Bayh-Out

Evan Bayh has announced that he won't run for president in 2008. That's probably a smart move. Bayh is a perfectly capable elected official, but that's not enough to get the nomination in this cycle. The Democrats have two genuine political superstars likely to run for president--Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama--along with the very formidable John Edwards. Plus, there's Al Gore waiting in the wings. Those candidates will likely suck up all of the money, expertise, and media attention. Tom Vilsack and John Edwards are the likely beneficiaries of this move, since it narrows the options for those who worry about the electability of a female or a black candidate.