Democrat Sounds Alarm on Deficits, Joins McCain

Moderate Sen Evan Bayh, D-IN, up for re-election this year in a red state, is set to announce a series of fiscal responsibility, deficit-fighting measures at a 1230pm news conference with Sen John McCain, R-AZ, in a growing sign that Dems are nervous about midterms and anxious to show Americans that Dems are listening to the anger that reared its head in Massachusetts last week.

Bayh praised the President's announced intention to enact a 3-year spending freeze, though there are members of his party who are balking at this.

"We can no longer continue to spend money we do not have," Bayh told MSNBC's Morning Joe hosts.

"Congress needs adult supervision. The President is providing that. I say hallelujah," Bayh said.

Bayh wants to see Democrats speak to Independents and moderate Republicans about "common sense solutions" to the economic situation in the country.

In a recent Rasmussen poll, Bayh is in a dead heat with a man who has not even announced his intention to run: Cong Mike Pence, R-IN.

Bayh said he would like to have seen "more targeted spending" in the stimulus. The senator advocated a tax credit for new job creation, possibly $1,000, Bayh told the show's hosts.

"Change business as usual in Washington. If I had one message this morning, that's it," Bayh said.

Bayh has been sounding an ever louder alarm about deficits over the past year. He did so throughout the healthcare debate and has been meeting behind closed doors with fellow moderates to talk about a way to created a debt commission modeled on the BRAC (Base Reallignment and Closure) process that has shut military bases deemed no longer necessary.

It does appear the debt commission is opposed by enough Dems, however, leaving the White House to create a less powerful one by executive order.