Gene S. Williams, a rancher who appears in the most recent Daschle drought ad attacking Thune, received $15,907 in disaster payments in 2002. This is the same year he attacks John Thune for purportedly failing to do something for people suffering from the drought. That $15,907 is obviously money out of the $1 billion in assistance Thune pushed through that year. In 2002, Gene Williams got $15,907 in disaster payments because of John Thune's efforts. He got $0 from Tom Daschle.
And of course major disaster assistance was not passed and signed into law until 2003, AFTER Daschle lost his majority leadership position.
Daschle wanted an issue, not a solution, on the drought in 2002, and the same thing is happening this year.
Below is a transcript of Daschle's drought ad:
Tom Daschle: I'm Tom Daschle and I approve of this message.
Margaret Nachtigall, Rancher, Owanka, SD: We're in the third year of an ongoing drought. People are selling the major part of their herds.
Gene Williams, Rancher, Interior, SD: John said that he would stand up to the President when he needs to but when it came to the drought a couple of years ago and he had an opportunity to, he didn't.
Nachtigall: President Bush didn't look at our situation at all. He basically ignored us. I would like to have seen Congressman Thune talk to the President and suggest that they do something for the people who are suffering from the drought in South Dakota.
Williams: For Congressman Thune to sit there and let the President tell us that we just needed to tighten our belt and get along with what we've got was kind of a slap in the face as far as I'm concerned. If there's ever a better opportunity to stand up to the President in dealing with the drought I don't know where you're going to find it and if he didn't do it then I don't think he'll do it in the future. When you're looking out for the President instead of South Dakotans you're not doing what we put you there for.
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