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Right's sights on Daschle; Writer calls S.D. senator 'target No. 1'
Knight Ridder Tribune News ^ | 8/24/03 | ELK POINT - By Jeff Zeleny

Posted on 08/24/2003 7:29:33 AM PDT by Liz

The Democratic leader of the U.S. Senate had just finished scrubbing dead insects from the windshield of his rented Ford Taurus when he returned to the highways of South Dakota to make another stop on an annual summertime journey to protect his political future.

There is, perhaps, not a Democrat anywhere in America who is more hunted than Sen. Tom Daschle.

The White House, the Republican Party and a collection of conservative groups are working tenaciously behind the scenes and in public to end Daschle's 25-year run as a Democratic icon in one of the most Republican states in the nation.

That's one reason the senator drove to Elk Point, and to other places across the state this month, hoping to counter the television ads, the telephone calls and the series of mailings designed to convince voters it's high time to dump Daschle.

The depth of his Catholic faith has been questioned. Two days before the Iraq war, a group called the Daschle Accountability Project sent a letter throughout the state not so gently comparing him to French President Jacques Chirac.

And then there are the death threats.

In March, a few hours before Daschle arrived in Spearfish, a man was arrested after coldly declaring over a pay phone: ''We're going to kill Sen. Daschle today.'' Two years ago, Daschle's office was among those in Washington targeted with deadly anthrax spores.

''I try not to think about it. I'm very fatalistic, but I don't believe you can live your life in fear,'' Daschle said. ''I don't consider myself immune from criticism or hyperbolic rhetoric. That's probably just part of politics today.''

In South Dakota, recent political races have indeed become bare-knuckle affairs.

Few elections were nastier than one that ended here last fall when Daschle's protege, Sen. Tim Johnson, beat Republican rival John Thune by 524 votes in a contest in which more than $6 million was spent. Nationally, it was a rare bright spot for Democrats. Locally, the race still is heavily disputed and allegations of vote-buying remain prevalent.

All of that, not to mention Daschle's lightning-rod post as the leader of his party in the Senate, sets the stage for an even more contentious race. His is one of at least four seats Republicans believe they stand a chance of winning in the 2004 congressional election season, a period that even some Democrats fear may be bleak.

Stephen Moore, president of the Club for Growth, a conservative Washington group that is weighing in on the South Dakota race, puts it this way:

''There are two Tom Daschles: the Tom Daschle with a very liberal voting record who has become part of the Washington establishment and the Tom Daschle that masquerades as a prairie state populist, pumping gas for people during his August recess.''

For the next 15 months, Moore added, ''Daschle is target No. 1.''

Who will run against Daschle is unknown. But the South Dakota political landscape became unexpectedly more complicated during this month's congressional break, when legislators traditionally leave Washington to spend time in their home districts.

The state's only House member, Republican Bill Janklow, had not ruled out challenging Daschle. But now he may face criminal charges for his role in a fatal traffic accident Aug. 16. And Thune, a former congressman who narrowly lost the Senate seat last year, has not said whether he will challenge Daschle, fill Janklow's seat if it becomes open or sit out the 2004 election season entirely.

But the opening barrage of negative attacks on Daschle has been under way since May.

The Club for Growth, which seeks to elect candidates who support President Ronald Reagan's hallmark of limited government and lower taxes, first ran an advertisement attacking Daschle's position on taxes. This month the criticism is far more personal and features Daschle's new home in Washington.

''It's a long way from Aberdeen to Foxhall Road,'' the ad says, showing pictures of the senator's new home. ''This is Tom Daschle's new $2 million house on Washington's ritzy Foxhall Road. It's a great place to entertain Hollywood liberals, politicians and lobbyists.''

The Daschle campaign asked local television stations to consider not airing the commercial, but the senator himself said he wasn't overly concerned about the juxtaposition between his native Aberdeen and Washington, where he has spent considerable time since first being elected to the House in 1978.

''It's not lost on a lot of people that those who are criticizing me don't even live in South Dakota,'' Daschle said. ''They are out-of-staters with deep pockets and they want to tell South Dakotans how to vote and how to think. I don't think South Dakotans buy that.''


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Politics/Elections; US: North Dakota; US: South Dakota
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To: Liz
If Tommy loses, she won't be of much use as a lobbyist...there goes her million dollar job.....so in essence he's fghting for BOTH jobs.
21 posted on 08/24/2003 4:10:22 PM PDT by Ann Archy
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To: Ann Archy
In typical greedy Dummycrat fashion, little Tommy cares more for the money Linda Lobbyist is bringing in than "serving" the people of S Dak who are only a means to an end for this creep and his jerk spouse.
22 posted on 08/24/2003 4:51:18 PM PDT by Liz
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To: Liz
**Right's sights on Daschle; Writer calls S.D. senator 'target No. 1'**

I agree! Down with Dysfunction Dimocrat Daschle!
23 posted on 08/24/2003 5:00:24 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Liz
''It's not lost on a lot of people that those who are criticizing me don't even live in South Dakota,'' Daschle said. ''They are out-of-staters with deep pockets and they want to tell South Dakotans how to vote and how to think. I don't think South Dakotans buy that.''

Tommy boy, you don't live there either. That's the whole point of the ad. Carl Lenin doesn't live in Michigan. He rents a Downtown Detroit apartment which he likely subleases.

At least my congressman still lives in Brighton.

24 posted on 08/24/2003 5:01:45 PM PDT by Dan from Michigan ("Boom Boom! Out go the lights!" - Pat Travers)
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To: Ann Archy
**His religion is Pro-Life.....he is pro-choice.....hopefully the priest keeps calling him on it.**

Here's the last I have on it:

Catholic Church asks Tom Daschle to stop calling himself a Catholic

On Catholic Politicians and Faith

Vatican Urges Catholic Politicians to Vote Along Church Lines

THE BISHOP AND THE SENATOR [author links to FR thread regarding Daschle in her online column]

Blood On Their Hands: Exposing Pro-abortion Catholic Politicians

Prelate says politicians who back abortion shouldn't go to Communion

25 posted on 08/24/2003 5:05:47 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation

"Gosh, it's no fun being minority leader."

26 posted on 08/24/2003 5:21:07 PM PDT by Liz
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To: Dan from Michigan
.....said Tommy........."I don't think South Dakotans buy that."

My advice to Tommy is not to think too much. That's how he'll really screw it up.

27 posted on 08/24/2003 5:23:34 PM PDT by Liz
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To: Liz
I am one Virginia Conservative who will be donating directly to Daschle's opponent next year........no one person has blocked progress more in the Senate that Daschel and we need to get rid of him.

Now how are we going to stop the massive illegal votes in the SD Indian Reservations they counted last year??
28 posted on 08/24/2003 5:28:07 PM PDT by Gopher Broke (Abortion: Big people killing little people)
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To: Gopher Broke

29 posted on 08/24/2003 5:31:14 PM PDT by Gopher Broke (Abortion: Big people killing little people)
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To: Gopher Broke
Pubbies need to monitor this very carefully. Dble-check all registrations before election day and have poll watchers out in force when the polls open to check those listed as registered voters against those trying to vote.
30 posted on 08/24/2003 5:38:30 PM PDT by Liz
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To: Liz
There is, perhaps, not a Democrat anywhere in America who is more hunted than Sen. Tom Daschle.

A damn pity. Yes, it will be great to pick off an important prairie dog. But I want more. Yes....lads...I want us to plunge our harpoons into the great white himself! Arrrghhh...to render that pale mound of Senatorial blubber into oil and haul him back in kegs to Hyannisport with flags flying and bugles bugling. . . that would be God's work indeed.

31 posted on 08/24/2003 10:14:08 PM PDT by DPB101
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To: Liz
Ahh, nipping the elderberry vino again.
32 posted on 08/24/2003 11:50:43 PM PDT by razorback-bert
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To: razorback-bert
Actually, it was iced tea.....plain ol' unadulterated iced tea with a wedge of lemon.
33 posted on 08/25/2003 1:06:51 AM PDT by Liz
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To: DPB101
There is, perhaps, not a Democrat anywhere in America who is more hunted than Sen. Tom Daschle.

Gosh, I'm all broken up about it (sniffle).

34 posted on 08/25/2003 1:12:14 AM PDT by Liz
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To: Liz
Daschle Scandals-- Now will someone notice them? [Free ...
... To: Teacup. Daschle, Linda. Groups Which Have Retained
This Lobbyist: ... To: PA Engineer. Daschle's pilot license. ...
www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b0d3be12727.htm - 101k - Cached - Similar pages

Linda Daschle's FAA Failed to Heed Pre-9/11 Warnings
... Linda Daschle's FAA Failed to Heed Pre-9/11 Warnings Culture/Society Source: NewsMax
Published: 5 December Posted on 12/6/01 8:44 AM Pacific by 1Peter2:16. ...
www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/585010/posts - 15k - Cached - Similar pages

"Tom Daschle's Hillary Problem" by Stephanie Mencimer
... The landmines in Linda Daschle's professional portfolio will make Hillary Clinton's
pork futures and law-firm billings look like mousetraps. For instance ...
www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2001/0201.mencimer.html - 32k - 14 Jan 2002 - Cached

Daschle's Wife Lobbies for Identification Company
... WASHINGTON (EVOTE.COM) - Linda Daschle, wife of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle
(D-SD), has registered to lobby for the New York company Intelli-Check Inc. ...
www.evote.com/News/ev112620012.html - 2k - Cached - Similar pages

[PDF] Schering-Plough Political Money Pushes Claritin Patent ...
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
... and lobbying expenditures, and hired a "dream team" of lobbyists including Linda
Daschle, wife of Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (DS.D.), former House ...
www.citizen.org/documents/report.pdf - Similar pages

35 posted on 08/25/2003 1:46:08 AM PDT by backhoe ("Total Recall!")
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To: Gopher Broke
That picture is hilarious. I get a big grin every time I see his lefty pose. Too bad it's really not a pose...
36 posted on 08/25/2003 10:42:03 AM PDT by Marysecretary (GOD is still in control!)
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To: Clintonfatigued
Not only should Bush-Cheney raise money for whomever runs against Dachle, we on FR should pull our wallets out and help too.

No one would have thought that Jim Wright could be defeated until it happened and I think Little Tommy is much more vulnerable.
37 posted on 08/25/2003 10:49:28 AM PDT by Straight Vermonter (...they led my people astray, saying, "Peace!" when there was no peace -- Ezekiel 13:10)
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To: Gopher Broke
Funny picture but it has been doctored. Not even the most powerful democrat in the nation is that stupid.
38 posted on 08/25/2003 10:54:04 AM PDT by jsbankston
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To: Straight Vermonter
Since you're from Vermont, maybe you can help me on something. Everyone says that Senator Pat "Leaky" Leahy is a shoo-in. I believe that he could lose if state House Speaker Walter Freed were to run. What do you think?
39 posted on 09/01/2003 5:49:49 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued (An unrelated question)
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