For some time, I was vocally and loudly supporting Evan Bayh for Barack Obama's VP nominee. I said time and time again that he did a great job as Indiana's governor and that his experience would be an asset to Obama. I thought that a Mid-Western ticket centered would be a powerful one, much like Clinton/Gore was in the South. I thought that it was the only way to win Indiana, which was on the top of my wish list.
With news that Evan Bayh plans to form a Blue Dog caucus in the Senate, I feel compelled to apologize for having supported him.
It is not that I think Blue Dogs are necessarily wrong in their principles; I just don't think they really exercise those principles. When were they acting "fiscally conservative" during the George W. Bush spending extravanganza of the past eight years? They, like so many Republicans, betrayed their own principles. They have failed. They may be able to get elected where unabashed liberals may not be able to, but that only matters so much in the end. In the end, results trump politics.
By forming this group, Evan Bayh is saying that he isn't satisfied with the power he has as a junior Senator(sad about being passed over?); that he will stand up against Obama on some occasions(sad about being passed over?); that he may go out of his way to appear "moderate"(spiteful?); and that we're better off that Barack Obama did not select such an opportunist as his running-mate.
Again, I apologize for having supported Evan Bayh.