WASHINGTON — Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana, a centrist Democrat who had prepared for years to seek the presidency, announced Saturday that he had decided not to run -- underscoring how daunting it is to build support in the shadow of the celebrity candidates who dominate both parties.
Bayh had announced two weeks ago that he was establishing a committee to explore a presidential bid. But in a statement issued Saturday, he indicated that it would be hard to compete with Hillary Rodham Clinton's huge fundraising machinery and Barack Obama's star power if both senators decided to run.
"The odds were always going to be very long for a relatively unknown candidate like myself, a little bit like David and Goliath," Bayh said. "And whether there were too many Goliaths or whether I'm just not the right David, the fact remains that at the end of the day, I concluded that due to circumstances beyond our control the odds were longer than I felt I could responsibly pursue."
Bayh got a leg up this fall when former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, another moderate Democrat, decided not to run for president. But Bayh's struggle for traction also illustrates the challenge he would have faced running in the liberal-leaning Democratic Party as a moderate without a passion-inspiring message.
"An extra dimension of charisma and leadership qualities are hotly in demand at this time," said Democratic pollster Geoff Garin. "The idea of a candidate filling the niche of centrism is not a bankable proposition in the Democratic nominating process. There has to be a passion."
Bayh was one of many potential White House contenders in both parties who have been trying to find ways to capture public attention and scout for political niches in what is likely to be an unusually crowded candidate field.
Republicans have their own Goliaths to contend with. Sen. John McCain of Arizona is considered a formidable front-runner because of his war-hero status and national political network. Former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani enjoys broad popularity and fame because of his leadership role after the Sept. 11 attacks.
But there is still spirited competition in both parties among second-tier candidates who are seeking enough money, staff and credibility to become leading alternatives if the top-tier candidates stumble.
"The average person doesn't know who I am," Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) said. But he is undeterred in seeking support for a presidential bid. "People are shopping."
