The Rapid City Journal has a report headlined "Thune camp releases Daschle tape." Excerpt:
Thune's Senate campaign late Friday distributed a videotape of Daschle telling California Democrats in February 2002: "We will not surrender sacred ground, and that includes a woman's constitutional right to choose."[...]
Daschle responded Saturday in writing: "In my view, the polarization of this issue and the ‘pro-choice' and ‘pro-life' labels are counterproductive to the goals most of us share. Most South Dakotans and most Americans are deeply troubled by abortion, and they'd like us to find a way to prevent them."
Further into the RCJ story is this interesting passage:
The tone of Daschle's written response to Thune was measured, but last week, Daschle was terse and impatient with a Rapid City Journal reporter who pressed him on the "pro-choice" label.Three days later, during a conference call with South Dakota reporters, Daschle responded sternly to a question on whether the label was fair. "It would be fair to call me anti-abortion," Daschle said. "I just don't believe we ought to send young women or doctors to prison."
Thune said Saturday, "Don't believe what he says; believe what he does."
It seems the most powerful man in the universe has been walking the corridors of power in Washington so long that he now believes he's immune to scrutiny. DVT succinctly captures the Daschle psychology:
The Daschle-going-ballistic-on-reporter matter was the topic of a number of emails I received this week. The bigger question is why? In part because, I think, Daschle is used to softballs and having reporters reprint his press releases. Daschle: "Don't you know the rule? I'm above criticism! If you need examples to follow, see the Argus Leader." Another reason is because Daschle's whole campaign depends upon his ability to hide his double life, i.e. telling rich California liberals about how he thinks the "right to choose" is "sacred ground" but telling people in South Dakota he's against abortion and refusing to say he's "pro-choice," even though he has sent fundraising letters for NARAL touting his "pro-choice leadership" in the US Senate.
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