Daschle v. Thune

Daschle's Michael Moore Problem

Here's a photo of Daschle arriving at the Michael Moore premiere last week in DC. Remember that he cancelled action in the Senate on the defense bill so he could attend. The irony is that when he got there and started watching the big anti-Bush blockbuster he had to sit through several scenes making fun of him for being such a weak opposition leader. Others have noted how much it hurts Daschle to be linked with the "wild eyed" wing of the party--see here and here. Despite Daschle's May protests about "meanness" in politics and his need to project a moderate image at home, he has dutifully sat on the sidelines as Michael Moore's distortions add up, during Al Gore's Nazi allusions and during fellow Senator Tim Johnson's "Taliban wing of the Republican Party" remark. Unfortunately, the Argus Leader has ignored the Thune campaign's statement on the Michael Moore film--even though they sent out a release, the Argus said Thune 'couldn't be reached for comment'! But the Argus at least reported that Daschle attended the premiere. The whole Moore episode underscores Daschle's dilemma: he is stridently liberal in Washington, but when he comes home he has to play up how much he supports the President and the war, which angers the Michael Moore/Howard Dean/Daily Kos base which wants to see Daschle replaced as leader. He's trying to be two different people. The left-wing base has figured it out and many want him replaced, but people in South Dakota, due to the screening and filtering of news by the Argus Leader, which is apparently intent on protecting Daschle's political viability, have yet to get the full story. Word is getting around, however.

Daschle's Coastal Money

Here are some interesting facts about where Daschle gets all his money. See this for all of Daschle's Hollywood money. Daschle is there today collecting checks.

Michael Moore Makes Fun of Daschle

I just returned from "Fahrenheit 9-11" and it was basically as predicted--anti-Bush, anti-war, and organized around a Marxian theme of the rich and powerful controlling and manipulating the weak. Most interesting, however, were Moore's prominent digs at Senator Daschle, which must have made for some odd moments at the gala premier in Washington which Daschle shut down the Senate to attend. Moore sees Daschle as a weak enabler who supported Bush's "fraudulent" election in Florida and his "lies" about the Iraq war. This, once again, makes the point that the Michael Moore/Howard Dean base of the Democratic Party thinks Daschle is a weak leader and that's why the speculation continues that Daschle will lose his post as Minority Leader.

NOTE: Kranz reports this today too. But he doesn't mention that Daschle delayed Senate action to go to the premier only to have Moore poke fun at him, which is the real irony.

Daschle Paying "Homage" to Micahel Moore; Halts Senate Action on Defense Bill to See Movie

See this. Will Kranz report?

Hewitt on Daschle

Note this from Hugh Hewitt:

I am more certain than I was last week that attending the premier and the standing ovation that followed it was a mistake for Tom Daschle. The folks in South Dakota should hear repeatedly of Daschle's sympathy for Moore's project and point-of-view. The John Kerry-Michael Moore Democrats do in fact represent a low point for that party, and unless and until the Kerrys and Daschles denounce the fraud for what he is, they are stuck with him Some on the left are proclaiming Moore to be their Limbaugh. He's not. Moore is the Democrats' David Duke, but they are putting their arm around him.

That Kranz Column

SDP notes that despite going all-out to report on the contents of a Thune fundraising letter, Dave Kranz doesn't do the same with Daschle's fundraising letters. Quentin Riggins notes that Kranz hasn't reported on Daschle's fundraising letter which, again, tries to inject race into the Senate contest. Sibby notes that Kranz was in Mitchell for the Republican convention, but didn't actually report on the events of the convention. He was setting up his column for Sunday about Thune's fundraising letter. Kranz set it up quite nicely I might add. The Daschle campaign is now citing the Kranz column in another fundraising appeal sent out today! They also link to the Kranz story on the Daschle blog. How convenient. I like how they say "the Argus Leader reported on Sunday" when referring to the Kranz column. At the same time, dozens of stories which could have been reported on by Kranz which would be damaging to Daschle are ignored. The degradation of the democratic process continues.

"The Bird"

Go out and get your copies of "The Bird," the new bi-weekly newspaper in South Dakota which will provide you with tons of information the establishment press won't report. Here's "The Bird" blog, which indicates places where "The Bird" can be found. As most of you know (some all too well), I've done quite a bit of reporting on the ethanol front in this campaign. My ethanol story is carried in "The Bird" if you want more.

Daschle Stops Senate for Michael Moore Premier

Daschle says his attendance at the Michael Moore film was no big deal. He zipped in and zipped out. Well, as it turns out, he delayed votes in the US Senate so people could rush off to see it! See this column by David Brooks:

And the liberal grandees Arthur Schlesinger, Ted Sorenson, Tom Harkin and Barbara Boxer flock to his openings. In Washington, a Senate vote was delayed because so many Democrats wanted to see his movie.

This really explains rather nicely where Daschle's priorities are.

Hollywood Rallying Around Tom Daschle

See this from the LA Times:

It's a long way from Pacific Palisades to Pierre, S.D., but one group of influential Southern Californians is taking a personal interest in South Dakota's politics.

With D.C. Republicans recruiting former Rep. John Thune to take on Tom Daschle, the Senate Democratic leader from South Dakota, Democratic Party faithful in California are rallying to Daschle's side.

Thune ran two years ago against South Dakota's other Democratic senator and lost by a thin margin of 524 votes. This time, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has broken from a tradition of remaining neutral to campaign for Thune.

Thune's reemergence with the help of GOP leaders has put a scare into Democrats, who are frantic to maintain or improve Democratic numbers in the Senate.

To that end, a fundraising lunch for Daschle is scheduled Wednesday in Brentwood. The event, costing $500 to $2,000, is hosted by former Universal Studios Chief Executive Frank Biondi; Victoria Hopper, wife of actor Dennis Hopper; state Sen. Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica); and Victoria Riskin, former president of the Writers Guild of America's Western Division, among others.

The invitation points out that groups have in the past run ads in South Dakota comparing Daschle "to Saddam Hussein for opposing drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and the American Taliban, John Walker Lindh, for raising questions about the president's policy leading up to the Iraq war."

Thune also has received donations from California, according to campaign manager Dick Wadhams, "although we don't have any fancy movie stars." Wadhams said he is not concerned about California's cash giving Daschle an advantage. "He has spent $8 million already and the difference in the polls is still within single digits," Wadhams said.

Two Great Men

I had no idea. Apparently, Ronald Reagan gave Merle Haggard a pardon! Two great men. (Powerline has more).