Comments on Advance Indiana™: AP's Mike Smith Writing Press Releases For Bayh

AI, I have no quarrel with your reasoning or some ...

2008-08-17T09:03:00.000-05:00

AI, I have no quarrel with your reasoning or some even some of your arguments on Bayh. I admit that he has been disappointing at times to me. I honestly believe that he has become a better speaker in the times that I've seen him recently. I think his campaigning for Clinton in the state really helped him as a candidate.

As far as the piece, I'm not sure it was supposed to be a critical analysis. Bayh can deliver Indiana to Obama. He is popular enough here to do that, and I think that was the point of the article.

The pitfall of analyzing the Presidential race anymore is thinking nationally. Perhaps Bayh doesn't really help Obama nationally, but he could help Obama steal some traditionally Republican states such as Indiana, North Carolina, and Montana from the Republican column. Obama can also help in Ohio which typically, at least the last few elections, runs more conservative as well.

It's state-by-state warfare that Bayh can be a good weapon of the Obama campaign. He's not my #1 choice, but I can see where he might be an asset in the hand-to-hand and state-by-state combat of the Presidential General Election.

Again, Jon, there is an absence of any critical an...

2008-08-16T18:38:00.000-05:00

Again, Jon, there is an absence of any critical analysis. The content is intended to serve as a puff piece to bolster Bayh's chances. Bayh's election in Indiana is not unique. Indiana has had many Democratic governors and many Democratic senators. He is very unappealing to the base voters in the Democratic Party nationally. He demonstrated absolutely no bold leadership on any issue while he was governor. He always chose the path of least resistence, which meant the status quo always prevailed. The manner in which the Bayh's have amassed millions during his years of public service through corporate board seats is bound to be a big issue if he is named. Smith ignores everything negative about Bayh in this story. Perhaps Bayh's biggest weakness is his refusal to engage in the partisan pit bull role required of a VP candidate. No mention of that. I suspect that alone is enough to make Obama decide to pass on him. He wants a VP who will get down in the trenches and do the dirty work. Bayh will not do that.

What exactly did he say that wasn't true?Whether y...

2008-08-16T17:07:00.000-05:00

What exactly did he say that wasn't true?

Whether you like him or not, Evan Bayh is a Democrat that has shown incredible popularity in a state that has been long known as a Republican stronghold.

What dribble, Bayh set Indiana up for bankruptcy a...

2008-08-16T16:49:00.000-05:00

What dribble, Bayh set Indiana up for bankruptcy and O' Bannon almost accomplished the goal. My three year old grandson could do a better job of running Indiana than Bayh did.
Mike Smith is either an idiot or he's the least informed reporter when it comes to Evan Bayh. The Indy Star should be ashamed of its self for publishing this trash. I know Gannet needs cash but selling out to lame duck politicians isn’t the way to raise it.