VOL. 4 NO. 15 POLITItuesday, february 16, 2010 CO www.politico.com Friendly Another Body Blow for Democrats Fire Still Possible Bayh’s unexpected Successors to Sen. Evan Bayh retirement puts

Thunders on • Among the Indiana seat in play names floated By Jo n a t h a n Ma r t i n Monday as pro- a n d Jo h n Br e s n a h a n Health Care spective Demo- cratic Senate candidates: Reps. Sen. Evan Bayh, a leading mod- Plenty of Democrats viewed the Brad Ellsworth erate Democrat from Indiana who Massachusetts Senate upset as a mes- and Baron Hill. was once thought to be a rising na- sage to move cautiously. But some are tional political star, won’t run for convinced Scott Brown’s victory sent • Democratic a third term, a decision which im- sources in just the oppo- Washington and perils his party’s hold on the seat. Pit boss site message, Indiana suggest- Bayh’s stunning decision — an- By Je a n n e which means ed Monday that nounced Monday afternoon in In- Cu m m i n g s the sort of Ellsworth may dianapolis — came as he geared up intraparty emerge as the es- for what may have been his most power struggle that got nasty during tablishment favor- difficult campaign in an otherwise the health care debate isn’t likely to go ite; he released a gilded political life. statement saying away anytime soon. he’ll consider the The son of a senator, Bayh nev- This week, progressive groups that race. er lost a race during a career in ran ads pushing Democratic moder- which he was elected as secretary ates to embrace sweeping reform • Former Sen. of state at the age of 30 and served efforts are expected to launch a new Dan Coats is as governor and senator for two round of ads that are likely to target the GOP front- terms each. the party’s already vulnerable incum- runner. Among Until Monday morning, Bayh those seeking the bents. Republican Sen- gave no hint that he was thinking They won’t disclose many details ate nomination: about giving up his Senate seat. such as who the targets will be, or the former Rep. John Just the opposite: He had nearly size of the buys, but they do say they Hostettler and $13 million on hand, had taken on will release new polling that shows state Sen. Marlin a new role as the de facto head of a support for including a government- Stutzman. Senate moderate rump group, and run insurance plan, the so-called Democratic operatives in Wash- What Bayh’s public option, in health care reform — Retirement ington and Indiana had already an idea left for dead in Congress some Means for Senate launched a series of withering months ago. Democrats attacks against former Sen. Dan “There is a real danger that some Coats, whose seat Bayh took when are taking away the wrong lesson According to the the Republican retired in 1998 and from Massachusetts: to give up on nonpartisan Cook who had begun exploring taking Political Report, Ap See pit boss on Page 15 the Indiana Senate See Bayh on Page 18 seat is the eighth Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) will not seek a third term in the upper chamber. Democratic-held seat rated as either a tossup or favored The Senate was in his genes but not in his blood Members Get to flip to Republi- By Gl e n n Th r u s h Convention in Chicago. erate enough to attract Midwest- can control. Two a n d Jo n a t h a n Ma r t i n But that Chicago speech — ern voters, with the fundraising additional seats memorable now for just how for- connections of the Eastern prep are rated in the pre- In 1996, Evan Bayh seemed to gettable it was — had the opposite school student he was. Bundles of carious category of “lean Democratic.” be on the verge of Democratic effect of the electrifying keynote But Bayh’s career never quite If all were to flip in stardom as a popular, 40-year-old address Barack Obama delivered jelled, and the Chicago speech Lobbyist Cash November, the GOP Indiana governor whose gravitas eight years later. effectively rendered him an after- would gain a Sen- and squeaky-clean good looks On paper, Bayh seemed like an thought two years before his elec- By Ma n u Ra j u ate majority. earned him the keynote speaking ideal national Democratic candi- spot at the Democratic National date: attractive, bright and mod- See senator on Page 18 Hawaii Democratic Sen. Daniel In- ouye has long been a powerful booster of defense industry giants like Lock- heed Martin, repeatedly helping out the $40 billion company throughout Health Care Summit Prompts Myths his long career in Congress. But the relationship has been far By Ca rr i e Bu d o f f Br o w n lines on how the reform debate has played out from a one-way street. that aren’t as tidy or truthful as Democrats and A lobbyist for Lockheed Martin has To hear President Barack Obama tell it these Republicans would like voters to believe. bundled scores of smaller donations, days, the Oval Office has been wide open to Re- The Senate’s bipartisan Gang of Six negotia- directing tens of thousands of dollars publicans on health care reform for the past year. tions make it hard for Republicans to honestly into Inouye’s campaign war chest, ac- And Republicans claim Democrats locked say they had no seat at the table. But the deci- cording to his latest campaign finance them out of the talks from the get-go, writing hy- sion by Obama to ignore House Republicans for reports. perpartisan bills that catered to their base. months, even as they sent letters seeking meet- Inouye’s situation is hardly unique. Neither is true. ings, undercuts his claim to now want to work ap Ahead of next week’s White House summit See bundlers on Page 16 President Barack Obama on health care, both parties are pressing story See health care on Page 21 inside POLITICO 44 ELECTIONs DEFENSE Firedoglake’s POLITICS Jane After reaching out in vain, adminis- For better or for worse, Dems are Counterfeit parts have Hamsher Firedoglake’s downbeat polls in- tration shifts course on China. wedded to Obama and his ratings. infiltrated the military. flame Democrats, who fire back. Page 3 Page 4 Page 23 ap Page 25