Dave Kranz in today's Argus Leader:
It was a day for justice served. Shovels dug into the soil Thursday on the Dakota Wesleyan University campus in a ceremonial gesture starting the construction of the George and Eleanor McGovern Library and Center for Public Service. ...
Yet it was a long time coming. Ever since it became obvious that George McGovern would hold a place in South Dakota’s history – and the nation’s history – there has been a curiosity why Mitchell never did much to recognize the prominence of a man who was educated here and taught in the community. ...
[Former DWU president Donald] Messer put the day in perspective Thursday, saying this was recognition for “a giant who walked in our midst.”
Kranz is once again shilling for McGovern. Note this SDP post concerning Kranz's "coverage" of a meeting in Mitchell:
The text of the memo details how David Kranz overheard a conversation in the Mitchell Holiday Inn between two priests discussing strategy on McGovern and abortion, subsequently approached Bishop Dudley (the bishop of the Sioux Falls diocese at that time) about it, and then passed the information gleaned on to the McGovern staff. Kranz then wrote a story for the M[itchell] D[aily] R[epublic] which included a purported quote from the Bishop asking people "not to involve themselves with politics and personalities" regarding the abortion issue. The story was then picked up by the AP wire. You can read the pdf copy of the memo as well as the attached background story on why the priests were at the Mitchell Holiday Inn by clicking HERE. Excerpt from the memo:
While removing his coat, [David Kranz] overheard two priests talking, one of whom he recognized as Father James Wolf, Holy Name Church, Watertown. The other one was younger with a beard. They mentioned McGovern and the pro-life people and the younger one told Wolf they have to sit back and take stock of the situation before they do anything as a unit. At that point, my brother pretended to make a phone call to overhear the rest. It sounded as though they had discussed the situation in some committee meeting and finally the younger priest convinced Wolf that they shouldn't be too hasty about their plans.
With a chuckle, I commented to Dave that I should have "worked the meeting." He said he finished it for me. He talked to Bishop Dudley about the conversation and Dudley was just shocked and wanted to know who the priests were, but my brother kept his sources. Dudley said that the subject has never come up in this meeting or any committee meetings. He said he has written letters to the priests about pro-life, but is upset because the church is being misunderstood-by its own people, also. He says their goal is to advance life and not to mention or endorse any candidates toward that end. Although he said he cannot control what individual priests do on the altar, he will not issue any memo or mention any names when it comes down to elections. And, he will not encourage any such actions. [emphasis the original authors] ...
This memo indicates that Kranz was working as a McGovern operative, gathering and passing along intelligence to the McGovern campaign. He even tells the McGovern campaign who his sources are, but refuses to tell Bishop Dudley. As the memo states, the McGovern staffer wanted to "work the meeting" but David Kranz told the staffer that "he finished it for me."
Four months later, Kranz wrote a story for the Mitchell Daily Republic covering the issue of abortion and McGovern. As is noted, "Kranz was inaccurately quoting organizations and priests in his zeal to protect McGovern's political vulnerability on the issue of abortion." The same observation the SDP post makes can be made again today concerning Kranz's latest article:
...Kranz was making efforts to undermine conservative politicians and enhance the prospects of liberal politicians twenty years ago, and continues to do much the same thing today. [emphasis mine]
UPDATE I: Sibby adds his two cents.
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