Evan Bayh Described as “Centrist” Despite Healthcare Stance

Sen. Evan Bayh has been a consisent winner in Indiana where he is well-liked by members of both parties. After announcing that he would not run for a third term, The New York Times suggests that Bayh has grown tired of the Senate but fails to point out that his support the healthcare scheme may have damaged his “centrist” credentials…

When Evan Bayh announced that he would not seek another term as U.S. Senator from Indiana, The New York Times was quick to fix the centrist label on him. Although his state leans Republican, Bayh was a consistent winner, popular among constituents, well-liked across party lines and frequently eyed as a candidate for national office.

But he’s no moderate, though he is permitted to sound like one with assistance from the media. The report announcing Bayh’s surprise retirement explores the potential fallout for Democrats looking ahead to the midterm elections. It also includes a few quotes from Bayh who complains about who partisan the Senate has become since the time his father served.

“What was most striking about Mr. Bayh’s announcement was the deep disillusionment he expressed with his place of employment, a feeling reflected in recent polls,” the report says. The Indiana Democrat said he was particularly disappointed with the partisan rancor that beset efforts to create a new commission on national debt.

“Democrats Reel as Centrist Senator Says No to a 3^rd Term” the headline reads.

However, this same “centrist” was complicit in advancing the proposed government takeover of healthcare that sparked intense opposition. The reporter should have gotten reaction from constituents who opposed Obama’s plan to see how Bayh’s stance may have impacted their vote in 2010.

Although he “appeared to be in a good position to win a third term,” according to the report, this is all speculation and it would not be unreasonable for an enterprising journalist to delve into Bayh’s potential vulnerabilities.

A good starting point could focus on some of comments Bayh made back in December of last year when Senate Democrats reached an agreement on the health care bill. The “moderate” may not appreciate someone reminding voters of what his actual position was on the controversial legislation.

As The Times itself reports in the run up to the Christmas Eve vote, Bayh was more than just a peripheral player and opposed Republican plans to block the bill. Here are some of the key paragraphs:

“Lawmakers who attended a private meeting between Mr. Obama and Senate Democrats at the White House on Tuesday pointed to remarks there by Senator Evan Bayh, Democrat of Indiana, as providing some new inspiration.”

 “Mr. Bayh said that the health care measure was the kind of public policy he had come to Washington to work on, according to officials who attended the session, and that he did not want to see the satisfied looks on the faces of Republican leaders if they succeeded in blocking the measure.”

This is all a matter of perspective. As the American Conservative Union (ACU) has reported, Bayh has been more moderate in comparison with many of his Democratic colleagues but he still has a long track record of supporting legislation far to the left of where most Americans stand.  In the past few months, it may have become evident to him that his support for Obama’s highly unpopular healthcare scheme became untenable.

Contrast this coverage of Bayh with that of Debra Medina who is described as a “far-right” candidate by The New York Times. This would suggest her views are somehow impalpable and well outside of mainstream thinking.

What is her cardinal sin? Apparently, Medina spends too much time talking about freedom, according to The New York Times.

“Ms. Medina comes across as an ideologue, not a political pragmatist,” The Times inveighs. “On the stump, she talks a lot about freedom, and she says that to her, freedom rests on private ownership of property and the right to bear arms.”

It would not be unresonable to point out that the Indiana Democrat has a reputation for moderation. But if another candidate is going to be labled as “far-right” for supporting constitutional rights than Bayh should be asked to reconcile his support for Obama initiatives that are widely viewed as being immoderate.

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