Bayh Won't Run For President In '08

Democratic Sen. Even Bayh Of Indiana Will Not Seek The Presidency

(AP)  Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana will not seek the presidency in 2008, saying he believes the odds of a successful run were too great to overcome.

"At the end of the day, I concluded that due to circumstances beyond our control the odds were longer than I felt I could responsibly pursue," Bayh told the Indianapolis Star. "This path and these long odds — would have required me to be essentially absent from the Senate for the next year instead of working to help the people of my state and the nation."

The announcement comes just three weeks after Bayh, in an appearance on a Sunday talk show, announced that he would take a first step toward a 2008 presidential campaign, forming an exploratory committee. His decision narrows a field dominated by Whites House hopefuls, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois.

Just last weekend, Bayh traveled to New Hampshire, the early presidential primary state, but his appearance was barely noticed as Obama delivered two speeches to sold-out crowds and drew hordes of media.

Bayh is a Democrat with a record of political success in a Republican-leaning state. He had been pointing toward a run for the White House for months, and had $10.5 million in his Senate campaign bank account as of Sept. 30. Money that could be transferred to his exploratory committee.

In addition, the senator recently hired his first paid organizer for Iowa, the state whose caucuses will be the opening competition of the campaign.

Among the announced Democratic candidates are Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, but Clinton and Obama loom large in a potential field. The Republican lineup is equally crowded with Sen. John McCain of Arizona, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani and Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

[marghsa]

As a Democrat, I am very disappointed Bayh isn't running. Here is a man with experience, integrety, who led a red state and was well liked by both dems and reps. We need a candidate like him, who is not so polarizing, and can appeal to moderates.

[squidboyx]

We need more moderates, period. More thinking and less knee-jerking. Bayh would have been an excellent candidate, if nothing else, because he's level-headed and not prone to partisan nonsense.

fluidsum.blogspot.com

[squidboyx]

We need more moderates, period. More thinking and less knee-jerking. Bayh would have been an excellent candidate, if nothing else, because he's level-headed and not prone to partisan nonsense.

fluidsum.blogspot.com

[mikekleber]

I am from Indiana which is mostly Republican. Mark Souder is our representative for my area. He is without a doubt the worst most worthless representative our area has ever elected, yet he was re-elected again this year. That may give you an idea how Repulican our state is. Evan Bayh was governor for eight years, and won easily when he ran for the Senate. He is bright, articulate, respected, well liked, and knows how to get objectives accomplished. He left our state in a very good position when he was done being governor. Our current Republican governor is about as bright and well liked as Bush is. It would be a shame if he does not run. He is a very good man. But, that's probably why he is not getting noticed, only the crooked politicians get any press.

[randalds]

Obama, Hillary and John Edwards are the only candidates on the democratic side anyone can take seriously at this point. Maybe an outside shot for Wes Clark, but everyone else might as well save their money and time.

[tibu987]

Just after posting my comments about Dem candidates for Prez., I read where the guy I liked has dropped out. Sen. Bayh, D-Ind, has dropped out of the race.
Too bad.

[thechinaman1]

you people have got to be kidding me. bayh is a chump who never would have won. he voted to authorize the use of force in iraq, which should exclude anyone from the presidency. anybody who thought invading iraq was a good idea should quit politics.

[frb01]

He would have been running fourth to start the race presuming that Obama, Clinton and Edwards announce they are formally running. Given all that he came to the conclusion that he would be wasting his time, efforts and money, which is too bad because I considered him as a contender we needed to be in.

[tibu987]

Uh, how many of the other Dem hopefuls voted for the use of force in Iraq?
I am sorry that Bayh has left the race.
The other knuckleheads will lose to Giuliani and I am a Dem.

[randalds]

Guliani won't make it out of the republican primaries. The church mice have a strangle hold on the republican party and there's no way they let him be the nominee. No way, no how, ain't gonna happen. Not in this life.

[m_kotyk]

if all the Republicans have to offer is Guilani, McCain and Rommey then they are already defeated. No one wants to hear the same rhetoric that has gotten us into the mess we are currently in. I liked Bayh and am also disappointed that he is not running.

[bdevine8]

This is a terrible, terrible thing for our country. Even Bayh is the only candidate I could be comfortable casting a vote for.

[toosweet_org]

OMG John Mcains a joke! He lied and said that janet reno was Chelsea Clinton Mother not Hillary Clinton and had to apologize to the Clinton family, besides if he became President he would be worse of a dictator that George III we dont need a John VI!