Bayh looks presidential, until opening his mouth

[hippiechick]

Couldn't have said it better myself !

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050713/NEWS02/507130437

July 13, 2005
Matthew Tully

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- As U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh smiled his way through New Hampshire this week and played the role of presidential candidate, I thought of a nickname some people have for the Indiana Democrat.

Plastic Man.

That's not a great nickname for a politician who wants to be leader of the free world. But as Bayh campaigned in this important state Sunday and Monday, he gave plenty of clues for why the nickname might stick.

So often, Bayh was too perfect, too polished, or too wedded to seemingly poll-tested talking points. During Q&A sessions, Bayh frequently seemed like a lost driver scanning a map in his head for the path back to a carefully crafted, speechlike point.

He would then deliver grandiose lines fit for a State of the Union address. That's a problem when you're standing by a tray of meatballs in a place called "The Pub," trying to bond with 25 casually dressed Democrats.

<snip>

Plastic won't play here in New Hampshire, where Democrats say they want a candidate with "authenticity" and "connectivity."

Bayh didn't show much of either this week.

Oh, he looked presidential. With his handsome face tanned and his shirt-sleeves rolled way up, he patted every shoulder, looked earnestly into every eye, and preached a likable message of moderation and "common ground." He was unflappable, not flinching during an outdoor TV interview, for example, even as a bug crawled up his head.

<snip>

... more at link ...

[ewagner]

1. After the Wisconsin Dem Convention

and at our county meeting, the delegates were asked by the membership to recount their most memorable convention events. When we finished, one lady asked, "Didn't anybody see Evan Bayh?...none of you mentioned him!"

There was a reason.

He gave a completely forgettable speech. He didn't inspire. He didn't lead. He didn't do anything that would create excitement.

He was mayonaise on white bread.

It seemed to me that his speech was intended to be "safe". That is, offend nobody. He didn't. But he didn't pick up much support either.

[Hepburn]

2. You seen like a local ...

....and I have the same opinion of him. He tries too hard to be safe too much of the time.

[hippiechick]

3. That's exactly it ...

... he won't take an opinion on anything ... he plays to whatever his audience at the moment wants to hear ... talk about wiffle/waffle.

He tries so hard not to be offensive that he actually IS offensive, IMO.

[IndianaGreen]

4. Plastic Man!

Plastic Man.

Evan Bayh is the George W. Bush of the Democratic Party. A man of limited intelligence whose only accomplishment in life is to ride the coat tails of a famous father.

[LiberalFighter]

5. He was a mediocre governor at best IMO

He didn't go out on a limb unless he had to or he was given a good talking to.

Frank O'Bannon and Joe Kernan were better governors than Bayh!!!

[Voltaire]

6. Problem is. . .

A lot of these yayhoos in both parties LOVE him. He is a perfect Hoosier candidate. Boy do I miss Philadelphia machine politics!!!

[hippiechick]

7. He will get eaten alive ...

... with as much pizzaz as Evan has among 'thinking Dems' (yeah, I know ... a shitstorm's a comin' for THAT comment), the GOP could resurrect Hitler and run him in 2008, and still win hands down.

[Jokerman]

8. Sorry, the GOP already resurrected Hitler

and the fascist prick himself is in Indy today.

[Hippo_Tron]

9. Bayh couldn't survive the "Washington liburl" attacks...

Bayh's gimmick is, I'm some average joe from a red state. Well yea, he's from a red state but he's certainly not an average joe, considering who his father was. Bayh's a lightweight who has never done anything original in his political life. Nobody outside of Indiana knows who Bayh is and the first thing that they will hear about him are attack ads that he's a "liburl". Bayh will instinctively play defense talking about all of the "moderate" things that he has done and will continue on the defense while whowever the GOP candidate is will continue to hammer him. We know how that will end up.

[BiggJawn]

10. New Hampshire will rock him back, and Iowa will bury him.

Dennis Kuchinich will look at the Iowa results and say "Damn! and I thought *I* did poorly there last time!"

[DrGonzoLives]

11. BURN

n/t

[Sadie5]

12. Bayh is not my choice

He leans to close to the center for me. I call his Washington office frequently and complain about him. Not that he is going to change anything for all my complaining. I called to tell him he needed to drop by camp Casey or at the very least send a message of support to Cindy Sheehan. The staffer told me she would give him the message.