http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/...al/13044197.htm

Posted on Mon, Oct. 31, 2005

Bayh woos New Hampshire Dems

Ind. senator may consider a 2008 presidential bid.

By Anne Saunders

of The Associated Press


MANCHESTER, N.H. — Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, in his second visit this year to the key presidential campaign state of New Hampshire, touted his accomplishments as a former governor on Saturday and called for new leadership to unite the country.

“It’s not the mushy middle or the consensus of the lowest common denominator, but instead a summoning of the American people to realize the true promise of this nation,” he told fellow Democrats. Bayh has expressed interest in a presidential bid, but said he’ll postpone a decision until after next year’s midterm election, when he’ll weigh whether he has a realistic chance of winning the nomination. When Bayh traveled to New Hampshire in July, he made clear that his visit to the state was laying groundwork for a possible presidential run. He has also made several appearances in Iowa, another key state in the presidential primary schedule. Bayh has said previously that his moderate views and election wins in heavily Republican Indiana could be a model for Democrats.

Saturday, he tried to define his moderate position at the Democrats’ annual Jefferson-Jackson fundraising dinner by talking about national security and a visit to Iraq last year, saying “We can do better.”