The Argus Leader has a story today on the "eternal campaign." Excerpt:
The most notable Thune critic formerly associated with Daschle is Steve Hildebrand, who managed Daschle's Senate campaign. Hildebrand has opened a political consulting firm in Sioux Falls and still has financial ties to Daschle.
As the administrator of Daschle's leadership political action committee, Dedicated Americans for the Senate and House, Hildebrand receives $2,000 a month. He says he also will be paid by the campaign through the end of June.
"It was a $21 million campaign operation. It has taken a long time to wind down the expenses related to that," Hildebrand says.
He insists, though, that Daschle's money is not fueling his ongoing attack on Thune.
But Daschle's dollars are being spent on Hildebrand, who is orchestrating attacks on Thune, not "winding down" the campaign. More on this later. Also, Todd Epp explains how all of these attacks are designed to wound Thune politically:
Where Hildebrand insists his criticism is policy-driven, Epp acknowledges a component of revenge in his own.
"I think there was considerable bitterness about what happened to Tom," Epp says. "I think as Democratic activists have looked at ways to try to do something about it, this has been one of their outlets. I think it is for me."
Epp also says Thune should expect more of the same throughout his term in the Senate.
"To be frank with you, this is to hold John (Thune) accountable and to soften him up for a future election," Epp says. "And it's good sport, it's fun."
I wonder if he considers the "F--- John Thune" t-shirts which are sold by the former Daschle staffer/bloggers to be "fun."
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