From the Journal Gazette

Barack Obama's inner circle knew that two of Sen. Evan Bayh's weaknesses as a vice presidential candidate would involve his family: his wife's position on corporate boards and the decision to send their twin sons to private school in Washington.

But Bayh's defense of both were his "best moments" in the interview with Obama's two closest campaign advisers who ended up slightly favoring Sen. Joe Biden for the No. 2 spot, according to a book released today by the architect of Obama's campaign.

Before he made the choice, Obama described the decision as a "coin toss." The advisers considered Bayh a safe choice and Biden more of a wild card, David Plouffe wrote in "The Audacity to Win."

Plouffe does not mention any policy issues they discussed with Bayh except to say his answers were "substantively close to perfect, if cautiously so."

But Plouffe described two family issues as both potential problems on the campaign trail and as the area that Bayh appeared most human.

"It was clear her positions would draw fire if we selected him," Plouffe wrote.

Susan Bayh sits on seven boards and earns the bulk of the family's income; questions have been raised as to whether her role in pharmaceutical and insurance businesses influences her husband's decisions on legislation before Congress.

The Bayh family has a home in Washington, and the twins attend the same private school Bayh went to as the son of a Washington-living senator.

In talking about these issues with Plouffe and chief campaign strategist David Axelrod, Bayh scored wins, Plouffe wrote.

"He passionately defended his wife's board service, both in terms of her professional qualifications and talent as well as the lengths they both traveled to remove any conflict of interest," Plouffe wrote.

"We were satisfied he could bat down any question on that front."

The decision to send their sons to private school, Plouffe wrote, would also draw criticism "fairly or not."

Bayh was "earnest and resolute in explaining their decision. Keeping the kids close allowed their family to spend the most time together; he was clearly committed to real involvement in their lives.

"He wrapped up this part of the discussion by saying, 'I just won't allow anyone to question the decisions we have made as parents and as a family.' "

Plouffe and Axelrod were impressed with Bayh's defense of his wife and the choice of a Washington private education over public schools in Indiana.

"In these moments," Plouffe wrote, "he gave off a humanity and warmth that was very appealing, and it showed a dimension that belied his reputation."

Plouffe said Bayh's reputation "was that he was boring." But that wasn't necessarily "a scarlet letter."

"Both the Obama campaign and a potential Obama administration would welcome Bayh's discipline," he wrote.

Plouffe and Axelrod considered Bayh "the safest pick. … Listening to Bayh talk I thought, There's no way this guy will color outside the lines. Biden may cross them with too much frequency. Biden will probably end up having more range – he can reach higher heights but could cause us real pain. Bayh's upside and downside are probably the closest spread of the three," Plouffe wrote.

Virginia Gov. Timothy Kaine was also among the three finalists.

Plouffe said Bayh's differences with Obama on some issues, including his continued support of the war in Iraq longer than many in the Democratic Party, could have turned into a plus for the campaign.

The differences "wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to demonstrate through our VP pick that Obama was truly committed to governing for results, not by rigid ideology."

Ultimately, Plouffe wrote, the choice of a running mate "rarely makes a big difference in the campaign" and is "the most important, and personal, decision Obama would make." Obama made the decision while he was vacationing in Hawaii with his family just before the Democratic convention.

"More than anything," Plouffe wrote, "he felt Biden would be a trusted adviser during tough moments after the election, someone who would always give his unvarnished opinion. And even after all his years in Washington, Biden remained a real advocate for people, which was ultimately what this whole enterprise was about."

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