As my friend Dakota Gator said while back, 'it's one thing to smell the skunks, but you have to be able to see 'em before you can kill 'em'! ;-)
Posted on 12/08/2002 2:38:53 PM PST by EternalVigilance
Edited on 05/07/2004 9:08:23 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
South Dakota's protracted Senate race publicly ended more than a month ago.
But the contentious bickering that marked the yearlong campaign between Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson and Republican Rep. John Thune didn't stop the morning after Nov. 5.
A small group of Republican lawyers, suspecting that Democrats unduly influenced the election in Native American precincts such as Parmalee and Pine Ridge, have scoured Indian Country for misdeeds.
(Excerpt) Read more at argusleader.com ...
No, I have no reason to suspect that any Republicans were or are involved in any sort of fraud whatsoever...none.
Republicans certainly aren't perfect, but with 99% of the GOP rank and file around this country, vote fraud is a direct attack on our form of government, and even to suggest doing it would earn you nothing but scorn and eternal political damnation.
My sense is that John's refusal to make a big public stink about the RAT fraud is based on a political calculation that to do so would finish him forever in this state. While I may not like it personally, it's hard to argue that it isn't a wise move for him personally.
Out here in the coffee shops and opn the street, the talk is about Thune running in '04, and about the RAT corruption of the process. Not a bad combination for John Thune's political viability for the future...sure beats being known as a whiny loser.
EV
That's a mighty big IF, my friend! ;-)
THE DEMOCRAT PARTY IS ENGAGED IN VOTER FRAUD.
No kidding!
I am so glad there is a Republican majority now.
Makes all the hard work worth it, doesn't it? :-)
Maybe we could seal all the tombs? LOL...
Seriously though, I totally agree with you---they would go directly onto the ashheap of history with the rest of their socialist brethren where they belong!
Thune has been told that if he doesn't fight he's done. Janklow will take on Dachele in '04 not Thune. It is a shame as Thune's ACU ratings were pretty darn high.
That's a very good question...one that deserves a straight answer, IMO. It would be nice to know if those 30 FBI agents they said they had out here turned up anything. I wouold be surprised if they didn't.
HE knows and WE know there was fraud. We need to keep hunting until it can be proven and when it is, he'll be a shoo in for Daschles seat in 2004.
Actually, being a coward makes him blend in perfectly with the rest of the Republican lemmings in the Senate....
I find this number difficult to believe, although my argument is ancedotal. I had occasion to meet a college friend (late 50s, early 60s, University of Nebraska) here in east central Illinois some time in the 80s, who at that time was Tribal President of the Ogala Sioux (Pine Ridge). Not long after that, our family in its travels stopped by the reservation. It was Sunday, but we found the friend, he was no longer Tribal President. It was a two year term. Said friend gave me a copy of a nice pamphlet which contained the 20th century history of his people. In it was a list of Tribal Presidents since they started to have those which was in the 30s or before. There was only one that had served more than one two year term. It seems strange that these independent people, who have no compunction to throw the rascal out, if it is one of their own, would vote 92% for a man of the party who have continuously swindled the Native Americans out of any little wealth to which they may hold title. Maybe they have all turned to sheep.
Told that by whom? Got a source? This South Dakotan would like to know where that is coming from.
It would be highly unusual for a new Congressman to give up his seat after only two years to run for the Senate.
What's clear from the above is that Republicans plan to prosecute those who can be prosecuted, keep Dem voter fraud in the news for the next two years, and tar Daschle with it good in 2004. Voters hate whiners, but will often give good men a second chance if they bear up well under adversity. Look to Jeb Bush, Norm Coleman, John Kline, and Jim Talent for recent examples. In the long run the Johnson/Thune race may be a Pyrrhic Victory for Daschle -- he now has stiff competition for 2004 if he decides to chance another run.
Very well said---and I think you may well be right.
Forgive my ignorance, but who is John Kline, though?
As my friend Dakota Gator said while back, 'it's one thing to smell the skunks, but you have to be able to see 'em before you can kill 'em'! ;-)
Does a bear "do two" in the woods. Is the Pope Polish? O.K., one more clue....is Tim Johnson a "D"?
I know, I know!...some things almost go without saying...
You win the prize for best answer yet! ;-)
It's just a rumor but allegedly it came from two-term governor Janklow himslef. And I am not from South Dakotan, and I am a big Thune fan.
Well 20K R votes, who voted R for governor and R for congress voted for Johnson, just to keep Daschle in the majority, and to keep the PORK coming. Now that Daschle is not majority I, and you, should smell blood.
Unsunstantiated rumor (re: Janklow)....perhaps, but you heard it here first.
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