Daschle and the Boys on Ellsworth

After Daschle paid his former staffers all year to bash Thune about Ellsworth, which they claimed to be the biggest campaign issue last year (it wasn't that big a deal of you followed the race), now Daschle finally admits it wasn't a big deal.  Sibby is also talking about Daschle's sudden change of heart.  But let's remember how the Rapid City Journal reported on the Daschle-financed "war" against Thune using Ellsworth:

But it didn't really end the 2004 campaign — at least, not for some former members of Daschle's staff.  Led by public statements from former Daschle campaign manager Steve Hildebrand and the pointed and sometimes profane Internet sniping from other former staffers, the Daschle team continues to wage political war against Thune.

The former Daschle staff members have hammered on Thune for his failure to keep Ellsworth Air Force Base off a military closure list and compared him unfavorably to Daschle in the levels of funding he has been able to secure for state water projects and highways. ... And in some cases, they receive leftover Daschle campaign funds while they do it. ...  It some cases, it can also be profane. Former Daschle staff member Jeremy Funk, who works with Hildebrand, uses a personal Web log, or blog, to promote "F... Thune" T-shirts. 

[Daschle campaign manager Steve] Hildebrand has commented to reporters and issued news releases critical of Thune, including what Hildebrand considered to be the senator's inability to protect Ellsworth Air Force Base. ... Hildebrand said he does not get any direction from Daschle in making those statements. He does, however, get money each month from both the 2004 campaign fund and Daschle's political action commission — DASHPAC.  HildebrandTewes Consulting — the "Tewes" is Paul Tewes, Hildebrand's partner — receives $2,000 a month from Daschle's campaign fund and another $4,000 a month from DASHPAC. Hildebrand, who manages both funds for Daschle, said the payments his firm receives were to maintain and manage the political action committee and to wrap things up from the campaign.

Also, the comment of the day comes from the Rapid City Journal's Mt. Blogmore:

I just drove by Daschle’s house, I could swear I heard Taps.