapolis.
"For some time, I have had a growing conviction that Congress is not operating as it should. There is too much partisanship and not enough progress -- too much narrow ideology and not enough practical problem-solving," he said.
"Even at a time of enormous challenge, the peoples? business is not being done."
Democrats expressed shock at the development, seeing it both as the loss of a key consensus builder in the Senate and of a candidate strongly favored to win re-election in Republican-leaning Indiana.
A top White House official said Bayh, who called Obama on Monday morning, was "by nature a governor not a senator."
The New York Times reported that both Obama and White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel tried to convince Bayh to run again, but to no avail.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Indiana Senator Evan Bayh and US President Barack Obama, seen here in 2008. Obama suffered a major political upset Monday as a fifth Democratic senator, centrist heavyweight Evan Bayh, decided not to run for re-election to a third term in November. (AFP/File/Saul Loeb)
Keep talking BO/BS!
Like a fastball to the groin.
You did America a favor, Mr. Bayh
Centrist heavyweight ????
What’s bad for The Kenyan/Evil One is good for America.
does it seem odd to anyone else that so many dems are dropping out...??...maybe they have something up their sleeves...then again maybe they really do see the writing on the wall....
He really did. It doesn’t matter what his intent was.
My hemorrhoids bleed for Bayh.
U.S. Senate Races To Watch In 2010
http://thegovmonitor.com/world_news/u-s-senate-races-to-watch-in-2010-23863.html
“Here are the top 13 Senate races that Republicans have a strong chance to win in 2010”
Indiana was listed here, before Bayh’s announcement, and now Republicans’ chances improved dramatically.
According to the ACU, Sen Bayh ranks as the 29th most liberal Senator with a lifetime 20.70 rating. That makes him 'centrist' among Democrats. But, who's surprised AFP thinks the world extends only so far as the Democratic Party?
Maybe he is smarter than he looks. Might be getting out while the getting is good so he isn’t tied to the one.
Make that a 2008 rating of 29, or that percentage reliable on conservative issues. But, I don’t think my mistake changes the conclusions.
‘centrist heavyweight Evan Bayh’
roflol!
Like hell he was. Whoever the republican nominee was was going to defeat him.
Hey Evan, don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya!
Under the bus?
It’s all about Obama!
Yep, and he’s leaving with 13 million in his re election fund. I don’t think he can use that for personal items but I believe he can buy a lot of influence with it.
He’s going to run for president.
But it IS being done. The time for compromise is long past. There is no middle ground. The "people's business" is now the stuff of division and divorce.
Because of Obama, Reid, and Pelosi the country is fracturing down the middle. The only question is whether the divorce will be violent or peaceful. Self-styled middle-of-the-roaders such as Bayh have no place in the "people's business." He is smart to get out.
“excessive partinship” on the left side of the aisle.
Now, now...he could mean that he was upset that the democrats treated the Republicans so badly.
Things are looking up, Freepers.
Why spend campaign money to lose an election? It’s best to take the cash right now and let someone else lose.
That one's STILL got me giggling!
"For some time..." I'd say it's been since Nov. 5, 2000, when Al Gore told George Bush not to get "snippy" about his rescinding of his conceding the election of 2000.
-PJ
In other words, Bayh was sick and tired of having to toe the Dem party line. I wonder what sort of stuff they had on him to blackmail him for his DeathCare vote?
Indy Ping
Are you in the game?
Disturbed by the partisanship in Washington? The DIMs have owned both a majority, and for the last year, a super-majority in the congress since 2006. Partisanship aside, the DIMs have only themselves to blame for not passing legislation, the Repubs have been castrated for years.
Another article made a good point. The DIMs have been blatently spending billions and billions of taxpayer dollars, pushing through 'stimulus' and partisan projects for the last year that have only served to make the economy worse. Faced with an almost lynch-mob-like backlash from the voters, the RATs are abandoning ship in droves in an attempt to hold to some shred of their political careers.
Ditto.
SOBs know they ruined the economy and don’t want to be around to face the consequences
Evan quits because Republican’s grow a backbone and in turn sets the stage for Republican’s to secure another senate seat.
It really doesn’t get much better than this.
Maybe he voted for it anyway? Sometimes it’s hard to tell who is who.
With his tearful wife and two sons at his side, Bayh, 54, expressed disenchantment
Just think, those two sons might have been future senators if Evan Bayh hadn't been forced to quit.
What’s happening on the Rat side is about as close as we have to a “no confidence” vote on the leadership in this country.
At first I thought it was odd that they continually pushed their agenda, against the peoples wishes, because they had something up their sleeve and didn't care.
However, after VA, NJ, MA, and even NY (although we didn't win) I think they saw the writing on the wall. I wish they'd ALL "retire"!
......Bayh, 54......
Time to cash in and live the good life.
Yeah, I'm sure that went well... LOL!
"Evan, you're an f-ing retard if you don't want to run again!"
So why did the little wimp QUIT (in re: Sarah Palin) and whine about partisanship as if that is new in DC?!
Not to worry...O'Bama will heal our divisiveness...he is, after all, a post-partisan president.
Alright everyone, just click your heels together and say "there's nothing like hopey-changey, there's nothing like hopey-changey..."
Evan Bayh sure had me fooled. He looked sober sane and moderate on TV. Then 0bama gets elected and he’s going along with the whole socialist agenda
My guess is too many of his Indiana constituents feel the same way. That no amount of talking can get him back to where he was
Yes. Bayh could retire and live it up. Or he could go into the private sector — maybe act as a consultant or a contributor to one of the cable channels. There may be some openings at MSNBC. (unladylike snort)
It might get better if, as some reports have said, this Friday is the filing deadline for the Senate Primary!!
Yes, and he didn’t want to have to defend his “centrist” voting record and his incompetent president had he run for reelection.
“Excessive partisanship”??
WTF did AFP call 8 years of BDS? Oh, that’s right it was “speaking truth to power” and “dissent is patriotic”.
"Someone missing a paddle?"
Oops - this from politico - By disclosing his retirement one day before the filing deadline, the idea was that no Democrat would qualify for the primary ballot and the party’s state central committee could tap their favored candidate.
“Because of Obama, Reid, and Pelosi the country is fracturing down the middle. The only question is whether the divorce will be violent or peaceful. Self-styled middle-of-the-roaders such as Bayh have no place in the ‘people’s business.’ He is smart to get out.”
You are right, my friend.
But doesn't this still give the state Democrats an opportunity to bypass the pesky cross-over votes in an open Primary, and fill the vacancy on the November ballot with anybody the state Party bosses choose?
They can pitch horsehoes to pick their candidate if they want.
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