[wayoverontheright]

"I like Tom and he's in a tough position here," says fellow Democrat Evan Bayh, senator from Indiana. "The base of the Democratic party is in profound disagreement with the rest of the country on this issue. And I guess for Tom not to recognize that would be political suicide."

They just don't get it, do they? My democrat friends are very quiet now.

When the democrat party finally does self-immolate, will it have been more due to Clinton (take your pick as to which one), or Daschle?

[Sal]

I think Daschle takes his orders directly from Hillary. She is currently posing as a moderate in preparation for her WH run, but the Democrats cannot afford to lose their very left base so somebody has to sacrifice himself to maintain that link. That may be why he's so especially bitter.

If the base all go off to join the greens (or more honestly, the Communist Party), the Democrat Party is DEAD. When she sweeps in at the VERY end to claim the nomination, she'll appeal to their D. traditions and the fear of Bush with herself as the only viable alternative.

IF I'm right, you'll soon see her (or somebody working for her) undermining Sen. Bayh. She cannot afford real competition and will arrange for it to be out of the way before she steps in IMO.

Still, Bayh rejects Daschle's argument. "I don't understand those who want to wait until the threat is imminent," Bayh says. "Do we wait until the missiles are launched, until the smallpox is in the country? The consequences of error could be catastrophic."