Bayh: I Don't Remember Ever Joining Committee For The Liberation Of Iraq
Another major news org, the Wall Street Journal, has now picked up on a topic we've been fairly obsessed with of late: Senator Evan Bayh's co-chairing of the neocon Committee for the Liberation of Iraq, along with John McCain and Joe Lieberman, and why that makes him a bad Veep choice for Obama.
But The Journal spoke to Bayh about this, and he now says that, well, he's forgotten all about any association he might or might not have had with that group...
Sen. Bayh now says he regrets his early support of the Iraq war and has no recollection of the committee. "I don't remember any meetings, any conversations, any anything," Sen. Bayh said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "Obviously my name was linked to it, but other than that there's nothing that can be said."
Really? As Steve Clemons wryly notes, "I take Senator Bayh at his word that he may not recall this high profile committee that garnered lots of press attention and had McCain, Lieberman, Scheunemann, James Woolsey and others attached. But then I think that the Senator owes us an explanation of how his staff signed him up for this -- or how it happened."
We'd say so. This is deeply absurd, to put it very charitably. Separately, that Facebook page where liberal bloggers are organizing against Bayh for Veep has how grown to over 2,500 members -- in one day.
post was originally double posted. apologies
August 14, 2008 4:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Greg, there are a few misleading points here:
1) He didn't recall doing anything with the committee, your title says he claimed not to have remembered JOINING the committee. From what I can see, he made no such claim.
2) This was from 8 days ago, so I wouldn't exactly say it's a new item that the WSJ picked up on.
Just saying. #1 is a bit more relevant than #2.
http://strategy08.wordpress.com
August 14, 2008 4:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's what I noticed exactly. He did not say he did not remember "joining" the committee. He said he did not remember it doing anything, which is probably true. It was a committee on paper only, meant for publicity, not for meetings.
You should correct the headline to make it clear.
I'm not a big fan of Bayh, but somehow a lot of big pushes like this facebook effort seem to backfire.
August 14, 2008 4:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh god...bayh on the ticket would be a nightmare.
I really really hope Obama's not seriously considering him.
I don't want to hijack the thread and turn this into a veepstakes guessing game but it seems to me, Bayh brings a whole lotta baggage and doesn't really add to the ticket.
What can Bayh bring that Biden can't? Neither one will carry a state for. But Biden adds "gray hair experience" and a forceful force on foreign policy. Biden's got baggage for sure, but at least he balances it out.
Does anyone outside of Indiana even know who Bayh is? I doubt it. And he's a legacy Senator (nothing says "change" like dynastys) who every SAYS brings national security and foreign policy to the ticket, but I'm not buying it. And I doubt the public will either. He hasn't really done anything except sit on a few comittees and decide "liberating iraq" was a good idea.
August 14, 2008 4:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
wow thats just full of typos and errors.
"neither will carry a state for OBAMA"
"forceful force" (a bit redundant, no?) should read "forceful voice"
"who everyONE says brings nation security..."
August 14, 2008 4:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Biden does bring a lot more to the ticket. I would estimate that he brings about 6 gaffes between now and the election.
August 14, 2008 4:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
and his vote on the bankruptcy bill, which still has many of us ticked off at him.
August 14, 2008 5:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not to mention he was the guy pushing Kerry to take McCain as a runningmate...
August 15, 2008 8:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Forgetting the horse-race considerations for a minute, do you think Bayh would be a good VP? A good president? A good candidate in 2016?
August 14, 2008 4:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, no, and no.
August 14, 2008 4:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
I could almost see it... if the CLIq named him co-chair w/o him asking them to. But I'm skeptical.
His McFeeble-like forgetfulness is indeed worrisome.
My VP picks (in no particualar order): Wes Clark, Chris Dodd, Russ Feingold.
August 14, 2008 4:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
jzap,
I'd like to see Obama pick Farrakhan or Al Sharpton
just to put the wingnuts into spasms of apoplexy.
August 15, 2008 9:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
Bayh is being ridiculous.
Still, I fail to see how a Facebook group should be newsworthy. Hey, Greg, I get that you hate Bayh. I also think the rest of the article is spot-on. But a Facebook group...? Really, now. Maybe if they had actually reached their 100,000 members in a day, that would be news.
August 14, 2008 4:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Totally agreed. The idea that 2,500 liberal people on Facebook signed onto this group isn't really newsworthy, whether you like Bayh or hate him.
http://strategy08.wordpress.com
August 14, 2008 4:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm willing to bet if you formed a group against practically anyone thought to be on Obama's shortlist, it could garner as many or more people.
August 14, 2008 4:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
no question, especially if was Clinton. I doubt Greg would be enthusiastically posting updates however.
August 14, 2008 4:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I honestly can't believe that a few of those bloggers actually put their names on a Facebook page.
I am ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!
The horror!
August 14, 2008 5:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't see how Obama could pick Bayh. It completely undermines his claim to have had better judgment before the invasion. By choosing Bayh, he would, in effect, be saying "Yes, you exercised execrable judgment in the most important issue confronting the nation in years, but I'm going to overlook that."
Just doesn't seem right. And Bayh saying now that he can't remember much about the events surrounding this most important issue...it doesn't ring true, and opens him up to the "I was for it before I was against it" sort of rubbish that Kerry got tarred with.
I just don't see Bayh as that plausible. It's about as plausible as John McCain picking Jindal.
August 14, 2008 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ever heard of Youtube, you boob?
August 14, 2008 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Am I the only one not enthused with any of the veeps contenders? Bayh is Al Gore 2.0 and destined to lose the Presidential Election in 2016 to Jindal or Palin. Biden is a hot head and way too gaffe-prone. Kaine is Mark Warner leftovers.
I still lust in my heart for Wes Clark but know it is not to be.
August 14, 2008 4:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
What about Sebelius or Schweitzer, just to name a couple?
August 14, 2008 4:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Schweitzer is another of my favs. Love Sebelius too but I think she'll end up Sec. of Agriculture when her term is up.
August 14, 2008 4:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Schweitzer is my #1 fav. I really hope Obama picks him. He would be amazing.
Sebelius is nice, too. I do have my issues with her, but I can't argue that she wouldn't very positively impact Obama's campaign.
August 14, 2008 5:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
I really really like that idea, too.
August 14, 2008 5:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
What an idiot. Reminds me of Alito claiming not to remember joining CAP (an organization designed to keep women and minorities -- like Michel Obama -- out of Princeton)
Except it was only 3 damn years ago.
Thanks for pointing out the facebook group.
August 14, 2008 4:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry, wrong answer. Next!
August 14, 2008 4:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Forget Bayh.
Barack's Veep -- Chet Edwards of Texas.
August 14, 2008 4:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
If I were a betting person, I'd bet on Chet.
No particular reason: just a hunch.
August 14, 2008 4:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yep, just got a feeling ...
August 14, 2008 4:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Damn I hope you're right. For my own selfish reasons, of course.
That would be so so cool for Texas.
But I still wonder if he'll do that after 8 years of the Fake Texan Commander CooCoo Bananas. A lot of people here "Texas" and immediately think: "no fucking way."
August 14, 2008 5:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not a Bayh fan and I'm not exactly sure why so many people are convinced that he's going to be the veep choice.
August 14, 2008 4:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
I love you, Greg - but I hate it when you do this. You are misleading here like you were yesterday. These are not just "top liberal bloggers" and the list sure as shit doesn't include all the top liberal bloggers. No - these are liberal bloggers who supported Hillary Clinton in the primary and seem to think Barrack can't manage without someone they approve of looking over his shoulder.
And they can get fucked, along with Sid Blumenthal and Paul Krugman.
August 14, 2008 5:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
My main thing is, it's not really that impressive that 2,500 people were inclined to click a button on a website.
August 14, 2008 5:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Atrios gets that many hits in one day - so anyone who hangs as Eschaton is hitting that button.
And all the satellite blogs to Eschaton.
I don't know that much about the rest and their ability to get people to do any damn thing they want them to -
August 14, 2008 5:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
My thoughts exactly.
August 14, 2008 5:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Tena, I sense you're holding back.
Why don't you tell us how you really feel?
8^)
-- ARG
August 14, 2008 5:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just posting the facts, darlin. Just posting the facts in a very mild and polite manner.
August 14, 2008 5:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Krugman in particular was a huge disappointment to me during the primary. He has shown signs of coming around but still....
August 14, 2008 5:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sid Blumenthal really got to me - I had no idea he was so goddamn vicious - but he is just vicious. Those emails were vicious lies right there with the kind of shit that comes out of not only Carville's mouth, but his lying goddamn Neo-Con wife's mouth, too.
It actually brought tears to my eyes when I found out about those emails.
August 14, 2008 5:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hmmmm. Halperin is reporting (and I use the term lightly, of course) that both Biden and Bayh are speaking on Wednesday.
If you buy the notion that the Veep pick will only speak once, then does this mean that Biden and Bayh are off the list?
Geez, the Obama campaign is doing a great job fueling the speculation, aren't they?
August 14, 2008 5:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Noticed that, too, didja? LOL!
I got one of those emails - I could get a text message when Obama announces his veep - if I cared that much to know it that quickly.
I'm sure I'll find out here - which is fine. But his campaign has done a very good job of ratcheting up the excitement.
August 14, 2008 5:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Again, how very sane. I signed up right away, of course.
August 14, 2008 5:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ditto! Haha! Hey, who cares. They're not spamming me, so it's a win-win situation. =)
August 14, 2008 5:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well - you could consider me boring cause I don't care that much, you know.
;)
August 14, 2008 5:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Damn you, Tena! Start being less boring or something. ;D
August 14, 2008 5:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Kathleen Sebelius said the following,
"Every potential vice presidential choice also has a speaking slot and so nothing should be read into themes or issues or ideas."
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/vpwatch/2008/08/wes-clarks-slogan-is-vps-theme.html
So...
August 14, 2008 5:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bayh can't be VP because he looks too much like Edwards... seriously
August 14, 2008 5:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
From DemComWatch:
Wednesday's Speaking Schedule Announced
Some major VP candidates are listed in this announcement (including Bill Richardson, Joe Biden and Evan Bayh).
The Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) and the Obama for America Campaign announced today speakers and programmatic elements for the third night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Wednesday’s program – Securing America’s Future – will feature the voices of Americans who share Barack Obama’s vision of making America stronger and safer.
The headline prime-time speaker on Wednesday will be Barack Obama’s Vice Presidential Nominee.
Barack Obama offers a new, tough foreign policy approach that is neither Republican nor Democratic. Obama will implement a strong, smart American foreign policy that makes us more secure at home and advances our interests in the world by ending the war in Iraq responsibly and focusing on the threats of the 21st century - al Qaeda, nuclear weapons, and energy security.
Former President Bill Clinton will speak on Barack Obama’s commitment to a stronger and safer America, as well as the history of Democrats making positive change in the lives of all Americans.
Governor Bill Richardson and Senators Evan Bayh, Joe Biden and Jay Rockefeller will echo Obama’s call for a new direction in national security and outline his policies and plans to secure America’s future.
One of the greatest security challenges facing the country today is reducing our dependence on oil, especially from foreign sources. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will discuss Barack Obama’s plans to make America more secure by investing in smart energy policies.
Senator Ken Salazar, the Convention’s home state Senator, and House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn will also speak as part of the Securing America’s Future program.
A bedrock component of Obama’s national security plan is increasing our support to active duty military, veterans and military families. Representative Patrick Murphy (D-PA) and Iraq War veteran Tammy Duckworth will lead a tribute honoring those who give so much to secure our nation’s future.
August 14, 2008 5:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
According to this, maybe Bayh is still on the VP shortlist, but also maybe it's out (Also Biden and Richardson).
Who's left then: Kaine and Clark...
Let's wait and see.
August 14, 2008 5:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah - the only hope I really have about the whole thing is that when the veep is announced, we all say - O wow - that's perfect.
And I know that's not going to happen - so...
LOL!
August 14, 2008 5:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
The challenge will most likely be pointing out the positives rather than jumping to conclusions about how bad the choice is. My fear is that too much of the latter is going to happen. It always does.
August 14, 2008 5:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
You can bet your last dollar that the MSM will immediately jump on the negatives of whoever Obama picks. And will barely touch the negatives of whoever McSame picks. Seriously.
August 14, 2008 5:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
'Twould be why I've been trying to focus more on the positives of all the potential picks. If I'm well-versed in what's good about whoever Obama picks, I'll be ready to combat those attacks.
Same for the reverse: negatives of McCain's potential VPs.
August 14, 2008 6:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's going to be a fight to the finish and beyond, if history tells me anything.
;)
August 14, 2008 5:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Rockefeller will speak??? The FISA King? Well, that speaks volumes.
August 14, 2008 7:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Is Bayh serious? Is he actually denying ever having a role in the committee?
August 14, 2008 6:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBfngOsvmA0
Watch the best anti McStain ad produced this year!
August 14, 2008 6:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think any choice will make everyone happy.
But I do hope it will be either one of the following
Schweitzer, Warner, Kaine, Clark, or Hagel.
Also I know Hagel has no chance.
Chuck Todd was saying that warner would bring Virginia to the table, and Bayh would bring Indiana.
And I think Todd is very good with his insights.
August 14, 2008 6:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Kaine, Warner and Bayh all bring something to the table. But what exactly does Clark and Biden bring?
August 14, 2008 6:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
clark is a war hero and general, will help with those who don't know anything about mcBush except that he was a POW. (OTOH, clark was first in his class at west point, so might alienate those same voters.)
clark was against the war. this will help with the majority of the country who are against the war.
clark is a (pro-choice) catholic. this might help with catholics marginally. most people assume he's protestant since he's from arkansas. this might help with disaffected clintonites.
clark pisses off mcCain. this works for me.
biden, i dunno.
August 14, 2008 7:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Clark brings war hero status, foreign policy expertise and an MBA. Also, he's willing to throw a punch...knows how to take one.
So it sounds like Bayh can take some of the Alzheimers vote from Maverick.
August 14, 2008 6:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
besides foreign policy experience, does he bring a state into the democratic column? Max, i want to win this time, i can't stomach another lost...lol
August 14, 2008 6:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
i think a few of the swing states could swing our way with clark on the ticket (CO, VA, OH). how can you address obama's "inexperience" without going inside the beltway? you need a governor, an ex-governor or a general. (or jim webb, who's not in the running.)
August 14, 2008 7:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Outside ObamaLand Hussein is not generating "excitement" over his VP choices.
All this floating of names and the endless campaign references to a "short list" just reminds how much of an effete and indecisive wimp Hussein really is.
And this latest ButtFuck he's taking from the Clintons!
Bet he's given her a veto over the VP choice...
Hussein needs to tell the Clintons and her half of the Dem delegates and her majority of the primary voters to just go screw themselves!
Obama got his Bots and he don't need no stinking Clintonistas!
Right?
Hell yeah!
Way past time for Hussein to grow a pair...
And his best choice for VP will be his number one FuckBuddy the BreckBoy!
Gives a whole new meaning to the "New South"!
August 14, 2008 7:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I never realized "buttfuck" was supposed to be capitalized. Brb, updating my portfolio of erotica.
August 14, 2008 7:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bayh probably also forgot that he is Hillary Clinton without the 'lovely lady lumps' . . .
No right-wingers.
No Senators.
No ex-military conplex pukes.
I want a good middle of the road Democrat in the mold of Fiengold or Boxer w/o the upper house talkers cred.
August 14, 2008 11:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
HENRY WAXMAN.
Henry Waxman for V.P.
August 14, 2008 11:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
As Democrats, I think it's really, really important that we support the Republicans on this one, Greg. Let's give it to Bayh with both barrels. The little fuck doesn't deserve to call himself a human being. Right, Greg? Right.
August 14, 2008 11:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
You guys are all wrong, it's going to be Mike Gravel. Then Alaska is locked down. :D
August 15, 2008 1:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Obama may as well pick Alberto "I Don't Recall" Gonzales for his VP candidate. How could this guy be the son of Birch Bayh?
August 15, 2008 2:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
Another SOB whore politician, like Hillary, willing to send people to war so they can look strong on defense and ensure keeping their seat or aspire to higher office. F**K these low lifes.
August 15, 2008 9:03 AM | Reply | Permalink