Daschle raises more corporate money than Thune

A Roll Call story today headlined "PAC Dollars Favor Daschle" reports Tom Daschle has raised three times more money from corporations than has John Thune. Excerpt:

In a sign that incumbency sometimes trumps majority, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) raised more than three times as much money for his re-election bid from U.S. corporations as former Rep. John Thune (R), his pro-business opponent....

Among Daschle’s business backers are a number of big GOP supporters, including ExxonMobil, GlaxoSmithKline and ChevronTexaco. Even News Corp., the owner of the same Fox News shows that profit from bashing Daschle and other Democrats, sent Daschle a $2,000 check in early February.

Among other companies that gave generously to Daschle during the first three months of the year were such telecommunications companies as AT&T, BellSouth and Verizon Communications; such financial services firms as Bank of America, Lehman Brothers and American Express; and such air carriers as
American Airlines, Northwest Airlines and Southwest Airlines.

Daschle also received campaign checks from several business groups run by prominent Republicans. The Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association, for example, gave Daschle $1,000 even though the president of the wireless phone industry’s trade association is former Rep. Steve Largent (R-Okla.).

Daschle also received $4,000 from Major League Baseball, even though many of the league’s owners are top givers to President Bush, a one-time baseball owner....

So much for Daschle "taking on the special interests." Deeper into the story we find the following interesting fact:

[Thune campaign manager Dick] Wadhams added that Thune has done a better job of raising money from South Dakota residents than Daschle.

In the last five years, Wadhams said, Daschle has raised about $400,000 from individuals in South Dakota. During Thune’s first three months in the race, he took in $600,000 from state residents.

It's interesting to contrast the Dan Pfeiffer quote in today's Roll Call piece with a quote of his when the U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced its support for John Thune in February. Here's the quote from Pfeiffer in today's Roll Call piece:

“Despite the bravado from the Republican Party, our success in the [business] community is a sign that a victory by Thune is still a very, very long shot,” Pfeiffer said. “People are very aware that at the end of the day it is very likely that Senator Daschle will be re-elected.”

Now see the following Pfeiffer quote from the February 2, 2004 edition of Roll Call headlined "Chamber Targets Daschle; Business Group Takes More Aggressive Approach in Elections":

Bill Miller, the head of the chamber's political arm, charged that Daschle has "on occasion been supportive of the business community, but for the most part, he has been more of an obstacle than an ally."

Miller said Daschle's Republican opponent, former Rep. John Thune (S.D.), is a "great friend of the business community and we will do everything we can to be supportive of him."

Dan Pfeiffer, a spokesman for Daschle, said Democrats hope to turn the chamber's endorsement of Thune against him.

"Tom Daschle has taken on special interests for years, so we are not shocked when they target him for defeat," Pfeiffer said.

(Emphasis added.) Yes, Daschle has taken on the special interests so vigorously that they give him three times more money than they give to John Thune.

UPDATE: Also note this quote from Pfeiffer during the 2002 Senate campaign, when the Chamber of Commerce announced its endorsement of John Thune:

"It should come as no surprise that big, Washington-based national groups that are well-known for lobbying for big business endorsed Congressman Thune today," said Dan Pfeiffer, campaign communication's director.

"John Thune is big business's best friend in Washington, and the fact that John Thune is so proud of this endorsement shows that he has picked the side of powerful special interests over average South Dakotans," he said.

So by Pfeiffer's own logic, Tom Daschle has picked the side of powerful special interests over average South Dakotans.

This quote appeared in an October 1, 2002 story in the Argus Leader, written by David Kranz, headlined "Chamber group gives its endorsement to Thune."