Daschle took a pounding tonight. Seriously, I think this was his worst showing. He was oddly subdued and made some big concessions, I thought. He was completely out-argued on the Medicare prescription drug bill---Thune noted that the North Dakota, Nebraska, and Montana Democrats supported the bill, Daschle's "Elaine in Watertown" would benefit, that Daschle was so partisan he was left out of the room on the bill, and, most damning, he'd been in DC for nearly 3 decades and not passed a bill on this. Thune also skewered Daschle on his new ad touting his pro-life and anti-gay marriage credentials (even though he tells NARAL he's pro-choice and raises money for them and voted against the marriage bill). On partial birth abortions, Daschle said he's had "votes on both sides of the bill" so don't worry voters, he's got your position covered no matter what it is. Thune also noted that Daschle had voted against the National Right to Life position 75 out of 83 times. Seriously, this new Daschle ad promoting his pro-life/anti-gay marriage credentials is completely ridiculous. I don't know what he's thinking. More in a minute.
More: On the med-mal front, Daschle was defending people's "right to be compensated" while Thune was pointing out how much Daschle has been compensated by the trial lawyers and how much lawsuits drive up the cost of everything in life.
More: On the balanced budget amendment, Daschle was a big advocate of this since 1978 (see this: "When the Argus Leader endorsed Daschle the editors said that Daschle 'has voiced conservative ideas' such as promoting 'an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would mandate fiscal responsibility.' Daschle also knew the idea would be popular. A 1979 poll from Pat Caddell's Cambridge Survey Research showed that 50 percent of South Dakotans supported the convening of a constitutional convention to balance the budget")! It was his biggest issue! If it polled well, he went with it. When it came time to get it passed, though, he ignored his previous statements. Then he walked away from it on the brink of passage in 1995 and 1997 because he was a follower of the Clinton administration. Daschle said he changed his mind because there were no provisions for war and recession. That's a lie. Of course there was. When Thune pointed this out, Daschle said "That's not accurate." It is accurate and if we had actual scrutiny of Daschle in this state people would know that. More in a minute.
More: Daschle accused Thune of being a "follower," to which Thune said that Daschle had voted with Clinton 92% of the time and voted with Kerry, the nation's most liberal Senator, 94% of the time.
More: Daschle said he always considers what's in the interest of South Dakotans when he votes, but then Thune noted Daschle's quote from the Washington Post in 1990 in which he said that 'I never vote without considering whether it can be used against me in a 30-second ad.' (I'll get the precise quote in a minute). Daschle then stammered around and said "well....it must be taken out of context."
UPDATE--here it is: "I dare say the first thing that comes to my mind in a vote is: Can it [the issue] pass the 30-second test, how successful will my opponent be in applying it to a 30-second ad? It's a screen that comes up whenever there is a vote," said Sen. Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.), Washington Post, November 26, 1991.
More: Daschle made some ridiculous comments about how he's for tax cuts, but he voted against the big Bush tax cut package in 2001, which included eliminating the marriage penalty, lowering the lowest tax rate to 10%, and increasing the child tax credit. Now Daschle brags about how he's for them. Thune called it a "death-bed conversion" since Daschle's now up for re-election.
More: Daschle also said in a stammering answer that he's for a "firewall" between church and state and that "I wouldn't want my children to say a prayer by Sung Yung Moon." Thune quickly said there's no chance of people saying SYM prayers in SD and that it should be a local decision.
More: Thune also noted he has a 100% pro-life record and that Daschle was "NARAL's poster boy" in DC but back home he runs as an "altar boy," referring to Daschle's new ads promoting his "altar boy" days. Daschle also talked at the beginning of the debate about "Sister Morris my first grade teacher." Daschle has invoked his grade school nuns before--during his first run for Congress:
To hold his Democratic base together enough to prevail in the election and avoid McGovern's impending fate, Daschle emphasized his Catholic credentials. Daschle sent a letter to voters saying "I am opposed to abortion. I do not support it. I have never supported it. It is an abhorrent practice. As a citizen and as a lifelong member of the Catholic faith I will do everything in my power to persuade others that abortion is wrong." To solidify his Catholic bona fides, Daschle enclosed a letter from eight Catholic nuns saying "We know and we tell those with whom we speak of your abhorrence for abortion — and of your commitment to life."
Now Daschle sends fundraisers for NARAL and touts his "pro-choice leadership" in the Senate. Thune said this whole game of obfuscation is "unbecoming a leader" and asked Daschle to just "take a position and defend it." Agreed, Daschle wants to have all sides of everything. It's sad. And it's even more sad that the press lets him do it.
More: At the end, Daschle said "Consider the record rather than listen to the rhetoric." Oh please do. Believe me, the last thing Daschle wants to talk about is his record. Please read this article about Daschle's record. Seriously, it's important. And lots of people have commented on it. To understand Daschle, you need to read it.
More: Daschle also denied there was an agreement with Tim Giago to get him out of the race. That's not what Giago said, however.
More: The commentators also challenged the two candidates to write out $7 trillion as quick as possible. Thune won hands down.
More: Daschle also stuck to the Kerry talking points and said there's a danger of a draft.
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