May 25, 2004
WE PREFER "THE PURITANICAL WING":
Daschle Hypocrisy on Johnson Calling Republicans Members of the Taliban (Daschle v. Thune, 5/24/04)
To the left is a picture of Senator Tim Johnson of South Dakota, with Senator Daschle and Stephanie Herseth behind him, railing against the "Taliban wing of the Republican Party" at a Herseth rally yesterday in McKennan Park in Sioux Falls. His statement has generated a firestorm--see here, here, and here--and calls for Johnson, Daschle, and Herseth to apologize for the remarks. The immediate context is the House special election next week that Herseth is competing in against Larry Deidrich (Stephanie memo to Tim: we're running a "postive" campaign and trying to tar our opponent for launching "negative attacks," remember?)(see this for Stuart Rothenberg's comments about Herseth "crying wolf" on "negative" ads). The broader context is the major speech Senator Daschle gave earlier this month decrying the "startling meanness" in American politics and denouncing the tactic of "demonizing those with whom we disagree." (see this USA Today story about Daschle's speech). Instead of intervening after Johnson's remarks, however, Daschle stood by and clapped.
Surely we are all deeply pained and disappointed, right, Mr. Daschle? Posted by Orrin Judd at May 25, 2004 1:55 PM
But it's only mean spirited when the bad guys do it. Daschle and Johnson are the good guys, right? I know, Republicans need to be more bi-partisan and vote like Democrats.
Posted by: Tom Corcoran at May 25, 2004 3:33 PMTom Daschle is an oily weasel, living off his wife's lobbying money, and I haven't even begun to be mean.
Posted by: jim hamlen at May 25, 2004 4:11 PMThis SD house race could be a bit of a momentum shifter. If the GOP holds this seat it might calm down some of the nervous nellies on the right. On the other hand if the Dems pick up this seat the Dems and media will spin it as proof Bush is going down and the GOPers/right will become even more wobbly.
Posted by: AWW at May 25, 2004 4:47 PMIf Bush kills someone while driving 100mph I think he'll lose.
Posted by: oj at May 25, 2004 4:56 PM>Tom Daschle is an oily weasel, living off his
>wife's lobbying money...
Cabana Boy II?
Posted by: Ken at May 25, 2004 6:13 PMGet off your duffs and send Thune some money ... I'm going to and I'm a N.H. tightwad!
Posted by: genecis at May 25, 2004 9:34 PMWe should have known when Daschle did his anti-meanness, anti-demonization speech that the mean demonizing was about to start. Always a good tactic to pre-empt charges of demonic meanness by casting the first stone.
Posted by: pj at May 25, 2004 9:48 PM