Daschle: Flag vote a ploy

PIERRE - A planned U.S. Senate vote on a flag-burning amendment will take up time that could be better spent on other issues important to South Dakota, Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said Monday.

Republican congressional leaders plan to hold votes on politically sensitive issues before the election.

The House will vote on measures dealing with gay marriage and the question of whether the Pledge of Allegiance can include the words "under God." The Senate is

expected to debate and vote on a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow Congress to pass laws prohibiting desecration of the U.S. flag.

Daschle, who is in a re-election battle against Republican challenger John Thune, said votes on flag-burning and the other issues are transparent political moves by the GOP.

Daschle said rather than focusing on the flag-burning amendment, Republicans should instead spend time seeking agreement on issues such as prescription drugs and funding for highways,

water projects and the education-improvement law known as the No Child Left Behind Act.

"They are forcing the Senate to take up issues that they know are politically divisive, and that's wrong," Daschle said.

But Thune's campaign manager, Dick Wadhams, said Daschle's comments indicate the Democratic senator is worried because his views on the flag-burning issue differ from those held by most South Dakotans.

Daschle said he opposes desecration of the flag, but he does not want to amend the Bill of Rights, which has stood unchanged for more than 200 years. He said he agrees with Secretary of State Colin Powell that emphasis should be given to teaching respect for the flag.

"I think flag burning is reprehensible. I was taught to respect the flag profoundly, growing up in Aberdeen and attending Sacred Heart School," Daschle said. "But I think love of flag and love of country is something that has to be taught and not forced."

issues will be dealt with before Congress adjourns, so discussion of the flag amendment will not hurt those other issues. He said Daschle must be afraid of voting on the flag amendment for political reasons. "He's terrified of that notion because he knows he's on the wrong side of the vast majority of South Dakotans," Wadhams said.

Congress has debated the flag amendment nearly every year since the Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that flag burning is a form of speech

Committee in July endorsed a proposed amendment to the Constitution that would say: "The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.

" A planned U.S. Senate vote on a flag-burning amendment will take up time that could be better spent on other issues important to South Dakota."

Oops! I think little Tommy slipped here. Thune should pound on him for even suggesting that honoring the flag isn't important to South Dakotans, then follow this up by saying this is an example of how Daschle has become so wrapped up in his position in Washington that he's lost touch with his home state folks.

C'mon, let's get an ad out in South Dakota with these comments ASAP!

Daschle, said votes on ABORTION are transparent political moves by the GOP.

Daschle, said votes on GAY MARRIAGE are transparent political moves by the GOP.

Daschle, said votes on JUDGES are transparent political moves by the GOP.

Daschle, said votes on TAX CUTS are transparent political moves by the GOP.

SEN. DASCHLE: That's disappointing. That is very disappointing, Tim.

I'm the veteran. There's only one veteran running here. I've been to funerals. I've been to Iraq.

I got my values from my mother and dad to tell the truth, to play by the golden rule, to play by the golden rule, to do unto others as you would do unto yourself.

When you've been a veteran, those things matter, Tim. Those things matter a lot.

******

Meet the Press...

MR. THUNE: His words embolden the enemy. I think they do. I think when you've got political leaders in your country, Tim, in a time of war, when you've got young men and women on the ground, South Dakota men and women, Guard men and women, active duty personnel, who are putting their lives at risk for the United States of America and you've got a leader from your state who is getting up and attacking in a way that completely undermines the morale of our troops, that's wrong.

MR. RUSSERT: This is a very serious charge. Your words: embolden the enemy.

SEN. DASCHLE: That's disappointing. That is very disappointing, Tim. John's attacks on me, where I come from, would earn a trip to the woodshed. He knows that's wrong. His effort to demonize me won't work in South Dakota. It's not only an attack on me--I take this personally. It's not only an attack on me, it's an attack on where I'm from. I got my values from my mother and dad to tell the truth, to play by the golden rule, to play by the golden rule, to do unto others as you would do unto yourself. Love of country, flag, work and dream but work harder than you dream--that's South Dakota. To do it the right way, to do the right thing, those values are as important to me as my arm. And I think that John ought to reflect on that before he makes a charge like that again.

MR. RUSSERT: Do you regret the day before the war saying that the president had failed miserably?

SEN. DASCHLE: I could have found a different time to say it. But you know what? I'm the veteran. There's only one veteran running here. I've been to funerals. I've been to Iraq. As I said, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of those thousand people who died and those 7,000 people who have given up something of their body for this country. I was concerned about them then. When you've been a veteran, those things matter, Tim. Those things matter a lot.

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