The Lafayette Journal & Courier editorial board is the latest to notice that former Senator Bayh is full of crap. Their observations closely match those of Ezra Klein who probably wrote the definitive take down of Bayh’s statements as he departed the Senate as compared to his subsequent career choices.
Sen. Bayh left office, bemoaning partisanship, special interest influence, and a lack of public spirit. He then took a job with the highly partisan Fox News and, rather than teaching or doing anything public minded in Indiana as he had suggested, took a job working for a high power lobbying firm that makes a lot of money promoting some dubious interests.
Had Sen. Bayh left without comment or simply said he was tired of what he was doing and wanted to try something else, he wouldn’t have invited this kind of push back. But he had to get all sanctimonious and lecture us. Choosing the jobs that he did after treating us to yet another concerned lecture, practically begs for clouds of stones to be hurtled into his glass house. Fortunately, given his career choices, he can afford to buy plenty of glass.
Congratulations, Senator Bayh. You are the lucky winner of a random take-down.
What you’ve done is so common that it’s hard to maintain suitable outrage against all who do it, but we hope that by cutting one out of the pack and applying the 15 minute hate, we may deter others.
Your bitch about Fox News is strange. By being a Democrat voice, isn’t Bayh helping to make FN less partisan? Or should all Democrats be shunned if they go on FN?
Bayh’s job on Fox News will be to be to frown with concern when Democrats do something liberal.
How do you know? And what’s wrong with that anyway? He is a “Blue Dog”, is he not?
I’m making an assumption. But, that’s been his primary function on other television appearances. And that would be fine if he were equally vigorous speaking up on areas where he agrees with his more liberal Democratic brethren. But, I don’t see Fox calling upon him to do that; and his past performance hasn’t suggested this is his inclination in any case.
Buzzcut, please don’t insult Blue Dogs that way. It isn’t nice. It isn’t fair.
I wouldn’t really want to classify people like former Senator Bayh as anything other than members of the “GetAllYouCanGetWhileThe GettingIsGood” party. In politics, they just have to wear somebody else’s sheepskin to fit into one flock or the other.
I’d say the other assumption bring made by the J&C is that he is actually a lobbyist.
It looks like he is working for a law firm that does lobbying, among 30 other things. It is pretty hard to get a job at a place that doesn’t lobby to some extent.
I’m not saying he isn’t a lobbyist, though. It might be that he ends up doing exactly that for them.
However, he shouldn’t be judged before the nature of his work is known. He might end up actually bringing real balance to FNC and doing corporate copyright work for that law firm, or he might do exactly what he is being accused of.
I’m curious to find out what he actually does. I don’t have a horse in the race with Bayh, so I’m going to be entertained regardless.
I’ll judge now and base my assumptions on past performance. If I’m wrong, I’ll be happily surprised.
I really think that you guys are being totally unfair. I mean, is he working for Goldman Sachs, making $18 million in two years? I don’t think so. He’s actually working, not looting.
I am not a fan of judging what the outcome will be with the idea that you can be proved wrong. Now that I think of it, there’s a word for it: “prejudice.” There is a reason the word prejudice has a bad connotation. Why the rush to judgment?
I’m prejudiced against hot stoves too. I never give them the benefit of the doubt by touching them.
First: When Bayh voted for the Health Care Control Law . . . he was done. All the illusion of Blueness was washed right off and he was obviously just a Dog at that point. The fear of defeat is why he stepped aside.
Second: His position at Fox News is nothing more than his attempt to promote and position himself in an attempt to get his empty suit in the White House. He’s a disgusting individual.
I am not a Bayh fan. Still, it seems ridiculous to insult the man for doing exactly what he is best-suited for, talk about politics with a former Senator’s perspective. I doubt that these comments would be made if he created a show on MSNBC called BO Legislature, the Bayh-Olbermann show. (copyright on name)
I’ll entertain the FOX/MSNBC equivalencies more seriously when Fox gives 3 hours in the morning to a liberal Democratic ex-member of Congress.
I probably would’ve let Bayh go ahead and cash-out in peace if he had spared us the sanctimony when he was leaving office.
Doug, one word: Gretta Van Sustren and Geraldo Rivera. And Juan Williams. And that other NPR chick they have, the mousy one.
I have no quarter with the sanctimony thing, you are 100% right about that. But all politicians are psychotic egomaniacs, and you should have expected no less from Bayh.
I hate him so much. Flames, flames on the side of my face!
Buzzcut, might I suggest rather that most politicians are narcissistic egomaniacs (which may be slightly redundant)?
I bet Birch is so proud…..