South Dakota Politics

Hinderaker puts Dan Rather on the defensive

I can only stand in awe of John Hinderaker, the man who almost singlehandedly has Dan Rather making his last stand on the CBS Evening News tonight.

John was kind enough to deliver the keynote address at the Dakota Blog Alliance Conference a few weeks ago. In many ways, it's because of John (a South Dakota native) and his colleagues at Power Line that the Dakota Blog Alliance has become so successful.

Keeping the story straight

DVT writes today that the Daschle camp has had a lot of trouble this year keeping its story straight. Last week, the Daschle camp made conflicting statements about holding a debate in Indian country, and today we find out that there are conflicting stories about whether a deal was struck between Daschle and Native American journalist Tim Giago to get Giago out of the race.

Also today, Senator Daschle has begun running ads accusing John Thune of running "another negative ad." That claim is plainly false. The Thune for Senate campaign has not aired any ads that either mention Tom Daschle or criticize Daschle.

What Daschle is referring to, of course, is the new ad by the National Republican Senatorial Committee criticizing Daschle's record of voting to raise federal gas taxes. What's interesting is that even Steve Hildebrand, Tom Daschle's campaign manager, admits John Thune is not running the ad in an e-mail to supporters today. Excerpt from the Hildebrand e-mail (be sure to read the entire e-mail at Quentin Riggins' blog):

The attack is typical of the dirty tricks used by Karl Rove and his ilk over the years. It takes votes from more than a decade ago and twists them around to try to trick South Dakota voters. John Thune wants to sit on the sideline while his big money friends run ads assailing Tom. This is the same tactic, the Bush Campaign used with the Swift Boat ads.

(Emphasis added.) While John Thune has had no part in this ad, it's interesting to observe how the Daschle camp feels it's unfair to scrutinize votes made "more than a decade ago" to raise the federal gas tax. Well, let's scrutinize some of the votes Daschle has cast more recently to either raise the gas tax or prevent lowering it:

Estate Tax Repeal – Gas Tax Suspension. “Abraham, R-Mich., motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to the Reid, D-Nev., point of order against the Abraham amendment. The Abraham amendment would suspend the 18.4 cents-per-gallon federal gas tax for 150 days.” (H.R. 8, CQ Vote #183: Motion rejected 40-59: R 40-15; D 0-44; July 13, 2000. Daschle voted Nay.)

Gas Tax Suspension – Cloture. “Motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on the bill that would suspend the 4.3-cents-a-gallon portion of the federal gas tax from April 15 through Jan. 1, 2001. It also would suspend the remainder of the 18.4 cents-per-gallon tax if the national average price of gasoline reaches $2 a gallon. It would provide a similar tax suspension for diesel fuel, kerosene and aviation fuel.” (S. 2285, CQ Vote #80: Motion rejected 43-56: R 43-12; D 0-44, April 11, 2000. Daschle voted Nay.)

Highway and Transit Reauthorization – Gas Tax. “Mack, R - Fla., motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to the Warner, R-Va., point of order against the Mack amendment to the Roth, R-Del., amendment to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee substitute amendment. The Mack amendment would eliminate the 4.3-cent tax on transportation fuels.” (S. 1173, CQ Vote #26: Motion rejected 18-80: R 16-37; D 2-43; March 11, 1998. Daschle voted Nay.)

White House Travel Office Employee Reimbursement – Cloture. “Motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on the Dole, R-Kan., amendment to repeal the 1993 gasoline tax increase until Dec. 31, 1996.” (H.R. 2937, CQ Vote #112: Motion rejected 54-43: R 53-0; D 1-43, May 14, 1996. Daschle voted Nay.)

White House Travel Office Employee Reimbursement – Cloture. “Motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on the Dole, R-Kan., amendment to repeal the 1993 gasoline tax increase, increase the minimum wage, and incorporate the text of a bill (S295) clarifying employer roles in certain labor-management organizations.” (H.R. 2937, CQ Vote #111: Motion rejected 52-44: R 52-1; D 0-43, May 9, 1996. Daschle voted Nay.)

Fiscal 1994 Budget Reconciliation – Adoption. Daschle Voted For President Clinton’s 1993 Tax Increase, Which Increased The Federal Gas Tax By 4.3 Cents. (H.R. 2264, CQ Vote #247: Adopted 50-50: R: 0-44; D 50-6, with Vice President Al Gore casting a “yea” vote, August 6, 1993. Daschle voted Yea.)

Clearly, Daschle can't defend the indefensible, so he's relegated to making attempts to cut off criticism of his record by claiming such criticism is a "negative attack."

UPDATE: Sibby has posted the complete press release from the Thune campaign responding to Daschle's ad accusing Thune of "running another negative ad." Excerpt:

"Tom Daschle blatantly lies when he denies voting to increase federal gas taxes and when he falsely accuses John Thune of running a negative ad," said Thune for Senate campaign manager Dick Wadhams. "We have not aired an ad that even mentions Daschle much less that attacks him."

"How can Tom Daschle go on the air and lie about his clear record of voting to increase federal gas taxes?"

Daschle camp says no deal was struck to get Giago out

Denise Ross, political reporter for the Rapid City Journal, has an interesting report today headlined "Summit set between S.D., tribal leaders." In it, Steve Hildebrand, Senator Daschle's campaign manager, says "There was never a deal struck with [Independent Senate candidate Tim] Giago." The Daschle camp's assertion that no deal was struck completely contradicts the huge headline from last April in the Lakota Journal that read "On Daschle's word of honor, Giago drops out."

DVT has a lot more.

Former POW and MOH recipient Leo Thorsness slams Kerry

Once again, there's a local flavor to the controversy over Senator John Kerry's anti-war record. Today, the documentary "Stolen Honor" was released, an effort by former Vietnam POW's to inform the American people that John Kerry's anti-war activities prolonged their stay and increased their torture. Appearing in the documentary is one Leo K. Thorsness. Thorsness was a POW in North Vietnam and is a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Leo Thorsness was the man Tom Daschle defeated by fourteen votes in 1978, marking the beginning of Daschle's rise to prominence. (Thorsness also ran against Senator McGovern in 1974 and was defeated.) Jon Lauck of DVT recently interviewed Thorsness for a piece published in National Review Online headlined "The Old Daschle Playbook." Excerpt:

In a recent interview, Daschle's first opponent Leo Thorsness noted that Daschle "absolutely ran as a conservative Democrat" in 1978 and embraced "conservative issues and positions." Thorsness noted, however, that Daschle is now "more liberal in what he's saying" and has "changed his views to climb the leadership."

(Emphasis added.) You can view the Thorsness clip from "Stolen Honor" by clicking HERE and scrolling down.

Comparing "Women for Daschle" to "Women for Thune"

Today's edition of Roll Call reports on a "Women for Tom" event being held in Washington, D.C. tonight:

If Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) likes good food and powerful women, he’ll be in his happy place tonight. A who’s who of Washington women are throwing a bash for the Senator tonight at the home of Democratic public relations mavens Tony and Heather Miller Podesta.

The “women for Tom,” as their invitation reads, can relax, drink some wine, flirt with their favorite Senator and, best of all, enjoy some home Italian cooking by the Podesta brothers — Tony and John, the Clintonite who founded the Center for American Progress.

Daschle and his generous donors can expect a little maiale tonnato, a pork dish, and poached chicken with lemon basil dressing from chef John. Chef Tony will be making an arugula salad with blood oranges and fennel, carrots with lemon zest and garlic, and assorted roasted veggies. (And unlike some unnamed master chefs at highbrow restaurants, John does not cook his vegetables in meat stock, sister-in-law Heather told HOH.

“Of course, Tony’s the better chef,” she said.

That family dispute aside, Women for Tom say they plan to raise $50,000 tonight — a hefty goal considering the stiff competition: Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) is the attraction at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser across the street.

“This is the place to be,” Ms. Podesta bragged. “It’s all about the food.”

And the women. Besides Linda Daschle, others on the host list include: Kim Dorgan, wife of Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.); Debbie Dingell, wife of Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.); Nancy Zirkin, a women’s civil rights leader; Winnie Stachelberg, new head of the Human Rights Campaign; Hilary Rosen, a volunteer at HRC and former head of the Recording Industry Association of America; Susie Turnbull, who heads the Women’s Leadership Forum at the DNC; and many others.

Dinner will be served by a slew of former Daschle staffers. Joel Johnson will be head waiter, Larry Stein the busboy and Mark Patterson the bartender. (And no drinking allowed on the job. Orders of Ms. Podesta.)

It should be noted that this "Women for Tom" event seems to be hosted by women who are unable to vote for him. By way of contrast, I snapped this photo today in Sioux Falls, SD of a car with a bumper sticker that reads "Women for Thune." I think the distinction between the two women's groups speaks volumes.

Daschle's "fifty-first Democratic senator"

The fellow pictured above is Ben Barnes, who, as Texas lieutenant governor in 1969, says he recommended George W. Bush to the Air National Guard as a favor to a Bush family friend, in order for Bush to avoid being drafted. 60 Minutes interviewed him about the story last night, and you can read a transcript of his interview with Dan Rather HERE.

Interestingly, in a September, 2001 Texas Monthly story headlined "So what if he never got to be governor or president? Thirty years after Sharpstown, Ben Barnes is more powerful than ever," Senator Tom Daschle was quoted calling Barnes "the fifty-first Democratic Senator" because Barnes was instrumental in elevating Daschle to majority leader in 2001. Relevent graf from the Texas Monthly story:

On a steamy summer afternoon in Washington, the kind of day when your clothes absorb the humidity from the sodden air, Ben Barnes is exactly where everybody in Texas politics knew he would be someday: in the private Senate dining room at the U.S. Capitol. The tall redhead is instantly recognizable, and even in this inner sanctum of power, he seems to know someone at every table. Here comes Thomas Carper of Delaware across the floor to shake hands. There goes Barnes to press the flesh with John Edwards of North Carolina. On the way out, he exchanges greetings with Dianne Feinstein of California and Charles Schumer of New York. The moment is exactly as it should be, except for two things: It is three decades late, and Barnes is not a senator but a guest. P Life has landed some nasty punches on the onetime golden boy of Texas politics. In the sixties he became Speaker of the House at 26 and lieutenant governor at 30; in 1970 he was touted by Lyndon Johnson as a future president of the United States. But even as LBJ lavished praise on Barnes, forces were already at work that would sweep the prodigy out of office in a matter of months and stamp an indelible taint on his reputation. He turned to real estate development, but in the mid-eighties, the speculative empire that he had built with his onetime mentor, John Connally, came crashing down, throwing both men into personal bankruptcy. In the nineties the revelation of his sensationally lucrative dealings with GTECH, the company that won, with Barnes's help, the right to operate the Texas lottery, set off the shaking of heads and clucking of tongues once again. Yet here he is in the rarefied atmosphere of big power and big-time politics -- one of the chief financial and strategic architects of the Democratic resurgence to parity (and subsequently control) in the Senate. Majority leader Tom Daschle has called him "the fifty-first Democratic senator."

(Emphasis added.) This guy is hardly a dispassionate witness with no ax to grind against the Bush presidency. But 60 Minutes gives him more time than they will ever give the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth.

National Review: Daschle has it both ways on issue after issue

Fellow Dakota Alliance blogger Jon Lauck of DVT has a new piece published today in National Review Online headlined "Thune looms." Excerpt:

During his first election, Daschle sent a letter to voters saying, "I am opposed to abortion. I do not support it. I have never supported it. It is an abhorrent practice. As a citizen and as a lifelong member of the Catholic faith I will do everything in my power to persuade others that abortion is wrong." To solidify his Catholic bona fides, Daschle enclosed a letter from eight Catholic nuns saying "We know and we tell those with whom we speak of your abhorrence for abortion — and of your commitment to life." Daschle now sends fundraising letters for NARAL. When the Bishop of Sioux Falls says Daschle should stop calling himself Catholic and that Catholics should not vote for pro-choice pols, Daschle says his relationship to the church is a private matter, despite his earlier invocation of his Catholicism.

Read the whole thing. Daschle's long record of maneuvers, reversals, and double-crosses over the years really is quite breathtaking.

Quote of the Day

"There is a huge difference between majority leader and minority leader in Washington. If we lose the majority leader's position, we lose 50 percent of my ability to help South Dakota because I will no longer be in the driver's seat on issues in the United States Senate that are important to the state." - Senator Tom Daschle, quoted in the November 11, 2002 edition of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

FLASHBACK: Daschle more liberal than 80% of the Senate

The reader will find it very informative to sift through Project Vote Smart's list of various interest group ratings of Tom Daschle. One of the more interesting ratings listed is from the National Journal:

According to the National Journal - Composite Liberal Score's calculations, in 2003, Senator Daschle voted more liberal on economic, defense and foreign policy issues than 80 percent of the Senators.

By comparison, moderate Democratic Senator John Breaux voted more liberal on economic, defense and foreign policy issues than 55% of the Senators.

One of the more surprising ratings given to Tom Daschle is his rating from the American Legion. Given Daschle's constant touting of his record on veterans' issues, he only gets a 50% rating from the American Legion.

National Review on obstructionism in the Senate

The National Review has an excellent piece about the next few weeks in the Senate headlined "The Obstructionists on the Hill; Watch for September’s Senate subplot." Excerpt:

"The Senate is an institution that exemplifies 21st-century politics but operates under 18th-century rules," a former senior GOP leadership aide told me. And when lawmakers return after the August break, most expect the Democrats to use those rules to block just about everything Republicans try to bring up.

But playing in the Democrats' obstructionist orchestra is not without risk. Some voters find the legislative dissonance petty and partisan — and could decide to oust lawmakers who make that kind of music.

So here is an interesting Senate September subplot to watch. Republicans will raise the decibel level about obstructionism, while Democrats will try to find a balance between denying GOP victories while still appearing cooperative.

But who wins this battle depends in part on who really cares about obstructionism in the Senate. Recent polling data from the American Survey, gathered August 19-22 (800 registered voters, margin of error 3.5 percent), sheds some light on this issue — exposing expected, as well as surprising, vulnerabilities for the Democrats.

Overall, a slight majority (54 percent) believe "Democrats engage in obstructionism in the Senate," while 40 percent think they want to "work with Republicans." Voters in each party hold expected attitudes toward the current political environment in the Senate. For example, 79 percent of Republicans think Senate Democrats engaged in obstruction, while only 34 percent of Democrats held that view — not a particularly surprising result.

Independent voters' views are somewhere in the middle. Yet it should trouble Democrats that a majority of these swing voters believe Democrats are engaged in obstruction. 53 percent of independents take that view compared to only 40 percent who say Democrats want to "work with Republicans."

It will be up to Senator Daschle to "find a balance between denying GOP victories while still appearing cooperative." This "Senate subplot" will be on the front burner in South Dakota, and the Dakota Alliance blogs will be scrutinizing every development in this subplot.

The Daschle v. Thune debate standard

A reader writes:

Just wondering if you will show equal outrage at Bush only debating twice as you show when discussing Daschle debating seven to eight times.

President Bush should debate Kerry more than twice. If anything, I think more debates are to Bush's advantage, because the more exposure John Kerry has on primetime television, the more people will dislike Kerry. The USA Today has more on this topic.

Roll Call on the NRSC ad

Roll Call has an article today headlined "New NRSC Ad Attacks Daschle Stance on Taxes." Excerpt:

The National Republican Senatorial Committee began an independent expenditure campaign Tuesday attacking Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle’s (D) record on taxes.

“National Democrats have pushed an agenda of higher energy taxes, higher gas taxes,” says the ad’s narrator. “It’s Tom Daschle’s responsibility to push that agenda.”

The commercial goes on to tie Daschle’s voting record to that of Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee.

“Tom Daschle, he’s loyal to a national Democrat agenda, at South Dakota’s expense,” the narrator says at the ad’s conclusion.

The spot represents the leading edge of a $2.4 million television campaign sponsored by the NRSC to benefit the candidacy of former Rep. John Thune (R).

Note the accuracy and precision of the headline. It says the ad attacks Daschle's STANCE on taxes, and therefore is NOT an attack on Daschle personally. Last time I checked, criticizing one's record is fundamental to the democratic process. Note, too, the accuracy of the lede in the Roll Call piece, which says the ad attacks Daschle's RECORD. Then see the weakness of the Daschle camp's response as seen on the Daschle Digest blog:

Starting a $2.4 million negative ad campaign at candidate John Thune's behest, the National Republican Senatorial Committee today started running a television ad that uses votes from 11 years ago to falsely assert that Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle supports raising taxes on gas and other energy sources.

Is the Daschle campaign really saying that votes from eleven years ago aren't fair game to criticize and scrutinize? Does the senator regret casting those votes? Why won't he explain the votes, rather than whine about "negative ads"? It seems Daschle can't defend his positions, and so is relegated to a position of trying to cut off criticism of his indefensible positions.

The Rapid City Journal interviews Daschle's campaign manager

Last week, Denise Ross transcribed an interview with Thune campaign manager Dick Wadhams. This week, she has a transcript of an interview with Daschle campaign manager Steve Hildebrand headlined "Growing up poor led to politics." Excerpt:

Ross: How much can you talk about your strategy for the remaining two months? What's your No. 1 priority?

Hildebrand: Make sure the truth is told about Tom's record for this state. We go directly to the voters. We have an aggressive paid media campaign just like John does, but we are better at going and having conversations with people at the door or casual conversations with voters over the phone that are engaging conversations, not intimidating conversations. We believe if voters understand Tom's record and can sift through some of the crap that's going to be thrown at Tom from the other side, we will win this race.

Ross: Is there anything else you'd like to say?

Hildebrand: This race is a defining race for this state. If they choose Tom Daschle, they will choose based on what they believe is best for South Dakota. If they choose John Thune, they will make a choice based on wedge issues that distract from what is best for this state.

The Rapid City Journal blog

The Rapid City Journal has started a blog (called Mt. Blogmore) that will be operated by political reporter Denise Ross, among others. Though it just started yesterday, they already have four posts up. Conversely, the Argus Leader blog has been up and running for around six weeks, and they've only posted nine times. I think most will agree that the RCJ blog is already much more interesting than the AL blog.

Was Giago suckered?

This past spring, prominent Native American journalist Tim Giago entered the Senate race as an independent. This development set off alarm bells in the Daschle camp, and Daschle frantically urged Giago to get out of the race, at one point calling him and asking him if he wanted to be South Dakota's Ralph Nader. Eventually, a meeting was held between the two, and Giago dropped out of the race, stating that in exchange for dropping out, “Every Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota will be shocked and surprised at some of the issues Senator Daschle will bring forth.” A meeting to discuss these issues was purportedly scheduled to be held in August.

The August meeting never materialized, and the editor of the Lakota Journal began asking why it hadn't materialized, particularly after Daschle had given his "word of honor." Now a meeting between Daschle and tribal leaders is scheduled for September 25th. Daschle has said that the meeting is about "opening a dialogue." I don't know about you, but "opening a dialogue" doesn't seem "shocking" or "surprising" to me. In fact, "opening a dialogue" seems quite lame, if it means anything at all. If "opening a dialogue" is all Tim Giago is getting from Tom Daschle in exchange for dropping out of the race, then it seems Giago got suckered out of the race, with no opportunity to re-enter.

A warm welcome to Wally

The ranks of the Dakota Blog Alliance have swelled once again, this time with the addition of South Dakota expatriate Wally Waltner and his blog, Irreconcilable Musings. Welcome aboard, Wally! Now if we can just get a hold of Jay Reding, we can really round out this alliance. Jay, e-mail me ASAP.

Hug-gate

Ryne McClaren notes that the term "Hug-gate" as applied to Tom Daschle is becoming embedded in the media subconscious, thanks to the efforts of fellow Dakota Alliance blogger Quentin Riggins. Note that even John Thune has been caught using the term, as reported recently in the Rapid City Journal. To wit:

"In the middle of the Republican convention, when every other leading Democrat in the country is attacking the president, beating him up, Tom Daschle is hugging him. To me, that speaks volumes," Thune said.

He said the Daschle ad is on the lips of Republicans strategizing and socializing in New York and is seen as undermining to Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.

"Everybody's laughing," Thune said. "I'm calling it Hug-gate II."

Thune compared this hug dust-up to the controversy that ensued after filmmaker Michael Moore said he and Daschle shared a hug after the June premiere of his anti-Bush movie, "Fahrenheit 9/11." That first hug turned out to be a case of mistaken identity when a Daschle look-alike stepped forward to clear things up.

I think it's safe to say that the blogs are becoming more and more influential.

A month of bear traps

Last March, Eric Ueland, deputy chief of staff to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, noted that the Senate floor would be "full of bear traps" to put liberals on the record on a series of wedge issues. Today marks the end of the six-week congressional recess, and the beginning of a month's worth of posturing and positioning by Tom Daschle to avoid the bear traps. The Wall Street Journal has an article (subscription only) today headlined "Lawmakers Face Big Backlog; Both Parties Might Pay at the Polls For Unfinished Bills in Congress." Excerpt:

As lawmakers return today from their national conventions, the pile of unfinished bills -- and warnings from frustrated voters -- is mounting. No budget has been approved for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, and only one of 13 annual appropriations bills has been enacted. Amid high oil prices, energy legislation is stalled, and an entire construction season has passed without action on highway funding.

The punishing duties being paid by exporters such as Mr. Stollenwerk will only get higher until the tax changes are resolved -- probably not until a post-election lame-duck session. Hope is fading for immigration, welfare and tort-overhaul legislation.

Republican leaders are planning a pre-election push to extend middle-class tax breaks first enacted in 2001. But as new issues such as post-Sept. 11 intelligence overhauls demand attention, the sheer volume of unfinished business risks a backlash at the polls.

The Los Angeles Times also has a piece on this flurry of activity today headlined "Congress Gearing Up for a Legislative Sprint." Excerpt:

Some analysts say the session may end up being mostly politically charged window dressing, despite the importance of some of the pending bills.

The pace of legislative action is likely to quicken in the next several weeks, said Patrick Basham, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, but "most of it will be carefully packaged, focus-group-tested, window-dressing stuff designed to appeal to swing voters in closely contested congressional races, such as they exist."

He predicted that the Republican leadership would bring bills to the floor "for the sole purpose of embarrassing or flushing out the Democrats on emotive or wedge issues. Between now and election day, the action on Capitol Hill will be more symbolic than substantive."

Already, House Republicans are planning to bring up the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, according to Stuart Roy, spokesman for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas). And one House Republican aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the leadership planned to schedule a bill to keep the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Herseth campaign manager calls Diedrich a liar

Last week during the Republican convention, Stephanie Herseth's campaign manager declared that Larry Diedrich was lying to the media about Herseth's record in Congress, according to an AP story headlined "GOP House candidate speaks to Republican Convention." Excerpt:

Tessa Gould, Herseth's campaign manager, said Diedrich should not have used the GOP convention to criticize his opponent.

"South Dakotans are clearly tired of negative campaigns, and it's unfortunate that Larry used his time on stage to attack Representative Herseth," Gould told The Associated Press.

Herseth has tried to convince voters that she hit the ground running in Washington after being sworn in June 3 as the state's first female in the U.S. House.

Gould said Diedrich has been lying to the media about Herseth's record in Congress. Gould said she is worried because Diedrich has become increasing combative since losing the special election.

"This new pattern of attacks, based on blatantly untruthful and demonstrably false statements, takes things to a new and ugly level and dramatically changes the tone of this campaign," Gould said.

Jessica Towhey, Diedrich's press secretary, said he is merely informing voters about Herseth's congressional record.

"For the first time, Stephanie Herseth has a voting record," Towhey said Monday. "These are not personal attacks. This is taking a look at her record and letting people know what is going on in Washington, D.C."

Oh, the startling meanness of actually scrutinizing an opponent's record! Imagine the outcry from the Herseth campaign if Mark Berg, Diedrich's campaign manager, had accused Herseth of lying.

Tim Giago on Daschle in 1991

I recently ran across an interesting column written by prominent Native American journalist Tim Giago for the March 7, 1991 edition of the Christian Science Monitor headlined "Dances with Senators." Tim Giago was induced to get out of the Senate race by Senator Daschle earlier this spring. The Washington Post hinted that in exchange for Giago leaving the race, Daschle would "open dialogue on returning the sacred Black Hills to the tribes of the Sioux Nation."

At any rate, it's interesting to observe Daschle's rumored change of heart on the issue of the return of the Black Hills in light of Giago's above-mentioned 1991 article in the Christian Science Monitor. Excerpt from the Giago article:

In his 1986 race for a seat in the United States Senate, South Dakota's Tom Daschle campaigned with vigor on the Indian reservations of his home state. Mr. Daschle won by about 11,000 votes because the reservations, at least in those days, voted a straight Democratic ticket.

One of the first appointments Daschle sought after winning the election was to the Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs. In my opinion, Daschle has used this position to block legislation prepared by the tribes of the Great Sioux Nation aimed at getting a small portion of their sacred Black Hills returned.

Not only did he prevent the legislation from getting out of his committee, but he was instrumental in assisting an anti-Indian group calling itself the Open Hills Association in spreading misstatements about the proposed legislation, thereby effectively turning public opinion in South Dakota against it.

During the Democratic convention this summer, Senator Daschle told the Native American Caucus that "The way we get to a stronger America is to respect the treaties of America, that’s where it starts." Wouldn't it be interesting if an enterprising reporter here in South Dakota were to ask Tom Daschle what he meant by that comment?