Its time to start the end of the year stuff.  Here are my nominees for top Indiana political stories of 2008:

1.  Barack Obama carries Indiana

2.  Mitch Daniels wins re-election

3.  Hillary Clinton wins Indiana primary

4.  Evan Bayh considered for Obama running mate after assisting Clinton primary win.

5.  Democrats maintain control of Indiana House of Representatives.

6.  Mike Pence becomes GOP Conference Chairman in Congress.

7.  Township Assessors voted out of office. 

8.  Greg Zoeller wins Attorney General race.

9.  Tony Bennett wins Superintendent of Public Instruction race.

10.  Jill Long Thompson defeats Jim Schellinger in Indiana primary.

The local newspaper this weekend pointed out accurately that outgoing Alaska Senator Ted Stevens is a native of Indianapolis and so is incoming Senator Mark Warner of Virginia. 

The reporting, however, suggested that with Indiana natives Evan Bayh and Richard Lugar, that gives Indiana three natives in the Senate, both before and after the new Congress takes office.

That is an incorrect answer to the favorite trivia question of Indiana Week in Review panelist Jon Schwantes.  The correct answer is four.  Indianapolis native Maria Cantwell represents the state of Washington.

The significant change will be in the number of Shortridge High School graduates in the Senate.  With the departure of Stevens, Lugar will be the only one.

Barack Obama spoke for about a half hour delivering remarks similar to those presented at the Fairgrounds on his last visit.  Nevertheless, the crowd was enthusiastic.

At one point a person in the crowd fainted and as Obama made a call for an EMT, Sen. Evan Bayh waded into the crowd to give assistance.

Full details on 24 Hour News 8 at 5 or 6.

Evan Bayh is on stage performing his now frequent duty introducing Barack Obama.   He points out this is Obama’s 47th Indiana campaign stop.

Years ago (22 to be exact) Evan Bayh got elected Indiana Secretary of State by running on issues (like education) that had nothing to do with the duties of the office.

Now, Democrat Linda Pence hopes the same approach will get her elected Attorney General.  Pence has a new negative ad complete with a clouded, black and white shot of Republican opponent Greg Zoeller.   In it, she tries to convince voters that the Attorney General is a prosecutor, when in fact the job description calls mostly for handling appeals.

In the ad, Pence quotes Zoeller saying, “I’m not proposing to be a prosecutor.”  Pence, meantime, promises to be a “tough prosecutor.” 

Zoeller plans a news conference tomorrow to explain his side of things, but, if he remembers Evan Bayh’s success, he might want to get a response ad up, too.

Indiana Senator Evan Bayh explained to me today that his vetting for the running mate spot involved much more than a thorough review of his records and statements.

It included a physical exam with a blood test and at one point he was asked if he was ever treated for depression (the Tom Eagleton question.)

Bayh’s answer:  “If this doesn’t end soon, I may need it!”

Our coverage of the Indiana delegation to the Democratic National Convention in Denver begins tomorrow.  The trip to Denver began with an interesting sight:  Congressman Baron Hill and wife Betty taking things out of one suitcase and putting them in another right in front of the ticket counter in Indianapolis.  They had to find a way to get under the 50 pound limit.  No breaks, even if you’re a Congressman.

The Indiana Hotel is a long way from the airport and a long way from the convention center in downtown Denver.  It is in suburban Englewood and some members of the delegation don’t think its the best hotel they visited recently.  Entertainment and dining choices nearby are also limited.  Does that mean that Indiana is not in play the way some people claim?

Evan Bayh is a big topic of conversation among arriving delegates.  There is disappointment that Barack Obama didn’t choose him as a running mate but no one seems overly upset.  Some of the Indiana delegates took part in a conference call this afternoon with Obama on the line.  He told them that he still plans to carry Indiana and they should not consider the selection of Joe Biden to be a slight to this state.

Democrat for Governor Jill Long Thompson held a news conference this afternoon and made no mention of Evan Bayh and his running mate chances.  That might be the only room in town where you could avoid such talk.

On the way out, politicos and reporters were consumed with the buzz about  a reported rally scheduled in Indiana yet denied by the Obama campaign.

The short answer on the Bayh front is:  no news so far.

 Meantime, Long Thompson says she wants to wait before changing the state constitution to include the property tax caps proposed by Mitch Daniels and adopted by the legislature this year.

She says she needs time to see how they work.

But then, you’re wondering about Bayh, aren’t you?

Close friends of Indiana Senator Evan Bayh are pacing, axiously awaiting the word on Barack Obama’s choice of a running mate.

On the one hand, they believe Bayh’s chances are as good as anyone’s.  On the other, those I talked with just want the suspense to end.

I was on the Garrison Show on WIBC this morning and, when asked to predict the winner of the veepstakes, I said Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia. 

That’s not a prediction, however.  It’s a guess.

If you can’t get enough of the speculation surrounding the future of Indiana’s junior Senator there is a website devoted to it.

Check out Obamabayh.com.  It is an up-to-date collection of news accounts and editorials without additional commentary.