My time with Evan Bayh

It was June of 1990 and I was a TV reporter for WEHT, the then CBS (now ABC) affiliate in Evansville IN. The small town of Petersburg IN had been rocked first by flooding and then a devastating F3 tornado that rolled through town on a Saturday evening killing seven. I covered both events over two long weeks; Indiana Governor Evan Bayh, then 35 years old and barely into his first term, paid a visit to the community to see the damage firsthand.

It was quite the scene at the small Petersburg town hall with TV stations from Evansville, Terre Haute, Indianapolis and other places crowding around Governor Bayh in a back room. I was only 24 at the time, very raw but very passionate about my job. After Bayh made some opening remarks about what he had seen from above on his helicopter ride over town, he took questions from the media. I immediately piped up and chimed in with the first question. Later that day, back at the station our news director was watching the footage with me and expressed surprise that I had been the first to lob a question at the governor. "The first question is usually reserved for the media from the larger markets," I remember him saying. "Good job, that's the way to get after it."

Yesterday, when now Senator Evan Bayh pulled the latest political shocker and announced he would not seek a third term, I remembered that day in Petersburg and how he had taken my question and answered it when cub reporters like me were supposed to wait for "big guys" to ask the first questions. I remembered how Bayh had seemed very likeable, humble and perhaps in office "for the right reasons."

In the almost 20 years since my encounter with Bayh, he forged a reputation as a pretty much unbeatable political icon and was frequently mentioned as a potential vice president or perhaps presidential candidate. He's considered a moderate, a Democrat yes, but someone who can work in a bipartisan fashion to accomplish positive legislation for Americans.

Yesterday, Bayh denounced the brutal partisanship that now grips D.C. Some Republicans like to think he was vulnerable this fall. I don't believe it. With plenty of money in his campaign account and his poll numbers high, I take him at his word that he's fed up with a Congress more concerned with making political points than progress. I viewed conservative Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana—once rumored to be a challenger to Bayh—as having the best chance to give him a strong run. Pence, however, announced weeks ago that he was staying in the House.

A few weeks ago, I opined in this space that bipartisanship was unfortunately a lost concept in politics today. Evan Bayh had come to realize that and now he's stepping away. That's too bad.

Incumbents vs. public sentiment

When Scott Brown shocked the world last month and won the seat to replace Senator Ted Kennedy in Massachusetts, it seemed that everyone and anyone who ever wanted to run for public office decided this was their year, particularly if they were a Republican. Whether it's Congress, the state legislature or local races, it's candidates a-plenty this year.

This coincides with polls showing incumbents being held in lower regard than perhaps at any time ever. If there's been a time when the "power of incumbency" is at a disadvantage, this is the year. Who would have dreamed just a year ago that heavyweights like Ben Chandler and Evan Bayh would be considered beatable? Who would have surmised that the GOP might have a chance to get control of the U.S. House? Who would have thought an unknown eye doctor from Bowling Green would be considered "the favorite" in the GOP primary over "Senator in waiting" Trey Grayson? Though not an incumbent Senator, Grayson might be suffering from having held office for eight years while Rand Paul is the "outsider."

Will this be the year when incumbents fall like never before? It's a long way to go until November, and the onslaught of TV advertising will certainly change some opinions. Democrats in Congress will look to champion issues the rest of the year that will help their chances at re-election. Congressional Republicans will fight that but must also be careful to not increase their reputation as the party of no. In Frankfort, legislators are deflecting tough budget decisions until after the November elections.

For political observers like myself, it's fun to watch. How it all turns out is still anyone's guess.