WI: Bayh In 04

What if Evan Bayh (In 2004 a popular governor of Indiana) had declared his candidacy for president in 2004. With his success in Indiana and his support amongst blue dog Democrats could he get the Dems nomination and win the general election against W?If so what would his presidency be like?
 
It is not inconceivable that he would have been nominated over Kerry, provided he started early enough and had the organization. While he is a Democrat with a conservative record, to be elected he would somehow have to prove he could be a better commander-in-chief than Bush and handle the Iraq War and Terrorism. While he couldn't be "swift boated," he would have to stand-up to the Rove destructer machine.

They might try to make something out of the fact that he was a corporate lawyer during the period between his governorship and his election to the Senate. That's always a way to make him look a villian to the average voter, especially if they could tie the firm to something questionable or unsavory, even if Bayh himself was not involved with it. [i.e. in 1997 Baker and Daniels defended Dr. Smith who advocated assisted suicide on demand. Evan Bayh chose to join this firm and made over $200,000 while working there, lobbying for corporations and abortionists. What does that say about Evan Bayh's values?"]

Simply winning Indiana (11 EV) (which IOTL Bush took by 500,000 votes) wouldn't be enough, it would still come down to Ohio.
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
I doubt Bayh could have won the Democratic primary, since he is centrist to conservative on many issues. Primaries bring out the most fervent and ideological voters on either wing. Kerry was far from the most liberal candidate in the race, but he had a solid organization and his military record proved to be the clincher. Assuming Bayh could create a good organization and raise sufficient money, what would be his clincher?
 
Only idea I have is to come up with a PoD at least two and as far as eight years back which completely discredits the far-left elements in the Democratic Party and revitalizes the center-right elements (which still had a decent voice at the time). Not sure what, though... :(
 
Only idea I have is to come up with a PoD at least two and as far as eight years back which completely discredits the far-left elements in the Democratic Party and revitalizes the center-right elements (which still had a decent voice at the time). Not sure what, though... :(

Really? Really?

That said, alternate candidates in '04 are interesting to speculate about. Unfortunately for the OP, most of the candidates in the party were center-right or so (Kerry, Gephardt, Lieberman, and so on), so yet another blue-dog entering the fray doesn't seem likely to change things much.
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
Only idea I have is to come up with a PoD at least two and as far as eight years back which completely discredits the far-left elements in the Democratic Party and revitalizes the center-right elements (which still had a decent voice at the time). Not sure what, though... :(

How about a major sex scandal involving a Democratic President?

Oh wait...
 
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