Posted on 11/20/2002 3:30:45 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
WASHINGTON (AP)--Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle says threats have increased against him and his family and blames talk show host ``Rush Limbaugh and all of the Rush Limbaugh wannabes'' for an increasingly negative tone in politics.
``What happens when Rush Limbaugh attacks those of us in public life is that people aren't satisfied just to listen,'' Daschle, D-S.D., told reporters Wednesday. ``They want to act because they get emotionally invested. And so, you know, the threats to those of us in public life go up dramatically, on our families and on us, in a way that's very disconcerting.''
Daschle was the target of an anthrax-contaminated letter sent to Capitol Hill last year, although he did not mention that incident Wednesday.
He did cite an incident last year when Republicans labeled him an obstructionist. ``There was a corresponding, a very significant increase in the number of issues that my family and I had to deal with. And I worry about that,'' Daschle said.
Daschle, who will be stepping down as majority leader now that Republicans have won back control of the Senate, blamed the problem on the disappearing divide between politics and entertainment.
``If entertainment becomes so much a part of politics and if that entertainment drives an emotional movement in this country among some people who don't know the difference between entertainment and politics, and who are then so energized to go out and hurt somebody, that troubles me about where politics in America is going,'' Daschle said.
Limbaugh, during his radio show Wednesday, called Daschle's comments ``a well-thought-out strategy by the Democrats to counter the influence of this program.''
``It's not just against me but it's against you folks, the entire audience,'' Limbaugh said. ``You all now are being characterized as unsophisticated barbarians. You don't know the difference between politics and entertainment.
``This is the continuation of a pattern. Every time the Democrats lose, either elections or a major issue, they blame me, they blame talk radio and they blame you,'' Limbaugh said.
Gee, I wonder where I get my dislike for you from? (/sarc)
Note to Dasshole....we are not as stoopid as you thought we were.
I don't know about your family, but you Mr. Daschle, certainly have "issues." Deal with them.
How about Garrison Keillor's hatefilled columns of late. Directed at incoming U.S. Senator and colleague of Tiny Tom, Norm Coleman. And Keillor has access to the airwaves, too!
Do you suppose Keillor incited any hatred toward Coleman that resulted in threats? Does that concern Tiny?
"If entertainment becomes so much a part of politics and if that entertainment drives an emotional movement in this country among some people who don't know the difference between entertainment and politics, and who are then so energized to go out and hurt somebody, that troubles me about where politics in America is going," Daschle said.
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Uh, yeah, maybe little Puff has a point.
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