Bayh decides not to run in 2008

I hate to see Bayh bow out because I would have voted for him, but before we all hop on the Obama bandwagon, let's remember we're still more than a year away from the first caucus.

It won't just be Obama v. Clinton on the Democratic side, and it won't just be Romney-Giuliani-McCain on the GOP side. In fact, I'll bet that either the Dem nominee or GOP nominee isn't someone I just mentioned. For the five people I just mentioned, 2007 will be one of their worst years ever. Any past transgression will mushroom into something larger. Everything those five say will be overanalyzed. Eventually, there will be enough people to say I can't choose between them because I can't vote for any of them.

That's when you'll find a southern conservative pop up. Or a midwestern moderate emerge. They may not have the gravitas of a Clinton, Obama, Giuliani or McCain (Romney has no gravitas), but they will have the ability to draw from large segments of voters.

2008 will bring us a consensus president. After 16 years of such acrid partisanship, we'll need such a leader.