If ever there were a place where sound bites were never in short supply, it’s Congress. With a mosaic of constituencies and myriad agendas, Beltway politicians have quotes for all occasions. And, as we’re all too frequently reminded, there have never been more outlets or forums.
And yet amid all the posturing pol-speak, the recent comments of Sen. Evan Bayh, 54, resonated far above the usual, partisan din. The two-term Indiana Democrat, who was on Barack Obama’s veep short list in 2008, announced that he was quitting the Senate. Even though he was considered a shoo-in for re-election this year. Even though he had $13 million in his campaign coffers. Even though his party, still reeling from the Kennedy-seat loss in Massachusetts, needed him to stay.
But he had more compelling reasons to leave. For Bayh, the toxic atmosphere of partisanship was no longer worth tolerating – and, in effect, enabling.
“Even at a time of enormous challenge, the peoples’ business is not being done,” he acknowledged. “Examples of this are legion.
“I love helping our citizens make the most of their lives,” Bayh added, “but I do not love Congress.”
Even in the cacophony of Washington, that spoke volumes.