Posted on 08/07/2004 5:21:42 PM PDT by jwalburg
Nearly 50 Republican state lawmakers have signed a letter calling Sen. Tom Daschle's campaign ad about the state's distance learning program misleading.
The 60-second spot features a Rapid City master's student thanking Daschle for securing nearly $900,000 for a Dakota State University program in Madison.
The lawmakers, in a letter signed this week, contend Daschle is taking credit for work done by former Gov. Bill Janklow and the South Dakota Legislature.
The letter also notes that although Daschle added the funding during Senate appropriations hearings, he ultimately voted against the overall 2003 Omnibus Bill.
''The feeling we got is that someone outside the state system was trying to take the credit,'' said state Senate Majority Leader Eric Bogue. ''If you look at this single instance and give them the most benefit of the doubt, then the voting record speaks for itself.
''I can speak as a legislator that you cannot take credit for something you voted against.''
Daschle's campaign staff said there's no reason to yank the commercial and has no plans to interrupt its statewide airing.
DSU president Doug Knowlton said he doesn't feel the ad takes credit for the entire state network.
''Obviously, a lot of work went into the distance-learning infrastructure,'' he said. ''But it's really clear that Senator Daschle and his staff put together the plan that gave us this money. To say he didn't have anything to do with it would be a mistake because this is having an impact on learning opportunities for students across the state.''
Democratic representatives Gerry Lange of Madison and Dave Gassman of Canova, as well as Sen. Dan Sutton of Flandreau, signed a letter of support calling the Republican complaint ''the worst kind of election-year politics.''
Lange, a DSU professor emeritus, backed Daschle's ''no'' vote on the 2003 Omnibus Bill. Daschle has said its drought-relief funding was insufficient.
''I know it can get complicated when you get tangled up in the political maneuvering,'' Lange said. ''You try to get the best deal you can, and if it doesn't have everything you want, you vote against it. It's a calculated risk, of course.''
Is it in the Congressional record that way? They do transcribe this stuff, don't they? It would be funny to see it there.
OK I know I'm gonna get pounded for this. But I promise, I'm not a DU'er, just check my post history :-)
But if there is a bill that you would prefer to vote against due to its overall content; but you know that it's likely to pass anyway; woudln't it be an reasonable political move to attach an amendment to the bill that you'd like to see go through?
Let's take California Republican Tom McClintock, for example---someone who has voted against every California budget since he has been in office (and for good reason). Should he prevented from introducing favorable amendments to those very budgets, and perhaps even taking credit for doing so later? I think not.
Anyway, look, I think there is ample reason to pound Daschle into the metaphorical ground and get Thune in office. And yeah, I imagine the GOP might be scoring a political point or two among those not sophisticated enough to think this one through. But when I look at it, I see a pretty reasonable political move in this case.
That's where it's from straight from THOMAS.
Oh, Oh, This is great. Thanks. I'll frame it.
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