Couple of notes...

Couple of items from the weekend... There was a story in the Star about Sen Bayh lending a hand in Iowa and how they're grateful for his help...

When Bayh makes his fourth trip in 10 months to Iowa on May 19-20, much of his time will be spent serving as a draw at fundraisers for Reasoner, Shomshor and the Democratic organizations in the Des Moines and Sioux City areas.

...

Reasoner and Shomshor said their fundraisers came about after Bayh's last visit to Iowa, when he offered to help state House Democrats get the majority.

"Senator Bayh is the first of the potential (presidential) candidates who has asked to come to my part of the state," said Reasoner, who does not yet have a Republican opponent.

Which led to the question, who else is Bayh doing favors for? Looking at the most recent FEC filing for All America PAC we see donations to the following:

• Leonard Boswell - IA 3rd District Challenger
• Robert Byrd - WV Senate
• Bob Casey - PA Senate Challenger
• Kent Conrad - ND Senate
• Brad Ellsworth - IN 8th District Challenger
• Harold Ford Jr - TN Senate Challenger
• Baron Hill - IN 9th District Challenger
• Paul Hodes - NH 2nd District Challenger
• David Loebstack - IA 2nd District Challenger
• Claire McCaskill - MO Senate Challenger
• Bill Nelson - FL Senate
• NJ State Democratic Committee
• Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
• Congressional Black Caucus PAC

Senate challengers (racking up favors for future Senate colleagues), Indiana races and Iowa and NH races. Very nice...

The other news o' the day was a letter that Sen Bayh issued to the Chairman and ranking Dem on the Armed Services Committee requesting additional funding to SOCOM, Special Operations Command, to get another squadron of Predator UAVs.

Boosting Socom's intelligence-gathering capabilities should be one of the top priorities, said U.S. Sen.Evan Bayh, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee's emerging threats and capabilities panel.

In an April 28 letter to the chairman and senior Democrat on the committee, Bayh said additional moneywould pay for a second squadron of Predator unmanned aerial vehicles.

...

Socom's senior leaders also have said they need more special operations forces, Bayh's letter said, and he has asked the committee to determine how many more commandos are needed to handle future requirements.

"I am concerned there are regions and countries that might be stable today, but could become critical areas in the war on terrorism in the future, including in Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia," Bayh wrote.

If we continue to back down from the national security debate, the myth that Democrats are weak in defense will never be exposed. To steal a quote...

"Bring it on!"