[Clintonfatigued]

This is terriffic news. In some ways, Tom Daschle is an easier target than Tim Johnson was. Sen. Johnson is a mild-mannered tax lawyer who concentrated on local issues and occasionally broke party ranks. Tom Daschle is a smug, aggressive partisain who has tried to thwart President Bush at every turn, and now he needs the support of voters who will be supporting Bush. Conservatives should be promising John Thune total support, and Bill Frist should promise Thune any committee assignments he wants.

[Jeff Gannon]

That is precisely the strategy. And don't forget the spotlight that is being shown on Linda Hall Daschle, whose role in the Boeing boondoggle is beginning to emerge.

It will be part of the counter-attack on the Iraq supplemental. Stay tuned.

[Pubbie]

Right, Johnson pretended to be a "Conservative Democrat", Daschle won't be able to do that obviously.

[Buffalo Head]

"Conservatives should be promising John Thune total support...."

There are many things 'conservatives' should do to help elect Republicans and defeat Democrats but too many of them would rather vote 'principle' than be effective in politics. Look at California and how the 'conservatives' will likely help elect a Democrat.

What a shame.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"In some ways, Tom Daschle is an easier target than Tim Johnson was."

---

Yup, especially since as the election nears it will be clear that Daschle doesn't have a snowball's chance in Hell of becoming majority leader again. In 2002, something like 10% of voters said that they chose Johnson because they wanted to keep Daschle's clout as majority leader. If half of those voters came over to Thune this time, he will beat Daschle even if Daschle runs 4% ahead of Johnson among other voters. And, of course, President Bush will be atop the ballot and get well over 60% of the vote in SD, making it very difficult for Daschle to get enough ticket-splitters to put him over the top. Daschle knows he's in trouble, and that's why he's running all those early ads.