Senator Evan Bayh (D-Indiana) announced yesterday that he will not seek re-election in November. Mr. Bayh claimed, "My passion for service to our fellow citizens is undiminished, but my desire to do so by serving in Congress has waned," leaving many to wonder if he was checking out of politics at a very challenging time for Democrats or if he is simply switching gears and plotting a more ambitious political course. If Senator Bayh is planning a primary challenge to President Barack Obama in 2012, he may not be the only one. Here are some other possible primary contenders:

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The Associated Press is reporting that the message President Obama wants to convey in his upcoming State of the Union Address is "Yes, I get it." This in response to the repeated message sent by voters in recent New Jersey, Virginia and Massachusetts elections not to mention the dismal poll numbers for Mr. Obama's proposed policies and his plummeting job approval rating. But actions speak louder than words and while his speech writers diligently work on a way to make it sound like the president is listening to the American people, David Plouffe will be taking on an expanded role as an outside adviser to the White House, according to sources familiar with the plan. (source)

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Some people are indecisive by nature. Then there are those who refuse to make a decision so they can't be blamed for the result. Barack Obama fits into that second category. During his run for his party's nomination, rival Hillary Clinton charged, "In the Illinois state Senate, Senator Obama voted 130 times 'present'. That's not yes, that's not no. That's maybe." (source) The accusation of ducking the tough calls and refusing to take a stand was thought by many at the time to be nothing more than campaign spin. Now we know it wasn't. It's how this now-president tries to protect himself and his political career while avoiding his responsibilities.

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If you're thinking Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, think again. It's former President Bill Clinton who, according to a South Korean news agency is on his way to Pyongyang to negotiate the release of two detained American journalists. (source) The female journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, have been held by North Korean authorities since March 17. They were convicted in June of illegally entering North Korea and sentenced to 12 years of hard labor.

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Tens of thousands of Iranian citizens continue to risk all by demanding freedom and fairness from their oppressive government. Even as that government used tear gas on the crowds and took away dozens to who knows where, the protesters held their ground chanting "azadi, azadi" (Persian for "freedom") during a speech by former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. Rafsanjani denounced the government crackdown on protests and called for the release of the hundreds detained. (source)

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