Evan Bayh's Exit from the Senate

This weekend's stunning news from Senator Evan Bayh, D-IND, that he will not seek re-election, must be sending shock waves through Harry Reid's Senate Democrats.

In his announcement speech, Bayh lectured on what, in his view, is an inability of the Senate to be non-partisan anymore.

Then again, here's an article which, while lamenting his words, seems to incite that of which he complains,

"The realist in me watches the fervent Tea Partiers, tugging the Republican Party even further to the right, and the Republican congressional leadership, reaping the short-term rewards of obstruction -- and worries. "

Yes, yes, it's the Tea Party nutters who are the problem, isn't it? Those whackos who want to limit government spending and power.

Isn't it more likely that the truth is, Evan Bayh can no longer find moderation in his own party? The Democrats have lurched left, leaving Bayh to have written increasingly distressed pieces in the Wall Street Journal over the past year.

In an earlier time, Bayh would have been the quintessentially attractive Democratic presidential candidate. A seasoned mayor, legislator and all-around nice guy from a moderate midwestern state.

Instead, a socialist Senate novice from the state next door swept to victory on race and anger.

Yes, Evan Bayh can probably find more fulfillment elsewhere.

But that doesn't mean that conservatives have to cave into liberals in order for America to move forward.

Maybe, in fact, Evan Bayh just didn't think hard enough about which party radicalized first....his own.