100,000 Strong and Trusting Barack to Choose his Own Darned VP

From the Democratic Weekly Radio Address - January 23, 2006:

Good morning. This is Evan Bayh, United States Senator from Indiana.
    This weekend, across America, the Holiday Season is in full-swing.
Malls are filled with last-minute shoppers. Airports are packed with
holiday travelers, and families have gathered to reconnect and enjoy this
wondrous holiday season.
    In my family, the Holidays have always been a time to remember what's
important in our lives and to count our blessings.
    As a nation, we can count many blessings this year, but at the top of
our list are the brave men and women serving in the United States military.
Whether serving here at home, in Iraq and Afghanistan, or elsewhere
overseas, the members of our Armed Forces are the finest in the world. This
Holiday Season, they -- and their families -- are in our prayers.
    This weekend, we also remember those soldiers who've made the ultimate
sacrifice for our country. Their deaths are felt even more during the
Holidays. In honor of their sacrifices, we should rededicate ourselves this
Season to work to make peace on Earth have true meaning, by bringing
stability to places such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Darfur.
    Whatever your religion, the coming week offers us a chance to take
stock. We can look back at the past year and set new goals for the one to
come. Together, we can use this time of year to reconcile our differences,
set partisanship aside, and remember what we all cherish - our family, our
faith and our country.
    In the spirit of this season, we should remember that we have more in
common than the differences that divide us. I am often reminded of
something I once heard from an old civil rights leader: "We may have
arrived on these shores in different ships ... but we're all in the same
boat now."
    I'm pleased to say that -- following a bitter and partisan election --
Democrats and Republicans in Washington are beginning to reach out and come
together once again.
    Just this past week, President Bush remarked that Americans want to see
more bipartisan cooperation, and he pledged to reach out to Democrats to
achieve our common goals.
    My fellow Democrats should welcome this pledge...and hold him to it.
There is much we can accomplish in the New Year -- if only we can work
together for America.
    We must continue to do everything in our power to keep America safe and
strong...
    We must find ways to provide more opportunities for middle class
families and our neighbors who are struggling to achieve the American
dream.
    And we must not be afraid to take on great challenges, like achieving
energy independence ... expanding access to health care ... and finding
ways to make college education more affordable.
    There is a lot of work before us, but I am confident that if we heal
these divisions we can become a better America. From energy independence to
national security, 2007 promises to be a very busy year, and by working
together, there's no limit to what we can accomplish.
    I'm Evan Bayh. Happy Holidays and thank you for listening.

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Senator Bayh's Statement:

During my two terms as Governor and now in the United States Senate, it has always been more about the people I was able to help than the job I held. As you know I have been exploring helping the people of my state and our country in a different capacity. After talking with family and friends over the past several days, I have decided that this is not the year for me to run for President and I will not be a candidate for the presidency in 2008. It wasn't an easy decision but it was the right one for my family, my friends and my state. I have always prided myself on putting my public responsibilities ahead of my own ambitions.

The odds were always going to be very long for a relatively unknown candidate like myself, a little bit like David and Goliath. And whether there were too many Goliaths or whether I'm just not the right David, the fact remains that at the end of the day, I concluded that due to circumstances beyond our control the odds were longer than I felt I could responsibly pursue. This path - and these long odds - would have required me to be essentially absent from the Senate for the next year instead of working to help the people of my state and the nation.

I am immensely grateful for the support of my family and friends and the thousands of people around the country who helped me with their time and their resources. There may be no campaign in the near future, but there is much work to be done. When the Senate returns, I will focus on the issues that matter to the people of my state and are critical to the future of the nation including reducing our dependence on foreign oil, creating opportunity for middle class families, and implementing a national security strategy that is both tough and smart.

Our next president will turn 51 on 12/26.

The first person from each of the 50 states to complete this task will participate in a special Evan Bayh birthday project! Your task will be simple. You or you and a group of your friends will hold a sign with a single letter on it. You will ask someone to take a picture of you or your group with the letter. You will email us the picture at Bayh4president@gmail.com.

When we put this all together, we'll have people in all 50 states saying:

Happy 51st Birthday Senator and Future President Evan Bayh!

It is a simple, fun way to help us give the next President a big birthday wish. If you can't participate because your state has been taken, try to get friends or family in other states to participate. Thanks for your help.

Below are the states that are still available and the corresponding letter... Remember to display the letter prominently.  The highlighted states have been claimed.  Be sure to include your first names and the location of your picture.  Send your pictures by 12/20.

Examples:

Bill in California

Steph, Kristen and Steph in Alexandria, VA

Peter and Helen in Anaconda, Montana

Nancy in Biloxi, Mississippi

Mike in Reno, Nevada

Alabama   H

Alaska     A

Arizona    P

Arkansas  P

California   Y

Colorado     5

Connecticut   1

Delaware      S

Florida           T

Georgia          B

Hawaii           I

Idaho              R

Illinois     T

Indiana     H

Iowa              D

Kansas           A

Kentucky      Y

Louisiana         S

Maine             E

Maryland         N

Masachusettes    A

Michigan         T

Minnesota        O

Mississippi         R

Missouri            A

Montana            N

Nebraska           D

Nevada               F

New Hampshire     U

New Jersey           T

New Mexico         U

New York            R

North Carolina       E

North Dakota        P

Ohio                      R

Oklahoma             E

Oregon                  S

Pennsylvania          I

Rhode Island         D

South Carolina      E

South Dakota        N

Tennessee      T

Texas             E

Utah               V

Vermont           A

Virginia    N

Washington     B

West Virginia     A

Wisconsin  Y

Wyoming    H

DC    !

Bayh needs your support on David Sirota's Blog, Working for Change. You have to register to leave a comment. Show Sirota that Bayh has an enthusiastic online following.

Bayh acknowledged he faces an uphill battle to make his a household name and become president. "If I can be that individual, so be it," Bayh said. "Is this a little bit like David and Goliath? Yes. But as I recall, David did OK."