Herseth-Sandlin as Woman of Blue Steel

The Madville Times/Badlands Blue tag team has added a novel item to their playbook. They are urging South Dakotans to vote for Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin as a "counter-weight" to Nancy Pelosi!

Badlands Blue notes that a Roll Call article throws a wrench in the Kristi Noem propaganda machine. The D.C. press spotlights our own Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin as a counterweight to Speaker Nancy Pelosi's power and a real force in focusing Congress's attention on fighting the deficit (you know, that big ugly thing caused by President Bush)

Ah, it seems like only yesterday that Cory Heidelberger was all starry eyed about Dr. Kevin Weiland, who almost but not quite mounted a primary challenge to SHS. Cory was appalled that the media didn't notice when Weiland was picking up Facebook fans faster than SHS. Cory's readers were, about 60% of them, eager to send Weiland to Congress. When Weiland surrendered in advance of battle, Cory was sad. And so was Steve Hildebrand. Here is an excerpt from a letter Hildebrand sent to the Madville Times:

Sadly, Representative Herseth Sandlin talks a good game, but consistently takes a walk on some of the most important issues facing our country. She says we need to curb the harmful effects of climate change, but then votes against the most important energy reform legislation of our time. She says she has worked for reforming health care since she got into office, but when sweeping and historic health care reform legislation had a real chance for passage, she not only voted against it on multiple occasions, she actually advocated for its defeat.

Well, now Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin has gone into the phone booth and come out in her red, white, and blue outfit, complete with cape. Cory tells us that

Fellow Dems view SHS as a woman of steel in her own right... and not just planless sloganeering obstructionist as her Republican challenger would likely be in Washington.

That was a costume switch. From talking a good game to woman of steel! I don't want to be unfair here. I know full well that politics frequently requires changes in tactics and strategies; and I can hardly blame my friends for supporting SHS now, whatever they may have done back in April.

I have to wonder, however, what it means that they choose to defend Rep. Herseth-Sandlin on the grounds that she will use her super powers to oppose the Democratic Speaker of the House. Can it mean anything but this: Cory realizes that the only things that South Dakota voters might like about SHS are the very things that Cory and Hildebrand didn't like about SHS?

I also have to wonder how this sales pitch could possibly work. Yes, Rep. Herseth-Sandlin was an occasional thorn in the side of the Democratic majority in Congress. But Cory admits that she that acted in this capacity only on very occasions.

Of course, the Honorable Congresswoman from South Dakota does vote with Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic majority 92% of the time, as she did Wednesday evening on the financial sector reform reconciliation bill.

If, as Cory obviously thinks, South Dakota voters want a representative who will act as a counter-weight to Pelosi, wouldn't they be smart to vote for someone who supports Pelosi less than ninety-two percent of the time? Wouldn't they want someone who would vote against Ms. Pelosi when the House is choosing its next speaker?

Madville Times and Badlands Blue aren't the only South Dakota Democrats who think that they only way they can win is to pretend to be Republicans. Scott Heidepriem ran a now infamous commercial promising to reduce government spending and government hiring. Great! But that's like a Republican promising to stop global warming. If you want a Republican, shouldn't you vote for a real one?

Comments

[caheidelberger]

Hey, Ken, Weiland is still my guy, as is Dennis Kucinich. But Weiland isn't on the ballot: SHS and Noem are. I am relegated to fighting the battle that is, not the one in my dreams.

And I'm just walking around in the other guy's shoes a bit. You're right: what I want and what a number of South Dakota voters say they want often seems to diverge. So my point is that if South Dakotans want someone who (a) stands up to Speaker Pelosi and (b) is working to cut the deficit, the Roll Call article suggests SHS is an acceptable choice.

[William]

Cory, the question many voters have is whether or not SHS actually "stands up" to Speaker Pelosi, or is "allowed" to vote against her when her vote doesn't matter.

The critical vote is that which takes place when a new Congress convenes and votes for its leadership. While SHS has voted "with" Pelosi 92% of the time, she's voted FOR" Pelosi 100% of the time. If returned to Congress, how would she vote next time? Voters KNOW that Kristi Noem will not only "stand up" to Speaker Pelosi but she will vote against her and will work to change the direction of Congress.

SHS is only an acceptable choice, if you want a continuation of our present course. I don't think that's the direction most voters will choose.

[Stan Gibilisco]

I plan to vote for Kristi Noem as a "counterweight" to Nancy Pelosi.

[KB]

Cory: okay, but I still say it's an odd sales pitch. Vote for SHS: she is a little bit less deplorable than the other woman! Good luck with that.

And by the way, if Weiland is not on the ballot, Kucinich is not on the planet.

[caheidelberger]

Indeed, Ken: I am not well-positioned to make a passionate sales pitch for SHS. That's why I'm not on the campaign payroll. I also agree that, while the fact that she's not Noem is enough to keep my vote in SHS's column, a campaign based on "vote against the other gal" is not a winning campaign (as evidenced by Kerry 2004).