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During my many years of living in Indiana, I always regarded the harmless, cuddly woodchuck as the state's unofficial animal. But now after Sen. Evan Bayh's cowardly coming out against fellow Hoosier John Roberts, Indiana may have to adopt the weasel as its native rodent.

Bayh was supposed to be the moderate, sane hope of his party. Instead, he betrays someone who's a feather in ever Hoosier's cap in order to please the MoveOn-ers who make the most noise in his party. Even the Indiana University student paper, the Indiana Daily Student (back in my day often called the "Indiana Daily Stupid," for all the usual adolescent reasons), has expressed disappointment at Bayh's decision.

In his curt (270-word) introduction of Roberts on day one of the nominee's confirmation hearings, Bayh expressed guarded pride "that someone from our state would be so talented and so successful to be considered for a position on the highest court of our land." In a tortured 750-word press release last Friday, Bayh goes through all the mealy-mouthed arguments the Hillary's and Teddy's have already made in explaining their opposition to Roberts. "I cannot vote to confirm," he squirms, "not because I oppose John Roberts..." Since when is a no vote not a vote in opposition?