Bayh hates the idea of being irrelevant

[justfollowingtheelections]

and does this:

A group of 15 Senate Democrats have organized their own working group, the office of Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh announced Wednesday.

"Our group seeks to work collaboratively with the Obama administration and Senate leadership to make sure legislation is crafted in a practical way that will solve people's problems," Bayh said in a statement. "It's going to take all of us working together in the Senate to get the 60 votes necessary to deliver the change the American people deserve."

As for who joins him:

Bayh will lead the group, along with Delaware Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware and Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln. The remaining dozen members of the new group are: Mark Udall and Michael Bennet of Colorado, Mark Begich of Alaska, Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Lieberman, McCaskill, Ben Nelson, Bill Nelson of Florida, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, and Mark Warner of Virginia.

Any surprises?

[Holmes]

No surprise. I am surprised at some though, like Jeane Shaheen and Boulder's Mark Udall.

[Lunar]

He's been doing this for years.  It's not just Bayh, there's a lot of Democrats in purple states that are worried that they might get dragged down by Obama. 

It's not like those 15 Democrats are actually a cohesive group.

[justfollowingtheelections]

He's been doing this for years.  It's not just Bayh, there's a lot of Democrats in purple states that are worried that they might get dragged down by Obama. 

It's not like those 15 Democrats are actually a cohesive group.

What's funny is that this might actually hurt guys like Bennet who will more than likely be primaried by Romanoff.

[Marokai Backbeat]

More evidence that the Democratic Party is woefully disorganized and spineless. Newt stood in the way of the Clinton administration with basically a two dozen majority (and lost seats every congressional election year until 2002), while the Democrats can't seem to stop the Republicans with an 80 seat House Majority and an almost 20 seat Senate Majority. (The Republican Majority after 1994 was a grand total of 4 seats.)

Honestly, this is getting ridiculous, ram the Dem agenda down congress, stop being wimps, and shame on Bayh and the 'Conservadems."

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Fantastic.  I'm a little surprised to see Udall, Bennet, Kohl, and Shaheen in the group, and not to see Pryor and Webb.

[Lunar]

He's been doing this for years.  It's not just Bayh, there's a lot of Democrats in purple states that are worried that they might get dragged down by Obama. 

It's not like those 15 Democrats are actually a cohesive group.

What's funny is that this might actually hurt guys like Bennet who will more than likely be primaried by Romanoff.

I would disagree with that presumption.  You think the Coloradan primary voters will care about this caucus? 

Bennet is waiting to see if a strong Republican businessman/whoever emerges against him before he tacks to the left.  It's not like Romanoff has more name recognition.  There's a reason why Mark Udall is more anti-EFCA now than he was last year.

[justfollowingtheelections]

He's been doing this for years.  It's not just Bayh, there's a lot of Democrats in purple states that are worried that they might get dragged down by Obama. 

It's not like those 15 Democrats are actually a cohesive group.

What's funny is that this might actually hurt guys like Bennet who will more than likely be primaried by Romanoff.

I would disagree with that presumption.  You think the Coloradan primary voters will care about this caucus? 

Bennet is waiting to see if a strong Republican businessman/whoever emerges against him before he tacks to the left.  It's not like Romanoff has more name recognition.  There's a reason why Mark Udall is more anti-EFCA now than he was last year.

Romanoff has far more name recognition than Bennet.  He was actually quite popular as the House speaker and not just among liberals.

[Lunar]

I doubt more than a small percentage of the elecorate knows who their own house speaker is.   Hell I'm a political junky and I can't name California's.  I bet a much larger slice can name their own senator, appointed or not.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Of course these clowns wait until Bush is no longer President to start standing up to President. They're really in the wrong party. It's amazing that Democrats tolerant such enemies in their own party, while if Specter doesn't toe the Republican line 100% of the time, it's a primary for him.

[Eraserhead]

Evan Bayh is a horrible person.

[justfollowingtheelections]

I doubt more than a small percentage of the elecorate knows who their own house speaker is.   Hell I'm a political junky and I can't name California's.  I bet a much larger slice can name their own senator, appointed or not.

Romanoff was often talked about as a replacement for Salazar and he is quite a recognizable figure in Colorado politics.  I honestly don't understand your argument.

[Purple State]

Are they really going to have an impact? They better not. It's enough that Obama needs to go through 3 Republicans every time he wants legislation passed. Having 15 Democrats that are pissing into the tent doesn't help the matter.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Are they really going to have an impact? They better not. It's enough that Obama needs to go through 3 Republicans every time he wants legislation passed. Having 15 Democrats that are pissing into the tent doesn't help the matter.

They're not going to always vote as a bloc, but this trash needs to be primaried. Funny that they weren't so much into standing up to the President for the last 8 years. Evan Bayh is garbage, I'd vote for the Republican over him.

[ilikeverin]

I wonder if this was the pity prize Obama awarded Bayh when Bayh was passed up for the third consecutive election to be Vice-Presidential nominee.  "Yes, you may create a rather pointless group of pointless senators to be pointless!"

Oh, Evan Bayh.  I love you so

[Mint]

Evan Bayh is a horrible person.

Obviously, although not for this.

[Mint]

Honestly, this is getting ridiculous, ram the Dem agenda down congress, stop being wimps, and shame on Bayh and the 'Conservadems."

It's not a question of courage it's a question of objectives. The problem is the Democratic Party is really just a confederation of interests who barely have anything in common outside of handful of issues and/or mutual hate of certain people. Consensus is easy when you're ideologically and demographically homogeneous like the current GOP.

[Landslide Lyndon]

It's precisely because of guys like him that everybody hates Washington.

But he must be really popular with David Broder, which of course is what really counts in his mind.

[Lief 🗽]

Moderate heroes are disgusting.

However, Bayh essentially makes this "announcement" every few years, so he's just being a pointless idiot as usual.

[Brittain33]

No surprise. I am surprised at some though, like Jeane Shaheen and Boulder's Mark Udall.

Apparently if your name is Mark and you get elected to the Senate, you have to become a Moderate Hero.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Honestly, this is getting ridiculous, ram the Dem agenda down congress, stop being wimps, and shame on Bayh and the 'Conservadems."

It's not a question of courage it's a question of objectives. The problem is the Democratic Party is really just a confederation of interests who barely have anything in common outside of handful of issues and/or mutual hate of certain people. Consensus is easy when you're ideologically and demographically homogeneous like the current GOP.

Are you suggesting that the Democratic Party is made up of moderates and centrists, that they're independent thinkers and don't fall in line like the GOP?

How dare you, sir. Everyone knows the Democratic Party is made up entirely of liberals and socialists.

[JSojourner]

Fantastic.  I'm a little surprised to see Udall, Bennet, Kohl, and Shaheen in the group, and not to see Pryor and Webb.

Bayh continues to be a role model for the wishy washy.  But I'm hardly critical.  You can't possibly be liberal and win statewide in Indiana.  So, better Evan Bayh than Senator Dan Burton or Senator Mark Souder. 

And yes -- I am very surprised at Kohl (in) and Pryor (not in).  In some respects, I think Pryor is the most conservative Democrat in the Senate.  Though I suppose a good case could be made for Ben Nelson.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Fantastic.  I'm a little surprised to see Udall, Bennet, Kohl, and Shaheen in the group, and not to see Pryor and Webb.

Bayh continues to be a role model for the wishy washy.  But I'm hardly critical.  You can't possibly be liberal and win statewide in Indiana.  So, better Evan Bayh than Senator Dan Burton or Senator Mark Souder. 

The problem is that he is the same guy who was touting his liberal credentials during the veepstakes, when the blogosphere was in full revolt against him.

And let's not forget that ''socialist'' Barack Obama became the first Democrat to carry Indiana after 40 years. So this excuse sounds a little hollow now.

[JSojourner]

Fantastic.  I'm a little surprised to see Udall, Bennet, Kohl, and Shaheen in the group, and not to see Pryor and Webb.

Bayh continues to be a role model for the wishy washy.  But I'm hardly critical.  You can't possibly be liberal and win statewide in Indiana.  So, better Evan Bayh than Senator Dan Burton or Senator Mark Souder. 

The problem is that he is the same guy who was touting his liberal credentials during the veepstakes, when the blogosphere was in full revolt against him.

And let's not forget that ''socialist'' Barack Obama became the first Democrat to carry Indiana after 40 years. So this excuse sounds a little hollow now.

I understand.  I am just very reluctant to join my fellow liberals in considering Indiana a solid or even leaning Dem state.  The days of Coats and Quayle are not so far away...and Lugar, though a delightful person and a very thoughtful man...still has a pretty extreme voting record on many conservative issues.  (I am glad he is supporting the Hamiliton court nomination.)

I still attribute the Obama win here much more to black turnout in metro areas and abject disgust with Bush, the economy and Iraq.  At least much more so than with any trend toward centrism in Hoosierland.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Fantastic.  I'm a little surprised to see Udall, Bennet, Kohl, and Shaheen in the group, and not to see Pryor and Webb.

Bayh continues to be a role model for the wishy washy.  But I'm hardly critical.  You can't possibly be liberal and win statewide in Indiana.  So, better Evan Bayh than Senator Dan Burton or Senator Mark Souder. 

And yes -- I am very surprised at Kohl (in) and Pryor (not in).  In some respects, I think Pryor is the most conservative Democrat in the Senate.  Though I suppose a good case could be made for Ben Nelson.

Kohl really took me by surprise; I figured he was fairly liberal.  Pryor, especially, surprises me, since Blanche Lincoln is taking a role in the group.  And I still think Nelson is more conservative than Pryor, on balance.