Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Will Bayh be in the new administration?

Personally, I think he will stay put where he is. Indiana has a GOP Governor so why risk losing a seat to the Republicans?

Tim Roemer is being considered.
Roemer, who campaigned for Obama in 11 states this year, was a foreign policy adviser to the campaign alongside Hamilton.

Roemer said he's heard the rumors that he's being considered for Obama's administration. But until now, he said, he's been focused on the campaign.

"I would highly recommend Lee Hamilton and Evan Bayh," he said.

Hamilton, who is 77, said he isn't likely to take a job in Obama's administration,

"Oh, I think I'm too old," he said. "I have a good relationship with Obama, but I'm not at an age where I can take over a major responsibility."

Bayh, a popular two-term Democratic senator who was rumored to have been on Obama's vice presidential short list, is focused on his work in the Senate, said his spokesman, Eric Kleiman.




Evan Bayh did appear on FOX News recently. Here's an excerpt of that interview:
EVAN BAYH (D), INDIANA SENATOR: Sean, it's good to be back.

HANNITY: All right, now, I'd be very surprised if you support this. In other words, do you think if Joe Lieberman still wants to caucus with the Democrats, would you — do you think there should be retribution because he supported Senator McCain?

Do you think he should be punished and have his chairmanship stripped from him?

BAYH: No, I don't think there should be retribution, Sean. We have an opportunity to make a fresh start in this country. And I think reconciliation is in order, not revenge or retribution.

HANNITY: Yes.

BAYH: Joe did say some things. Not his support of John McCain. I think everybody understands that supporting your friend is perfectly legitimate. He said some things that perhaps crossed the line in terms of questioning Senator Obama's, you know, patriotism or things like that.

And I think if Joe came before the caucus and said look, if I said some things that came as offensive, I'm sorry, but.

HANNITY: Yes.

BAYH: . they were — you know heartfelt in my support of John McCain. I think we had to just let bygones be bygones. We're going to need him on healthcare and energy independence and education and a whole lot of other things.

So to answer your question directly, no, I don't think retribution or revenge is in the best interests of anyone.

HANNITY: It appears like it's on its way. Now I want to play for you a — this sort of all comes together from my standpoint because this is Senator Obama. This is on his victory speech the other night.[...]

COLMES: Let's forgive. By the way, Lindsey Graham said this was a great choice for Barack Obama, you know, a very good friend of John McCain.

Let me show you — getting back to Joe Lieberman for a second, Senator Bayh. And welcome once again to our show. It's good to see you.

BAYH: Thank you, Alan.

COLMES: Here is what Senator Lieberman said when he was in a tight primary race with Ned Lamont about his allegiance to the Democratic Party.

Let's take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LIEBERMAN: I want Democrats to be back in the majority in Washington and elect a Democratic president in 2008.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLMES: That's what he said then. But, of course, that's not exactly what he did. He didn't just support John McCain and vote for him. He was a key note speaker at the RNC, as you said, questioning the patriotism of Barack Obama when he implied Barack Obama didn't always put his country first.

I mean, doesn't Joe Lieberman have t o say I'm really sorry for those kinds of things before he is accepted back into the fold?

BAYH: Alan, I think we need to look at the whole context here. First, this is someone who votes with the majority of Democrats, a vast majority of the time, particularly on domestic issues.

Secondly, you know, John McCain has been his good friend for many years and I think we have to give him some allowance f or that. Now, he did say some things about Barack that I think crossed the line in this campaign. But if he's willing to step up and say look, if in the heat of the moment I said some things that were taken the wrong way, I'm sorry for that, let's all now work together and move on, I think we should do that.

We have a wonderful opportunity here rather than going back and seeing what someone said two years ago or six months ago, or whatever, to instead start anew addressing the new problems that affect your viewers. That's what we ought to be focusing on here.

COLMES: You know, it's not just one comment, though. Things like there's no room for strong on security Democrats. Things like that. Questioning Democrats ' stances on a number of issues, not just the war.

I mean doesn't that concern you? I'd like to see as many Democrats as possible in the Senate. It would be great if Joe Lieberman would be one of them. Don't you find some of those comments about what you stand for offensive?

BAYH: Well, Alan, I do think he went too far when he questioned Barack Obama's patriotism. I said so at the time. When he said he was for losing in Iraq, I just know that is not the case.

I think Joe Lieberman got caught up in the emotions of the moment and went too far. It's a human aspect that I think we all can relate to.

The important thing now is, the important thing now, Alan, is we're going to need his support on energy independence, on health care, on education, job creation, on a lot of things you and I care about.

COLMES: Yes.

BAYH: And we're going to prove that there is a place for Democrats who are strong on national security in the Democratic Party.

COLMES: All right. Well, I hope it all works out. It would be great if we could all come together.

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