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More letters on the subject:

Voting Absentee Is Only Practical

In response to your editorial about Sen. Tim Johnson's defeat of John Thune and what you perceive as a questionable vote total on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation: I've spent nearly 30 years in South Dakota Democratic Party politics at every level from precinct man to chairman. Had you researched what happened on the reservations this is what you would have found:

There was an extremely effective voter registration drive and absentee voter effort. It is doubtful many of your readers have to travel upward of 40 miles to cast their votes. On the reservations that is more the rule than the exception. Given the living conditions and South Dakota's unpredictable weather, voting Indians absentee is the only practical way.

Had you watched the returns, you'd have noticed that at around 3:30 a.m. John Thune had a 3,200-vote lead with all the no-reservation counties reporting. But either by accident or design, the majority of the reservation precincts (including more than just Shannon County) had not reported. Any observer of South Dakota elections would know at that point, given the exceptional voter turnout on the reservation that had reported, this was going to be an extremely close race. Also, on the Pine Ridge Reservation there was not only the general election but also an election for tribal chairman, featuring the aging Indian activist Russell Means. Certainly, this increased turnout and interest on the Pine Ridge.

The Republican attorney general, after spending several weeks prior to the election investigating allegations of voter fraud along with the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service, found "no evidence of voter fraud." However, this effort was not unusual. It has been a common practice several weeks before an election to cry "voter irregularities on the reservations." While this has never amounted to anything other than to whip up the racist sentiments of West River whites, it nonetheless has been very disconcerting to the Indians. This time they fought back, ignored the threats and intimidation, and voted in record numbers.

Clifford Scott
Former Chair
South Dakota Democrat Party
Sioux Falls, S.D.

Updated November 20, 2002

Where Were the Poll-Watchers?

As a financial contributor to my friend John Thune's campaign, I sympathize with your suggestion that a recount was justified to unearth obvious, and perhaps decisive, irregularities or worse. It was also interesting that the precincts in question were the very last to be reported, just as it had appeared that Rep. Thune was successful.

However, unearthing fraud and abuse at the polls is not his responsibility. Problems and alleged illegalities were reported on the reservation in advance of the election involving fraudulent absentee ballot applications. The question is, on election day and night, where were the poll-watchers? The U.S. Justice Department? The media? The state attorney general? Perhaps they were there, and found nothing more than the aforementioned case where charges, as you noted, have been pressed. But if those with some direct responsibility for the administration of justice -- or their watchdogs, the press -- were as outraged as you, perhaps one of the more pungent sides of democracy would be disinfected.

But don't blame John Thune -- he did the right thing. It is not too late for legal and media investigations that could result in the changes needed to prevent this from happening in South Dakota's next Senate election, if not elsewhere in the country.

Kelly Johnston
Newtown Square, Pa.

As you requested.

No doubt Daschle wrote his letter in crayon.

Oglala Sioux

"also an election for tribal chairman, featuring the aging Indian activist Russell Means"

Thanks, TS - just some thoughts:

Is Russell Means still a fugitive from justice?

If everyone votes absentee due to the 40 mile drive to the polling place, why does it take until 8:00 the next morning to tally the results?

I see Daschole and his minion got their "it's time to attack with the racial injustice claim" faxes and sprang to action, as instructed.

The letter from Clifford Scott is interesting in that it says most Indians need to vote absentee because they're so far from polling places (40 miles? Can this be true?), yet then hoards of those who live on the Indian Reservations drove those 40 miles to vote.

There's no mention whatsoever about the stories story we've read here about the woman who signed up all those people with all the same addresses and same handwriting. Apparently everything was on the up and up with her? Or is that something that no one wants to talk about anymore?

Methinks Daschle doth protest too much. . .maybe he's writing to threaten off the DOJ officials from probing too deeply. . .

Causing dismay and anguish for Daschole is proof that the WSJ is doing its job and doing it well....

Given the living conditions and South Dakota's unpredictable weather, voting Indians absentee is the only practical way.

Does that phrase seem funny to anyone else? Almost sounds non-PC.

Big surprise - Daschle opts to use the lowest form of political discourse to make his case. Its racism!

So what can minorities expect from the editorial right in this country? To be ignored when the right's candidates win, and blamed when those candidates lose?

Or, to put it another way, what can we expect from the editorial left in this country (read "the media in this country")? A month long feeding frenzy which produces no evidence of voter fraud when the right's candidates win, and an immediate dismissal and subject change when those candidates lose?

Contrary to Mr. Daschle, in the 2000 Florida election minority turnout was much higher than normal. I forget the exact numbers but if there had been the normal minority turnout in FL in 2000, G.W. Bush would have won the state by several hundred thousand votes.

" Missing only was some mention of "firewater."

That Omission should be corrected.:

"The DemocRAT vote on the reservations was further enhanced by promises of heap big firewater for all those who vote for Johnson."

...nonetheless has been very disconcerting to the Indians.

Check out Puff and his goons. Since when is 'indians' PC?

The meltdown continues!!

Glad you posted both letters. I was just about to.

Dead Men Voting - Voter Fraud Wanders Off the Reservation ~ John Fund

Welcome to "Operation Big Vote," a non-Democratic Party effort ~ WSJ.

The Democrats stole two Senate seats--and still it wasn't enough ~ WSJ.

Landrieu Redux ~ WSJ. '97

Trouble in Paradise - Elections in Hawaii may not be a luau for Democrats ~ John Fund

Polling Isn't Perfect - Why polls so often get it wrong ~ John Fund

I suppose Daschle and his Democrat "friends" think that calling everyone who doesn't agree with them "right-wing fundamentalists" will work instead of having a REAL MESSAGE. Well, I guess he had better talk to his "senator friend" MS. Hillary. It didn't work for her and it won't work for him either!

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