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The Chickens**t Caucus

Matthew Yglesias has some harsh, not-suitable-for-a-family-blog words to describe the new moderate caucus that Senator Evan Bayh is creating. Bayh apparently announced the creation of this caucus on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." Matt suggests its purpose is to "soak up special interest cash in exchange for blocking the progressive agenda" and notes that its members, so far, are not willing to identify themselves.

I'm not so sure about the cause-and-effect of the special interest money. I think Bayh comes by his mindless centrism* naturally. But otherwise I'm hard-pressed to dispute Matt's rant, which is worth reading.

--Jonathan Cohn 

*For the record, I do believe it's possible to be a principled centrist--that is, somebody whose philosophical views happens to put them in what is now the ideological center. I can think of a number of conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans who fit that category. But nothing in Bayh's career suggests he thinks that deeply about the issues.