Steve Kirby has decided not to run for U.S. Senate. Pat Powers has the goods on Badlands Blue gloating over its intimidation of Kirby and his family as one reason why Kirby choose not to run. Badlands Blue apparently took down the post, but not before Mr. Powers had captured a copy of it. Remember that Badlands Blue is the official website of the South Dakota Democratic Party and run by Lowell Feld, who is paid by Tim Johnson's campaign manager Steve Jarding. In that sense Badlands Blue is a wing of the Johnson campaign. Feld hired people to stalk Kirby and his family, which apparently played a large role in Kirby's decision not to run.
Lowell Feld, a Virginia-based blogger who runs BadlandsBlue.com, a Web site paid for and authorized by the South Dakota Democratic Party, posted a list of winners and losers following Kirby’s announcement. Among the losers were “People who attacked the Johnson campaign team (and the DSCC) for its tactics in keeping Kirby out of the race. Guess what? They worked!”
Kirby said the attacks gave him and his family pause. Kirby has a high school aged daughter who lives at home. Two weeks ago, BadlandsBlue identified a mobile dog grooming service that had been at the Kirby household. That incident, combined with what Kirby thought was somebody photographing his home from the back of a moving car, played a role in his decision, he said.
Last week I was told that Kirby had decided to run but was having second thoughts because his family was "freaking out" over the fact that the Johnson campaign was stalking them. Lowell Feld may have deleted his post, but one suspects that post betrays the real feelings of Feld, Jarding and Tim Johnson: they are gleeful that their tactic of intimidating Steve Kirby's family has paid off so handsomely.
They have reason to be so happy. It doesn't really matter that some South Dakota Democrats are angered at these tactics and that they are being pursued by a guy, Lowell Feld, who admits that he's only been to South Dakota once. In about two days the South Dakota media will forget this incident and away down the memory hole it will go. The Johnson campaign stalked and successfully scared the wife and children of Johnson's best funded competitor so now Johnson can have a fairly easy road to re-election. Well played, Johnson team.
I recall seeing a video of Fred Thompson in a debate with Jim Cooper during the 1994 race for Senate in Tennessee. Thompson said something like, "I'd rather lose an election than lose my honor." I guess not everyone shares that view.
Recent Comments