Posted on 11/06/2004 4:51:48 PM PST by Kurt Evans
Tuesday, the prized U.S. Senate seat wrested away from McGovern by Abdnor in 1980 and regained by Daschle in 1986 passed to Abdnor’s protégé, John Thune.
There is some irony in all of this. Abdnor, a common and salt-of-the-earth man who made up in honesty and principle what he lacked in oratory skills, defeated the state’s best known politician and its most famous native son. Now Daschle, minority leader of the Senate and the Democrats’ most powerful member of Congress, has been retired by Abdnor’s disciple, Thune.
If there is any poetic justice in this for Abdnor, he’s not admitting it. Instead of acknowledging any special pleasure in Daschle’s defeat, Abdnor focused on Thune’s quality as a candidate.
“He’s going to make a great senator,” Abdnor said. “He’s got talents like I’ve not seen in many guys. He’s smart, and a down to earth, common guy.”
Some say losing touch with South Dakota caused McGovern’s downfall in 1980. But that wasn’t the case with Daschle, who visited the state often, and prided himself on visiting every county once a year. In fact, Daschle’s campaign used a quote attributed to Abdnor that said, “Tom doesn’t forget South Dakota.”
Abdnor denies saying it.
“It was not an accurate quote,” Abdnor said. “A woman (New York Times Magazine reporter Sheryl Gay Stolberg) calls up and wants to do an interview. She didn’t use much of it. She said to me, ‘When you ran against McGovern, part of your program was that McGovern had forgotten South Dakota. Is Daschle different?’ And I said, ‘He comes home more often.’ The next election, I’m going to tell people I’m going to have a recorder on.’’
(Excerpt) Read more at mitchellrepublic.com ...
$158,100. I just wonder why they bother with that $100.
Right before he headed to Mexico for a "cure", and we all know what is.
Well I can't speak for SD'ns, but when Edween and his son went to prison I said effem and about time; I hope they can cope in a similar fashion.
LOL!
It's a really good paper,
I just read it.
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