South Dakota Politics

Daschle misses another opportunity to decry "startling meanness" in politics

Last May, Senator Daschle gave a speech at Kansas State University decrying the "startling meanness" in politics.  Shortly after Daschle gave this speech, he failed to take the opportunity to scold his colleague Tim Johnson's "startling meanness" when Johnson likened Republicans to the Taliban at a rally in Sioux Falls.  Instead, Daschle laughed and clapped at Johnson's comment.

It appears from the facts as we know them that Daschle has missed yet another opportunity to decry the "startling meanness" in politics, according to today's edition of the Washington Post:

Even certified Hollywood liberals were reeling after Chevy Chase's potty-mouthed Bush-bashing Tuesday night at the Kennedy Center, where the actor hosted an awards ceremony staged by People for the American Way....

After actors Alec Baldwin and Susan Sarandon delivered speeches accepting their Defender of Democracy awards, Chase took the stage a final time and unleashed a rant against President Bush that stunned the crowd. He deployed the four-letter word that got Vice President Cheney in hot water, using it as a noun. Chase called the prez a "dumb [expletive]." He also used it as an adjective, assuring the audience, "I'm no [expletive] clown either. . . . This guy started a jihad."

Chase also said: "This guy in office is an uneducated, real lying schmuck...  and we still couldn't beat him with a bore like Kerry."

[...]

Sen. Tom Daschle, the former minority leader, looked taken aback when he went on directly after Chase. His opening line: "I've had to follow a lot of speakers, but -- "

But no denunciation of Chevy Chase's "startling meanness."  So here's Daschle hanging out with the Hollywood, Bush-bashing elite, participating in an awards ceremony for People for the American Way, and people are still wondering why South Dakotans voted Daschle out of office?

The straight liberal line

Today's edition of the Chattanooga Times Free Press has an opinion piece headlined "Disaster for the Democrats." Excerpt:

The electorate is simply too conservative for the Democrats, as shown by the defeat of Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle in South Dakota. The formula of taking the straight liberal line in Washington and talking conservative at home does not work when a Democrat's every move becomes visible as a member of the leadership.

That's the best insight I've seen yet on the Daschle v. Thune race.

AP: Democratic Leader distances himself from party

The AP has an interesting report headlined "Dems in GOP States Stay Distant From Party." Excerpt:

The Senate's top Democrat, Minority Leader Tom Daschle in South Dakota, has run an ad showing him embracing the president when Bush spoke to Congress shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks. The message was that Daschle can work with Bush when necessary. Republican opponent John Thune says Daschle is a major source of the gridlock that has blocked much of Bush's agenda in Congress....

Republicans have countered with ads showing their Democratic opponents pictured with liberals like Sens. Ted Kennedy, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Daschle.

The Reuters picture above was taken March 11, 2004, at the conclusion of a press conference in which John Kerry refused to apologize for calling President Bush and his advisers “the most crooked ... lying group I’ve ever seen.” Tom Daschle didn't take the opportunity to decry the "startling meanness" of Kerry's comment, and instead shook hands with Kerry and mugged for the cameras.

Daschle having it both ways on third party groups

“Senator Daschle has asked all third-party groups to stay out and he stands by that request. As Thune has said all along, we don’t have direct control over these groups.” - Daschle alter ego Dan Pfeiffer, as quoted in today's edition of Roll Call, reporting that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) is buying TV time in South Dakota.

"Not one group has come in on my behalf. In fact, three outside groups that ran ads in 2002 have specifically stated they'll respect my request - the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters. We are directly responsible for these groups." - Senator Tom Daschle, quoted last month in the Argus Leader.

DVT has more on this issue:

For those non-SD readers, it's difficult to emphasize enough how the Daschle campaign made a HUGE deal out of their valiant efforts to block the outside Democratic attack groups from coming into South Dakota. It was a core element of their run-as-a-victim strategy. Anyway, the depth of Daschle's cynicism was again revealed when The Pledge was quickly abandoned when the pressed the panic button.

NRA to hold rally for Thune in SD

The Hill, a Capitol Hill newspaper, is reporting that the NRA will be holding a rally for John Thune this week here in South Dakota.

Even though Daschle is appearing in camoflauge on television ads in South Dakota, the NRA gives him an F+ rating. That's why the NRA is telling South Dakota gun owners to Vote John Thune for Senate.

Argus Leader muddles Daschle NARAL letter

The Argus Leader's Terry Woster has an article in today's edition headlined "Letter provokes abortion dispute." The article is about the fact that Senator Daschle sent out a mass fundraising e-mail on behalf of NARAL in the last few days before the 2002 election. Below is a screen capture of that e-mail which I took from the lower portion of this webpage:

This e-mail is the starkest evidence there is that Daschle is misleading people when he says he's "opposed to abortion." As DVT points out, Daschle himself says in his NARAL e-mail that "As the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate, I’ve stood up for a woman’s right to choose, and the pro-choice leadership of the Senate has made a difference by safeguarding women’s rights from the anti-choice agenda of the Bush administration."

Yet the AL article only adds to Senator Daschle's attempts at muddling the meaning of his NARAL e-mail. First, there's the subtitle to the story, which reads "Daschle pro-choice, Thune says." Clearly, it's not Thune saying Daschle is pro-choice, it's Daschle himself saying it in his NARAL e-mail, as DVT also points out. Then there's the content of the article. Relevant excerpt:

Daschle said the letter was for a colleague, not a cause.

"I sent an e-mail urging support for Senator Carnahan, whose husband had died in a plane crash,'' he said in an interview. "This was a fund-raising letter that was meant to help her campaign.''

What are you going to believe? What Daschle says or your own eyes? Daschle's NARAL e-mail requests its readers to "give to NARAL" no less than FIVE times. The truth is that this e-mail was for both a colleague and a cause.

Daschle's NARAL e-mail illustrates with stunning clarity Daschle's true position on the issue of abortion. Today's report in the AL subtracts from the clarity of Daschle's NARAL e-mail.

Daschle pro-life in 1978, 1986, 2004; pro-choice in 2002

DVT notes the following statement written by Tom Daschle in this month's edition of Christianity Today:

"My record reflects the principles embodied by Catholic teachings and the church's legislative positions far more often than not. I am opposed to abortion. We can make meaningful progress in the effort to prevent abortion. That is my goal."

The "I am opposed to abortion" language is eerily reminiscent of the following quote in a letter written by Tom Daschle to voters in the last days of his 1978 campaign for Congress, (which was enclosed with a letter from eight nuns vouching for Daschle's pro-life credentials):

"I am opposed to abortion. I do not support it. I have never supported it. It is an abhorrent practice"

Then, in the last days of his successful 1986 run for the Senate, Daschle sent out a letter stating the following (which was enclosed with a letter from a pastor in Freeman, SD vouching for Daschle's pro-life credentials):

"The truth is that I am unalterably opposed to abortion on demand."

You can read all of these letters in their entirety by clicking HERE.

In the last days before the 2002 election, Daschle sent out a mass fundraising e-mail on behalf of NARAL, the largest abortion lobby in the country. Excerpt from Daschle's NARAL e-mail:

"As the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate, I've stood up for a woman's right to choose, and the pro-choice leadership of the Senate has made a difference by safeguarding women's rights from the anti-choice agenda of the Bush administration."

Senator Daschle has also led the effort to filibuster pro-life appellate judicial nominees. They are listed as follows:

Janice Rogers Brown DC Cir. (nominated 7/25/03)
Richard Griffin 6th Cir. (nominated 6/26/02) (judicial emergency)
Carolyn Kuhl 9th Cir. (nominated 6/22/01) (judicial emergency)
David McKeague 6th Cir. (nominated 11/8/01) (judicial emergency)
William Myers 9th Cir. (nominated 5/15/03) (judicial emergency)
Priscilla Owen 5th Cir. (nominated 5/9/01) (judicial emergency)
Charles Pickering 5th Cir. (nominated 5/25/01)
William Pryor 11th Cir. (nominated 4/9/03)
Henry Saad 6th Cir. (nominated 11/8/01) (judicial emergency)

According to the Republican Policy Committee, in a policy paper entitled "The Assault on Judicial Nominations in the 108th Congress," only 69% of President Bush’s nominees to the appeals courts have received up-or-down votes. If the filibustered nominees are never confirmed, this is the lowest confirmation rate for appeals courts judges for the first four years of any modern Presidency.

On the issue of abortion, there can be no clearer example of Tom Daschle saying one thing in South Dakota, and doing its 180 degree opposite in Washington. When he's up for election or reelection, he sends out statements in the waning days before the election declaring his unalterable opposition to abortion (we're seeing it happen right now, as observed by his statement to Christianity Today). When he's not up for election or reelection, he writes fundraising letters for NARAL boasting about "standing up for a woman's right to choose" and using his leadership position to advance pro-choice interests.

Daschle on the timing of his Iraq war comments

I've been meaning to get to this all day, but please note what Daschle states at the end of the latest Argus Leader story about Senator Daschle's divisive comments on the eve of the Iraq war:

The inevitability of war was the nation's prevalent mood in March 2003, and Bush had said repeatedly that he intended to use force to remove Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. But Daschle said the precise moment of Bush committing troops to battle wasn't yet known.

"The truth is, I didn't know that when I said it, I would be getting a call that night from the president saying that we would be going to war," Daschle said. "Had I known then what I know now, I may have found a different time to say it."

The thing is, Daschle DID know that we would be going to war when he made those statements. The whole country knew. Daschle made his divisive comments immediately AFTER it was announced that President Bush would speak to the nation that evening, and AFTER he had been summoned to the White House for a briefing. Just look at what Daschle said immediately before he made his divisive comment:

“I’m going to the White House this afternoon and I have a pretty good understanding, a pretty good idea what was I’m going to hear. I’m saddened, saddened that this president failed so miserably at diplomacy that we’re now forced to war. Saddened that we have to give up one life because this president couldn’t create the kind of diplomatic effort that was so critical for our country. But we will work and we had do all that we can to get through this crisis like we’ve gotten through so many.

Why won't the Argus Leader call Tom Daschle on this? It's completely dishonest for Daschle to say he didn't know that we would be going to war when he made his divisive comments. One more thing. Why won't the press ask Daschle WHY he thinks his comment was poorly timed?

Kerry Aide: Daschle just saying what he has to say in a close race

Last night on CNN's Crossfire, Jamie Rubin, a policy adviser to John Kerry, suggested Daschle's criticism Of Kerry's Iraq vote during Sunday's Meet the Press debate wasn't genuine. Below is the relevant portion of the transcript from Crossfire:

CARLSON: Now, Jamie Rubin, kind of a remarkable exchange between Tim Russert and Tom Daschle, Senator Tom Daschle yesterday on "Meet the Press" -- I'm sure you were watching very carefully -- and kind of devastating to John Kerry.

Here's what it was. Here's the exchange.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "MEET THE PRESS")

TIM RUSSERT, HOST: Didn't Senator Kerry vote against $87 million for aid to the troops?

SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D-SD), MINORITY LEADER: He did. I disagree with that. When I was over there, that was one of the most important things we could do, was to send the message, I think, that these members of the Guard and the Reserves, our active duty personnel, need the support, need the equipment they've got to have.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARLSON: So that's Tom Daschle saying what a lot of Republicans have been saying, not even as strongly as Tom Daschle just said, and that is that the message Senator Kerry sent to the troops when he voted against that 87 million dollars -- billion dollars, was devastating, that it was a lack of confidence in them. That was the message that it sent to them.

JAMIE RUBIN, ADVISER TO SENATOR JOHN KERRY: Well, Tom Daschle is in a close race in South Dakota. And there are certain things he has to say during that race.

Even Daschle's allies see Daschle's cynicism for what it is.

National Review: Daschle has it both ways on issue after issue

Fellow Dakota Alliance blogger Jon Lauck of DVT has a new piece published today in National Review Online headlined "Thune looms." Excerpt:

During his first election, Daschle sent a letter to voters saying, "I am opposed to abortion. I do not support it. I have never supported it. It is an abhorrent practice. As a citizen and as a lifelong member of the Catholic faith I will do everything in my power to persuade others that abortion is wrong." To solidify his Catholic bona fides, Daschle enclosed a letter from eight Catholic nuns saying "We know and we tell those with whom we speak of your abhorrence for abortion — and of your commitment to life." Daschle now sends fundraising letters for NARAL. When the Bishop of Sioux Falls says Daschle should stop calling himself Catholic and that Catholics should not vote for pro-choice pols, Daschle says his relationship to the church is a private matter, despite his earlier invocation of his Catholicism.

Read the whole thing. Daschle's long record of maneuvers, reversals, and double-crosses over the years really is quite breathtaking.

Weekly Standard on Huggate II

The Weekly Standard has a piece headlined "Daschled Dreams" discussing Senator Daschle having it both ways with President Bush on the Iraq war.

Daschle's ads with Bush's image

To observe how Tom Daschle is trying to have it both ways regarding President Bush, note that while he is currently running a television ad of him embracing President, he has also run blog ads in the not so distant past telling readers "it's up to you to stop" President Bush.

The Daschle duality on gay marriage

Last week, the Salt Lake Tribune had a story headlined "Donors on record pace" that contained the following passage regarding one of Senator Daschle's donors from Utah:

[Bruce] Bastian co-founded WordPerfect and rode the software firm to a vast fortune. He is the second-largest political donor in the state thus far in the 2004 election cycle, Federal Election Commission records show.

"I look for people who respect me as a human being," said Bastian, who is gay. "I hate the word gay rights, because it's much more than that. It's just equality, and if they are with me on those issues, I will give, and if not, I will do everything I can to beat them."

He has contributed $86,000 to Democratic causes and candidates, including Kerry, Rep. Jim Matheson, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle and his favorite cause, the Human Rights Campaign, which has led efforts to block a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

On Monday, the state director of Concerned Women for America had a letter published in the Argus Leader that reads in part:

Sen. Tom Daschle believes "marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman." However, his actions are curious.

Indeed. It's interesting to observe Daschle's response to a constituent who supports gay marriage:

Thank you for contacting me to express your thoughts on marriage laws. I appreciate hearing from you.

Although I believe that "marriage" should be defined as a union between a man and a woman, I respect your deeply held views, and am not opposed to an open public discussion on the issue. In fact, in light of recent developments at the state - and now, federal - level, it is clear that discussion has already begun.

As you know, the Senate recently considered a proposal to amend the Constitution to ban same-sex marriages (S.J.Res. 40, the Federal Marriage Amendment). I opposed it. In my view, states should continue to play the lead role in regulating marriage. On July 14, a motion to limit debate on the proposed constitutional amendment failed by a bipartisan vote of 48-50, and Majority Leader Frist withdrew the
legislation from further consideration by the Senate.

You may also know that I have long supported the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (S. 1705 in the 108th Congress), which is intended to ensure that employers evaluate employees based on their ability to do the job. Despite what some have suggested, it does not create "special rights," or violate religious freedom. It would simply extend existing workplace anti-discrimination laws that currently prohibit discrimination based on race, gender, national origin, and religion to also cover sexual orientation. The provisions of S. 1705 are also contained in S. 16, the Equal Rights and Equal Dignity for American Act of 2003, one of the leadership bills I introduced in January 2003.

Finally, I am a strong supporter of S. 966, the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act. This legislation would give the federal government more effective tools to investigate and prosecute hate crimes.
Specifically, S. 966 would expand existing law to enable the Department of Justice to prosecute violent crimes committed as a result of race, color, religion or national origin. In addition, it would authorize the
Department of Justice to prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes against others because of the victim's sexual orientation, gender, or disability. S. 966 also would provide funding to help local law
enforcement officers investigate hate crimes at the local level. As you may already know, this legislation, with my support, was added as an amendment to the defense reauthorization legislation recently passed by
the Senate, which is now awaiting action by a House-Senate conference committee.

Once again, I appreciate hearing from you. Please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any additional concerns regarding these or any other issue.

With best wishes, I am

Sincerely,

Tom Daschle
United States Senate

TAD/bsh

More on Daschle's Bush Hug

DVT has a post headlined "Will the real Tom Daschle please stand up?" analyzing the Drudge Report's piece on Senator Daschle embracing President Bush. In the post, DVT notes a recent Time magazine report on Daschle's behavior toward President Bush behind closed doors.

It's ironic that while Daschle tries to use President Bush to benefit politically, he continuously makes the following statement about Bush's 2000 campaign pledge to "change the tone in Washington":

Daschle, a potential contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004, said Bush "came to Washington promising to change the tone, and he did: It's worse. He promised compassionate conservatism and the only thing we've seen is compassion for conservatives."

The blockquote above was taken from an October 18, 2002 AP report headlined "Top Democrat Bashes Bush." It's interesting that the only time Daschle bashes Bush is when Daschle is in Washington. When he's in South Dakota, you'd think Tom Daschle should be delivering a keynote address at the Republican National Convention.

Drudge notes Daschle's hug of President Bush in ad

Drudge has a huge screenshot of the portion of Senator Daschle's latest ad showing him hugging President Bush. The Drudge headline reads "DEM DASCHLE SEEKS BUSH BOOST; AD FEATURES 'HUG.'" Note that Daschle likes to boast of his embrace of Bush at home, even going so far as to declare that he supports President Bush 75% of the time. Here in South Dakota, Daschle tries to pretend he's a Zell Miller kind of Democrat.

UPDATE: Drudge writes:

How bad has it gotten for Democrats at summer's end: A paid TV advertisement from Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, President Bush's top congressional foe, features the South Dakotan hugging and embracing President Bush!

While Democrat party officials of all stripes decend on New York City to blast the president, Daschle has quietly purchased air time in his home state for the minute-long campaign commerical -- a commerical insiders have dubbed: "Bush Hug."

Daschle faces a tough campaign against South Dakota Republican challanger John Thune.

"This is delightful!" laughed one republican official in New York on Monday morning. "Senator Daschle now concedes supporting the president can score him votes in the fall!"

DRUDGE presents a transcript of the controverisal ad:

Announcer:

Sen. Tom Daschle: Tonight, the President has called us again to greatness, and tonight we answer that call.

Male Voice: In our country's hour of need, Tom Daschle made us proud.

Sen. Richard Durbin: Tom Daschle called us together and said, 'we have to keep this nation safe and secure.' I thought that was one of his finest moments. He really said in those moments what all of us felt, that before we are Democrats, before we are Republicans, we're Americans.

Sen. Carl Levin: Tom Daschle has a great inner strength and toughness, which is why Tom is such a great leader.

Male Voice: Senator Daschle helped forge a consensus to rebuild our military.

Headline: Daschle: Time to Unite Behind Troops, Bush

On Screen: Daschle and President Bush hug on House floor.

Male Voice: Tom won significant increases in homeland security and helped provide law enforcement new tools to track down terrorists.

Headline: Daschle, mayors pitch homeland security

Headline: Daschle Calls For More Body Armor For S.D. Soldiers in Iraq

Male Voice: And no one has done more to get our troops the equipment they need or ensure our veterans are taken care of when they return home.

Headline: Sen. Daschle receives 'Unsung Hero' award from American Legion

Daschle: I'm Tom Daschle and I approve this ad, because a strong military and a strong America is the best way to fight terrorism.

'Dueling Daschles'

Be sure to try your hand at the "Dueling Daschles" game. Guess whether a particular Daschle quote was made in Washington, DC or South Dakota.

Quote of the Day

"But, Tom Daschle has a very unique way of separating himself--he can be a national Democrat when he's in Washington, but when he's in South Dakota he's clearly a South Dakota Democrat." - NPR political editor Ken Rudin today on the Tavis Smiley Show. To hear the entire show, click HERE. To hear the quote cited above, go to the four minute mark.

Huggate reprise

See this from yesterday's St. Louis Post Dispatch (scroll down about halfway):

POLITICAL PICKINGS: When Time mag quoted moviemaker Michael Moore as saying that Sen. Tom Daschle "gave me a hug" at the D.C. premiere of "Fahrenheit 9/11," a bunch of Daschle's constituents back home in South Dakota were appalled. Daschle denied all. Now, The Washington Post has tracked down the truth. Seems that hugger was Washington lawyer Cam Cowan, a near-double for Daschle.

The New Republic runs correction on Hug Gate

Next week's edition of The New Republic carries the following "correction" on Hug Gate under the headline "Consider the Source":

In an article about the influence of Michael Moore on the Democratic Party ("Crashing the Party," July 19), Jason Zengerle noted that the filmmaker had recently boasted to Time about his warm post-movie reception from Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, despite Moore's merciless lampooning of the senator in Fahrenheit 9/11. After attending a screening of the film, Moore told Time, Daschle "gave me a hug and said he felt bad and that we were all gonna fight [Bush] from now on. I thanked him for being a good sport."

But it turns out Moore and Daschle aren't so close--or at least not close enough to have hugged. "I know we senators all tend to look alike," Daschle told reporters. "But I arrived late to the film and had to leave early for Senate votes. I didn't meet Mr. Moore." Maybe this episode will shake the faith of Daschle and his fellow Democrats in Moore's other stories.

WaPo's gossip columnist comments on The Hug

The Washington Post's Richard Leiby, who reported this week that Michael Moore stands by his claim that Tom Daschle hugged him and said he "felt bad" about supporting the Iraq war, made the following comment in a "Live Online" discussion today:

[Daschle] seemed pretty mellow last time I saw him, but if his anxiety has increased lately, maybe it's because he did NOT get a hug from Michael Moore. (Our column had all the info on the "Daschle denies hugging Moore" controversy earlier this week, but I'm happy to fill space by providing more, more, Moore)

WaPo: Michael Moore stands by his claim Daschle hugged him

The Washington Post is reporting that Michael Moore stands by his claim reported in Time magazine that Tom Daschle hugged him after the premiere of "Fahrenheit 9/11" and told Moore he "felt bad" about supporting the Iraq war. Tom Daschle subsequently denied Moore's claim, and said he'd never met or talked to Michael Moore in his life. This whole situation is just getting curiouser and curiouser.

(Kudos to DVT for catching the WaPo graf.)

DVT joins the ranks of the doubtful

DVT has a post regarding "Hug Gate" (Michael Moore's claim that he hugged Tom Daschle after the premiere of "Fahrenheit 9/11" and Daschle's categorical denial of it) headlined "Hug Gate: Daschle's Alibi Implausible." DVT persuasively notes, among other things, that The New Republic reported Daschle was among those giving a standing ovation at the end of the movie. TNR is unlikely to report such an important fact inaccurately. To underscore that notion, TNR's Jason Zengerle has assured me that his editors are looking into the accuracy of Michael Moore's claim, after Zengerle wrote a piece for this week's edition citing it:

Moore's parallel presidential campaign poses a dilemma for Democrats. The Kerry campaign--mindful of the heat Wesley Clark took in the Democratic primaries when Moore, appearing on stage with Clark at a rally, accused President Bush of being a "deserter"--is keeping its distance. While it obviously appreciates the scrutiny Moore and his film are bringing to bear on the Bush administration, a campaign spokesperson was quick to announce that the Massachusetts senator hasn't seen Fahrenheit 9/11 and doesn't plan to. "The campaign will keep an arm's length from the film," says a Kerry adviser. "There's no upside to embracing a filmmaker who is likely to pop off at any moment with statements as inflammatory as they are impolitic."

Other Democrats, however, aren't so chary of Moore or his effort. In late June, Moore had a VIP screening of Fahrenheit 9/11 at Washington, D.C.'s Uptown Theater. In attendance were a host of prominent Democrats--including Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, Florida Senator Bob Graham, California Senator Barbara Boxer, and numerous members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Even some of Fahrenheit 9/11's favorite targets, such as Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle--who Moore mercilessly lampoons in the movie for being insufficiently opposed to Bush and the war in Iraq--dutifully showed up. (After the screening, Moore told Time, Daschle "gave me a hug and said he felt bad and that we were all gonna fight from now on. I thanked him for being a good sport.")

Although the applause at the Washington, D.C., event was more muted than at the New York and Los Angeles VIP screenings, where liberal celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Rob Reiner gave it raucous receptions, the presence of so many Democrats--especially those Senate Democrats, who delayed a vote on a defense bill so they could attend--spoke louder than any standing ovation.

(Emphases added.) That's it at the end of the day, isn't it? Daschle's mere presence at the premiere speaks volumes about how out of touch he is with the red state values of South Dakota.

Boston Herald columnist doesn't believe Daschle's denial

Margery Eagan, a columnist for the Boston Herald, in a piece headlined "What's up with all this John-John touchy-feely?" has this to say about The Illusory Hug:

I should note that Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, perhaps concerned by the Caressa-Kerry hoopla, now denies bear-hugging "Fahrenheit 9/11'' director Michael Moore at the film's June premiere. No one believes him.

Sibby's stellar sleuthing. LGF (and Kranz!) pick up on The Illusory Hug

David Kranz, the dean of South Dakota political reporters, has a report today headlined "Timing of votes cast doubt on Moore claim of Daschle hug."

Meanwhile, Sibby has done some great investigatory work regarding the timing of the Senate votes on the night of Michael Moore's DC premiere. It seems that most of the senators reportedly at the premiere were voting around the time they were reportedly giving the movie a standing ovation. Strange.

Finally, Little Green Footballs takes note of The Illusory Hug and comments: "Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle would like us all to know that he absolutely did not, under any circumstances, hug Michael Moore."

Well, he'd like all South Dakotans to know, anyway.

UPDATE: If you haven't seen it already, don't miss the story in yesterday's Washington Times headlined "Daschle cool on plaudits for '9/11.'" Excerpt:

Dick Wadhams, campaign manager for Daschle challenger John Thune, said Mr. Daschle trotted out the case-of-mistaken-identity excuse only after being criticized for his coziness with Mr. Moore from voters in South Dakota, where Mr. Bush received 60 percent of the vote in 2000.

"As usual, Tom Daschle wants it both ways," he said. "He wants to go to the premiere and lend credence to the movie, but he doesn't want to be judged for it by voters. It's typical Daschle doublespeak."

Michael Moore: Daschle "felt bad" about supporting war

Time Magazine's cover story in the July 12 edition headlined "The World According to Michael" contains the following passage:

Moore does not spare the Democrats entirely in his film. Most Democratic Senators, including Kerry, not only voted for the Iraq war but until recently refused to criticize the President's decision to invade. Among the clips in Fahrenheit 9/11 is one of minority leader Tom Daschle last year urging other Senators to follow his lead and vote for Bush's Iraq war. Two weeks ago, at the Washington premiere, Moore sat a few rows behind Daschle. Afterward, says Moore, "he gave me a hug and said he felt bad and that we were all gonna fight from now on. I thanked him for being a good sport."

(Emphasis added.) Last week, David Kranz, the dean of South Dakota political reporters, broadly hinted that Tom Daschle left the premiere of "Fahrenheit 9/11" early because he was upset at Moore's portrayal of him in the film. Now we learn that not only was Tom Daschle not upset, he told Michael Moore he "felt bad" about voting for the war.

This past Saturday, a Daschle staffer was quoted in the Rapid City Journal to the following effect:

Daschle spokesman Ted Miller said the senator still believed he voted correctly on the Iraq war vote.

Wow. It's another classic case of Daschle saying one thing in DC and its 180 degree opposite in South Dakota.

UPDATE: You can read the entire Time piece at CNN.com.

Vodkapundit on Daschle and Michael Moore

Vodkapundit has a post briefly discussing Senator Daschle's attendance at the premiere of Michael Moore's movie "Fahrenheit 9/11." Excerpt:

I'm guessing the real question regarding Moore's propaganda effort isn't how much it will hurt Bush--those who'd believe it were already voting against him--but rather how much the credibility of the Democratic politicians and media types who kowtowed to Moore last week will suffer in the aftermath. I suspect Tom Daschle in particular will rue his decision to attend the DC premiere.

DVT analyzes Daschle's response to "Fahrenheit 9/11"

Don't miss DVT's latest tour-de-force, headlined "Daschle's Failure of Moral Leadership on Michael Moore."

The Economist on Daschle and "Fahrenheit 9/11"

The Economist has a new piece headlined "Moore's Law." Excerpt:

But “Fahrenheit 9/11” also has some worrying implications for the Democrats. It reminds middle America that liberal activists like to blame their own country for the world's problems. So far no prominent Democrat has seen fit to denounce Mr Moore's view that the war on terrorism is a fraud (the silence from John Kerry has been deafening). Instead, party elders including Tom Daschle and Terry McAuliffe attended the film's premiere in Washington, DC, and other Democrats have helped publicise it.

Mr Moore is a dangerous man to flirt with: remember how Wesley Clark's campaign collapsed when Mr Moore simultaneously endorsed the general and described Mr Bush as a deserter? Mr Moore has a long record of denouncing the United States to foreigners. The Republicans are citing him as proof of their charge that the Democrats are “a coalition of the wild-eyed”. If they have any sense, they may even steal a Moore cinematic technique: show the Democratic elite traipsing along the red carpet to see “Fahrenheit 9/11”, and then cut to a grainy shot of Mr Moore telling Britons that Americans are “possibly the dumbest people on the planet.”

Mr Moore is a formidable ally if all you want to do is attack Mr Bush. But the Democrats want to govern the country. With Messrs Bush and Kerry running neck-and-neck in the polls, they should be careful whom they hang out with.

(Emphasis added.)

DVT scores pic of Daschle going to "Fahrenheit 9/11"

Be sure to see DVT's latest post, which contains a picture of Tom Daschle running late for the premiere of Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11."

Glassman: Daschle "paid homage" to Michael Moore

James K. Glassman, a columnist for Scripps Howard News Service, has an excellent column out today headlined "Wild-eyed Democrats." Excerpt:

So Moore is radical and a hater. But we've had a lot of those in our history. The big difference is that Moore is now embraced by the Democratic Party's establishment. Among those paying homage at his film's Washington opening were Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota, Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe and Florida Sen. Bob Graham, a Democrat. What on earth are these people doing at a Michael Moore premiere? They're scared. America has been undergoing a sea change over the past quarter-century, and Democrats, in this election, are trying to turn back the tide. Whatever it takes.

(Emphasis added.) Yes, much as Tom Daschle is trying to give South Dakotans the impression that he was just casually going out to the movies last Wednesday night, that's hardly the case. According to the Daschle campaign blog, it's "absurd" for us to assume Daschle endorses Michael Moore's views (see the June 25 post by Dan Pfieiffer). Oh, really? Well, why can't Daschle publicly say that he doesn't endorse Michael Moore's views then, instead of making some lame comment about "sparking debate"? The answer is simple: because to do so would outrage the base of the Democratic Party, and cost him his leadership post.

The Washington premiere of "Fahrenheit 9/11" was politically symbolic for the Democrats. If Tom Daschle had not shown up, that would have been big news, because it would have been seen as a public disavowal of Michael Moore by a Democratic leader. Tom Daschle was not just casually going to the movies. He was engaging in an act of political symbolism that his duties as Democratic Leader required.

In a telling passage, liberal columnist Maureen Dowd reported that Senate Democrats, Daschle presumably among them (he is, after all, their leader) delayed final passage of a defense spending measure in order for him and his colleagues to attend the premiere of "Fahrenheit 9/11." Thus Dowd:

While Democratic lawmakers delayed final passage of a defense spending bill so they could mingle with Michael Moore, the once sweat-free Bushies were acting jangly.

Daschle delaying final passage of a defense spending bill so he could mingle with Michael Moore. I think that speaks volumes.

Daschle walks the red carpet at premiere of "Fahrenheit 9/11"

Hugh Hewitt wonders how Daschle's attendance at the premiere of Michael Moore's Bush-bashing "Fahrenheit 9/11" will play in South Dakota. Answer: not very well, should people find out about it. Unfortunately, given the media here in South Dakota, it's highly unlikely that people will find out about it.

Sibby makes a good point about the screening of "Fahrenheit 9/11" in South Dakota. Given the fact that Tom Daschle has signed a pledge asking all third party groups that support him to keep negative ads out of South Dakota, will he call on Michael Moore to keep his movie (which by all accounts is essentially a two-hour negative ad bashing Republicans) off of South Dakota movie theater screens?

Novak: Daschle voted 'no' on bill naming Reagan National Airport

Bob Novak has an interesting blurb in his latest column regarding Senator Daschle's past antipathy toward President Reagan:

The campaign by Grover Norquist and other conservative activists to immediately replace Alexander Hamilton on the $10 bill with Ronald Reagan is partially intended to cause trouble for Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle's re-election campaign in South Dakota.

A vote on the proposal this year would put Daschle on the spot. He faces a tough challenge from former Rep. John Thune in a predominantly Republican state where Reagan was very popular.

A footnote: Daschle unsuccessfully attempted to prolong debate on the 1998 bill naming Reagan National Airport in Washington. He was one of only 22 senators voting no (while Sen. Edward M. Kennedy voted yes).

Comparing Daschle's blog ad to what he says at home

Jerome Armstrong of www.mydd.com, a Democratic blog, has an interesting post quoting an e-mail he says is from a Daschle campaign staffer. Despite its bravado, the Daschle campaign seems to be concerned about losing. The following text is from the Daschle campaign staffer e-mail to Jerome Armstrong:

The challenger/open seat races in place like CO, AK, and elsewhere are huge and exciting and deserving of all of our attention and support - but there's only one incumbent Dem Senator who's facing a challenge of this magnitude this cycle. And if we lose Daschle, we not only lose the Senate leader, but we lose any chance of winning back the Senate.
There can be little doubt the kinds of things we saw in '02 (against Cleland et al) will happen here this time. The 3rd party negative ads started back in April, and this race really began more than a year ago before we even had a opponent. Polls have shown a range, but it's South Dakota - with Johnson's 528 vote win in '02, and Stephanie Herseth's squeaker just last week, close elections are the norm here. Especially with a candidate like John Thune, who's making his second go at it, with all the resources of the national GOP, as well as a tradition of voter suppression on the Indian reservations.

You can observe John Thune engaging in a GOP tradition of voter suppression on the Indian reservations (with pictures!) HERE.

More intriguing is a certain "blogad" on the MyDD blog paid for by the Daschle campaign. The Daschle ad reads: "Help Stop George Bush! Bush & Thune Team Up To Defeat Tom Daschle! It's Up To You To Stop Them!" That's quite a contrast in tone to a letter by Tom Daschle's campaign manager, published in the Rapid City Journal, boasting about supporting President Bush 75% of the time.

The ad is animated, with one screen showing a picture of John Thune and George W. Bush together, and a second screen with the same picture, but with a big image of a stop sign over the image of John Thune.

I wonder if David Kranz, whose political column has begun running twice a week, rather than just on Sunday, (now you can get twice the bias!) will mention this ad in one of his columns. Recall that when John Thune ran an ad on Instapundit, Kranz mentioned it, without explaining what a blog is, and not referring to the specific blog. Rather, Kranz just mentioned the text of the ad, and left it at that:

Even though Thune is not in the middle of TV-ad wars, there is a campaign presence, including a message on a Web site blog with a his logo and the words, "Stop Tom Daschle's obstructionism."

A way to measure Kranz's bias is first to observe whether he mentions this blog ad at all in one of his columns, and second, if he does mention it, whether he gives the ad the same treatment he gave to the Thune ad (describing images on the ad, and reciting the text of the ad, but with no mention of what a blog is, and no mention of what blog the ad appeared on).

Daschle breaks law he championed -- again

The Argus Leader has a story today headlined "Violations alleged in Senate race." Excerpt:

[A]ides to Republican candidate John Thune say fliers mailed to advertise this month's South Dakota Technology Summit, hosted by Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle, violated campaign finance laws because Daschle's name and picture are featured.

The summit, which Daschle has hosted every year since 2001, brings together South Dakota business representatives in an effort to help the state capture high-tech jobs.

Thune's campaign contends the mailing is a backdoor way of promoting Daschle by using the corporate money that will pay for the conference. Under new campaign rules that took effect in November 2002, candidates are no longer allowed to work with outside groups - such as the tech-summit organizers - on mailings or ads that refer to candidates within 120 days of a primary or general election.

You can access the South Dakota Technology Summit's website HERE. DVT has more.

Only two weeks ago, the Daschle campaign even admitted they violated the federal campaign law that Daschle championed. The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) was one of Daschle's top priorities when he was the Senate Majority Leader. Shouldn't Tom Daschle be "troubled" by his campaign systematically breaking the law he championed?

Daschle and the Iraq war

Recall this piece from the Aberdeen American News a little over a week ago, about Tom Daschle's latest position on the Iraq war:

America started its war with Iraq under false pretenses, Tom Daschle said Friday.

But Daschle, the Democratic leader in the Senate, told reporters during a conference call that the war is justified because Saddam Hussein needed to be deposed. But, the Aberdeen native said, the main reasons President Bush gave Congress and the public for invading Iraq have turned out to be inaccurate[.]

Victor Davis Hanson discusses this apparently contradictory position in a piece headlined "Our Present Chaos; Inconsistency is the order of the day." Excerpt:

Still, despite all this, we are told by all both that Iraq is better off without Saddam Hussein and that the United States cannot precipitously withdraw from the country and cease its reconstruction efforts. Yet does such sentiment translate into support for the ongoing effort to bring "democracy" to Iraq? Hardly. Apparently a new exegesis has arisen that goes something like the following: The United States was wrong to go to war to take out a monster who deserved to be taken out but nevertheless should stay to ensure stability in a country that it has no right to be in.

Is there any general explanation for all these contradictions? I think very little other than the general lesson that we can draw about a rather humane, affluent, and leisured society after September 11 finding itself confused and in a baffling war against medieval enemies it thought were not supposed to be around in the 21st century.

(Emphasis original.)

Daschle's dissonant statements on Iraq

See Tom Daschle's statement on the Senate floor last Thursday, when he said the following, according to a column in USA Today:

"Americans stand together today and always to finish the work we started and bring peace and democracy to the citizens of Iraq."

Then, the very next day, in a conference call to reporters back home in South Dakota, Daschle said the 180 degree opposite, in the context of OPEC's cut in production levels:

''If that's the thanks we get for doing what we have done in the Persian Gulf these last several years, then I think we ought to re-evaluate whether or not our presence there is something that's in our national interest[.]''

(Emphasis added.) So is it in our national interest to have a presence in Iraq, or not? With Daschle, the answer to that question depends on how many points he can score politically in a given situation.

Daschle has it both ways on tort reform

Senator Tom Daschle has a troubling, baffling and disappointing habit of saying one thing in South Dakota and its 180 degree opposite in places like San Francisco and Washington, DC. DVT points out a quote Tom Daschle made in Renner, SD yesterday during a campaign event, as reported in the Argus Leader:

Ron Hefty of Hefty Seed Co. in Baltic said he favors tort reform. He also said one factor leading to high health care costs is that doctors are greedy. Daschle said a big issue is that doctors have to pay "way too much" for insurance.

So when Daschle is face to face with a small business owner in South Dakota who favors tort reform, Daschle doesn't take the opportunity to explain the fact that he not only opposes tort reform, he LEADS the opposition to tort reform. Trial lawyers, who fight tort reform tooth and nail, are Tom Daschle's biggest contributors. To paraphrase a comment made by a Chamber of Commerce official a few years ago (which can be found by clicking HERE and scrolling down to the headline "Trial lawyers give $500,000 as legislation heads to Senate floor") Tom Daschle knows that while the trial lawyers have lots of money, the small business community in South Dakota has a lot of votes. So, instead of explaining his opposition to tort reform, Daschle tries to sound like a Republican on the issue, telling Mr. Hefty of Baltic what he wants to hear.

But what Daschle says is different from what he does. Six weeks ago, Tom Daschle led a successful filibuster of a bill that would have reduced the excessive burden the liability system places on the delivery of obstetrical and gynecological services. Last summer, he spoke at the opening plenary of the Association of Trial Lawyers of American convention held in San Francisco, in the wake of successfully filibustering another tort reform measure in the Senate.

Once again, Tom Daschle is trying to have it both ways, this time on tort reform.

National Review piece on SD political history

Professor Lauck, a historian at South Dakota State University, who operates the DVT blog, has a fascinating piece in National Review today headlined "Daschle’s Dakota Past." Excerpt:

Running as a conservative Democrat, Daschle was also able to neutralize the impact of social issues. On November 1 [1986], in response to criticism of his abortion record, Daschle sent a letter to voters stating that "I am unalterably opposed to abortion on demand" and casting the issue as "a battle over human life." Daschle enclosed a letter to him from a minister, who vouched for Daschle's pro-life credentials: "I remember some of the very personal, deeply soul-searching conversations we've had on this subject. You used expletives like 'repulsive' and 'gross' in underscoring your abhorrence of abortion. You even said it is a form of murder, and I believe you are right. The bottom line is you are as opposed to abortion as I am."

Now, Bishop Carlson of the Sioux Falls, SD diocese has told Tom Daschle he can no longer call himself a Catholic because of his record on abortion. This is spun by Tom Daschle's Democratic colleagues in the Senate as an attack on Daschle's religion, as seen by Senator Harry Reid's comments on the Senate floor a week ago:

By virtue of the fact that 48 other Democrats, in a period of over 10 years, have selected the Senator from South Dakota as our leader, as a result of that the Senator does things for the caucus. I am sure the caucus is not 100-percent headed in the right direction, but we do our best to try to, and when there is ever anything that is done that is not in keeping with what this White House wants, the leader is attacked, his family is attacked, his religion is attacked, his ethics are attacked.

(Emphasis added.) It seems to me that if Senator Daschle is going to exploit religious figures to get elected, religious figures have grounds to criticize Senator Daschle when he double-crosses them.

Excellent article by Mercer

I would be remiss if I didn't echo DVT's praise for the recently published article by Bob Mercer headlined "Anti-abortion group criticizes Daschle; Senate minority leader under fire for voting both for, against fetal rights." As DVT states, this piece by Mercer is analytical journalism at its finest.

Daschle's day of cynicism

See this press release from Tom Daschle's office. Then see the rest of the story.

Daschle almost killed the UVVA

The AP has a report reflecting on the passage of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act yesterday headlined "Conservatives Win Big With Fetus Bill." Excerpt:

[The UVVA] earlier in the day came within one vote of failing, when the Senate voted 50-49 to defeat an amendment by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

Tom Daschle voted to kill UVVA by supporting the Feinstein amendment, and then voted to support UVVA when it came up for a vote. It was a classic case of Tom Daschle having it both ways. Note that Senator Tim Johnson voted to defeat UVVA. It's amazing how these two show their true colors when an election is many years away.

Daschle votes for two poison pills to UVVA, then supports UVVA

As predicted, after voting FOR the Feinstein "single victim" poison pill amendment to the Unborn Victims of Violence Act (UVVA), and FOR the Murray poison pill amendment to UVVA, Senator Tom Daschle then voted to support the UVVA, which he had been working all afternoon and into the evening to undermine (note that the junior senator from South Dakota, Tim Johnson, voted for both poison pills and AGAINST UVVA). Once again, Tom Daschle is trying to have it both ways on a controversial issue, as he has done on guns, and on the Iraq war.

The AP is reporting: "Senate Passes Fetus Protection Bill."

FLASHBACK

It was a year ago today that Senator Tom Daschle, making a speech to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees shortly after meeting with President Bush, said that he was "saddened that this president failed so miserably at diplomacy that we're now forced to war." As one can observe from the posts on my blog a year ago (scroll down), the country responded with outrage. Michael Barone supplied an interesting analysis of Daschle's comments.

In the days before the Iraq war, Steven Den Beste observed:

After we fight and win, a lot is going to come out about just how dreadful and brutal Saddam's government truly is. Relieved of fear of Saddam's secret police, we're going to see a flood of reports coming out of Iraq containing interviews with individual Iraqis who will describe personal horror stories. We're going to see shambling hulks of men maimed and broken by torture; crying women describing how they had to watch their own children be tortured to death. We're going to see photographs of terrible scars and disfigurements. We're going to hear about people being "disappeared". We're going to hear about mass graves, and public executions, and a lot else.

And Daschle and the rest of the Democrats who are now trying to take a stand against war are going to have to explain why it was that they opposed ending all that.

Den Beste's observations are remarkably prescient, particularly in light of a report last month in the Rapid City Journal headlined "Daschle satisfied with war progress." Excerpt:

Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., on Thursday praised the Bush administration's war and nation-building work in Iraq and said he has no serious concerns about the lack of weapons of mass destruction.

Daschle told state chamber of commerce representatives meeting in the South Dakota capital that he is satisfied with the way things are going in Iraq.

"I give the effort overall real credit," Daschle said. "It is a good thing Saddam Hussein is no longer in power. It is a good thing we are democratizing the country."

He said he is not upset about the debate over pre-war intelligence on weapons of mass destruction, an issue that has dogged President Bush as Democratic presidential contenders have slogged through the primary season.

Today, Tom Daschle is hoping that his constituents have forgotten the furor over his comments a year ago. We haven't.

UPDATE: DVT has a more cryptic explanation of the 2003 Tom Daschle compared to the 2004 Tom Daschle.

Daschle's recess appearances in SD

The Senate is in recess this week. That means Senator Tom Daschle will be making campaign appearances around the state, pretending to be a Zell Miller Democrat rather than the John Kerry Democrat he truly is. And that means constituents have the opportunity to ask Daschle about certain issues he won't take a position on, or that he takes a number of positions on, depending on whether he's in Washington or South Dakota. Hopefully, members of the press will be present to record the conversation.

The last time the Senate was in recess, the Rapid City Journal reported that Daschle told a Chamber of Commerce gathering in Pierre the Bush administration's inability to find weapons of mass destruction was of little concern to him. These statements contradicted statements Daschle had made 10 days earlier in Washington, according to Time magazine, that President Bush had a "credibility chasm" on WMD.

So if you happen to be at a Daschle event this week (He's holding a free dinner at Central High School in Rapid City this Wednesday at 5:30PM, for example), there are a couple of issues to ask him about:

1) The Unborn Victims of Violence Act (Laci and Connor's Law). As an excellent guest editorial reported in yesterday's Argus Leader, Tom Daschle has yet to take a final position on a bill that would make it a federal crime to kill or injure an unborn child. South Dakota law already makes it a crime to kill or injure an unborn child. Given the Daschle campaign's penchant for accusing John Thune of lacking leadership because of his indecision on whether to run for the Senate, it's unseemly for Daschle to be dithering on an important issue like this. If you get an opportunity to ask Daschle about this, demand a commitment one way or the other. If Senator Dianne Feinstein of California can demand a commitment from Tom Daschle, a constituent certainly can too.

2) Ethanol. Be sure to ask Tom Daschle why he was out signing copies of his book when he should have been rounding up votes for the energy bill. As Senator Chuck Grassley stated, that was the one shot the ethanol bill had at becoming law. And Daschle blew it. If he says the revised ethanol bill is coming up again for a vote in the Senate, point out that it won't pass in the House, and won't become the law of the land. The ethanol bill had one shot at becoming the law, and Daschle didn't exercise his vaunted clout to muscle the thing through, when South Dakota farmers needed him most. And don't forget that Daschle's trial lawyer contributors wanted the ethanol bill dead because it gave liability protection to MTBE manufacturers. That might have been the reason Daschle voted for the bill, but didn't hang around to exercise his purported clout to get the extra votes necessary to pass the bill.

3) Gun control. Tom Daschle recently voted for stricter regulation of gun shows (to close the "gun show loophole"). But the entire state legislature almost unanimously supported a resolution "[r]ecognizing the substantial public contribution of gun shows and discouraging inappropriate attempts to regulate or restrict them." Why is Tom Daschle voting out of step with the near unanimity of the state legislature?

The two Tom Daschles

To better understand the stark contrast between the Washington Tom Daschle and the South Dakota Tom Daschle, click on the links to the following photos:

The Washington Tom Daschle seen here yukking it up with Kofi Annan.

The South Dakota Tom Daschle, trying not to look out of place amidst a group of good ol' boys.

The White House takes notice

The White House has taken notice of the fact that Tom Daschle is trying to have it both ways on the Iraq war. Jeff Gannon, resident DC expert on South Dakota politics, asked White House press secretary Scott McClellan about it during a press conference yesterday:

Q This is on Iraq. Last week, Senator Tom Daschle told an audience in South Dakota, "I give the overall effort real credit," in talking about the war in Iraq.

MR. McCLELLAN: Right, I saw those remarks.

Q Would you interpret his statement as a significant endorsement of administration policy, considering his own party and most of the media coverage says that the war in Iraq is going so badly?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think there is a growing recognition that a free and peaceful Iraq is vital to our nation's interests. A free and peaceful Iraq will help bring about stability and peace in a very volatile region of the world. This is a generational commitment the President is making to the Middle East, and Iraq can be an important step in moving toward freedom and democracy throughout the greater Middle East. And the President is strongly committed to making sure that we stay the course and finish the job in Iraq, for that very reason.

Q Don't you think Daschle's breaking ranks with his own party to essentially praise the war effort in Iraq is significant?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, I don't want to interpret everybody's remarks, but I did see those remarks. We are making important progress in Iraq. It's very work that we are -- have undertaken. We are working closely with the Iraqi people and leaders in Iraq to bring about a peaceful, democratic and free Iraq.

Also, George W. Bush's official blog comments on the story.

Rush discovers the latest Daschle flip-flop

Rush Limbaugh has a piece on his website headlined "Daschle Praises Bush on War" with his take on Tom Daschle's dissonant comments on the Iraq war, as reported in the Rapid City Journal.

Robert Moran on Tom Daschle

National Review Online has a piece analyzing Tom Daschle's motivations in trying to have it both ways on controversial issues headlined "About Face! Forward March!" Excerpt:

The strategy is clear. Daschle knows that he's in a conservative state. He knows, given party-registration numbers, that he has to peel away at least some Republicans. His team has already done the math and realized that if Bush wins 60 percent of the vote in South Dakota again, Daschle will need to get 17 percent of these Bush voters to vote for him and not Thune in order to win. That's some tough math.

Ross' column "contagious"

Rapid City Journal political reporter Denise Ross' piece on Tom Daschle's latest comments regarding the Bush administration and weapons of mass destruction is ranked 13th on the Blogdex rankings of the most contagious information currently spreading in the weblog community.

Daschle's schizoid politics

Denise Ross' column in the Rapid City Journal regarding Senator Daschle's dissonant statements on weapons of mass destruction is garnering attention from the blogosphere beyond South Dakota. Instapundit has a post on the piece, as does NRO's Jonah Goldberg. The Daschle v. Thune blog also has more excellent analysis on Daschle's schizoid politics, which you can access HERE and HERE.

UPDATE: Power Line weighs in too.

ANOTHER UPDATE: The Man Without Qualities blog has commentary, asking if Tom Daschle thinks South Dakota voters are too dim to see through this ploy.

Anthony Perez-Miller writes that Daschle's comments are "transparently opportunistic."

Pejmanesque says Tom Daschle is the latest afflictee of "Kerryitis," a condition "that strikes Democratic Senators who are trying to have it both ways when it comes to describing their position on Iraq."

The blog "Ace of Spades HQ" writes:

Jeepers! You'd think [Daschle] was running for re-election in a Republcian leaning state this year or somethin'!

And that's part of our problem with Democrats. It's not just that they're anti-war.

It's that they're willing to claim to be pro-war or anti-war as political circumstances dictate. They don't have a position on the war; they have, rather, positionings, designed solely for electoral gain.

The blog "Lapsus calami" writes: "Of course, Tom is in re-election mode, so he's probably just saying what South Dakotans want to hear."