Evan Bayh doesn't deny Presidential run

[southsider2k5]

http://www.michigancityin.com/articles/200.../06/news/n3.txt

 

Senator stumps for Donnelly

 

By Jason Miller, The News-Dispatch

 

Sen. Evan Bayh (left) and democratic congressional candidate Joe Donnelly talk during an appearance at Louie's Restaurant in LaPorte Thursday. Photo/Jason Miller

 

 

 

 

It was Bayh's first visit to the county in two years, and he spends it working to help House candidate

 

 

LaPORTE - U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh said Thursday he's focusing on getting Joe Donnelly elected to Congress, and until that time, won't answer the question most of his supporters want answered.

 

 

 

“I'm here to help Joe,” Bayh said Thursday morning at Louie's in downtown LaPorte when asked if he wished to announce his candidacy for president. “This election is about change. Between now and then, that's my sole focus.”

 

Bayh was in town stumping for Donnelly Thursday after the two spent time with steelworkers in South Bend Thursday morning and at the Mishawaka-based Hummer manufacturing plant.

 

In LaPorte County for the first time in two years, according to his press secretary, Meghan Keck, Bayh left Louie's just after noon to fly from LaPorte Municipal Airport to Terre Haute.

 

Donnelly, who leads his incumbent Republican opponent Chris Chocola in several polls, said Thursday he hopes Bayh's presence will be a boost to his campaign.

 

“I consider the senator a long-time friend and this is a tremendous boost for me,” Donnelly said over a piece of pie. “I'm honored. This is an indication of how important this race is to the senator to try to make changes in LaPorte County and in Indiana.”

 

Bayh and Donnelly banged the drum of change Thursday, saying Donnelly's election would change the “status quo” in Washington.

 

Bayh called Donnelly a “breath of fresh air. That's why I support him. I've known Joe for 20 years and we share the same values.”

 

The senator said some of the major issues Donnelly will address are “illegal subsidies, which are against our laws for every nation but China,” the deficit, health care costs and energy costs.

 

Neither man would say whether they felt ousting Republicans from federal offices is more important than facing the issues they laid out. They both said, however, that changing leadership would address the issues.

 

“The two things go hand-in-hand,” Bayh said. “Until you change the leadership, you won't get the issues addressed. Under the current leadership, things are too polarized, too partisan and too corrupt.”

 

“It's failure on those issues that have deemed a need for change,” Donnelly added. “It's about the people of the Second District.”

 

Bayh condemned Republicans over the current scandal concerning U.S. Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) and text message relationships he allegedly had with Congressional pages.

 

He said the facts need to come out, but said if the GOP knew about the alleged dalliances and covered them up “for political reasons, they need to be dealt with.”

 

When asked if he thought Democrats were also politicizing the issue by placing blame more on the Republican Party than on Foley himself, Bayh hedged.

 

“This shouldn't be political in any way,” he said. “It's not a partisan deal. It's not a Democrat or Republican thing. It's about an entrenched group putting its political interests ahead of the protection of children.”

 

Indiana Republican Party Chairman Murray Clark, in a news release Thursday, said Bayh's visit to the Second District was misguided.

 

“Perhaps Senator Bayh is confused. Does he realize he is in St. Joseph County, Indiana as opposed to St. Joseph, Iowa? I suppose he came here to prop up the candidacy of Joe Donnelly, but he should have stayed in Hawkeye Country.

 

“Here in the Hoosier State, folks are enthusiastic about Congressman Chris Chocola. Congressman Chocola has delivered for the people in the Second District by securing America's borders, protecting workers' pensions, and advocating for our men and women serving overseas.”

[NorthSideSox72]

Right now, of all the names being bantered around as possible Prez candidates, Bayh is my second favorite (behind Bill Richardson).

[GaelicSoxFan]

I wouldn't be surprised if Obama runs. I'm okay with anyone but Hillary. She just grates on me. If she does run and gets the nomination, I'll vote for her against Jeb (you know he's gonna run on the GOP ticket-he probably sees the Oval Office as his birthright) but I won't like it.

Edited October 6, 2006 by GaelicSoxFan

[mr_genius]

I'll vote for her against Jeb (you know he's gonna run on the GOP ticket-he probably sees the Oval Office as his birthright)

 

 

[NorthSideSox72]

I wouldn't be surprised if Obama runs. I'm okay with anyone but Hillary. She just grates on me. If she does run and gets the nomination, I'll vote for her against Jeb (you know he's gonna run on the GOP ticket-he probably sees the Oval Office as his birthright) but I won't like it.

Obama won't run. He has said clearly, numerous times, he won't. And for a guy like him, that sort of "word" is is reputation. If he goes against it, be buries the very thing he would use as his "in".

[Balta1701]

Obama won't run. He has said clearly, numerous times, he won't. And for a guy like him, that sort of "word" is is reputation. If he goes against it, be buries the very thing he would use as his "in".

But...he's also attending steak fry's in Iowa with Tom Harkin.

[Rex Kickass]

He never said he wasn't running for the VP nod. He's also a great fundraiser.

[NorthSideSox72]

He never said he wasn't running for the VP nod. He's also a great fundraiser.

And, he didn't say he'd NEVER run - just not for Prez, this time around.