(CNN)— Speculation swirled around a potential Obama-Bayh ticket Tuesday after Barack Obama’s campaign confirmed the two senators will appear together at an Indiana town hall Wednesday morning.
Bayh, a junior senator from the state and a major Hillary Clinton backer during the primary season, will introduce the presumptive Democratic nominee at a town hall in Elkhart, Indiana.
CNN Election Center: Who is on the VP short list?
CNN Senior Political Researcher Alan Silverleib argues Bayh, who is reportedly one of the leading contenders on Obama’s VP shortlist, brings three advantages to the Democratic ticket.
“First, Bayh’s service on the Senate Intelligence and Armed Services committees counters Obama’s perceived weakness in foreign policy,” said Silverleib. “Second, Bayh’s largely centrist voting record helps counter GOP arguments that Obama is a typical liberal. And third, Bayh puts Indiana’s 11 electoral votes into play. If Obama becomes the first Democrat to carry the Hoosier State in 44 years, it could be potentially devastating to the McCain campaign.”
Since 1932, only two Democrats have carried the state of Indiana. Franklin D. Roosevelt won Indiana in the 1932 and 1936 election and Lyndon Johnson carried the state in 1964.
Late last month, the Indiana senator held a press conference where he brushed off questions about his odds of joining the ticket — but would not say whether or not he was interested in the job, or whether he was being vetted by Obama’s vice presidential search team.
"I love serving the people of Indiana — and I think any questions about the vice presidential thing are understandable and it’s good for my ego, but I should probably let Senator Obama and his campaign address those kind of questions," Bayh said.
Since then, Bayh has appeared with Obama on the campaign trail and has been a familiar face on political talk shows advocating for Obama’s policies.
From CNN Politics
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Barack Obama and Evan Bayh is the perfect match.
Will somebody please give Luis a needle or some meds for paranoia! He's at it again with his incoherent, totally unrelated to the topic comments on this blog! Geez Luis, give it a rest.
Lisa-
You haven't heard of him because even Barack Obama has been around longer than he has. Good idea. Let's put two inexperienced change agents in charge.
no Hillary on ticket, no vote for Obama.
PUMA stupids and IF NOT HILLARY, THEN MCCAIN:
uuummm...we know you're closet REPUBLICANS so just come off it. the rest of us are not as dumb as ya'll look. sheesh.
The VP is not really significant. The VP only compliments the ticket, it doesn't compensate for a pathetic candidate. Anyone who has heard of Bayh, please raise your hand. That's what I thought, he has no name recognition so he is not going to help. Edwards couldn't deliver his home state for Kerry , so big whoop. Hillary would have wom this election. Thanks Obama !!
As a transplanted Hoosier, I have seen Bayh elected the youngest Secretary of State in the history of the USA and go on to be a widely popular 2 term Democratic governor & 2 term senator of a ruby red state! Having Evan Bayh on the ticket most definitely brings the Hoosier state into play in 08!
Used2bdemocrat.
DUD YOU ARE TOO IGNORANT TO HAVE EVER
BENN A DEMOCRAT FOR AT LEAST 10 GENERATIONS.
YOU ARE IGNORANT BY NATURE & DESIGN.
Sounds like he'll make a good choice, so I'm for it either way. As long as they get something done when they are in office, is fine by me.
Go Obama, Bayh if choosen for VP!
McCain in Panama City 8/1/08 – Look at McCain's response to the reporters question about the race card. The video is available on youtube under 'what happened'.
i hope it is an OBAMA-BAYH TICKET. The would mean he is leaving our HILLARY alone and she will have a chance to bring America back in 4 years. That is if we still have an America.
Hey MATT, Last I heard I am living in a country in which I can vote for whoever I want to vote for. It is sad that you and many others accuse people who will not vote for Barack Husein Obama as being racist when they really see through the sheeps clothing and know there is nothing there but an empty suit.
Senator Bayh was one of the best governors that Indiana has ever had. He did a lot to strengthen our economy. I think he would be a good choice for vp.
Stagecraft, acting, flip-flopping to score points and ingratiate himself with American voters – Obama is all image and no substance – this guy must think the American voter are a bunch of idiots. The Democrats will be rolling the dice with this guy come November.
To the so-called Hilary supporters who are bashing this guy---He's one of YOU! That just shows that it's republicans SAYING they are Hillary supporters are at work here! Go away republiCANT'S-NOT THIS TIME!
Very bad choice for a VP. Obama needs to have Hillary Clinton on the ticket if he wants to become President. That is the only way he is going to get there. That is the only way that I would even think of voting for Obama.
Obama has NO talent, skills, knowledge or experience to be the leader of the USA.
If I were Bayh, I would really keep my distance from Obama, for anyone close to Obama is going to fail as well.
I think they WERE going to announce Bayh tomorrow but slammed on the brakes. He needs the Clintons on board and they're playing hard ball. Hillary's on the ticket or they're not on board.
AN BLATANT DIS-CONNECT BETWEEN OBAMA AND BAYH: Must be Obama wants Indiana badly enough to "gloss over" the obvious:
• Bayh supported Hillary Clinton NOT Obama during the primaries.
• Bayh was an early supporter of the Bush administration's policies on Iraq. On October 2, 2002, Bayh joined President George W. Bush and Congressional leaders in a Rose Garden ceremony announcing their agreement on the joint resolution authorizing the Iraq War
• Bayh's record is one of a genuinely FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE Democrat — TOTALLY UNLIKE ULTRA-LIBERAL "SPEND-SPEND" OBAMA.
• Bayh was selected by Bill Clinton to give the keynote address at the 1996 Democratic National Convention to reinforce his efforts to cast himself and the Democratic Party with a new MODERATE image — CLEARLY UNLIKE ULTRA-LIBERAL OBAMA.
• Evan Bayh appeared on CNN's Late Edition in January 2006 and referred to the "radical, almost delusional nature of the Iranian regime" and . . . their recent sponsoring of terrorism, their search for a nuclear weapon — ought to be a wake-up call to every American. APPEASEMENT WON'T WORK — CLEARLY UNLIKE ULTRA-LIBERAL OBAMA.
BAYH IS THE TOTAL ANTITHESIS TO OBAMA. Interesting how they would make this work — ONE of them would have to concede something — CLEARLY OBAMA DOES NOT SHARE BAYH'S VIEWS — BECAUSE C LEARLY OBAMA IS AN ULTRA LIBERAL — AND NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BAYH'S MODERATE VIEWS!
Go figure!
To you PUMAs, new Lifestyle poll, former Hillary supporters, 76% support Obama for president, 18% support McCain, 6% undecided. So former Hillary supporters or McCain imposters, you need to refine your propaganda.
Bayh might suffice. Can you say, bye bye McCain.
Obama will fail in November with anybody on ticket except Hillary Clinton. INTERESTING.
have disappointed while watcing Lou Dobbs and Election Center. On Mon. And Tues Lou Dobbs had a three member pamel. McCains supporter was white and Obamas was black. In fact as I recall almost all Obamas suppoters are black. It dose not make me think the network has a definet political bias. As a old white american veteran I
want to let you kmow I was proud of our country for finally allowing us
to vote for Black or a female for President. I frankly lost my faith in
your unbiased.
George Calder, Aloha. OR
Luis,
McCain is the insane or at least the prime example of a mind floating down that dark tunnel of dementia. If you are persuaded to vote McCain you to are just as confused as him not to understand that four more years of a George W. Bush or his senile mini -me would destroy this nation.
Bush has done so very much damage to our nation that the only hope we have is to believe in anyone else UNLIKE HIM and that my friends excludes McBush! McCain is WORST THAN BUSH, he'll go in confused and BACKWARDS!
Obama/Clinton or No Obama.
I will not only vote for McCain but I will campaingn for him if Hillary is not on the ticket!
A bit of the topic but Cindy McCain looked very uncomfortable among the bikers almost scared