Bayh: I haven't been asked to join Obama on Democratic ticket

Bayh: I haven't been asked to join Obama on Democratic ticket

Hoosier senator says there are no plans for private meeting during Obama's Indiana visit

By Mary Beth Schneider

Posted: August 6, 2008


Whether Sen. Barack Obama chooses Sen. Evan Bayh as his running mate remains to be seen, but Bayh insisted Tuesday that no such decision will be announced today, dumping a bucket of cold water on the frenzied speculation that had surrounded their joint appearance in Elkhart.

In a telephone interview, Bayh said Obama has not asked him to be his running mate.


"I'm absolutely confident there will be no announcement (today)," he said. "I guess the best way to put it is, if there's an announcement (today), I'd be as surprised as anybody else."

But, again, none of that means it couldn't still happen.

Bayh, a two-term senator from Indiana who also served two terms as governor, has been the focus of a media frenzy in recent days, including cable TV news shows and blogs, as speculation escalates that Obama is close to making his choice.

Bayh has been tapped by many as among a handful of names on the likely short list, along with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del.

The length of Obama's visit here this week -- 21 hours, with Obama arriving Tuesday evening and scheduled to leave about 3:30 p.m. today -- added to the speculation that he was in Indiana for more than his scheduled town hall meeting in Elkhart this morning.

Bayh will introduce Obama at the event but said he knew of no plans for a private meeting with him.

He said he believed the campaign was trying to add another stop in Indiana, accounting for the length of the visit.

One additional sign that the rumors were off-base is that Bayh's wife, Susan; twin sons, Nick and Beau; and father, former Sen. Birch Bayh, will not be joining him on this trip.

In addition, Obama is scheduled for a weeklong vacation in Hawaii next week -- something he'd be unlikely to do immediately after announcing his vice presidential choice.

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