Posted on 10/16/2004 1:07:01 PM PDT by wagglebee
SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota. -- Control of the Senate will be up for grabs on Election Day. Right now, Republicans hold a slight edge 51-49, but there are some key Senate races that will determine the outcome. The biggest one is in South Dakota, where the top Democrat, Minority Leader Tom Daschle, is in the fight for his political life.
On the colorful, picture-postcard plains of South Dakota comes the story of Tom and John. That is how they are known out here. And no, they are not best friends. As a matter of fact, they are not that fond of each other.
But debates like that happen when you are involved in the most important Senate race in the country. So that is why CBN News came to this state, where the slogan reads, “Great faces. Great places.”
Maybe they should add a line this year to say, 'Great races, too." Because that is what this is. A heavyweight bout between Sen. Daschle, the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, and his challenger John Thune, who wants to send Tom packing. Thune is asking voters here to see Daschle for who he truly is: the liberal Washington, D.C. insider who is blocking the President's agenda at every turn.
And Thune says that does not jive with the conservative values of South Dakotans. He comments, "You cannot effectively represent your state, the state of South Dakota, at the same time you are having to take your cues and answers to a liberal Democratic caucus that consists of Ted Kennedy, Hillary Clinton and John Kerry. And that's who he has to answer to."
There is no arguing that the people here in South Dakota are pretty conservative. Four years ago, this state went to George W. Bush, and polls indicate it will again this time as well. So how is Sen. Daschle doing it? How, for 25 years has this state continued to elect him, even though his liberal views seem to be in direct contrast to the people here?
The Daschle camp will tell you it is really pretty simple. They point to how time and time again, he has come through with big money for the state, and has wielded his influential power in a way that benefits South Dakotans.
Jake Mass, Daschle's campaign press secretary, says, "When the farm bill was written, Tom Daschle was in the room. He ensured that it was the most South Dakota-friendly farm bill that's ever been written. We have that ability because we have Tom Daschle in Washington fighting for our states priorities."
Thune says South Dakotans will not take a back seat with him as senator.
"Does anyone really think that the money coming into South Dakota is going to completely dry up,” said, Thune, “if Tom Daschle is not the minority leader? Any senator who's worth their salt is going to get their fair share of the federal dollars. That's what senators do."
Yet for years, the image of Daschle as a prairie populist has stuck with voters here. The liberal Washington insider tag has not. And Daschle's TV ads really sum up what his campaign theme is: "It may seem like something small, but every year Tom Daschle gets in his car and visits every county in the state. Every year, Tom goes to all 66 counties and nine reservations to listen and to learn. And while we are a small state, Tom Daschle makes sure our voice is heard in the halls of power, and that South Dakota's needs are put to the top of the national agenda."
The Thune camp says, wait a minute. The South Dakota visits may be a nice touch, but what he's doing in Washington is downright wrong. They point to a list of legislation called the 'Daschle dead zone" that has passed the House, but Daschle has blocked almost all of it.
Like permanent tax cuts, a cloning bill, flag burning, an energy bill, welfare reform and yes, one of the biggest ones: judicial nominations, where Thune says Daschle is leading the crusade to block votes on Bush's nominees.
And the Thune camp says a shot of Daschle hugging Bush after 9/11, which Daschle is using in his ads in South Dakota, says it all. Thune says that picture is misleading voters because Daschle is not supporting Bush at all. So the question is, will the liberal label stick, or will voters go with a known commodity?. Right now, the race is a toss up.
David Kranz has been covering South Dakota politics for 30 years. CBN News asked him if this is the most danger Daschle has been in, in his political career in South Dakota. Kranz responded, "Oh, there's no doubt about it."
Kranz writes for the Argus Leader, the dominant newspaper in South Dakota and he says this race will be decided by one factor. "It's going to come down to get out the vote. The ground game is critical. You can look at all the ads you want to. You can listen to all the messages on radio. Read everything in the newspaper about this particular contest; but in the end, it's the people who are in charge; that says I need to get these people to vote. That's going to decide this election."
The challenge for both Daschle and Thune will be finding the votes here that matter. It is estimated that most people here in South Dakota have made up their mind. Polls are showing that only two percent of the population here is still undecided. That is very low, and it has both sides scrambling to find the undecided.
When you look for undecideds, you go just about anywhere, including the annual homecoming parade in small town Harrisburg, South Dakota. There is the homecoming king and queen, and the man on the tractor, and yes, there's Thune, glad-handing and high-fiving his way through the crowd. It is an advantage he has over Daschle, who has to spend most of his time in Washington.
Yet the Daschle volunteers are here handing out stickers to anyone they can find. One Daschle supporter said, "Daschle is strictly for the ordinary person. I think he's worked hard all these years in the Senate for South Dakota, the common ordinary person."
But if we move from the parade to one of the local hangouts in Sioux Falls, the view changes and the conversation is definitely top of mind.
One Thune supporter named Mark said, “I mean he's the minority leader. I mean, the things that's he done and stood up for and said. It's just not South Dakota, and it's time for him to go."
As for the signs around town, they are pretty split, just like this race. Daschle signs on one side of the street -- maybe it is the left side, and Thune on the right. At the Daschle campaign headquarters, the pro-Tom signs are up, and volunteers are at the ready.
All of them have one message to voters: Daschle is for South Dakota.
Mass said, "It's not about being a liberal or a Democrat. It's about putting South Dakota's priorities first, and I think South Dakotans know Tom Daschle, and they've seen him time and time again put South Dakota first."
But just a few minutes away, at Thune headquarters, volunteers there are on the phone to potential voters with a much different message. One that they hope will have a lasting effect.
CBN News asked Thune, "If you're able to send Daschle out of office, what kind of message is that going to send to the liberal wing of the Democratic Party?
Thune replied, "A win here in South Dakota will send a message once and for all to the Democrat caucus, that whoever their next leader is should not employ this block-and-blame game, this pattern of obstructionism that is keeping the work from going forward. I think it will break that logjam, get the Senate functioning and working again in a way that very few other races in the country can."
So the next time you think of South Dakota, remember, it is not just about Mount Rushmore, or cows, or small town U.S.A. It is also about Tom and John, and there is a lot riding on the outcome.
I agree.
I sent a $20 check two weeks ago.
C'mon Freepers!
If yoyu haven't done so, drop a few bucks on John Thune!
If the voters send Daschle packing I thing maybe it will send a clear enought message to the DNC that the liberal take over is not acceptable. The next to go will be Terry McAuliff. Maybe then we will be back to the DNC like it used to be when people like Zell Miller were proud of their party.
Crazy Horse is getting his pals together and they're all going down to cast a vote for Uncle Tom.
Yet Russell Means has come out for Thune and promised him 4,000 new Indian votes, for what that's worth.
:-)
Love to take you up on that!
I hope he gets sent home. I live in Ohio and in the position he's in he affects me to much. I can only imagine what he does to the people in his state.
They never go home, they stay in washington as political advisors. Towns full of em, one more will not hurt.
Dasshole is, without a doubt, one of the most disreputable pieces of s**t in the senate. He is corrupt beyond description and his slimy wife is also. GET HIM OUT OF POLITICS FOREVER and then launch an investigation into his finances.
" 'Course, no one noticed, because he was standing under the table..."
BS, he was standing UNDER a pile of penguin droppings!
John Thune used to win over 70% of the vote when he was running statewide for South Dakota's lone congressional seat.
He is very well liked.
He has a mind like a steel trap...doesn't forget a name or an encounter with a South Dakotan.
He handled the loss two years ago graciously, in the face of great provocation.
Again, I expect a win for Thune.
I hope and pray that all South Dakotans who love freedom will do everything in their power to turn out every single vote for our side, and to suppress the Dems attempts to steal votes.
We heard he even had an ad with him arm in arm with Bush.
Tom Daschle, D)South Pole
That would be sweet! Thune's points about Daschle had to have been brought up before by previous running mates, every candidate can't run as dumb of a campaign as Kerry has! It hasn't worked yet, but maybe this time!
Dagnabbitt, another poster beat me to the "deeply saddened" comment!!!!!
If there is a God....
WOW! There have been quite a few posts here along the same line as yours, at state fairs and such, where the Republican booth is buzzing with activity, and you can hear the crickets chirping behind the dem booth! Encouraging, to say the least.
Thanks all for visiting the site.
Who do you suppose becomes the Dem capitano after Daschle loses? My money's on Reid, although Dodd and Hildebeest can't be counted out either...
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