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Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Baa, Baa Bayh Sheep

Pro-lifers used to have fun (of the pissed off sort) pointing to formerly anti-abortion Democrats who switched positions upon announcing presidential campaigns. You know, Edward Kennedy, Jesse Jackson, Al Gore . . .

Now, we can chart the same transformation when it comes to supporting presidential nominees for cabinet and court jobs.

Senator Evan Bayh (the "moderate" Democrat capable of winning in a GOP state like Indiana) has well-known presidential ambitions. Viewing the Dean-ization of the Democratic party, Bayh made the "principled" decision to vote against Condoleezza Rice for Secretary of State and now is rejecting John Roberts for the Supreme Court.

One suspects Bayh may not have plans to run for Senate again in Indy-land, because this is not his usual position on the political spectrum. Looks like Bayh is making sure Kos and Company know he's already in the bag and is nobody's New Democrat.

(HT: The New American Spectator Blog)

13 comments:

S. T. Karnick said...

Good observation, Hunter, and thanks for the link. As I pointed out last year on this blog, Bayh is positioning himself for a run for the presidency and feels the need to show some leftward bona fides. This is another manifestation of that process. It's interesting to see Sen. Clinton tack to the right while Bayh moves to the left. It's a natural thing.

Jay D. Homnick said...

Hunter, here's an alternative title: "Bayh, Bayh Byrd-y?".

James F. Elliott said...

Oh, so bad. Shame on you! Make the punning stop!

Barry Vanhoff said...

Kum-bayh-ah

James F. Elliott said...

Terry Pratchett kicks Piers Anthony's behind across whole continents. Pratchett is much more intelligent and the puns are much more palatable, in so much as a pun can be.

James F. Elliott said...

Dude. You wound me. Terry Pratchett is fine (not great, but fine). Piers Anthony is for twelve-year olds with sex obsessions.

Now, if you want some good reading, go pick up Neal Stephenson or Richard K. Morgan. Stephenson's spontaneous, syphilis-induced hallucination of a musical number on the streets of 17th century Paris is (I contend) one of the greatest literary moments in modern fiction.

Hunter Baker said...

In light of the comments made, I am very sorry to have to admit having read massive amounts of Piers Anthony as a teenager. I read all the Xanth and two of his other series (Out of Phase about the future and the one about the different incarnations of Time, Death, etc.).

James F. Elliott said...

I, too, read way too much Anthony as a child. I actually only read the first three Herbert books this past year, and I have to say, they were AWESOME. Truly, truly intelligent pieces of work.

Two "new" authors that might be of interest are Steven Erikson and R. Scott Bakker (I think Hunter would find the latter most interesting).

Hunter Baker said...

I never read Herbert, probably because I made the mistake of seeing the Dune film first. Should I remedy this defect?

When it comes to sci-fi, I'm an Orson Scott Card man first, last, and always. I do love Asimov, though. Heinlein didn't interest me as much, although I find him diverting. Probably has a lot to do with radical difference of worldview on that one. Actually, I'd be Heinlein if I hadn't become a Christian.

Oh, one final note. I strongly urge anyone who likes sci-fi to read John Steakley's Armor. It's so good it hurts.

Hunter Baker said...

Can't miss a chance to agree with JFE. Neal Stephenson rocks, but I can't see how a lefty would ever like him. I think he's an anarcho-capitalist.

James F. Elliott said...

I don't need to agree with a writer's world-view to like their writing. Stephenson is, bar none, one of the finest writers working in English today.

I like Ender's Game, even if Card is an insane card-carrying member of the capitalist-fascisti fanclub. Terry Goodkind is great, even if he's a libertarian wingnut. Frank Herbert will piss you (i.e. religio-conservatives) off, but he's incredibly intelligent and eloquent, so worth the read. R. Scott Bakker is a PhD. in philosophy at Vanderbilt. His whole series is a discussion on moral relativism versus absolutism (and it's by no means easy to see where he falls). Steven Erikson is simply the finest author of fantasy I have ever read, period. For science-fiction, my current favorite is Richard K. Morgan, but you'll hate him because he's anti-free market capitalism.

Jay D. Homnick said...

How do you guys find time to read and be married and parent and make a living AND write blog commentary?

Hunter Baker said...

Be sure to put that on your annual review!