Daschle May Lose Leadership Post

From today's Wall Street Journal political diary:

Daschle-ing Around

Both candidates in South Dakota's barnburner Senate race scored points in their "Meet the Press" debate last Sunday. Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle took on a wounded air when he claimed his patriotism had been challenged and connected with voters when he said the South Dakota values he cherished were as much a part of him as his own arm. Mr. Thune battled back by effectively ribbing Mr. Daschle for running a TV ad showing the incumbent hugging President Bush: "The remarkable thing about it is how quickly he was willing to throw John Kerry overboard in order to help himself in South Dakota. I mean, I don't know very many party leaders that would do what he just did." Ouch.

Mr. Daschle, who is tied in the polls with Mr. Thune, is running scared on more than one front. Win or lose, his leadership position is in jeopardy. An article in The Hill newspaper over the summer noted that "fault lines of a potential leadership struggle within the Democratic Caucus are already visible." Members who are upset with Mr. Daschle's leadership style will not be forgiving if Democrats lose more seats in the Senate. If he wins re-election but Democrats are still a minority in the Senate, Mr. Daschle may well decide to leave to take a top spot on the Appropriations Committee.

If so, a Democratic National Committee staffer sums up the playing field for a potential successor this way: "Everyone wants to move Hillary up the leadership ladder, but they doubt she can step in as minority leader. People are assuming someone like (Connecticut Senator Chris) Dodd will take the top slot for at least some period of time, with Clinton as assistant leader."