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Evan Bayh Co-sponsored the Iraq War Resolution

Started by washingtonindependent · 10 months ago

Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), who is now being mentioned as a strong candidate for Sen. Barack Obama’s running mate, co-sponsored the 2003 resolution authorizing the Iraq war.  

Bayh not only voted for the war and embraced its neo-conservative rationale by chai ... Continue reading »

2 comments

  • h_o_o_s_i_e_r_ten

    10 months ago

    Here's the problem, Ari. I reading your own bio, I know that you at one point thought that John Kerry should have been President of the United States. In fact you were on his payroll -- during the primary. John Kerry as I recall supported the Iraq War initially, then changed his mind.

    Evan Bayh has followed a similar path. The core of what you write is correct -- Bayh was a huge supporter of the war early on. When it became undeniable that it was a failure, he changed his mind -- in a way that matches the mood shift of the American public.

    I'm curious: what's changed for you? Why is the original War Resolution vote more indictable now than it was four years ago?

    I have followed Bayh's career. He's been a hawk on defense issues. He isn't an ideologue though -- when it was clear that we weren't accomplishing anything in Iraq, he apologized for his vote. Yes, he said he was wrong. (Of course, you conveniently don't mention that. I wonder why.) In fact, he has endorsed Obama's plan for withdrawal within 16 months of the start of a new administration (something you also are not willing to credit him).

    Bayh is not a Big Scary Monster. He doesn't want endless war. He doesn't want war at all, but he is a Realist who thinks that we need to have enough intellectual and moral integrity to recognize that sometimes that' s what it takes to keep America safe and to maintain international order.

    You're a good writer. You're capable of writing a piece that actually reflects the complexities of the man instead of this mono-dimensional fear-mongering piece.
    reply
  • julien38

    10 months ago

    Please dear God not Bayh. I hope he is just a media myth. I don't want to voter for Nader/Ventura
    reply

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