Daschle v. Thune

The House Special Election

Tomorrow morning the live voting begins in the House special election (some people have already voted absentee). I'll try to post some things, but my focus will again be on what the House race can tell us about the Daschle v. Thune race. Here are some of my early thoughts.

Press Bias

Again, see this piece from the Public Editor of The New York Times criticizing the paper's coverage of the WMD issue and the paper's explanation for their mistakes. The editor says:

The failure was not individual, but institutional. When I say the editors got it "mostly" right in their note this week, the qualifier arises from their inadequate explanation of the journalistic imperatives and practices that led The Times down this unfortunate path. There were several.

This is what SDP has been saying about the Argus Leader--their is an institutional element to the paper's problems. Perhaps this is true, perhaps not. More evidence is needed. But let's say that for now I have serious concerns about what the paper may do and has done that will or already has distorted the process of voters making an informed choice in the Senate race. Also, see this piece by Annenberg's Online Journalism Review. And see this piece by the American Journalism Review. And see this from Editor & Publisher. There's much to be said about the intersection of newspapers like the Argus and the blogosphere. These articles should get us thinking.

Remember

Remember the dead, who died fighting for freedom.

House Race

The Aberdeen American News endorses Herseth. Here's a Boston Globe story by South Dakota-based reporter Bob Mercer. Sunday's Argus also carried a story by Dave Kranz about the race--Kranz thinks the race will tell us something about issues like agriculture and abortion and the importance of the Sioux Falls vote. I saw a KELO-Land television story about all the Herseth people from around the country coming into the state, but I can't find it on the web. Out and about today, however, I've seen many Herseth volunteers from out of state (just saw 3 Illinois guys at Starbucks). There are also lots of lit drops going on and lots of doors getting a knock. Whatever they are here to do, they have a great day for it--67 degrees, sunny, breezy in Sioux Falls. Also, as always, the liveliest discussion of what's happening on the ground is taking place at Daily Kos. As to the vantage point of most Kosacks, note that they are debating how "paleolithically backward" South Dakotans are. It's a grim reminder of how the midwest/high plains horrifies many on the left. Perhaps once the Kosacks see South Dakota first hand, they'll realize that 98% of people here are very nice. Finally, Drake, writing from the UK, sees the SD special election as more of a Republican primary since Herseth has run so far to the right. More:

The thing is, while some might characterise this as a litmus test of public opinion, the campaign has run more like a GOP primary. Herseth claims to oppose partial-birth abortion and support both the Iraq war and the Bush tax cuts [and the marriage amendment]. Her campaign has been extremely careful to avoid all references to the national Democratic party (positively avoiding links to John Kerry) and even to Senate Minority leader Daschle despite his position as de-facto head of the South Dakota Democrats. In short she has campaigned as a conservative Democrat - and that seems to be giving her the edge.

The essence of the Republican campaign has been that Herseth is not telling the truth. After all, she is a Georgetown educated lawyer who lives in DC. It is possible that she really is an old style conservative Democrat despite that, but given where her backing is coming from there's a reasonable chance that she is playing the game of being one thing in South Dakota, and another entirely in DC. Which as a strategy has a lot going for it - since it exactly matches Tom Daschle's m.o.

Again, I don't think a Herseth victory will help Daschle in the least.

Daschle Hypocrisy Exposed by Newspaper

After The Good (WWII Memorial) and The Bad (Tim Johnson's Taliban remark), this is how the Rapid City Journal sees The Ugly, i.e. Tom Daschle's blatant hypocrisy, which we've been noting:

The Ugly: Standing on the dais at the Herseth rally alongside Sen. Tim Johnson was South Dakota's senior U.S. senator, Tom Daschle. Just two weeks earlier, Sen. Daschle was the featured speaker at Kansas State University's Landon Lecture series. In his speech, he decried what he termed the "startling meanness" of politics.

"Demonizing those with whom we disagree politically does not serve the interests of democracy. It does not resolve differences," Daschle told the Manhattan, Kan., audience.

Daschle's reaction to Johnson's statement and "apology"? "He has now apologized, and I think that's all that needs to be said."

Note to Kansas State University: Never mind.

I might add: "Note to KSU: Didn't you know that was a cynical, manipulative, hollow gesture? Thanks for the PR though!" Anyway, good for the Journal. At least someone is paying attention.

The Mind of Kos

See these Daily Kos comments about life in the "middle of East Bum Fuc SD" and about how racist South Dakota is. It is all very revealing.

Begala

This is a photo of Paul Begala, Bill Clinton's advisor, giving a send-off to the Democratic troops heading to South Dakota for the Herseth race. Remember this when thinking of Begala. Would that be "startling meanness" or not?

Must Read

I've been traveling, but I'm back. This is a must-read. Let's discuss soon.

House Race

Here's some information about Herseth and Emily's List. See this information about the DC Dem invasion. And finally, for Memorial Day, see this.

Voting

I just voted. Not much on the ballot here in Minnehaha County but the House race and some County Commission stuff. The lady said more than 4,000 people have voted early in Minnehaha, which she said was a lot. This is the last day for "early voting," since the polls will be closed on Monday.