An Other Clueless Democrat: Sen. Evan Bayh

As many of you already know, Sen. Evan Bayh is preparing for a presidential run in 2008. Sen. Bayh is off to a good start with fundraising but off to a bad start with this rhetoric on the campaign trail. David Sirota points out Sen. Bayh is just reinforce the most dishonest lies about Democrats and progressives with is rhetoric.

Sen. Evan Bayh:

"Many Americans wonder if we're willing to use force to defend the country even under the most compelling of circumstances," Bayh said. "The majority of Democrats would answer that question that, yes, there is a right place and a right time. We don't get to have that discussion because many people don't think we have the backbone." [..]

Bayh said his electoral success in heavily Republican Indiana and moderate views are a model for Democrats to end their recent electoral failures. Summing up those failures are polls that show voters overwhelmingly trusting Republicans on national security, he said.

"We've got a few voices out there who would be a little bit more on the fringe," Bayh said. "Unfortunately, too often they define the entire party."

The Senator think this type of rhetoric and this voting record will shield him from GOP cries of "weak on defense" or "liberal".

Bayh's team "believes his voting record will shield him" from GOP cries of "weak on defense" or "liberal," reflecting "his conviction that Washington's ideological divides ill-serve the American public."

As Paul Waldman over at the Gadlfyer points out, the Senator is wrong.

Let's cast our minds waaaay back to 2004. Remember when the Democrats nominated a guy because there was just no way that a couple of chickenhawks like Bush and Cheney would attack the patriotism of a Vietnam veteran, right? Right? Right?

There is no line on a resume, no matter how impressive, that will keep Republicans from attacking Democrats as weak on defense and unpatriotic. The only question is whether the attack works or not. And whether it does has nothing to do with your resume. It's about whether you're strong and tough in the way you act, talk, and campaign. I haven't seen enough of Bayh to say whether he is tough or not, but if he thinks his votes in the Senate will insulate him, he needs to wake up and smell the slander.

Wake up Senator, the GOP will attack you no matter what. You are truly clueless if you believe your Senate record will not be attacked. One more thing, your DLC rhetoric will not win you the Democratic Nomination.