By Kevin Woster
I’ve been ordered by an unfaithful, often-critical, non-participating follower of Mount Blogmore to stop staring at George Bush’s navel and face the rising sun.
Because we are nothing if not responsive here on the mountain, I’ll pass along his question:
How do we get out of Iraq? And when? And what do we leave behind?
By Denise Ross
The Argus has found room for one non-storm story.
I, too, sorta remember when presidential candidates came here. But I was a young teen thinking of lots of things, none of them politics. Harlan actually covered these guys. Woster, too, probably. (I’m pretty sure Hillary Clinton made an appearance at SDSU whilst I was honing my journalistic craft there.)
It could be cool to once again have an early presidential primary, but just think, things like the Howard Dean scream could happen here. And do we really want guys in bow ties parading around?
As one of the older news weasels, I remember covering George the First, Gerald Ford, Bob Dole, George the Second, Al Gore and Dan Quayle in person in South Dakota during various presidential campaigns. The most disappointing was an interview in the back of Gore’s limo as we ran from the Elmen Center to the airport in Sioux Falls (I think during Clinton’s ‘92 campaign). He just didn’t have much to say. The most memorable was earlier that year, when Clinton was under the media spotlight for alleged affairs, and Hillary stopped at the South Dakota Capitol to see state legislators and tour the building. It was, I believe a day or two after they appeared on 60 Minutes. The way she handled herself under all that pressure, with her married life being examined in public, was impressive. She was composed, strong and articulate and, somehow, even proud. I don’t know how she managed it. K.W.
By Denise Ross
As I watched KELO on Monday, I must admit I was surprised to hear Mike Rounds all up in everyone’s face telling them about the weather and what he was doing about it. That’s more Janklow-style than Rounds-style, I thought. But if Rounds were to take a page (and he has, btw) out of Jankow’s book, that one was a discerning choice.
And I thought, he’s thinking re-election. (it’s less than a year away, you know.)
Then I saw this in my e-mail account - a sort of press release:
Johnson Monitors Winter Storm Situation
Washington, DC— U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) releases the following statement in response to the winter storm currently hitting South Dakota:
It is clear that this storm has already disrupted the lives of many South Dakotans. My staff and I continue to monitor the situation and have been in touch with the South Dakota Department of Public Safety, several of the state’s public utility companies, as well as the appropriate federal agencies. Dealing with winter storms is certainly not new to South Dakotans. However, it is important to be prepared for when the skies clear and the wind stops.
A potential Johnson-Rounds matchup continues to be the most interesting political row on the horizon, but up until this, my money was all on Johnson. He’s more experienced, his staff is way more experienced, and he’s been studying his prey for a few years already.
Now, I think I’ll spread my bets. On KELO, you’ve got Rounds giving specifics of how to get help, how to avoid getting your backside in a sling and just what he was going to do about all of it. In the e-mail, you have Johnson monitoring. (Which, in a way, is a step up from his ubiquitous press releases about him urging this or that, which have led to newsroom snickers about Johnson’s urges and his need to announce them.)
All this is by way of asking, were Janklow still governor and Johnson had issued this press release, What Would Janklow Do?
By Denise Ross
The LA times reports today that the Bushies forced a vote on going to war in Iraq just weeks before the 2002 elections AND that Thune and other Republicans used the circumstances to “strafe” Democrats in competitive races.
The two most notable races were South Dakota’s Thune-Johnson race and Georgia’s contest between Max Cleland (D) and Saxby Chambliss ( R ). Thune lost by 524 votes after he attacked Johnson as weak on national defense while Johnson was the only member of Congress to have a child in combat. Chambliss defeated Cleland, a war veteran with the amputations to prove it, after the Republican attacked Cleland as soft on terrorism.
The RCJ’s contract with the LA Times et al’s wire service does not allow us to post stories on our website, but here are some excerpts:
But Daschle, who as Senate majority leader controlled the chamber’s schedule, recalled recently that he asked Bush to delay the vote until after the impending midterm election.
“I asked directly if we could delay this so we could depoliticize it. I said, ‘Mr. President, I know this is urgent, but why the rush? Why do we have to do this now?’ He looked at Cheney and he looked at me, and there was a half-smile on his face. And he said, ‘We just have to do this now.’ “
Against this backdrop, Republicans across the country had been escalating attacks on their Democratic opponents on defense issues.
Starting in mid-September, for instance, then-Rep. John Thune, R-S.D., issued statements and organized news conferences by veterans to criticize Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson for voting against the Gulf War.
On Oct. 4, one week before the Senate vote, Thune released an ad that used images of Saddam and terrorist leader Osama bin Laden to criticize Johnson for voting against missile defense systems.
A blog called Think Progress analyzes the situation.
By Denise Ross
Before the 2004 election, Republicans and Indian reservations went together in South Dakota about as often as blizzards and the month of May. It wasn’t unheard of, but it was unusual if it ever happened.
For this week’s edition of Talkin’ Smack: the South Dakota Political Junkies’ Weekly Fix on the Inside Dope, I talked to two individuals who I believe are largely responsible for changing that.
I was in Pine Ridge the day Ellie Schwiesow and Bruce Whalen helped John Thune and Russell Means dedicate the first GOP campaign office on that particular reservation in modern memory. (Pictured above are, from left, Means, Whalen and Thune in early October 2004.)
Ellie is a social conservative stalwart who’s been active in Pennington County Republican politics for years. Bruce is an eager, passionate political activist who has moved back to the reservation recently and has boldy campaigned for Republicans, an act of bravery where Democrats tend to get 9 of every 10 votes cast.
In 2004, Democrats still took healthy majorities at the polls, but the Republicans did manage to tilt the balance a bit more in their favor.
A year after Thune’s victory over Tom Daschle — who considered reservation voters a key piece of his strategy — Ellie, Bruce and I talked. Listen here.
By Kevin Woster
Think Game, Fish & Parks has too much land? Too much power? Would you say they have an outdoor empire in South Dakota.
Don Frankenfeld would.
Frankenfeld has been steamed up for months about a GF&P plan to build a new regional office-outdoor learning center in Rapid City. He was first miffed that they were looking at city land in the old Braeburn addition near the state fish hatchery in Rapid City. Now he’s hacked off that they’re also considering using part of Mary Hall Park, where the Kiwanis have been making improvements that Don believes are much less than that.
Here’s his rant, for your consideration:
————————–
I’ll start by disclosing a personal, selfish interest. I grew up near
Braeburn addition, and visit the place maybe once or twice a month. I
walk in Mary Hall Park once or twice a day, nearly every day of the
year all year long. Probably over the course of a year I spend as
much time there as anyone.
Mary Hall Park is a fabulous place, hidden away in the middle of west
Rapid, more-or-less protected from human encroachment. It would be
even more fabulous if someone tore up the asphalt trails placed there
at the initiative of the Kiwanis club, Over the years Kiwanians
defeated the objections of various City Council members who took
“preservation†to mean “preservation.†Much to my delight, the
asphalt actually fights a losing battle with nature, as fragile and
seemingly harmless grasses exuberantly burst through the paving each
spring, creating a brilliant patchwork of intermittent destruction
that looks like little green bomb craters on a runway. Later, men
come with their glopida glopida machines to temporarily restore the
asphalt. It is satisfying to know that, come springtime, their evil
work will be in ruins.
Mary Hall park would probably not exist but for Kiwanis, and the club
has done a lot of good there. I hope they continue to seed new
varieties of native plants and grasses there, and I won’t object to
appropriate explanatory signage. But a new asphalt parking lot? This
must be some kind of joke. And an alternate site for Game Fish and
Park headquarters? That has the makings of a nightmare.
GF&P owns more land than anyone else in South Dakota, except the
federal government. I have no complaint against a new regional
headquarters and visitors center. They should build it on their own
land, however. The Cleghorn fish hatchery site, double in size since
the flood, would be a good candidate, but there are many others. In
no circumstance should an agency charged with preserving and
maintaining parks be allowed to buy city parkland (they ARE going to
buy it, aren’t they, in a public auction?) and take it out of the
park system.
If I had any say in the matter and were forced to choose between
Braeburn and Mary Hall for the GFP monument to itself, I would choose
to save Braeburn. Developing Braeburn would be a sacrilege. Further
developing Mary Hall Park by tearing down paradise to put up a
parking lot would be merely idiotic.
By Denise Ross
Tom Daschle, on NPR’s Talk of the Nation, talks about how Democrats are trying to not screw up their golden opportunity.
Celeste says add Butte County State’s Attorney Jim Seward to the list of possible Herseth challengers.
The Sioux Falls school district decides its big enough that it needs its very own lobbyist. It’s Dick Tieszen, a well-known lobbyist in the halls of our state capitol. He’s the guy who argues every year against the anti-racial-profiling bills that would have law enforcement keep track of the races of people they pull over. That’s because he represents the chiefs of police. For a complete list of his lobbying clients, click here. The school district joins a long list of clients.
George McGovern does a Q&A with LA Weekly about the new movie about him. Yes, the new movie about him.
Dave Kranz reports that Tom Daschle’s papers will be housed at SDSU.
From Denise Ross
Woe to those who must navigate the new Medicare prescription drug benefit, so says this letter writer. This coming in Wednesday’s letters:
“We got our appointment, came home and checked the Medicare Web site — completely blank. No information.
” So now it’s back to the Civic Center to site for an hour with someone who looks up information on their computer.
“What in the world were all the people who represent us in Washington thinking when they came up with a plan that would totally confuse and stress senior citizens and make it a bonanza for medical insurance companies?”
From Denise Ross
This coming in Tuesday’s letters:
“Along with Richard Gere and the Dixie Chicks, I was among the small minority who was against the war from the beginning. In spite of that, I am still willing to give President Bush and his administration the benefit of the doubt.
“If they say they are not liars who are willing to say and do whatever they need to get what they want, then I can buy into that.”
By Denise Ross
In this week’s edition of Talkin’ Smack: The South Dakota Political Junkies’ Weekly Fix on the Inside Dope, I offer two speeches. One is Tom Daschle’s Nov. 5 keynote address to Iowa Democrats (brought to us courtesy of CSPAN and Tivo). The second is Dick Wadhams’ speech to the GOP faithful in Rapid City on Nov. 17 (brought to us courtesy of Celeste Calvitto’s tape recorder).
Listening to these speeches back-to-back, brought back into sharp focus memories of South Dakota’s 2004 Senate campaign that had started to soften around the edges.
Wadhams nicely captures the uncertainty of the Thune campaign’s earliest days — the are-you-nuts?-You-couldn’t-beat-Tim-Johnson-how-could-you-beat-Daschle times.
Dick Wadhams
But in chronicling hug-gate involving Daschle and Michael Moore, he insinuates dishonesty on Daschle’s part by conveniently forgeting that a Daschle look-alike came forward to clear up the situation. In his defense, I sensed that Wadhams never really bought the look-alike explanation, but the guy does look a lot like Daschle and had a convincing explanation. More to the point, as affable and personable as Wadhams is, he also is shrewd and selective in the information he offers up when it serves his candidate.
As Daschle spoke, I could hear his speech-writer’s computer keys clacking in the background. He pronounces the country afflicted with the (groan) Republican Fatigue Syndrome, then goes on to list symptoms. K-i-l-l-i-n-g-m-e.
Daschle moves back and forth between some poor sop’s personal story to all the fabulous things the Dems would do to fix what ails us, if only they were allowed.
Daschle during his days as SD’s senator
Daschle’s speech exemplifies why a guy like Wadhams was able to pluck away the Senate seat he’d held for nearly two decades. Daschle too often relies on scripts and formulas when it is interpersonal instincts and talents — not on display in the speech — that earned him his US House seat in 1978, his Senate leadership post in 1994 and the fierce loyalty of legions.
By Kevin Woster
With his column in today’s Journal, Bill O’Reilly brought a surprisingly balanced voice to the debate about whether and when to leave Iraq.
O’Reilly rightly criticizes some prominent Democrats in Congress and machine-gun-mouthed Howard Dean for their ceaseless - and so far unproven - charges that President Bush intentionally misled this nation about WMDs as he geared up for war. I think the nation was misled by faulty and manipulative intelligence, but I tend to think Bush was more victim than perpetrator in this.
I like Howard Dean, for his entertainment value if nothing else. And he makes some good points about the failures of the administration. But his assault on Bush over the intelligence issue is obviously aimed at the next election cycle (which is Dean’s job), not finding the best way out of Iraq (which is not).
O’Reilly is right to say that it’s wrong for politicians to try to get elected using the chaos of war. And some of the Dems ought to remember that. But it’s also wrong to play the war-patriotism card to get re-elected, and Bush certainly did plenty of that last year.
To his credit, O’Reilly does more than just bash the Bush bashers in his column. He also advocates a realistic timetable for withdrawl from Iraq. And, in taking a swipe at the mainstream media for “pounding home a depressing picture” of the war every day, he also admits that reporters and camera crews don’t have to look far for those depressing stories.
“Although most of most of the country is pacified, Baghdad remains a nightmare,” O’Reilly wrote. “And that’s the big dog.”
That is the big dog. You don’t win Iraq without winning Baghdad. And that battle’s far from over. The sluggish progression of the Iraqi troops in becoming capable of defending their country offers slight encouragement that the situation will change soon.
As O’Reilly points out, U.S. troops receive basic training in six weeks. We’ve been working on Iraqi troops for two years, with modest success.
That’s the kind of issue Dean and the Dems ought to focus on, rather than trying to tag Bush for something he may or may not have done prior to the invasion.
From Denise Ross
This coming in Sunday’s letters:
“It’s a great disservice to our military to continually, publicly revisit the Iraq decision while it’s ongoing. This emboldens our enemies, giving them the hope of outlasting us.
“We are engaged and while engaged, we should all publicly support the U.S. even if privately detesting the war. To do otherwise will cost us more young men and women.”
By Kevin Woster
Far be it from me to give anyone lessons on appropriate speech. But maybe just this once, some advice for Dick Cheney:
Cut back on the tough talk.
Sure, go ahead and charge Democrats in Congress who are now opposing the war in Iraq with re-writing history, or flipflopping on their former positions, or even playing politics with the war.
That’s a fair discussion, every bit as fair as the debate about whether getting into Iraq was a mistake based on intelligence illusions and half-truths
But losing their backbone? Come on Mr. VP, try to limit the hypocrisy, please.
Cheney on Wednesday said he and President Bush couldn’t prevent critics of the war from “losing their memory, or their backbone, but we’re not going to sit by and let them rewrite history.”
See, that backbone part? Very offensive. Because it implies that Cheney and Bush somehow have more backbone in matters of war than people who oppose it - some of whom, by the way, actually saw duty in war zones.
Neither Bush nor Cheney has done that. Both did whatever they could to avoid it, in fact. That’s OK with me. I would have done the same, had I not lucked out and drawn a high draft number back in those knee-knocking days of the televised draft drawings.
But none of us - not the president, the vice presdient or me - has the right to question the backbone of others on the subject of war, particularly when we haven’t placed ourselves in the line of fire, ever.
Stick to the arguments, sir. And quit the tough talk.
It makes you look silly.
By Bill Harlan
The Rapid City Journal editorial board yesterday supported a bill co-sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Herseth that would allow quicker salvage timber sales.
It’s called the Forest Emergency Recovery and Research Act (HR 4200). It could have significant impacts 0n the Black Hills. Good idea? Bad idea?
By Denise Ross
First, Sen. Tim Johnson wants to strip the USDA logo from imported meat.
Then, Rep. Stephanie Herseth cosponsors a bill that would crack down on captive supply practices.
Jeez, you’d think there wasn’t a Packers and Stockyards Act out there, just begging to be rewritten.
By Denise Ross
Tom Daschle has gotten involved in the California governor’s race. Here’s a report.
I’m a bit puzzled that he and Gephardt parted ways with Sens. Feinstein and Boxer. Anyone out there keeping up with California politics?
From Denise Ross
This letter signed by Bambi’s mother, Donna Deer, will appear in Wednesday’s Rapid City Journal.
“We, the gentle hooved creatures of the forest lived in fear of the fanged ones until the uprights with poles that smoke drove them out of our lands. … Later, the uprights locked up the long tongues that bark so we could even occupy cities and towns. … Now in this century, the uprights have again come to our aid. “
It’s perhaps the most memorable mountain lion letter yet.
The letter was written by a good-natured fellow named Dave Linde, who retired a few years back from his job as regional supervisor for Game, Fish & Parks in Rapid City. Dave seems to be enjoying his retirement. K.W.
By Kevin Woster
I return from an extended stay over on the dead-tree side of the newsroom with three questions:
* Just how smart is your average U.S. Supreme Court justice? While down with the flu last week, I watched Anthony Kennedy, Sandra Day O’Connor and Stephen Breyer on a C-SPAN panel. They were articulate, funny and erudite. Maybe I was partially influenced by my fever, but “genius” didn’t seem like much of a stretch.
* Am I the only one who is amazed that the petition drive to amend the state constitution so that aggrieved citizens could seek damages or even criminal charges against court judges produced 46,800 signatures? I’ll admit, I don’t know everything about the ballot proposal. But what I know seems, well, how can I put this delicately? Uh, loony.
* You guys like poetry? Here’s one drifting around InternetLand:
He is Mike. Mike-I-am.
Does he like liquid eggs and ham?
He does not like them, Mike-I-am.
He does not like liquid eggs and ham.
Mike wants payment here or there.
He’ll take payment ANYWHERE!
Would he take it from a mouse?
He would take it from a mouse.
Would he like them at the Chophouse?
He does not want them at his Chophouse.
He does not like them with a mouse and he does not want them at his Chophouse.
He does not like liquid eggs and ham!
Could he sell them as a lunch? In a box?
Could he sell them to a fox?
He could not sell them in a box.
He could not sell them to a fox.
Not in a box.
Not to a fox.
Not to a mouse and not at the Chophouse.
No one wants his liquid eggs and ham!
I do not like that Mike-I-am.
Could he sell them to a nurse?
He should not, but could not help, get reimbursed.
He could not sell them in a box.
He could not sell them to a fox.
Yes to a nurse.
And yes, reimbursed!
I do not like that Mike-I-am.
That Mike-I-am will not accept a loss.
Take a loss?!
He could not, should not take a loss.
Could he, should he take a loss?
Or, could he, should he profit from Red Cross?
Pay me and I will let them be.
Pay me! Pay me! You will see!
Mike if they pay you, will you let them be?
No one wants your liquid eggs and ham, Mike-I-am.
But they will pay you. You will see.
I do not like that Mike-I-am.
By Denise Ross
The Argus reports on veterans suing the military to find out what they once were exposed to, in an attempt to diagnose current maladies. A related bill is moving through Congress.
Bill Harlan’s Sunday column in the RCJ lays out the nuts-and-bolts approach Montana Dems used to take over the governor’s seat and both branches of the state Legislature.
David Kranz reports on some GOP legislative primaries shaping up and attributable to the incumbents’ participation in the Mainstrea Coalition. (Jerry Apa, when I interviewed him for Talkin’ Smack, called it the “Downstream Coalition.”) Anyway, Mitchell’s Ed Olson and Rapid City’s own Stan Adelstein should expect primary challenges.
The Watertown Public Opinion reports about Rep. Herseth and a new report from the House Rural Working Group. “Herseth said the results of the report indicate the proposed budget reconciliation package proposed by Republicans would have a significant impact on programs vital to rural farm regions of the countries and would have no effect on decreasing the country’s budget deficit. ” We’re talking farm programs, food stamps, energy assistance, student loans, etc.
Water bill clears Congress, AP reports.
I’ll admit I haven’t been paying close attention lately, but I was surprised to learn that an oil pipeline is coming through South Dakota. The Mitchell Daily Republic reports. With the bonus of a few Dusty Johnson quotes.
Let’s talk about budget, bay-bee. Our three members of Congress do so with the Mitchell Daily Republic. It’s got the bridge to nowhere, pay-go and Bill Clinton references a go-go.
The new owners of Deadwood’s Franklin Hotel plan an exterior addition. The city historic preservation board says OK. The Black Hills Pioneer reports, complete with architect’s rendering.
The Associated School Boards of South Dakota is laying the groundwork for a lawsuit, I mean studying how much it costs to educate a child in one of South Dakota’s public schools. Study results to be unveiled after Thanksgiving. The Black Hills Pioneer reports.
From Denise Ross
This coming in Tuesday’s letters:
“On election day I see the names of judges who are up for election again (usually unopposed) and I must say that I have no idea in this world who I would be voting for. I don’t know their statistics on reliability, sentences handed out and overturned/upheld on appeal or what made them qualified for the jobs they hold.
“We might well make selecting judges a handout for the party in power for for the ‘Judicial Qualifications Commission,’ whoever they are.”