Daschle v. Thune

Bishop of Sioux Falls on Voting Pro-choice

From today's Argus Leader:

The Most Rev. Robert Carlson, bishop of the Sioux Falls Catholic Diocese, seems to agree. Addressing diocesan members openly in August, Carlson wrote that a faithful follower cannot support abortion rights and still be "a Catholic in good standing." He stopped short of calling it a sin for Catholics to vote for Democrats. He cited instead Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger's words that those who vote for a candidate precisely because he or she supports abortion rights are themselves unworthy of Communion.

This story was reported by Washington newspapers and the blogs in late July. Hey, three months late ain't bad! Too bad it's in paragraph 41. Dave Kranz's column today is much better, actually, and he deserves credit. Excerpt:

[The Bishop] doesn't answer "yes" or "no" to the question: Is voting for an abortion-rights candidate a mortal sin? But he refers to his Bishop's Bulletin letter, quoting Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Rome.

Ratzinger said, "Catholics would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil, and so unworthy to present themselves for Holy Communion, if they were to deliberately vote for a candidate precisely because of the candidate's permissive stance on abortion or euthanasia.

"If one had a properly formed conscience and does not share a candidate's stand in favor of abortion and euthanasia, but votes for the candidate for other reasons, it is considered remote material cooperation, which can be permitted if there are proportionate reasons present, e.g., the candidate would limit abortions."

Daschle raising money for NARAL and Emily's List and shouting about the "right to choose" being "sacred ground" is a problem, in other words.

UPDATE: Some readers are not satisfied with this reporting. They wonder why all the information in Jody Bottum's essay "Tom Daschle's Duty to be Morally Coherent" is left out. It explains how the Bishop asked Daschle to stop calling himself Catholic and church teachings behind this request. Another offered a reminder about all the tensions between the Bishop and Daschle on the partial-birth abortion front (more on that later). Also, all the information about Daschle's history on the abortion issue which was included in this thoroughly-researched Rapid City Journal piece is missing. So ok, I agree, the Argus has to do lots more reporting on this front.

Daschle's Retirement "Home"

By popular demand, I reviewed the news story from the October 21st KDLT News broadcast. Daschle is discussing the home he owns in Aberdeen where his mother lives: "Who knows, some day I may even retire there." I'm guessing he won't part with the mansion. Here's a summary of Mansiongate.

New T-shirts

If you can't read these t-shirts, they say "Get Rid of STD (Senator Tom Daschle)." Note how the sly woman on the right is opening her coat to show off the t-shirt.

Winfred

Off to the soup and pie supper in Winfred with the parents. Winfred isn't really a town anymore with the exception of the church where they're hosting the soup and pie feed, but it's where my parents went to high school, so it can't be missed. I'll try to get some pictures since it's harvest time in SD--see picture below. And then I'll get to all those old SD political tapes and report on them.

Daschle: "I'm a DC resident"

Here's a link to the new Thune ad featuring Daschle "in his own words." Thanks for the emails on this. Yes, I agree, the ad is hilarious, and cutting. At the same time that there is a blow-up over Daschle's actually residency, Daschle is saying in this ad "I'm a DC resident." At a time when Daschle is saying he's pro-life in South Dakota, the ad features Daschle shouting to the CA Democratic Party about how the "right to choose" is "sacred ground." Ouch.

Abortion

We should spend some time reviewing yesterday's Lopez article on the Senate race and abortion in which she writes that Daschle "is running rings around his record, trying to deny his abortion-industry-approved Senate career." More on this soon.

Retirement?

Someone just sent the clip from the KDLT Television story in which Daschle is being questioned about where exactly he is a resident. In addition, Daschle says in the clip that he may retire to his mother's house in Aberdeen. Yeah, good one.

NYT

Sheryl Gay Stolberg of The New York Times has a story about the Senate race today. She misses some of the big things that are happening in this race, but she does write about Howard in Miner County, which was the farm service center both sets of my grandparents used, so that's good.

Stolen Honor

Professor Reynolds has linked to the new video "Stolen Honor" about American POWs in Vietnam, how they were constantly tortured, and how John Kerry's statements were used against Americans during the torture sessions. Leo Thorsness, Daschle's first opponent for Congress in 1978, a Medal of Honor winner, a Midwestern farm kid and SDSU grad, is prominently featured. So is University of South Dakota law grad Colonel Bud Day. The video also features Jane Fonda, Tom Hayden and other absurd figures who came to play footsie with the North Vietnamese in the midst of this torture. Jane Fonda has given money to Daschle again this cycle and she was a big deal in his 1986 Senate race. For my article about the 1978 Daschle/Thorsness race, see THIS. Anyway, the video should be watched given the sacrifice of these valiant men. You'll be appalled by Kerry. Finally, don't you think it's odd that two South Dakotans are featured in this already famous video but the SD press hasn't written an article or two about it? Note: this is not a conspiracy charge. It's a negligence charge.

Bonus

A reader sends along this article entitled Ted Kennedy's War Chest Foots Bill for Pricey Campaign Treats. Excerpt: "Facing no serious opponent or re-election race, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's campaign last year splurged on everything from a $160 bottle of champagne at an Italian resort to a fashionable Beacon Hill apartment for his father-in-law." Other parts of the "spending spree" included: "A $10,000 year-end bonus to his finance director, Jill Gimmel Daschle, who left her job at the end of the year. Daschle is married to Nathan Daschle, the son of Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle."