Thune Response to Close Vote

KSFY ^ | 11-7-2002

[unspun]

News

Thune Response to Close Vote

After hours of meeting with his campaign staff, Congressman Thune addressed his supporters about the narrow margin of defeat during his race for the U.S. Senate.

Thune: "After a long night and a long morning, the preliminary results of last night's election show Senator Tim Johnson with a 528 vote advantage. The next step in the process is the official canvass of the election results. A canvass is done after each election, and the results will be released as soon as that process is finished. Essentially, the canvass is our election system's process for checking everyone's math."

"If there is a change in the numbers or evidence of irregularities after the official election canvass, I will look at pursuing the next step in the process, which is a formal recount."

"However, I do not wish to put the people of South Dakota through this process unless it is absolutely necessary. Therefore, if there is no change in the vote totals or any irregularities after the official canvass, we will pursue no further action and the results will stand."

"I called Senator Johnson this morning to congratulate him on today's results. I'd like to thank my supporters and all those who've worked so hard on my behalf over the course of the last year. No one would be happier than I to see those numbers change as the process continues. However, if the numbers stand, I am prepared to accept the outcome and know that my supporters and all those who have stood with me during this process will accept the outcome as well."

[twyn1]

Your posts regarding all aspects of this election have shown a consistently defeatist attitude. I question your motives in posting on FR.

Irene --
You must look at all these situations through the "eye of the press" -- if Thune immediately insists on a re-count, he will be raked over the coals as a poor loser, as a whiner, etc. When you consider the unprecedented "whumping" the Dems took in this mid-term election, you have to know that the press is just looking for a whipping boy to stir up bad feelings, and Thune would be perfect... The media will NOT treat him in the same way they treated Algore. Why do you think Pres. Bush issued a no-gloating "rule"? Yes, he is a class act, but he also knows this nation's media well, and he doesn't want to give them even the tiniest excuse to turn this fantastic election result into a devisive issue.

If enough fraud exists to change the outcome in SD, it will be found. Maybe it will be found quickly and Thune will be declared the winner. If not, we will bide our time, and the people of SD will have a mistake to rectify...2 years isn't that long, and we have a majority in both House and Senate...we CAN afford to be gracious (for now)

[hchutch]

I'm going to lay out what I see the situation as:

1. They are already calling this a clean election - without so much as a PEEP about fraud from Thune yet. They clearly know there is something to hide.

2. There is an FBI investigation that has been in progress since OCTOBER over the vote fraud schemes that were found before then. Since this occured on Indian reservations, this is their turf, and we ought to let them handle it for the most part, particularly since they are seen as NON-PARTISAN.

3. Since the irregularities involve the Indian reservations, the Democarp strategy could by - no, let me correct myself. The Democrats WILL play the race card over this matter and to NOT take that into account is foolish in the extreme. They can tar US with the race card and make it stick in enough minds to make things ugly. I do NOT think that the FBI and DOJ (both of which are involved in this) can be tarred with it, though, so let THEM do the investigating, and let them do their jobs.

They are trying to set it up so that any protest is questioning the integrity of South Dakota's election process and disenfranchising members of a minority for partisan purposes. So deny them that card by having FBI and DOJ investigate.

I think there was foul play. I also think we have to deal with it in a VERY careful manner, and get the evidence to prove to everyone (except the most hard-core DU member) that foul play occured. Once that is proven we then have to PROVE that it reversed the election, and then PROVE that the right thing to do is to hold a special election OR seat Thune.

Belief that it occured or disbelief that is was fair just won't cut it in a court of law, much less the court of public opinion. Ask Congressman Billybob about standards of proof.

Furthermore, to question my motives is unfair. My only crime is that I'm not going to get overconfident as I did in the run-up to the 2000 election. I learned THAT lesson. Plan for the worst, plan for Mr. Murphy, be pleasantly surprised if he doesn't show up, and don't be surprised by anything the Dems pull has been my motto since November 2000 and will remain so. It's not defeatist, it's realisitc.

[hchutch]

Exactly. Besides, why duplicate efforts?

Republicans have a runoff in Louisana to deal with - let Thune help Terrell down there (THAT will quietly remind people of Landrieu's questionable 1996 election). Let the NON-PARTISAN Federal Bureau of Investigation deal with the vote fraud there.

I mean, who's word will you take, the DNC's or the FBI's?

[mwl1]

Yes, remember that Thune will be well-positioned to run against Daschle in 2004, or pick up Daschle's seat should Tiny Tom choose to retire in 2004.

[Broker]

If Thune is not willing>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The FBI should be willing.... The consequences of South Dakota political corruption must stop.

Muster Chief sitting Bulls tribe herd and verify they exist!

VERIFY..............Call the FBI...............

[stevio]

Sent him an email.

[jwalburg]

This is good analysis. Also, the Dems have set it up so that right now the Native Americans, for the first time ever, feel that THEIR votes have made a big difference in the outcome of an election. That doesn't happen too often. If Thune were to charge fraud, even when it's really there, he will not be able to avoid the racist label by a good part of the state thereafter.

[hchutch]

Hence, it is better for the FBI to prove the fraud, not he RNC.

It comes down to putting youself in the minds of the average voter: Who do you believe when they allege something, the DNC, the RNC, or the FBI?

[jwalburg]

ONce again the class of Republicans and the utter bottom feeding of Democrats is on full display for the entire world. Thune is willing to gracefully accept a 527 vote defeat, even in the face of enormous voter fraud

So true. I think there could be more harm to South Dakota Dems by allowing that nauseous feeling that fraud has tainted our state through the Democrats than by getting aggressive and demanding now. The time for speaking up against voter fraud was with Bob Dornan. We should never have let that pass. If someone other than Thune can go after the irregularities here, maybe that would work. But if Thune starts acting like Gore, we've thrown away the "class" advantage AND the advantage of true suspicion of Dems in SD.

[jwalburg]

it's about 3071 plain-faced out in the open votes for Libertarian Kurt Evans

I still submit that it's the media's fault for not publicizing Kurt Evans' withdrawal from the race, throwing his support for Thune. The story in the Argus Leader was only online for about 5 hours. The American News, as far as I can tell, never even published it, or if it did and I missed it (I was looking for it), it was a brief buried on 4B.

[Reb Raider]

Do you have any ideas on what our best chances are of proving the fraud? I saw the thread with census charts and #of eligable voters vs.#of actual voters that makes it look like more voters voted in some counties than there are residents 18yrs. and older. In other cases it is statistically questionable voter participation. I am wondering if there's a way to prove the fraud in a short period of time. I think if they don't do something quickly it will be a thumbs up for them to repeat it in the future knowing their guy gets seated and we won't fight it.I do trust the Justice Dept. to prosecute provable fraud. The cost to the dems of Johnson loosing that seat were too great to let it happen. They didn't just have one person being paid to alter the election--we just haven't found the others. I can see both sides of this debate about what to do. The fact is the tone of Gore and his lawyers was so harsh and I wouldn't expect to see that under any circumstances from the Thune camp. I think fighting it depends on what can be proven quickly. If it is something that comes out months from now, Thune will have to bide his time and go after D.next election. I wish we could offer a reward for someone to sing--more money than the dems paid them to cheat in the first place. Oh, I mean get voters registered...

[#3Fan]

This is good analysis. Also, the Dems have set it up so that right now the Native Americans, for the first time ever, feel that THEIR votes have made a big difference in the outcome of an election. That doesn't happen too often. If Thune were to charge fraud, even when it's really there, he will not be able to avoid the racist label by a good part of the state thereafter.

That's true. But if the returns were true then the Indians are already voting 90 to 95 percent for Dems though, so it'd be a question of if the the anti-Indian tag would be perceived by the regular electorate. If the Republicans cut Daschle off from his pork barrel spigot, maybe he can be beat in 2 years. Lots of things to consider.

[Mike Darancette]

Bump for later analysis

[jwalburg]

If the Dems are caught in fraud it will be a huge black mark against the Dems in SD.

Right! Just as the Wellstone service booing turned off voters from Mondale. Upper Midwest types bristle at rudeness and frothing-at-the-mouth aggression. They are much more likely to turn against Daschle next time if they are left with this uneasy feeling connecting Democrats and fraud. If the GOP seems at all like it is "wresting the votes from the Native Americans" or trying to use force to twist election results their way -- which is how it will be played -- it is likely to backfire when Daschle comes up for a vote as Senator or Pres. candidate.

[joebellis]

I have sent sent the following analysis to the Thune Campaign. There is a dramatic diffrence between the votes cast for all of the statewide races. Particularly odd, in Harris County where 101 more votes were recorded than there were voters.

				Senate						U S HOUSE						GOVERNOR							SECRETARY OF STATE						ATTORNEY GENERAL
Voter Turnout	Registration	%	County	Johnson	Thune	Evans	Total	Not Voted		Begay	HERSETH	Janklow	Total	Not Voted		Abbot	Barton	Carlson	Rounds	Total	Not Voting		Looby	ALEX	Nelson	Total	Not Voting		Long	Newland	Volesky	Total	Not Voteing
65813	87865	74.9	MINNEHAHA	33903	31261	374	65538	275		402	30401	34621	65424	389		28617	235	458	35923	65233	580		28453	1053	33263	62769	3044		34910	1380	26896	63186	2627
36131	55299	65.3	PENNINGTON	13732	21790	454	35976	155		397	14099	21392	35888	243		13672	327	211	21634	35844	287		13012	1000	20359	34371	1760		20457	2880	11285	34622	1509
17304	22773	76	BROWN	9868	7226	129	17223	81		87	8682	8439	17208	96		7520	67	122	9398	17107	197		7094	303	9168	16565	739		7898	390	8334	16622	682
8034	11321	71	BEADLE	4381	3499	94	7974	60		78	4202	3684	7964	70		2946	44	24	4876	7890	144		3484	176	4026	7686	348		3132	179	4599	7910	124
11489	15880	72.3	CODINGTON	5728	5627	77	11432	57		61	5102	6264	11427	62		4688	33	58	6516	11295	194		4569	167	6282	11018	471		5723	190	5199	11112	377
11492	16962	67.8	BROOKINGS	6208	5128	92	11428	64		92	6036	5291	11419	73		4859	57	79	6409	11404	88		4818	279	5841	10938	554		5289	332	5384	11005	487
9306	13051	71.3	YANKTON	4804	4350	116	9270	36		155	4493	4586	9234	72		4768	50	65	4334	9217	89		3626	446	4629	8701	605		4620	262	3882	8764	542
7994	10545	75.8	DAVISON	3930	3937	70	7937	57		65	3481	4373	7919	75		3185	25	56	4616	7882	112		2959	169	4497	7625	369		4533	140	3060	7733	261
9806	13654	71.8	LAWRENCE	3762	5822	172	9756	50		149	3742	5847	9738	68		3731	133	81	5747	9692	114		3344	374	5595	9313	493		5616	837	2966	9419	387
1604	2052	78.2	AURORA	875	698	18	1591	13		21	925	630	1576	28		767	8	11	791	1577	27		509	36	1024	1569	35		706	42	799	1547	57
1643	2369	69.4	BENNETT	899	694	16	1609	34		20	897	686	1603	40		789	21	26	670	1506	137		933	39	573	1545	98		923	57	620	1600	43
3445	4572	75.3	BON HOMME	1858	1444	27	3329	116		37	1844	1443	3324	121		1511	20	24	1665	3220	225		1317	213	1700	3230	215		1556	79	1607	3242	203
2518	3396	74.1	BRULE	1339	1152	18	2509	9		26	1151	1323	2500	18		993	8	8	1458	2467	51		917	66	1385	2368	150		1251	53	1122	2426	92
803	1123	71.5	BUFFALO	631	153	9	793	10		10	622	154	786	17		583	9	5	177	774	29		515	24	193	732	71		141	23	603	767	36
3670	5177	70.9	BUTTE	1193	2321	59	3573	97		53	1232	2298	3583	87		1248	31	36	2257	3572	98		1101	115	2244	3460	210		2348	312	856	3516	154
978	1412	69.3	CAMPBELL	370	581	8	959	19		9	358	588	955	23		247	4	7	707	965	13		163	21	726	910	68		557	36	282	875	103
4348	5726	75.9	CHARLES MIX	2264	2031	25	4320	28		42	1905	2368	4315	33		1880	11	17	2345	4253	95		1790	135	2277	4202	146		2283	56	1880	4219	129
2263	2861	79.1	CLARK	1232	984	23	2239	24		18	981	1231	2230	33		879	6	12	1318	2215	48		768	75	1227	2070	193		967	70	1090	2127	136
5283	9069	58.3	CLAY	3455	1786	23	5264	19		65	3115	2067	5247	36		3135	51	39	2014	5239	44		2684	166	2157	5007	276		2227	170	2623	5020	263
1610	2569	62.7	CORSON	983	573	23	1579	31		40	902	598	1540	70		819	24	31	653	1527	83		795	70	601	1466	144		531	102	856	1489	121
3710	5155	72	CUSTER	1249	2337	63	3649	61		62	1480	2101	3643	67		1162	69	23	2339	3593	117		1094	143	2274	3511	199		2164	555	918	3637	73
3437	4200	81.8	DAY	2175	1196	20	3391	46		30	1873	1463	3366	71		1772	9	22	1551	3354	83		1586	101	1485	3172	265		1311	85	1854	3250	187
2212	2963	74.7	DEUEL	1280	902	21	2203	9		19	1170	1014	2203	9		1036	10	18	1122	2186	26		927	53	1134	2114	98		1039	53	1030	2122	90
2341	4129	56.7	DEWEY	1678	598	23	2299	42		35	1557	681	2273	68		1381	34	21	812	2248	93		1367	52	732	2151	190		586	122	1465	2173	168
1897	2375	79.9	DOUGLAS	610	1257	12	1879	18		10	496	1376	1882	15		463	5	9	1372	1849	48		399	43	1365	1807	90		1256	29	533	1818	79
2322	3040	76.4	EDMUNDS	1156	1109	16	2281	41		16	995	1276	2287	35		758	11	16	1416	2201	121		823	40	1307	2170	152		1088	43	1058	2189	133
3110	4960	62.7	FALL RIVER	1276	1873	62	3211	-101		71	1368	1763	3202	-92		1150	93	43	1852	3138	-28		1163	160	1788	3111	-1		1760	374	992	3126	-16
1391	1779	78.2	FAULK	626	727	20	1373	18		15	507	833	1355	36		443	2	9	903	1357	34		391	44	829	1264	127		694	49	545	1288	103
3903	5184	75.3	GRANT	2064	1783	30	3877	26		30	1779	2060	3869	34		1762	17	49	2019	3847	56		1619	67	2030	3716	187		1724	78	1949	3751	152
2398	3410	70.3	GREGORY	1092	1226	28	2346	52		20	922	1395	2337	61		884	10	12	1448	2354	44		782	76	1395	2253	145		1263	51	1001	2315	83
1228	1655	74.2	HAAKON	347	860	10	1217	11		14	351	847	1212	16		302	7	5	900	1214	14		256	40	846	1142	86		769	101	282	1152	76
2931	3772	77.7	HAMLIN	1421	1444	23	2888	43		11	1166	1692	2869	62		1035	14	20	1798	2867	64		983	79	1636	2698	233		1389	73	1277	2739	192
2393	3024	79.1	HAND	1196	1128	34	2358	35		23	1067	1267	2357	36		974	8	10	1348	2340	53		850	41	1416	2307	86		1228	55	1054	2337	56
1872	2527	74.1	HANSON	790	1047	19	1856	16		13	603	1236	1852	20		612	7	21	1198	1838	34		569	45	1145	1759	113		1084	30	649	1763	109
801	955	83.9	HARDING	164	614	12	790	11		8	182	597	787	14		122	5	5	651	783	18		134	32	578	744	57		520	92	128	740	61
8434	10866	77.6	HUGHES	3626	4703	63	8392	42		57	3461	4855	8373	61		2190	12	26	6144	8372	62		1951	87	6224	8262	172		5966	156	2164	8286	148
4024	5638	71.4	HUTCHINSON	1678	2231	25	3934	90		30	1422	2481	3933	91		1303	6	22	2435	3766	258		1154	142	2450	3746	278		2276	53	1460	3789	235
915	1222	74.9	HYDE	374	510	13	897	18		11	355	523	889	26		280	6	1	618	905	10		276	29	529	834	81		411	54	384	849	66
1202	1880	63.9	JACKSON	552	598	17	1167	35		27	513	623	1163	39		429	8	26	667	1130	72		468	36	631	1135	67		678	59	412	1149	53
1303	1633	79.8	JERAULD	770	504	12	1286	17		9	664	612	1285	18		577	14	15	651	1257	46		445	19	797	1261	42		599	25	641	1265	38
746	882	84.6	JONES	201	517	5	723	23		15	270	428	713	33		173	6	1	537	717	29		175	22	481	678	68		489	32	174	695	51
3048	4121	74	KINGSBURY	1678	1298	28	3004	44		26	1444	1530	3000	48		1037	12	27	1876	2952	96		1186	44	1704	2934	114		1374	70	1504	2948	100
5545	7628	72.7	LAKE	3198	2248	50	5496	49		39	2624	2834	5497	48		2529	25	30	2897	5481	64		2448	140	2759	5347	198		2542	127	2662	5331	214
12671	16366	77.4	LINCOLN	5614	6808	61	12483	188		64	5098	7302	12464	207		4856	31	60	7529	12476	195		4622	143	7187	11952	719		7440	171	4572	12183	488
1976	2580	76.6	LYMAN	1118	832	18	1968	8		22	1078	868	1968	8		837	7	6	1103	1953	23		858	26	996	1880	96		880	66	981	1927	49
3010	3972	75.8	MCCOOK	1475	1428	24	2927	83		23	1274	1594	2891	119		1326	9	20	1586	2941	69		1141	47	1615	2803	207		1619	50	1205	2874	136
1626	2164	75.1	MCPHERSON	571	1007	12	1590	36		14	428	1137	1579	47		345	9	12	1212	1578	48		313	33	1112	1458	168		918	35	488	1441	185
2196	2926	75.1	MARSHALL	1311	845	9	2165	31		13	1027	1120	2160	36		1052	4	7	1083	2146	50		959	49	1000	2008	188		867	61	1093	2021	175
9103	13251	68.7	MEADE	3075	5840	150	9065	38		128	3160	5769	9057	46		3045	99	50	5816	9010	93		2960	263	5472	8695	408		5567	706	2482	8755	348
912	1416	64.4	MELLETTE	483	399	12	894	18		16	480	389	885	27		359	9	20	469	857	55		385	21	464	870	42		465	32	378	875	37
1437	1915	75	MINER	857	541	12	1410	27		9	678	714	1401	36		636	4	13	756	1409	28		608	25	681	1314	123		621	24	721	1366	71
3155	4248	74.3	MOODY	1910	1169	15	3094	61		19	1437	1643	3099	56		1325	10	25	1678	3038	117		1584	48	1396	3028	127		1331	57	1645	3033	122
1662	2312	71.9	PERKINS	579	1032	26	1637	25		45	433	1058	1536	126		455	28	26	1069	1578	84		420	57	1080	1557	105		992	111	449	1552	110
1616	2060	78.4	POTTER	687	900	10	1597	19		20	527	1043	1590	26		452	9	15	1125	1601	15		405	34	1056	1495	121		896	61	553	1510	106
4481	6377	70.3	ROBERTS	2683	1737	34	4454	27		41	2396	2018	4455	26		2379	21	46	1919	4365	116		2329	94	1838	4261	220		1794	67	2400	4261	220
1430	1974	72.4	SANBORN	789	612	21	1422	8		7	707	707	1421	9		671	7	9	724	1411	19		650	23	699	1372	58		663	32	683	1378	52
3633	4634	78.4	SPINK	2064	1519	30	3613	20		10	1796	1796	3602	31		1543	10	10	2036	3599	34		1495	60	1966	3521	112		1618	72	1842	3532	101
1492	1977	75.5	STANLEY	668	802	14	1484	8		10	678	798	1486	6		503	2	5	974	1484	8		449	28	985	1462	30		984	54	424	1462	30
946	1174	80.6	SULLY	364	561	14	939	7		12	323	606	941	5		263	4	3	676	946	0		183	21	699	903	43		536	38	336	910	36
3071	4032	76.2	TRIPP	1331	1682	26	3039	32		22	1293	1734	3049	22		1082	13	11	1903	3009	62		1083	37	1834	2954	117		1949	57	975	2981	90
4320	5861	73.7	TURNER	2056	2201	40	4297	23		31	1717	2547	4295	25		1801	11	29	2433	4274	46		1552	93	2513	4158	162		2382	80	1697	4159	161
5371	8450	63.6	UNION	2518	2715	45	5278	93		46	2209	3000	5255	116		2358	35	65	2795	5253	118		2128	116	2779	5023	348		2732	104	2235	5071	300
2740	4146	66.1	WALWORTH	1177	1519	25	2721	19		31	986	1669	2686	54		873	12	21	1783	2689	51		727	86	1731	2544	196		1276	136	1123	2535	205
987	1606	61.5	ZIEBACH	648	321	9	978	9		21	591	343	955	32		524	26	7	392	949	38		496	25	386	907	80		306	82	520	908	79
3120	6990	44.6	SHANNON	2856	248	14	3118	2		46	2857	208	3111	9		2535	39	106	256	2936	184		2777	49	246	3072	48		292	135	2653	3080	40
2529	4884	51.8	TODD	2027	464	17	2508	21		49	1939	515	2503	26		1825	31	26	533	2415	114		1864	34	525	2423	106		502	44	1908	2454	75
340181	475989			167477	166949	3071	337497	2684		3117	153551	179948	336616	3565		140256	1984	2393	189912	334545	5636		133885	7874	181562	323321	16860		174508	12231	139442	326181	14000

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

WHEN DASCHLE RETIRES IN 2004......THUNE WILL BE A SHOE-IN.......

AND HE KNOWS IT SO HE IS BEING VERY GRACIOUS .

HE IS YOUNG AND PATIENT!!

[steve-b]

Don't be silly. Even if one makes the (ridiculous) stipulation that all 3071 Evans voters would have voted for Thune rather than voting for Johnson, staying home, or writing in protest votes for Mickey Mouse, all it would mean is that the 'Rats would have cranked the handle of their Fraud-O-Matic 2002[tm] an additioonal 3071 times.

[MissAmericanPie]

I read that the FBI was investigating the vote fraud in S. Dakota. I'm pretty sure they are looking at these funny numbers also, but it wouldn't hurt to call and point them out. Really we have to wait and see if Thune is going to stick with it. I think one of the most important things we can do is to encourage news media, like Fox News, to keep the spotlight hot on the fraud in S. Dakota. When the light is turned on, rats run for the dark. So much pressure needs to be applied to the Democrats that they will live in fear of that scandal.

If the FBI puts enough pressure on some of these individuals they will crack wide open and spill the beans on the whole corrupt scheme. The way to encourage the FBI is media attention, media attention, media attention.

[steve-b]

If it had been a Green candidate withdrawing and endorsing Johnson, the SD media would have treated it as the biggest political story since the ratification of the Constitution.

[cpdiii]

I e mailed them and also called with encouragement to fight this theft. I was informed that they are keeping all their options open. I got the feeling they are playing this very low key but at the same time gathering the evidence for a legal challenge.

Okay Freepers, write and call them and encourge them to fight.