Bayh, on the other hand, may get a gavel if current arrangements work out. But it's unlikely that he'll be able to use his first likely subcommittee chairmanship, the Banking Committee's subcommittee on international trade and finance, to significantly raise his profile.

Bayh advisors argue that the Hoosier's leadership will be more visible in his chairmanship of the centrist Democratic Leadership Council than from behind a desk at a committee. Bayh spokeswoman Mary Meagher says that Bayh's role as a centrist, trying to broker compromises between the parties, will remain essentially unchanged.

That his role will change very little in the new Senate is a show of his strength, she argues.

"The shift of power might have gone to the Democrats," Meagher says, "but it's still a divided Senate and there's still therefore a unique role in the Senate for moderates to play." Bayh worked with all factions -- the White House, Senate Republicans, Kennedy and Lieberman -- on the education bill that passed the Senate Thursday afternoon 91-8; Meagher says Bayh will likely play a similar role when the Senate takes up welfare reform next year.

And then, of course, there's the senator who may be the truest beneficiary of the Democrats' leap to Senate power, the one Edwards is working with on the patients bill of rights, the one teaming with Lieberman to close the gun show loophole, and with Kerry to tackle the thorny issue of Internet privacy. He just hosted Daschle at his ranch house, and wonks affiliated with his shop have been rapping with wonks affiliated with Bayh and the DLC about a national service bill.

He's the man every Democrat in Washington wants to stand next to for ricochet media. But John McCain says that he has no intention of running for president. At least for now.

Salon News A Salon-eye view of the day's news, with investigative reports, analysis and interviews with newsmakers.