Daschle Running in Maryland?

Argus v. Thune mentioned a possible run by former Senator Daschle for the empty Maryland Senate seat currently held by the retiring Paul Sarbanes.  The Washington Times has more on this rumor. 

Rumors have even centered on former Minority Leader Tom Daschle, who was bounced by voters last year in South Dakota and currently resides in Washington. At a farewell party for Mr. Daschle earlier this month, Sen. Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat and chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, was reportedly overheard whispering that Mr. Sarbanes had some ideas about Mr. Daschle's filling his Maryland seat were he to retire.

My gut feeling is there is no way Daschle will run for this seat.  Though he was branded a D.C. resident in Thune's famous "In his own words" ad, the people I know who worked for Daschle in D.C. all say he is very proud to call South Dakota home.   It's an interesting rumor but I highly doubt it will become reality. 

New Republic

Having been out of town I haven’t had time to comment on the New Republic piece on South Dakota bloggers and the Thune-Daschle race (see Jon Lauck’s comments here). I am not usually interested in the inside media ballgame stuff, but I think this piece deserves some comment.

1. First of all, as  has been mentioned on this blog before, The Argus can’t seem to decide whether blogs had no effect on their coverage or if blogs shaped the   entire race. If blogs are useless pieces of partisan trash, then they shouldn’t have had any effect on the venerable Argus Leader. That, I think, is the argument Mr. Beck made this past Sunday, claiming that blog criticism of Dave Kranz had no influence over the paper’s decisions about who should cover the race and what stories should be reported. So which is it? The New Republic reports that the Argus was running scared, Randal Beck denies it.
2. Both TNR and Beck make big deals out of Jeff Gannon. I find the whole Gannon story slightly less interesting than watching paint dry, so I have avoided it, but here are some comments. As this blog, Prof. Blanchard in      particular, has mentioned, when someone finds out that what Jeff Gannon      reported was factually inaccurate, then we might have a story. But that’s not the complaint. The complaint is that Gannon a) wasn’t a real reporter, b) led a tawdry lifestyle, and c) changed his name which makes him suspicious. First, I remember going to the Talon website during the campaign (which I note was before I was affiliated with any blog) and it was patently obvious that it     was a biased news site. It was not  as if Gannon was hiding his biases. So like any other thinking American, I figured I should take what he said with a grain of salt. It’s not as though Talon News was portraying itself as a mainstream “unbiased” news outlet. Also, Gannon was at least as much of a reporter as the obviously biased Helen Thomas, long the dean of the White House press corp. Second, it’s amazing how intolerant of gays the left becomes when it suits their purposes. Now I am supposed to dislike Jeff Gannon because he’s done scandalous things in his past, but I was supposed to forgive Bill Clinton for having sex in the Oval Office with an intern half his age while he kept Yassir Arafat waiting for a meeting on Middle East peace. Whatever. Third, do I have to distrust Larry King and Wolf Blitzer now? Cause guess what? Those aren’t their real names.
3. Back to TNR, they make a point of bashing Jon Walker from the Argus.

Daschle aides felt the Thune campaign exploited Walker's political inexperience and that the reporter gave Daschle undeservedly rough treatment. (One Daschle operative says Walker was a religious conservative who, to his amazement, appeared on Democratic Party voter-identification lists as having declared himself a pro-Thune voter in 2002 and 2004.)

First, I have been interviewed by Mr. Walker on a handful of occasions and have found him to be extremely professional and thorough. Second, I have no idea what Mr. Walker’s political leanings are, which says something about his reporting style, but how is it that Dave Kranz’s political sympathies are irrelevant because he is a good professional reporter (something I happen to believe) while TNR takes as gospel from one Daschle staffer that Walker is in the bag for Thune, coloring everything Mr. Walker says? I will say this about Jon Walker. At least he spells his first name correctly.

4. Then, we get this doozey:

Soon after the election, an Argus Leader source also told National Journal that the paper had been pressured into running an extra story on the lobbying activities of Daschle's wife, Linda--a favorite theme of Daschle-bashers in Washington--even though it had already published a long profile of her.

This intrepid blogger remembers the story well, as he was interviewed and quoted in the article. This article is still available online, so readers can decide for themselves, but I still think that it treated a serious conflict of interest in a very light manner. It is one thing to print a “profile” of Linda Daschle, but it strikes me that her lobbying efforts on the part of clients who have business before her husband is a legitimate story and the Argus piece on it, written by Jon Walker I add, is not nearly a hard hitting as it could have been. I am not one to get all teary eyed about the influence of evil special interests in Washington, but it seems to me that if Linda Daschle lobbies for businesses and industries that then give large amounts of money to her husband, that’s a story. People can make of it what they want; you’ll see my comments in the story indicate that I make relatively little out of it. Here’s the jist of what I said, and still believe:

Schaff, the Northern State political science professor, worked for a lobbyist when he was a student at St. John's University in Minnesota, and says "a dizzying amount" of legislative family members represent special interests.

"You can't tell them, 'You can't do it.' It is a free country," he says. "Certainly the appearance is not the best thing. I don't know that it's a bad thing, but it's not the best thing."

Someone troubled by that, however, should consider the alternative, he says.

"In the history of humankind, there's not been a cleaner, more transparent, less corrupt government than the United States," Schaff says from Aberdeen. "These people are by and large working for the public good under very difficult circumstances."

The Daschles' financial success is apparent but not startling to voters, and neither is the $1.9 million home they bought in Washington, Schaff says.

"My understanding is that in that household she's the bread-winner. He's busy being powerful while she's busy making money," Schaff says. "You don't buy homes like that on a senator's salary."

But the same goes for Thune and his lobbying, Schaff says. The Thunes own a $278,000 home in Sioux Falls.

"It's lucrative," Schaff says. "If you've got a family and are trying to provide for your family, and here's a credible way to provide for your family, what husband and father wouldn't do it?"

5. Finally, I swear, we get the stuff about Bishop Carlson’s supposed letter to Daschle.

For instance, Daschle's former campaign manager, Steve Hildebrand, believes that Gannon was leaked a blistering memo from a local bishop denouncing Daschle's position on abortion and questioning his standing as a Catholic. "Gannon wrote a piece, and [local conservative talk-radio host] Greg Belfrage talked about it, and [local station kelo's] newsroom took it off his show. Then every news source in the state covered it--TV, the AP, newspapers." Including the Argus Leader.

I happened to have dinner with a priest friend of mine a week after the election, and he said to me, “Bishop Carlson wishes he had enough influence to defeat US Senators,” his point being that now former Bishop Carlson wished his flock could be so easily swayed by his opinions on all manner of issues, and also that indeed Bishop Carlson probably wasn’t that influential in the Senate race. Also, Mr. Hildebrand, do you deny that such a letter exists? If it doesn’t exist, then we have a story. If it does, quit complaining that the truth came out. This seems to be the crux of the argument against Gannon and against the blogs.  The problem is, as one hears from certain quarters, that blogs and Gannon say/said things they'd prefer not to have said.  Welcome to free speech, folks.  Willie Nelson once wrote of music executives who didn't like his music, "So sit on your ass and get richer, or write your own songs."  If you don't like what blogs say, start your own blog. Or hey, get your own newspaper.  You could call it the Argus Leader.

Leno Joke

For all his years at CBS, the network gave Dan Rather a gold watch. Well, they told him it was gold ... you know, he’ll believe anything.

Hookers and Honesty, Take 2

From alert reader and not the last Irishman Casey McEnelly:

As someone who lives in the DC area I am familiar with many hookers,
politicians, attorneys, and journalists. I would trust a hooker 
before any of the others. A hooker is always upfront about price 
and services, never adding additional hours for billing. And 
they will never screw you without your permission or tell you they 
are not going to screw you and then go ahead and do it anyway. 
I would think the shameless self-promotion and sicophantry of
prostitution would be the perfect training to be a White
House reporter. If he's the first hooker to be in the White House, 
then I am the first Irishman to wake up in a pool of my own vomit.


>Casey McEnelly (SDSU '98)
>Falls Church, VA

This reminds me of the prostitute who was thinking of going into politics but thought better of it.  She didn't want to screw people like that. 

Si Tanka

A reader mentioned his frustration at the lack of commitment toward keeping Si Tanka's Huron campus open.  I can see why he is frustrated as I have said previously that in my opinion education and economic development are the two major keys to prosperity for South Dakota's Native Americans.  However, it appears the Huron University campus was hurting the ability of Si Tanka's other campus to retain the federal funding necessary for the it to operate.  According to today's Argus, schools are eligible  to receive a "$4,390 appropriation per student at tribal higher education institutions with more than 50 percent Native American enrollment."  Si Tanka was no longer able to qualify for this exception because of the number of non Native Americans who attended the Huron Campus.  Though I feel for the students and professors who are about to lose their school and their jobs the closure of the Huron campus may be able to prevent the total closure of Si Tanka which would be a huge blow to education for South Dakotas Native Americans.

Interesting findings in the Centers for Disease Control report on causes of death (warning: pdf file) in America. There is much to be happy about, strangely enough, and some disturbing numbers. First, the good news. It may seem strange to say it, but the fact that accidents are the number five cause of death in America is good news. Only a rich and healthy nation (and those two things are related) has “accidents” that high on its cause of death list. It shows how well we deal with illnesses in this nation that accidents rank so high. Interestingly, accidents are the #3 killer for men, but only #7 for women, showing once again that men are idiots. The bad news. Somewhat disturbingly, suicide is the #8 killer for men, but only #17 for women. Also a cause for alarm, homicide is the #5 killer of African Americans. Among African American men ages 15-34, homicide is the #1 killer. AIDS is the number #6 killer of African American men, and the #2 killer of African American men between the ages of 35-44. AIDS is the #10 killer of African American women, and the #1 killer of African American women between the ages of 25-34. Perhaps not coincidently, suicide is the #10 killer of the same cohort. The life of the young African American is, to quote Hobbes, nasty, brutish, and short. One wonders when we will get serious about the problems in the African American community instead of patting ourselves on the back for making African Americans slaves on the government’s plantation. And scroll down to page 34 to see depressing numbers about American Indians. The #8 cause of death: Suicide. I won’t bore you with all the numbers, but let’s just say when you break down American Indians into age cohorts, suicide and cirrhosis of the liver play a large part in their deaths. I refer back to the plantation comment above.

Hat tip to Realclear. 

The Constitutional Personhood of Bloggers

Exactly what are bloggers, legally speaking?  Journalists?  Privateers?  Does a blogger have more or less protection under the Constitition and Federal Law than a reporter for the Washington Post?  See Howard Kurtz piece in, well, the Washington Post. 

Drilling Alaska

Sen. Thune is stepping up pressure to drill for oil in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge.  According to the news story, Republicans are suggesting drilling in a 1.5 acre tract.  I have seen photos of ANWR.  It is miles, upon miles, upon miles, upon miles (you get the point) of pristine ice.  The amount of space taken up by oil drilling will be minimal.  Only those with a fetish for nature could oppose this proposal.  Meanwhile, the price of gasoline goes up, and up and up (you get the point again). 

Run for your life

 Drudge is reporting that Democratic Senator Paul Sarbanes from Maryland is not running for re-election.  I think it's time for some entrepreneuring Marylander to start a SomebodyversusSomebody website.  I personally hope Maryland Democratic Representative Steny Hoyer runs because the Senate needs more guys with funny names, and right now Daniel Akaka and Mike Crapo aren't enough.

Oh, and this just in: Michael Jackson is weird.  I promise never to bring it up again.

Update:  Drudge no longer has the Sarbanes story.  See the Washington Post.  Also, Michael Jackson continues to be weird. 

We got this interesting note by e-mail, from intrepid reader Cycle Logic  I post it with his/her permission.

I'm new to this blogging thing and from yours it seems the content is also new:  never in my wildest Blue dreams did I expect to see anyone in SD, (republican is a given) actually defend anything done by a male prostitute whose real identity is still a mystery.  Clearly a co-conspirator (with folks much more important than he) in getting into white house "briefs" during his offering of himself naked and "8 inches cut" I ask you, why do you believe anything a whore says?  (I know, you make an exception for this one.  Hope he doesn't want to get married!)

 

PS  Daschle is NOT dead!

I cannot speak for my fellow bloggers here at SDPolitics, but I do not give much credit to ad hominem arguments.  To say that X is wrong because X is a prostitute is a textbook ad hominem argument.  What counts is whether his arguments are sound and his evidence reliable.  I note that almost all the criticism of Gannon was ad hominem.  He is discredited because he was biased, or not a "real journalist" or because he was paid.  Or he is unworthy of a voice because of his "8 inch cut." I think I know what that means.  What no one has shown or even argued is that he was in fact wrong.  That's because he wasn't.

I trust that Daschle does in fact live, in a suburb of Washington D.C. to be precise.  I am content with that.

 

Dissing Democracy In the Middle East

After a breathtakingly long and broad wave of optimistic reporting on Democratic trends in the Middle East, including many that at least considered giving George Bush credit, the tide has finally begun to ebb. 

Those who want to crush the story seem to be presenting three arguments:

1) It isn't happening.  All the apparent democratic trends are just smoke and mirrors.

2) What is causing it to happen has nothing to do with Bush.  All this was going to happen anyway and was merely retarded by Bush's invasion of Iraq.

3) Bush caused it to happen for altogether corrupt and nefarious reasons.

I haven't made an exhaustive list, but Seumas Milne of the Guardian managed to hit numbers 1 and 3 in a more or less logical way.  A commentary in realclearpolitics makes the second point.  Robert Kuttner hammers in number one in the Boston Globe.

Most of these miss the point.  No one is uncorking the champagne yet, and yes, Saudi Arabia is still a repressive autocracy.  But preciously that reason any democracy there, especially with Shiite representation and a promise to include women next time, is really something. 

Lebanon is a very fractured society, but so is Iraq and there are some signs that that is working.  The pro-Syrian Hezbollah faction can turn out several hundred thousand folk on a good day, with hundreds of buses paid for by the Ophthalmologist next door.  But the pro-independence faction can keep tens of thousands in the streets day after day. 

Finally, it is absurd to argue that GWBush gets no credit.  When someone makes a prediction and acts on it, and it turns out like he said it would, that's all the evidence you will ever get that he made it happen.  Besides, if the Democrats keep trotting out coincidence to explain the foreign policy success of Reagan and Bush 43, people will probably conclude that if the Republicans ain't smart they're damn sure lucky.  And that might keep them in the White House for a good long time.

Janklow takes out Daschle ad

From the AP:

PIERRE, S.D. - Former Democratic U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle was a good man who was devoted to public service and did many important things for his home state of South Dakota, a once-prominent Republican supporter says in a lengthy newspaper ad.

The article cites USD Professor Bill Richardson, who notes the two men have been strong allies:

"Here are two really powerful individuals in their heyday who genuinely liked each other and recognized that they would have to oppose each other at times but also worked extremely well together for the good of South Dakota," Richardson said. "They admired each other and found common ground despite their ideological differences.

I don't have access to the ad, put apparently it is a full-page?

Thune interview in Christianity Today Magazine

Sen. Thune recently sat down with Christianity Today Magazine. Some excerpts:

How does your Christian college education [Biola, '83] impact your work today?

I think it builds a good solid foundation, not only in my field of study which was business administration, but also the Bible courses that you take. The solid instruction and having a worldview that helps you see things in context give me a grounding and a foundation on which to make decisions. And frankly it helps shape the decisions that I make in my life, whether that's in my professional life or my personal life. But having gone to Biola was a great foundation.

Do you find fellowship with other legislators?

I do. There are several different Bible study groups on Capitol Hill. I've not had an opportunity yet in the Senate to really get immersed. But when I was a member of the House, there were a couple of organizations, one called Christian Embassy that is affiliated with Campus Crusade for Christ whose mission it is to reach out and reach and disciple people in the legislative branch, the executive branch, and in the military at the Pentagon. And also the C Street ministry, which initially came from Doug Coe. Coe was influential at Chuck Colson's conversion too. But those are a couple of ministries that are active out there. And there are other members of Congress who come to those events. There are a number who are very serious about their faith. I do have a chance to interact with them.

Skipping back to foreign policy, why might Christians have a special interest in seeing democracy spread in the Middle East?

Christians obviously want to see people come to the Christian faith, but they want to see people have the choice to be able to choose. Religious freedom, political freedom, political liberty, and economic freedom all tend to go hand in hand. Liberating Iraq from decades of tyranny and dictatorship, bringing about political freedom, will create an atmosphere of where religious freedom will come to Iraq. And that opens the door, obviously, for the Christian faith there as well.

Christians look around the world and want to see people who are in a position to be able to make decisions, to have the freedoms that we enjoy in this country. That is, like the President says, our birthright. Our Declaration of Independence, our Founding Fathers said, "we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights." And those rights are endowed by our Creator, they're not bestowed by any government.

It's a really good interview, a must-read for today.  Being a Evangelical Christian myself, it was interesting to read about Sen. Thune's faith and how he approaches life as a Christian.

Morocco-blogging

Greetings from Morocco.  Remember when Mt. Blogmore had the debate about the bill banning smoking in SD bars?  That was nothing.  You should see--or not see--the basement of a Moroccan cyber-bar.  The screen is merely a hazy blip, and I´m a foot away.  Will be returning to Spain in coming days.  Should note, of course, that tomorrow is the anniversary of 3-11, when 200 Spaniards died in Madrid due to bombs left in sports bags on various trains.  They think those responsible are from Morocco, actually.  The other half and I toured the Rock of Gibraltar today and the Gibraltar Chronicle had a long story about the 3-11 attacks (in case you´ve forgotten your Western Civ, the British still control Gibraltar).  More pictures tomorrow.  What does this have to do with SD?  Well, I guess not much.  But the guard at Gibraltar was fascinated that we were from Dakota!  One other thing: someone tell Powerline that the Gibraltar beauty contest will be held in April....

The Testimony of an Unrepentant Terrorist

I remember hearing once that Southern California has more Irish immigrants than either New York or Chicago.  I don't know if that's true or not, but I did attend the Irish festival there several times, and it was a really big show.  Sinn Fein (pronounced shin fayn) had its booth set up near the entrance, to funnel some more gullible Yankee dollars into the hands of the murderous Irish Republican Army.

The Irish presence may explain why the Los Angeles Times decided to print Anthony McIntyre's harsh critique of the current Sinn Fein/IRA.  At first glance you might think that it was the IRA recent bank robbery, staged as Sinn Fein was trying to negotiate for a voice in the Northern Ireland government, that offends McIntyre.  Or maybe it was one of the IRA's recent political murders.  But that's not quite it. 

As a young man not even out of my teens, I entered the ranks of this steely republican fighting machine. Within days I was pitting both my wits and my seriously inadequate sniping skills against the might of the British empire. I came through. Many others did not. Among those who died were the 10 hunger strikers in 1981.

I knew some of those hunger strikers from prison, where I spent 18 years for killing a loyalist paramilitary.

He was a terrorist and proud of it.  A soldier "in an army — the IRA — not a criminal gang."  What did the current IRA do to loose his affection?  It tried to make peace.

The IRA leadership had embraced defeat in its acceptance of the Good Friday agreement. That "solution," with its built-in guarantee of continued British rule, enshrined everything I had spent a lifetime opposing. I could accept defeat. It happens all the time in wars. I was not, however, prepared to celebrate it.

Northern Ireland contains two populations, the larger of which insists on remaining part of Britain.  There is no way that the IRA can compete politically even among the Catholics, most of whom have no patience for its heavy handed ways.  McIntyre and those like him are simply bullies who will always resort to arms when they can't get what they want by more legitimate means. 

Maybe one of these days  the LA Times will give us a piece by some romantic insurgent, describing longingly how he used to lop off the heads of women voters back when the movement was pure. 

For something more sensible, see the London Times on the absurd codling that Sinn Fein has enjoyed under the peace process. 

 

 

A response to Beck

First, I need to apologize to Kevin Woster for my criticism in an earlier post, to wit, that he had skipped any mention of the central role of Argus Leader political reporter Dave Kranz in the dustup over "Nothingate."  Kevin discusses Kranz in his second article in a series "Blogs change campaigns."

As for the piece by Randell Beck in Sunday's edition of the Argus Leader, it's more of the same tiresome "don't trust the blogs, only trust the Argus Leader" intonations we've come to expect.

Take, for instance, this passage:

Nowhere else could South Dakotans get the kind of in-depth journalism about the candidates and the issues that they found in the Argus Leader.

Consider this remark in light of the fact that, by October 12, 2004, the Argus Leader had ignored or buried over 60 stories about Sen. Daschle published in other mainstream media outlets like the New York Times and Roll Call, well-known bastions of right-wing zealotry.  That's hardly "in-depth journalism" on the part of the Argus Leader.  It's facts like these that prompted my post mentioned by Beck in his column, which Beck ridicules but fails to address in its substance.  How did that post "overreach," Mr. Beck?  You never tell us.

Beck also discusses the controversy over the Kranz-Daschle college relationship:

Yes, Kranz and Daschle had attended SDSU, the former graduating in 1968 and the future senator a year later. And yes, there had been a mock convention.

No, Kranz was not a member of the political science club. But he, Daschle and roughly 30 other students had wanted to stage a mock GOP convention until a teacher, reacting to then-President Lyndon Johnson's decision not to seek re-election, suggested to them a Democratic convention would be more interesting and timely.

Compare Beck's passage with what David Kranz himself wrote about the event for the September 4, 1976 edition of the Mitchell Daily Republic:

More familiar faces are returning from other parts of the country to South Dakota. Tom and Laurie Daschle, aides to Sen. James Abourezk in Washington have been reassigned to Abourezk’s Sioux Falls office.

Daschle is formerly of Aberdeen and his wife is the daughter of PUC commissioner Mrs. Norma Klinkel. We went to college with Daschle at South Dakota State University and worked together on a mock political convention.

Daschle masterminded one of the most successful participation events by students of an unrequired nature when he headed the political science department’s convention project. Well over 650 students got involved in the event which was patterned after the Democratic convention that year because of the general interest.

I remember our tireless search to find a renowned public speaker to address the convention such as McGovern, McCarthy, Humphrey or some other prominent Democrat. With no takers, we finally found a popular young state senator from Salem to address the group. His name was Richard Kneip.

Notably absent from Beck's column is any mention of the "bombshell memos" which you can access on the right side of this blog.  These memos detail how Kranz collaborated with Democratic staffers.  Why won't you respond to those memos, Mr. Beck?

Beck is correct that we must read skeptically.  That is hardly a revelation.  The old aphorism "Don't believe everything you read" has been around for quite some time.  It seems, though, that Beck has trouble believing the same rule applies to the Argus Leader.  It was skepticism of the Argus Leader that sparked the rise of the Dakota Alliance blogs.  And Beck's response to the skepticism was anything but welcoming.  Instead, Beck stooped to ad hominem attacks, and even made stuff up (it was rather gutter-like). That's hardly a comforting invitation to rely upon Beck's "high standards."

The Italian Story is Fishy.

Michelle Malkin explains why.,

Startribune on Blogs

Its suddenly everybody's favorite topic.  Why now?  I suspect Dan Rather's departure had something to do with it.  See the Trib's Piece. 

Chamberlain, South Dakota, Malaga, Spain, whatever...

I remember stopping at the "South Dakota Store" in Chamberlain several times with my parents in the past.  Is it still open?  Anyway, as I'm walking in Malaga, Spain today, what do I see but a store called "Dakota U.S.A." selling "original products" from Dakota!  When I tried to engage the clerk we mostly exchanged smiles and the waving of arms, but no real information about why the store was started.  But now we know the Chamberlain store has some competition.

Budget for Indian Country

I just checked the SDP email and received an article from Indian Country Today from a reader.  In the article, Senator Tim Johnson referred to budget cuts to Indian Country as "outrageous" and "egregious".  Normally, Senator Johnson and I don't see eye to eye on much of anything.  However, in this instance we tend to agree in principle that these cuts may be excessive.  Though I may disagree with the President on this issue, I do so not quite as forcefully as our senior senator. 

In my opinion, this is one instance where the President should explain himself in a little more detail.  The standard answer for budget cuts is that some sacrifice must be made and this is one area where we chose to make them.  I think this is not enough.  Sen. Johnson is right in that we are cutting budgets aimed at those who can least afford them.  The president should explain in detail why these cuts are being made.  Every Republican should look closely at the budget for Indian Country and the cuts they will incur because I firmly believe that every Republican wants to help those who cannot help themselves.  That being said after reviewing the budget these are my thoughts. 

The increase in health care funding is encouraging.  Though the funding does fall short of the level Sen. Johnson wanted, increasing health care funding is always a good thing.  It would appear the most significant cuts will come in the form of funding for school construction and housing.  Though both are discouraging for Native Americans, the school construction funding, in particular, is probably something which can be delayed easier than health care funding, assuming the issue is re-addressed next year.  Cuts in housing construction are a bit more problematic and hopefully this is an area where additional funding can pick up the slack.   Sen. Johnson says in the article he is already working to address this problem. 

Before I can offer my overall impression of the budget I would like to see a little more information.  For example, I would like to know how much money is dedicated to economic development for the tribes.  It has been my experience that when the tribes are allowed to develop their own economies in a way that works best for them, they are far more successful.  After health and education, economic development is the most important part of any budget dealing with Indian Country.   Until I can look at the entire budget itself, I'm going to reserve judgment.  Upon first review I tend to agree with Sen. Johnson though.   

Daschle Coming to South Dakota!

And we lived to see it.

The Associated Press reports that Daschle will visit next month to thank his supporters.  He "continues to live," the AP notes, in the D.C. area.  Inspite of having a little fun at his expense, I never thought that there was much substance to the residency issue.  U.S. Senators tend to live in D.C.  What did you expect?

The issue was important only in so far as it highlighted one of Daschle's problems.  Midwestern states often have a distrust for anything that is too big or from far away: corporate pig farrms, Wal Mart.  When someone from here becomes too big, he has a harder time holding on to his constituency.  This may be unfair or even irrational, but that's politics. 

Thune in Artic National Wildlife Refuge

Thune will likely push for drilling.  His argument turns on the idea of energy independence. 

I disagree with him on this one.  Barring the sources of some radical new energy source, independence is a pipe dream.  It appeals to the sort of fortress America thinking that is behind the outsourcing issue.  Interdependence, not independence, is the key to the future. 

Besides, leaving ANWR untouched means we will have it in reserve if and when we really need it.  Meanwhile let the elk frolic.

John Bolton to the UN!

It seems like it was just weeks ago that the left complained bitterly about Condi Rice as a choice for Secretary of State.  They couldn't argue that she was in any way unfit or unqualified, so they made do with this criticism: she agree with Bush on most things.  It would be better to have a cabinet full of people you can't get along with, so this thinking goes, so they will challenge you and raise difficult questions.  Consider this from the Roanoke Times and World News, 11/17/04:

As his national security adviser, Rice is noted for her extraordinarily close relationship with Bush and has been finely in tune with his thinking. Her nomination to head the State Department can hardly come as a surprise: Harmony with his own views is a high value for a president who likes to surround himself with people who make him feel comfortable.  But like-mindedness does not necessarily serve him or the country well.

Now that John Bolton has been nominated by Bush as our representative to the U.N., it suddenly seems as if challenge and disagreement are bad things.  See the New York Times.  Maybe Bolton is in harmony with the President's views, and maybe not.  But his job will be to talk to the UN.

One would have thought that an institution as corrupt as the U.N., with the multi-billion dollar food for oil scandal, and the current sex for pretty much everything scandal, that someone skeptical of international pieties would be just the thing.  See Anne Applebaum's piece in the Washington Post. 

    

For the record, let me begin by repeating a few quotes from John Bolton, newly nominated as ambassador to the United Nations, just so that no one can accuse me of naivete. He has said, "The Secretariat building in New York has 38 stories. If it lost ten stories, it wouldn't make a bit of difference." He has said that "wishful thinking about the United Nations . . . ran into a wall of reality in Kosovo." He has been skeptical of U.N. peacekeeping operations, skeptical of the U.S. obligation to pay its U.N. dues, skeptical of just about everything, really, to do with the United Nations.

  All of which makes him an ideal candidate to be America's U.N. ambassador.

More Barce-blogging

Below is a picture of one of the performance artists in one of the ped malls of Barcelona.  Che lives!  I see someone mentioned the upcoming terrorism in conference in Madrid.  Yes, lots of that stuff in the newspapers here.  Of course, we´re close to the anniversary of 3-11, when al-qaeda (sp) attacked the trains in Madrid, causing the Popular Party to lose power to the Socialists, who withdrew Spanish troops Iraq.  I´m in Granada now, where Spanish Christians won a victory over the Moors in 1492, driving the Muslims from Spain, where they had been in control since the 700s.  A professor I know said that one of the reasons for the 3-11 attack was revenge for 1492, in addition to getting the Spanish out of the war.  LGF says that George Soros is also here in Spain to attend the big conference (sorry, can´t figure out how to do links in Spanish).

Dean and Gonzales to Spain

In a odd pairing, DNC Chair Howard Dean and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales are off to Madrid, Spain for a 4-day terrorism conference.  Will be interesting to see how this develops.

Bush foes admit benefits of Iraq policy

Well, its baby steps for the Dems, but Wednesday's Washington Times has a round-up of reactions of the "Whiff of Freedom" in the Middle East:

Some of the harshest Democratic critics of President Bush's Iraq policy have grudgingly admitted that it has helped spark a growing desire for democracy in the Middle East.

Democrats aren't taking to the Senate floor to praise Mr. Bush's role in the spectacle of Lebanese protesters demanding independence from Syrian control, or the elections in Iraq, or the news that Saudi Arabia and Egypt have committed to freer elections.

***

"The war gave the Lebanese the spine they needed," Sen. Lautenberg said yesterday. "It told them, 'We can get rid of these vultures.'"

Sen Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat, said on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday that Mr. Bush deserves some credit for the positive developments in the still volatile region.

"What's taken place in a number of those countries is enormously constructive," Mr. Kennedy said. "It's a reflection the president has been involved."

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, said he didn't hear Mr. Bush's speech yesterday on spreading freedom in the Middle East, but "if there were ever a place in the world where we need democracy, it's in the Middle East."

"Any breakthrough we get there, whether it's in Lebanon or Egypt, is a step in the right direction and I support the president in that regard," Mr. Reid said.

But then you still have Senator "I don't want to give President Bush a single ounce of credit" Kerry:

But Massachusetts Democratic Sen. John Kerry, whose criticism of Mr. Bush's Iraq policy did not translate into a presidential victory in November, said Mr. Bush deserves no credit for recent developments in the Middle East.

"An assassination made this happen," Mr. Kerry said, referring to the car bomb that killed former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri last month.

"This was not the reason we went to war, but it's a very good outcome," Mr. Kerry said.

Also, Wednesday's Times reports that bomb maker's skills in Iraq seen as eroding.

Ward Churchill in Indian Country

I have argued that Ward Churchill should not be fired because of his outrageous article about 9/11.  A better case for his dismissal would rest on 1) his advocacy of violence as a means of political action; and 2) pading his resume with false pretensions to Native American ancestory.  On that latter thing see Patti Jo King at Indian Country Today.

Churchill does not now, nor has he ever, represented Indians. His complex, overly-academic rhetoric clarifies how little he has in common with Native people. His acid tongue, dirty-mouthed sarcasm, self-important posturing, and preachy fanaticism contribute nothing to the challenge Indians face to establish a satisfying position in contemporary society.

Churchill portrays Indians as hapless victims, repressed and demoralized by the crafty American government. These characterizations only serve to impede Indian social progress. He combines hackneyed stereotypes, postmodern gibberish, and radical buzzwords to coax naive individuals to accept his authenticity. Such characterizations are the antithesis of empowerment.

The American Prospect is Angry at the Blogosphere

In "Blogged Down," Garance Franke-Ruta  expresses dismay with the Conservative Bloggers who brought down Jordan Eason.  Her main complaint seems to be that they pretend to be "citizen-bloggers", i.e., ordinary Joes, whereas they are really political astute conservatives.  Surely one can't be both. 

Powerline demolishes this nonsense.

Here's what Franke-Ruta had to say about Power Line:

Power Line, another conservative blog deeply involved in the Rather controversy, helped push the Jordan story as well. Described by Time magazine as “three amateur journalists working in a homegrown online medium [who] challenged a network news legend and won,” Power Line was voted Time’s “2004 Blog of the Year.” In reality, its three writers are all fellows at the conservative Claremont Institute who attended Dartmouth College in the early 1970s and now work as attorneys; two of them have been writing articles as a team for conservative publications such as the National Review and The American Enterprise for more than 10 years.

I love the use of the phrase "in reality" followed by a series of biographical facts that have nothing to do with the material the author purports to challenge -- i.e., whether we are amateur journalists, whether our medium is homegrown, whether we successfully challenged Dan Rather, and whether we were Time's blog of the year.

SDPolitics is Cutting Edge

I mentioned the British Independent's cover story "Was Bush Right After All?"  A day later the Washington Post has a story about this same question being asked all over Europe.

Could George W. Bush Be Right?" asked Claus Christian Malzahn in the German newsweekly Der Spiegel.  Essayist Guy Sorman asked last month in the Paris daily Le Figaro (by subscription), "And If Bush Was Right?" In Canada, anti-war columnist Richard Gwyn of the Toronto Star answered: "It is time to set down in type the most difficult sentence in the English language. That sentence is short and simple. It is this: Bush was right."

Newquist in the Aberdeen American News

David Newquist, who runs the Northern Valley Beacon, has a well written piece of satire in this mornings Aberdeen American News.  While I don't agree with many of the serious arguments suggested by the humor, its very funny.  Consider this gem:

Some folks want an amendment against flag desecration. This amendment is going to meet some tough opposition from the flag lobby. They realize they could double the annual flag sales if more people would burn them. The industry is ready to market flags that are self-igniting and erupt into a display of fireworks that goes "woosh." It is not likely that anyone would put an amendment in the constitution that dampens the entrepreneurial spirit.

That's clever writing. 

Barce-blogging

Coming to you from lovely Barcelona.  You know how sometimes I object to some of the blogs using terms like "fascist" and "Stalinist," mostly because they´re so absurd?  I object in part because in places like Barcelona and wider Catalonia, those words have serious meaning, or used to.  Barcelona is where the Anarchists and Trotkyites were closest to establishing their ideological utopia in the 1930s until the Stalinists crushed in order to serve the interests of the Popular Front strategy of the global left.  While the left was divided, the fascists under Franco took control of Spain with the help of Nazi and Italian fascist units.  Read Orwell´s famous Homage to Catalonia on this front (we stayed in the hotel where he recovered from his wounds from the civil war last night).  Anyway, the point is that all these labels have meaning and to toss them about as some do is not good.  Word has it that Randell Beck´s column on Sunday failed to come to grips with the reality of the situation with the Argus last year.  Will get the that.  In the meantime, here´s a shot from a workers´ demonstration in downtown Barcelona yesterday.  I think they were protesting a factory shutdown.  Oh, and we also talked with Barcepundit! 

Adjectives and Objectivity in Beck

This was e-mailed to us by an astue reader, who prefers to remain anonymous.  Many thanks:

Dear Jon,

Noticed the little blurb by Beck on blogs this morning.   I thought it would be interesting to compare the terms and phrases that they used. 

 

On Bloggers:  ax to grind, zealot, resigned, demonize, extreme, manufacture, zealot, fiction, speculation, right-wing, "weren't going to let facts get in the way".

 

On the Argus:  largest, most influential, influential, independent, accurately, fairly, high ethical standards, in depth.

 

On David Kranz:  long-time reporter, most ethical, plays no favorites, fair, thorough.

 

(Of course they're objective.  Any fool could see that!)

Ryne: Randell Beck ♥'s Blogs

Ryne offers his thoughts on Randell Beck's "blog" column on Sunday.

I would concur.  Nice post Ryne.

As a follow-up, I'll actually be speaking to a high school journalism class tomorrow in Laramie, WY about blogs and their role in journalism today.  I plan to discuss Hugh Hewitt's book "Blog" and show them South Dakota Politics, along with a couple other blogs (Powerline, etc).  I'll let you know how it goes!

Another European Newspaper Has to Ask the Question

Courtsey of Little Green Footballs and Instapundit. 

The Dentist Who Saved Iraq

Now this, from the Washington Times, is a great story. 

BAQOUBA, Iraq -- He is, even by Iraqi standards, an unlikely leader -- a dentist from Manchester, England, whose only previous cause was supporting his local soccer club.
    Yet Abdallah Al Jibouri, 45, an exiled Iraqi who spent more than 20 years in Britain, has turned his back on drilling and filling to become the reluctant savior of one of the Sunni Triangle's most violence-prone trouble spots.

He goes to Iraq to check on his mother and finds that his language skills are in much demand. 

Much to his astonishment -- and, he says, to the dismay of his British wife, Sharon -- he also became governor of the province of Diyala, with a population of 1.8 million.
    Local insurgents have paid his leadership the ultimate backhanded compliment: They have tried to kill him 14 times and have put a $10,000 bounty on his head.

But Al Jibouri seems to have decided that he cannot turn his back on the people of this province.  Needless to say, his wife is not amused.

    Mr. Al Jibouri, who has two teenage children, has sold his dental practice in Britain and plans to stay in Iraq until Diyala is back on its feet. He hopes that his wife will visit soon.
    "She doesn't really want to come at the moment," he said. "Obviously, Manchester is quieter, and you get no hassle.

No kidding. 

Unions choose Politics over Survival

The Washington Post takes a fascinating look at what was once the Democratic Party's most important constituency.

    

By a 2 to 1 margin, the AFL-CIO's executive committee last week rejected the dissidents' proposal to boost spending on union organizing and membership drives by roughly $35 million. Instead, it adopted the Sweeney plan to nearly double spending on political and legislative mobilization, raising the AFL-CIO's annual commitment to these activities to $45 million.

    

In 1953, 36 percent of private-sector workers were union members; today, fewer than 8 percent belong to unions. Sweeney argued that the only way to stem the collapse of unionization is to win back Democratic control of the Congress and the White House. Union organizing, in the view of Sweeney and his backers, will be futile in the face of hostile Republican leaders and regulators who allow employers to block union-certification elections and use stalling tactics and threats to discourage organizing drives.

It certainly seems like a hopeless strategy to fight the war against Republicans in Washington while your membership slowly drains away at the bottom.  But it might be that the cause is hopeless either way.

Some experts warn that neither proposed strategy will work in the face of such overwhelming forces as globalization, the shift of production and services to low-wage countries, and the emergence of Wal-Mart and other mega-corporations that have undermined -- and in some cases obliterated -- union efforts.

    

Leo Troy, an economics professor at Rutgers University, predicted that unionization in the private sector "will continue to ebb" worldwide in all advanced industrial countries.

It may well be that the Labor Union is a movement with a great future behind it.

 

RCJ on "Nothingate"

Kevin Woster at the Rapid City Journal has a report under the headline "Thune denies ties."  Woster is a good reporter who has done a great job engaging the South Dakota blogosphere through his efforts as a contributor at "Mt. Blogmore" the RCJ's blog.  The most interesting portion of Woster's story is where an attempt is made to answer the challenge to Gannon/Guckert's critics, specifically, in what way was any part of Gannon's reporting inaccurate or not based in fact?  Steve Hildebrand, Senator Daschle's campaign manager, takes up the challenge and fails miserably:

Hildebrand said Gannon and the blogs frequently distorted reality. An example was the story Gannon wrote and promoted about a tax break Daschle and his wife, Linda, received for their $1.9-million home in the District of Columbia. It was Linda Daschle's residency that qualified the Daschles for the tax break, because she paid taxes in D.C., Hildebrand said.

Except that Senator Daschle himself signed the application for the tax break, as Woster, to his credit, reports.  So it seems Gannon/Guckert's report was pretty accurate.  It's just that Steve Hildebrand didn't like it that this fact was reported.  Ah, but Senator Daschle signed the form "by mistake" Hildebrand says:

Hildebrand said Tom Daschle signed the form by mistake, along with other real-estate forms, when he and his wife closed on their house. District of Columbia officials erred in accepting it and later had Linda sign a replacement form, he said.

Never mind that the burden is on the applicant to verify the truth of the information asserted in the application, not on the District of Columbia.  Never mind, too, that Linda signed a "replacement form" the day after Gannon/Guckert published a story about Daschle taking advantage of the homestead exemption.  Hildebrand is dissembling here, and the bottom line is that Gannon/Guckert's reporting on this matter was factual and accurate.  Much as they try, Gannon/Guckert's critics, when pressed, simply cannot come up with any example of his purported "inaccuracies" and "distortions."  If this is the best "example" Hildebrand can come up with, it's no wonder he and others like him instead wish to focus upon Gannon/Guckert's irrelevant past pecadillos and call them "newsworthy."  Hildebrand has engaged in this kind of ugliness before.  Also, in today's Washington Post, a "Daschle aide" described Sen. Thune as a "creature" and a "beast."  It is incidents like these that make Daschle's "startling meanness" speech so meaningless.   

Notably absent from Woster's article is Argus Leader political reporter David Kranz's central role in this non-controversy.  It seems to me this is highly relevant to any discussion of Gannon/Guckert's reporting, as it seems Kranz's pro-Daschle bias is what sparked Gannon/Guckert's interest in the South Dakota Senate race back in 2003 (when Sioux Falls businessman Neal Tapio was contemplating a run against Daschle).  Yet there's no mention of the fact Gannon reported Daschle and Kranz knew each other in college, were involved in a mock Democratic convention together in 1968, and that Kranz even wrote about it as a reporter for the college newspaper. 

Kranz even fondly reminisced about his and Daschle's role in the mock Democratic convention when he was a journalist for the Mitchell Daily Republic, as Steve Sibson discovered while researching the archives of that newspaper.  And to those who excuse what one does in college as irrelevant, remember Kranz never hesitates to report on the silly things that college students who happen to be conservative do, such as this instance.  And it's less about the Kranz/Daschle college connection than the fact that the pattern in college continued in the real world.  There's the "bombshell memos" which you can access on the right side of this blog.  No one in the local MSM has ever dealt with these memos, which irrefutably tie Kranz to the Democrats.  There's the fact that the New York Times and Roll Call characterized the Kranz-led Argus Leader's coverage of Sen. Larry Pressler in the 1990 South Dakota Senate race as "vituperative" and "hysterical," respectively.  Then there's the institutional bias problem at the Argus Leader, which helps explain why, by October 11, 2004, less than a month before the election, there were 66 stories about Sen. Daschle published in other mainstream outlets around the country that were ignored or buried by the Argus Leader. As the Argus Leader itself reported, we bloggers are not alleging there's a conspiracy of bias at the Argus Leader, but rather an inability to completely set aside one's preconceptions:

[The members of the Dakota Blog Alliance] allow that bias, where it exists, is less conspiracy than it is a byproduct of humanity.

"When people are passionate about something, it's hard to separate it," [Quentin] Riggins said. "Hints of beliefs creep in."

Finally, it cannot be overemphasized that even the Nation's David Corn (you know, that rabid rightwinger) has said Gannon/Guckert's reporting was "straightforward" i.e., based in fact.  The facts are the facts.  It shouldn't be controversial that the facts about Daschle and Kranz came to light.  Yet it is.  Certain people are not amused that Daschle was defeated in part because the facts got around the filter.  That, ultimately, is what "nothingate" is all about.

Aberdeen American News Forum

Something interesting, to me at least, and of interest to this blog has been going on in the Aberdeen American News Discussion board.  Someone identified as Unnamed Source has been waging a battle of words with Bagelmom, Freedom7, and Draco.  The latter apparently decided they know what Unnamed Source's real name is. 

There's this from Freedom7:

"I am calling you [Unnamed Source] out. I submit that you ARE a contributor to a well-known SD blog. I submit that you ARE an employee of the state of South Dakota. I submit that you ARE a resident of Aberdeen. I submit that you ARE a middle-aged male. I submit that you are dishonest on this board. I submit that the truth is coming out."

And this from Draco (Malfoy?):

Ken,

I have done some investigating and discovered your identity. I would hope a man in your position in Aberdeen would not like to be uncovered as a racist.

For me I am very disappointed and believe your supervisors would be as well.

Take a chill pill and get on with the required ethics for the job/title you hold.

from Draco. 

I get the sneaking suspicion that "Ken" might be me.  I have no idea who any of these people are, but I do happen to know that I am not Unnamed Source.  And as to the unsubstantiated charge of "racism" and the implicit threat, assuming they are directed at me, the former is false and the latter is empty.  But I've heard worse from better. 

Thune Denies Ties to Gannon

From the Rapid City Journal:

Thune said he appeared on Gannon's radio show once early in the campaign and later may have done another interview to be printed on Talon News' Web site. Thune said his campaign didn't pay Gannon for his reporting services and didn't coordinate its campaign strategy with him, as some critics have implied.

The campaign did, however, see the value of working with a journalist with a clear conservative philosophy, Thune said.

"As far as we knew, he was just another reporter at a conservative news organization. We talked to hundreds, if not thousands, of news sources through the course of the campaign," Thune said. "We figured if he was reaching a conservative audience, it was going to be helpful for us."

For their part, Daschle's people seem to agree with this.  Said Steve Hildebrand, Daschle's 2004 campaign manager:

"In my opinion, that has nothing to do with John Thune. It has everything to do with the fact that the communications director for the White House was allowing this guy a daily pass to sit in the briefing room and ask the president of the United States, the leader of the free world, questions that were less than newsworthy," Hildebrand said.

I have long suspected the Gannon story to be pretty thin.  This supports my suspicion. 

White House press corps admits its first blogger

The Drudge Report "flashed" this story today: Fishbowl DC has made history by being the first blog admitted to the White House Press Corps.  The blog is run by Garrett M. Graff (above), a 23-year-old Harvard graduate.  The announcement is posted here.

UPDATE: From Monday's NYT:

nother signal moment for bloggers is to occur this morning, when Garrett M. Graff, who writes a blog about the news media in Washington, is to be ushered into the White House briefing room to attend the daily press "gaggle."

Mr. Graff, 23, may be the first blogger in the short history of the medium to be granted a daily White House pass for the specific purpose of writing a blog, or Web log. A White House spokesman said yesterday that he believed Mr. Graff was the first blogger to be given credentials.

He is being given a press pass as the editor of FishbowlDC (www.mediabistro.com/fishbowldc), a blog that is published by Mediabistro.com, which offers networking and services for journalists.

Increasingly, bloggers are penetrating the preserves of the mainstream news media. They have secured seats on campaign planes, at political conventions and in presidential debates, and have become a driving force in news events themselves.

Another chapter in the blogosphere begins.

UPDATE: Michelle Malkin has more on this story. I would also agree with Matt Margolis, The DC Fishbowl seems to be a left-leaning, "gossip" blog....keep that in mind.

Johnson´s Money

Yet another SD blog is noting Senator Tim Johnson´s money issues:

Sen. Tim Johnson is over $40,000 in debt

Gov. Rounds inner circle have been circulating some interesting FEC information. While Thune sits on a war chest of over $1.6 million (and is the process of raising more funds for like minded candidates) - the state's senior Senator seems to have run into a little cash flow problem. View the FEC records here (http://images.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/fecgifpdf/?_26694+25020061198.pdf) it is 75 pages long - but to save time just look at the summary page of $15,000 in cash on hand and $64,000 in debts.

Johnson typically starts slow with fundraising as Daschle has always been there to turn on the spigot as Johnson would draft of his fundraising machine. Rounds inner circle points out that Johnson will need to raise $110,000 a day for the next 3.5 years to raise Daschle like numbers. No one from Rounds inner circle will go on the record - but they are not shy about point it out.

I hear Randell Beck of the Argus Leader had another beaut today, but I´m out of the country so haven´t seen it.  More on all that later.

Colorado Dems eye Senate seat

Rumblings from Colorado, via the San Francisco Chronicle:

After bucking a national trend toward the political right in the last election with wins in the state Capitol and the congressional delegation, emboldened Colorado Democrats are seeking to expand on their gains.

Democrats are convinced Republicans have lost their way in Colorado, said Chris Gates, who was state Democratic Party chairman during the November election.

"There is definitely a significant shift going on in Colorado, and I think Colorado is a beachhead for the Democratic Party in the Rocky Mountain West," said Gates.

***

On Thursday, Colorado Rep. Mark Udall, a member of a Western political dynasty, announced he would forego a widely expected gubernatorial bid in favor of a 2008 campaign to oust Republican Sen. Wayne Allard.

If Udall wins, he would give Democrats control of both of the state's Senate seats for the first time since 1974.

Allard has refused to say whether he will keep his promise to step down after two terms. If Allard does not run, Republicans may try to persuade Gov. Bill Owens to enter the race after he leaves office in 2006 because of term limits.

Colorado is definitely "in play" in 2008.  Sen. Allard seems to have solid backing in the state, from what I've been told.  Udall would present a challenge to incumbent Allard, making it a tight race.  With Fmr. State Attorney General Ken Salazar defeating Pete Coors last fall, the GOP needs to keep on eye on the Centennial State.

Disney sets out to make "The Passion for Kids"

From UK's Telegraph:

Walt Disney is to promote its $100 million adaptation of C S Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as a "Passion of the Christ for kids" in an attempt to secure worldwide Christian support for the film.

Disney executives have organised private meetings with several church groups in America to emphasise the themes of Christian redemption and sacrifice contained in the film, which will open in December with an all-star cast.

They have also hired a public relations company to market the film directly to Christian groups to ensure that the powerful evangelical movement, which is particularly strong in America, is happy with the content.

I see this as Disney reaching out to the "Red States" and probably realizing they should have picked up the original "Passion" when they had the chance.   Will be interesting to watch this develop.

Argus

Remember this post, where I mentioned that Kevin Woster discussed the Argus Leader´s Dave Kranz and the coverage of the last election?  It was more speculation on Kevin´s part than a revelation, as I had said.  Just for the record.  The New Republic seems to agree with the revelation version, however.

Evangelical Conservatives Find a Spiritual Home on the Hill

Sunday's Washington Post has a lenghty feature article about Evangelicals on Capital Hill.  Thought it was a timely piece for Sunday.  Sen. Thune is featured throughout the article:

It's what Ralph Reed dreamed of, and now it's finally here. Christians in politics are ready to trade in their guerrilla fatigues for business suits and a day job. This year evangelicals in public office have finally become so numerous that they've blended in to the permanent Washington backdrop, a new establishment that has absorbed the local habits and mores.

Nearly every third congressional office stocks an ambitious Christian leader who calls himself "evangelical," according to Jim Guth, a political science professor at Furman University. They may believe everything they believed before, but they've learned to speak in ways that are more measured and cautious and designed not to attract attention.

Sen. John Thune is the movement's new David, having overthrown former Senate minority leader Tom Daschle. When talking about abortion, the South Dakota Republican prefers abstractions: "I like to connect my principled view with my policy objectives," he says. "Good principles can lead to good policy."

Of course, the unidentified Daschle aide puts his/her two cents in/throws their bomb, comparing Sen. Thune to a "creature/beast" of the "far right":

To secular humanists or even your average Democrat, Thune Land is a scary, scary frontier. "He is this new kind of Republican creature who puts an innocuous face on the religious right," says a Daschle aide who worked on the campaign. "Behind this cheerful frat-boy basketball-star persona is just the same old beast of the far right."

Overall, it's a well-writen article and a must-read for today.