Did anyone see Evan Bayh on cspan over the weekend?

[jillan]

I watched him with an open mind because I know he is thinking about throwing his hat in the ring, and I have heard great things about him on the blogs. He is young, handsome, personable, full of ideas. Speaks in simple, easy to understand sentences:P

BUT he is just not John Kerry. Kerry has so much depth to him. I can't
think of anyone that will impress me as much as Kerry.

Yes there are other senators that I really like, maybe even more than Kerry. I'm a huge fan of Dorgan. And Schumer. And Biden. And others. But when it comes to the man in charge, the big boss, the man in the WH, to me, there's no one but Kerry.

[JI7]

1. he is too conservative

i think he has said himself before that it was unlikely he could get out of the primary because he is too conservative. his best chance would be through the vp position.

but i think Bayh and others like Mark Warner are going to run based on Kerry's loss last year. they will use it to say that the party really does need someone who leans moderate/conservative.

it will be interesting to see how this strategy works. and there is also a chance they could end up splitting the vote.

[JohnKleeb]

2. You got a point there

As hard as it may seem being on here, Kerry is actually a member of the party's more liberal wing, and Bayh and Warner are of the more conservative wing. Probably the same goes for Mike Easley of North Carolina if he runs for pres, know nothing about him. I am not a big Bayh fan honestly, too conservative for me but it will be interesting to see how things turn out.

[Dr Ron]

3. Kerry might be most liberal candidate in 2008

I mean of candidates with a shot, not counting people like Kucinich, Sharpton in 2004.

It will be interesting to see how many of the anti-Kerry blogs react if it turns out to be a choice between Kerry and more conservative Democrats.

Of course this assumes that Hillary continues her move towards the center.

[karynnj]

4. And possibly the only one with a coherent plan to get out of Iraq

Kerry has repeatedly put out plans that are consistent with a goal of stabalizing Iraq and getting out as quickly as possible. Bush's actions are not consistent with this. I have not heard any of the other candidates say NO PERMANENT BASES or anything like Kerry's exit plan. (Permanent bases may be the issue by 2008)

Despite Bill Clinton's comments, Kerry's 2003 - 2004 positions seem to be smarter as time goes on and seem to match much of the advice given by the military that Bush ignored. Maybe the former war hero is better able to translate military advice into strategy.

Most of the candidates have not stated clearly what their position is - which for them is good strategy, staying off record until they have to go on record. Kerry, having had a plan in 2004 had nothing to lose pushing Bush to do the right steps to get out.

[JohnKleeb]

5. He will be

It should be interesting indeed if it comes down to Kerry and a more moderate leaning dem.

[ginnyinWI]

6. maybe that explains the landslide in the primaries

better than anything--Kerry was a great liberal candidate, and all the liberal Dems had someone good and electable to vote for, for once!

So if you need to be liberal to win the primaries, how is Hillary going to make it at all? She seems to be going for the moderate/centrist vote--but will that be enough? And if she were to make the nomination, would she get liberal Dems energized enough to donate money, or go out and do campaign work for her? We are the activist ones, after all. I, for one, wouldn't be very enthused about it. Hmm.

[karynnj]

7. Especially as she is not only moving to the center,

but she seems to be closer to Bush on Iraq than to Kerry - IF she has the same position as her husband. (If they disagree, that could be pretty weird if he won't shut up.) The Democratic primary voters have always been more liberal than the party as a whole - so unless the media succeeds in creating a myth that she is the inevitable candidate, I don't see how she wins.

[whometense]

8. I totally agree.

Plus, everyone will be sick to death of hearing about her inevitability by the time the campaigning even starts.

I hate the way Bill Clinton has cozied up to the Bushes. I hate the idea of duelling dem + repug dynasties. And I just don't trust her. And I can't believe we're the only ones who feel that way.

For me, Kerry was the ideal candidate. I don't like slick. I don't like people who are constantly positioning themselves.

[ginnyinWI]

10. seeing Bill with GHWB

It makes Nader's slogan, that there is no diff between the Dems and Repubs seem true. Which would decrease turnout in a big way--why bother, if you are getting the same thing no matter how it turns out?
What we needed more of last fall was more differentiation between Kerry and Bush. It seemed plain to all of us, but maybe not to those casual voters in the middle. The media was not his friend. Still think he got more votes, though!

[Forever Free]

9. I like Evan Bayh. I hope he runs.

And no he's not too conservative.