Evan Bayh Predicts Third-Party Candidate Could Win Presidency: 'Ross Perot Moment'
Source: Huffington Post
Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), who announced he would retire from his U.S. Senate seat at the end of his term, is already looking into his 2012 election crystal ball and what he sees is the potential for a third-party candidate to win the presidency.
In an interview with Charlie Rose, Bayh took pains to emphasize his support for President Obama's re-election, but said disarray within both political parties has created an opening for a third-party contender. Bayh called it "a Ross Perot Moment" -- a sentiment that has been echoed recently by New York Times columnist David Brooks.
"You remember back then, the deficit was unsustainably high," Bayh said, referring to the economic conditions of the early-1990's. "The economy was struggling. People had a sense that Washington was just broken, and they looked for someone from completely outside the system. So, you know, let me be clear. I support the president. I think he is making a major effort, and I'm going to do what I can to help him succeed. But just my political take on it, I think--I think David is--he's on to something."
Though Bayh has not said what he plans to do after her retires from the Senate in 2010, the news of his retirement set off instant speculation about whether a presidential run was in his future. Some political observers interpreted Bayh's comment during his retirement announcement that he was "an executive at heart" as a sign he might be interested in the country's top executive job.
