A Bayh For Vice President?

Evan Bayh's quick rise from Indiana secretary of state to two-term governor to U.S. senator did not surprise Hoosiers. Seeds of his popularity were planted years ago by his father, Birch.

The younger Bayh has been a rising star on the national scene for Democrats as well. President Clinton tapped him to deliver the keynote address at the party's 1996 national convention.

But Al Gore's running mate? Vice President Bayh? Maybe, say some political observers playing matchmaker in the "veepstakes."

Bayh, whose constant courting of the political center earned him a "Republicrat" tag in Indiana, takes an "aw shucks" approach when asked publicly about prospects of being on Gore's ticket.

"I'm flattered by your questions, but I think it would be premature of me to even speculate about it," he said in March when Gore's wife Tipper visited for a fund-raiser.

The Gore camp says Bayh - his name is pronounced "buy" - is a great guy, "but there is no list and Al Gore has said it is even premature to even begin talking about this process," said campaign spokeswoman Kathleen Begala.

That leaves others to speculate, and some put Bayh at or near the top of their list of possible Gore running mates.

Ron Faucheux, editor-in-chief of Campaigns & Elections magazine, has Bayh tied with California Sen. Diane Feinstein as the likely pick.
"A young, attractive vote-getter from a GOP-leaning midwestern state, Bayh has eight years gubernatorial experience (1989-97) in addition to his two-year Senate tenure," Faucheux wrote. "He is to Gore what Gore was to Clinton: a reinforcing choice."

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When asked who Gore's choice should be, Durbin mentioned Bayh alone.

"I think he's a very attractive potential candidate for vice president, having served as governor of Indiana, (and) a family name legndary in the Democratic Party," Durbin said.

Like Gore, the 44-year-old Bayh is the son of a senator who had presidential aspirations. Both attended St. Albans prep school, a top choice among powerful Washingtonians.

In 1988 at age 32, Bayh became the youngest governor in the country. Unlike his father, considered a Great Society liberal, he has carved a reputation as a social moderate and fiscal tightwad.

From the day he became governor, Bayh began protecting his political image as a cautious centrist. While many have claimed he accomplished no great feats, there was never a scathing scandal, and he was wildly popular.

There also were no new taxes.

"There appears to be nothing in Evan Bayh's background that would cause any grief to Al Gore," said Ed Feigenbaum, a longtime political observer and publisher of Indiana Legislative Insight, a weekly newsletter.

In Indiana, which a Democratic presidential nominee hasn't captured since Lyndon Johnson in 1964, Bayh proved himself as one who can transcend party lines. Gore and Republican George W. Bush are trying to do the same as they battle for the independent vote.

In his Senate election in 1998, Bayh won 90 percent of the Democratic vote and 30 percent of the Republican count, according to exit polls.

Dave Rohde, a political science professor at Michigan State University, agreed Bayh would do no harm to the Gore ticket, but doubted he will be picked.

Indiana has 12 electoral votes, not a huge payoff in presidential politics. Florida, with 25 votes, is a bigger prize and it's in play, so Florida Sen. Bob Graham makes more sense as a vice presidential pick to Rohde.

270 votes in the Electoral College are required to win the White House.

"If the Democrats are to carry Indiana, they would have already won the presidency elsewhere. So, what you want is someone likely to bring you a state that carries the 270th electoral vote, not the 350th electoral vote," Rohde said.

Another criticism of Bayh is that he's perceived as too much like Gore: stiff, measured, dispassionate.

Bayh said he and Gore share common goals: balancing the budget, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and spreading economic prosperity to more people.

But he said there is a lot of time until the Democratic National Convention in August and Gore's decision, noting "many things can change between now and then."

"While the speculation is certainly understandable, I think it's premature," Bayh said.