Bayh is positioning himself as the Centrist candidate for the Democratic party:
White House hopeful Sen. Evan Bayh (news, bio, voting record) warned on Monday that Democrats could lose their newfound grip on Congress if the party pursues an ideological course.
The Indiana senator, who announced Sunday he was taking the first step in a presidential bid, has cultivated a centrist image as one of his party’s moderates, a Democrat who can win in a Republican-leaning state.
At a stop in the early voting state of Iowa, Bayh told business leaders that Democrats’ hold on power, secured with Election Day wins last month, could be brief if the party isn’t careful.
“We cannot be as partisan as the other side,” Bayh said. “We cannot be as ideologically extreme as the other side.”
What are the lessons of 7 November according to Bayh?
“My observation was that most of the American people voted against — they voted against the mess in Iraq, they voted against the president personally, they voted against the dysfunction and gridlock in Washington,” he said. “They voted for something different and they wanted to give us a chance.”
A smart and wise man, or so it seems. I think that he is absolutely right: I cannot quite see how a true American liberal can possibly become President. Simply put, I consider the American people to be too conservative to elect a truly ‘progressive’ leader.
Anyway the question that follows is: is Bayh the centrist candidate for the Dems?
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