By Eric Lochridge

Thought some of you would like to know that the latest update at the Cook Political Report shifts the presidential race in South Dakota from “lean Republican” to “tossup.” Enjoy your weekend.

In an outfit well suited to his upcoming role as a guide at the Mount Blogmore Invitational Pheasant Hunt, Bob Newland and his right-back-at-ya six shooter joined a stationary companion in endorsing Don Frankenfeld.

By Kevin Woster

It took a hot-turkey sandwich at Tally’s and a 45-minute discussion on the failures of the war on drugs, but I managed to bring Bob Newland into an altered state of political awareness.

Now he, too, is high on the Frankendream.

Actually, it took more than the hot plate and the chatter. We also had to agree to appoint Newland as the new secretary of agriculture and alternative crop development in the Frankenfeld administration.

As expected, Newland intends to end all ethanol subsidies and price supports for corn and soybeans and begin an intensive hemp-subsidy program. He also plans to provide brownies and Tahitian Treat for all who attend the Frankenaugural.

Those wearing Bob Marley gear get in free.

If only Elmer Fudd were here.

By Randall Rasmussen

When Joe Wurzelbacher (also known as Joe the Plumber) asked Barack Obama about his tax plan, he did more than just illuminate Obama’s ideas to “spread the wealth around.” He also brought to light what happens when partisans are given power in government.

According to the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch, shortly after John McCain mentioned “Joe the Plumber” during the final debate, at least four state computer checks were made on Wurzelbacher.

Helen Jones-Kelley, director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, approved a check on Wurzelbacher, telling the paper: “Our practice is when someone is thrust quickly into the public spotlight, we often take a look” at them. Jones-Kelley is also a supporter of Obama who has donated the maximum allowed to his campaign.

In addition, the state of Ohio pulled information on Joe Wurzelbacher from Bureau of Motor Vehicle computers, the Ohio Attorney Gerneral’s office, Cuyahoga County Child Support Enforcement Agency and the Toledo Police Department. Ohio’s governor is a Democrat as are state department heads.

All “Joe the Plumber” did was ask a political candidate a question, and because Joe said he didn’t like the answer, state officials allied with Obama began using their positions to dig up dirt on him.

“When you can’t ask a question to your leaders anymore, that gets scary,” Wurzelbacher said.

“Joe the Plumber” can be seen these days campaigning for McCain. With good reason.

Bill Walsh stirs the Democratic emotions during a rally Tuesday morning to kick off the seven-day, cross-state Democratic get-out-the-vote caravan.

By Kevin Woster

He’s on the trail again.

Political cowboy Bill Walsh headed east Tuesday with a wagon train of Democrats to begin a week-long get-out-the-vote effort leading up to Election Day.

With stops at DWU, SDSU, USD, the state Capitol, Pine Ridge and various cowtowns in-between, the “Caravan for Change” was expected to grow dramatically from the seven cars that ventured out of Rapid City Tuesday morning.

“We’ll be energizing people to vote early and really get out the vote,” Walsh said during a small rally in downtown Rapid City. “We’re starting out small but we’re going to grow across the state.”

They’ll be back in town at the Labor Temple late Sunday afternoon for a real rally.

Meanwhile, East River folks are advised to watch out for the hat, and the stranger it rode in on.

By Kevin Woster

So, what about it? Does hanging an effigy of Sarah Palin - with a noose around its neck - by the chimney of your Hollywood (well, so what else is new?) home constitute the exercise of free speech or a dangerous hate crime?

And what’s the difference between that and hanging a noosed effigy of Barack Obama, as I believe some students did recently at a Christian college (a Christian college? Lord, help us… ) in Oregon?

By Randall Rasmussen

I received an e-mail last night from the Barack Obama campaign. As a powerful and influential member of the media, I have been getting messages from the Obama campaign on the MOD (Message of the Day). This one urged me to take a day off from work on Election Day to work for Obama.

“Ask your boss. Ask your professor.

“Take Election Day off, make sure you vote, and volunteer to make history.”

There’s a video that you can see here.

Now, I can see asking your professor to skip class to volunteer for Obama. Most university professors will probably insist on it.

Most companies allow their employees to take some time off from work to vote. But given Obama’s tax the rich, tax corporations redistributionist scheme, how is asking your boss for the day off to elect Obama going to fly?

Here’s how you might approach the issue:

“Sir, I believe this election is the most important election ever. It’s about change. We need change. We need lots and lots and lots of change.

“I hope Barack Obama is elected, and I’d do anything to help make it happen, and I’m sure you do, too. Who doesn’t want Obama to win?

“I just love his idea of spreading the wealth around by taxing greedy, capitalist pigs like yourself and giving me some of your money that I’m entitled to because it’s unjust that you make more than I do.

“That’s why I’d like to take Election Day off and volunteer for the Obama campaign to ensure his election and bring hope and change to our country after the horror of eight years of Bush and Cheney.

“And I think you should pay me for not working. It’s only fair.”

By Kevin Woster

My bad.

I think in deleting some recent posts, I accidentally hit the “spam” button instead of the “delete” button.

One is above the other. And with my notoriously deft touch on the computer keys I fear that I’ve spammed some of you unfairly.

If so, I apologize. Yes, even to you, Notsob. And I ask you to try again.

Yes, even you, Notsob.

Apparently once marked as “spam” you might be blocked from submitting again under the same name or e-mai. One poster has had to change his e-mail address to get through. It may be that some of you will have to do that.

Sorry for the extra trouble. Nothing personal. It’s just that, well, I’m not all that handy at the helm.

By Kevin Woster

Those folks at the Argus Leader, what a bunch of conservative wingnuts.

In endorsing John McCain, the state’s largest daily newspaper has once again shown its true blue, er, red colors.

Or, uh, wait, maybe that’s the Rapid City Journal? Sometimes I can’t keep my political pejoratives straight when it comes to newspapers.

Oh, yeah, the Argus is the left-wing, secular humanist liberal extremist newspaper and the Journal is the loony right-wing rag.

Sometimes I forget.

But how about that Argus Leader endorsement? I have to tell you, seriously, I was baffled. Given the Argus readership and the more liberal-progressive (whichever, take your pick) political climate down there in corn country, I would have guessed Obama.

What’s the McCain thing all about?

Given the Rapid City Journal’s more conservative readership, I’d expect us to endorse McCain. But nobody on the editorial board has sought my input. (Can you imagine?). And I haven’t offered.

And beyond the newspapers, how about that Obama endorsement from Larry Pressler? It seems sincere, and not far removed from Pressler’s generally moderate form of Republicanism.

Or maybe he just heard about the Argus endorsment and wanted to do the opposite.

By Randall Rasmussen

Continuing the theme begun by Kevin’s post below, Alaska’s largest newspaper endorsed Barack Obama on Sunday, declaring their favorite daughter candidate Gov. Sarah Palin to be too risky a choice as VP.

“Like picking (Republican presidential candidate John) McCain for president, putting her one 72-year-old heartbeat from the leadership of the free world is just too risky at this time,” The Anchorage Daily News said.

On the economy, the paper said: “Of the two candidates, Sen. Obama better understands the mortgage meltdown’s root causes and has the judgment and intelligence to shape a solution, as well as the leadership to rally the country behind it.”

The newspaper did acknowledge that the election isn’t about Palin but about who would be the best president. The paper said McCain “is the wrong choice for president at this critical time for our nation.”

There is no chance that Obama is going to carry Alaska, so the likely audience for the newspaper’s nonendorsement of its own governor and fawning worship of Obama is the nation at large.

By Kevin Woster

OK, just barely Saturday night. But it works, by a couple of minutes.

I asked him recently what he thinks of Gov. Sarah Palin. Here’s what followed:

Alaska, although a small population, is largest geographically. Our topology covers everything imaginable; agriculture, forestry, fisheries (both ocean and inland rivers), maritime & coastal; light and heavy industrial, oil and gas production; mining; military & defense, you name it and we have it.

It is also the most strategicly located state from a global standpoint. Up here, the governor has to be up on world issues to a level way beyond any other governor: energy issues, climate issues, maritime issues with fishing stocks and exports/imports, world trade, national defense, etc. Alaska is the stopping route for the great circle airline trade routes, a big issue up here. Our focus being so worldwide; all our politicians have to think that way to a great extent. (If truth be known, we kind of consider continental U.S. almost like another foreign country)

So how anyone can, with a straight face, suggest lack of experience of a global nature for an Alaska governor indicates either ignorance or bad faith. It is certainly much broader anything you would get in the U.S. Senate, although she is fairly subject to criticizism that she only has a few years (although, so does Obama for that matter). What is most amusing is those who attack her the strongest are the same ones who thought a governor from a small, rural semi-literate state where they don’t do much but pluck chickens was well qualified to be president ! go figure !

A spinoff of this focus is that our admittedly small population is very diverse. Just here in Fairbanks we have large communities of blacks, Latino, Korean, Japanese, Phillipino, to name a few. And of course large Native population (that is what we call American Indians up here). So a governor from Alaska is also very well versed in divergent cultures and the conflicting interests that arise.

She is a quick study, and is not intimidated by anything. I just chuckle at those trying to savage her. She can well take care of herself and hold her own. She is smart, capable, hard worker, all the qualities you would want in a president. So if someone doesn’t like her politics they are certainly in their rights to criticize her on that basis. But those contending she isn’t qualified to be president are either ignorant or as I said, acting in bad faith.

Some of the stuff they are trying to bring up, they aren’t telling the whole story. It is an established fact that the trooper did threaten to kill her father. The other stuff they are trying to bring up, I think pretty much business as usual here in Alaska since statehood by all our civil servants and politicians. We do have different ways of handling per diem, travel for family, etc. based on the huge travel distances involved; or no one would ever serve the state. Again, people aren’t doing their homework on how we do things in Alaska; or are deliberately not bringing that out. We can all decide their motives, based on our point of view.

Anyway, just a few things that I noticed that people seem to be ignoring.

– Leo Woster

P.S. I’m heading for Reliance this morning (Live from Reliance, It’s Sunday Morning!) to hunt ringnecks with Leo’s brother, Tom, and a pack of rascals and owlhoots and scalawags of Tom’s choosing. I ask your patience until I return to the helm of the Good Ship Blogmore later today. K.W.

By Kevin Woster

A message to Steve Hildebrand: Take him to Mount Rushmore.

Seriously. Skip Sioux Falls. Go right to the granite heights of democracy.

If you bring him, I will go. I’d guess a few others would as well.

And I wouldn’t be surprised now if Obama makes a South Dakota stop prior to Nov. 4, based on the narrowing gap between him and John McCain indicated by tracking polls.

That’s right, it seems to be getting tight in South Dakota, the state that hasn’t voted for a Democrat for president since just before the Wisconsin Glacier went home.

Either that or it was 1964, I can’t remember which. Parts of my recollection need carbon dating.

But I hear some polling shows the race here inside 6 points. Six points? Six points!

If that’s true, and you’re never exactly sure about this polling stuff, Obama has a shot - and a pretty good one - here in the land of Rushmore, ringnecks, kuchen and Houdek (speaking of the Wisconsin glacier).

A visit might do it. And that would almost guarantee a stop by McCain, or Palin, or both.

Obama can start things rolling. And Hilde can give it a push.

Where better than Mount Rushmore?

Obama liked it plenty when he stopped there during his primary capaign. He was still a bit dreamy eyed in talking about the place with I sat down with him the next morning.

Why not make a return trip?

Hilde, are you out there?

Call home: 394-8413.

Let’s talk.

By Kevin Woster

Some of you may have noticed that your recent submissions didn’t get through.

I didn’t like them. I deleted them.

Some used words that are banned on this blog. Some used close-enough words.

Some were just overly personalized and rude, and did nothing but drag down otherwise promising discussions.

One of the many things Gutzon Harlan taught me about blog operation was liberal use of the “delete” button. I’ve not used it liberally enough, I’m afraid, with some of you.

I will.

I thought about the nasty, personal, narrow rants that some of you seem to like the other night, as I was re-reading “Working and Thinking on the Waterfront.” Longshoreman Eric Hoffer offered a thought that would serve us all well here on the mountain:

“Good manners are inconceivable without a degree of objectivity, and the give and take of compromise. He who clings with all his might to an absolute truth fears compromise more than the devil. He throttles the soft amenities which would dovetail him with others, and blur his uncompromising stance. Thus it happens that when a faith loses its potency, rudeness often serves as substitute.”

Let’s cut back on the substitutes, OK?

Sen. Tim Johnson discusses the $700 billion financial bailout today during a meeting of the Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and Urban Affairs.

By Kevin Woster

Just so you’ll know for sure, he did go to the meeting. So did some pretty important folks in the nation’s financial world.

And there’s no doubt that Sen. Tim Johnson had serious Senate business waiting when he returned to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday for a meeting today of the banking committee.

The question remains: There wasn’t a half hour somewhere between Friday and his flight out on Tuesday to tape a segment with KELO-TV? One his campaign had previously committed to?

Probably was.

But if you’re Johnson and you’re two weeks away from the Nov. 4 election, you have to ask yourself which you need more: time with the banking committee - and its world-class economic concerns - or time with KELO and a program that would also include, separately of course, Republican challenger Joel Dykstra.

It’s pretty clear the committee and its Senate duties won out.

No, duh.

That might cost him a few more votes, on top of those he might have lost for dodging past debates. But Johnson had a pretty good cushion of voter support to play with, based on a succession of polls.

The KELO folks are understanbly ticked off. But Johnson - and, particularly, campaign manager Steve Jarding (you, you, big smarty pants, you) - are intelligent enough to know that aggravating a bunch of news weasels typically doesn’t hurt you all that much with average voters.

Why the heck is that, anyway? We’re such nice guys.

By Kevin Woster

Sometimes a slip of the tongue works really well. Joe Biden proved that on the campaign trail in North Carolina.

Referring to the Republican nominee, Biden said: “John McClane.”

Biden paused, looked perplexed, and asked himself: “John McClane?”

Then he smiled and made the correction: “John McCain.”

And as the audience chuckled, he shrugged and added: “I don’t recognize him anymore. Used to know him well.”

In calling it a “bad joke, bad joke,” Biden sold himself short. It was a great recovery and a good joke, good joke that pointed out in a deft, humorous way the shape shifting candidacy of the Republican senator from Arizona.

I’ll bet Bruce Willis gets a kick out of it, as soon as he’s finished with Hans Gruber.

By Kevin Woster

Joel Dykstra had a pretty good day Tuesday.

He got a free ride on KELO for half an hour, with no follow by Tim Johnson to give his side.

That was by Johnson’s choice, of course. He went back to D.C. for a hearing of the Senate banking committee and skipped the scheduled Tuesday night forum with KELO. Both Johnson and Dykstra were supposed to sit for separate, half-hour live question-and-answer sessions with Angela Kennecke.

Johnson folks told KELO last Friday that he couldn’t make it because of the banking committee hearing tomorrow, THursday. They also said there was no time for the senator to come in to KELO studios for a half-hour taping session between then and when he flew back to Washington, D.C. Tuesday.

Dykstra hammered hard on Johnson over that. And the KELO folks - who offered to tape the half hour from Johnson any time (”midnight, 2 a.m., we could have done it whenever,” News Director Beth Jensen said) over a four day span before he flew back to D.C. - were clearly miffed.

Dykstra thinks this latest public-appearance avoidance by Johnson could help close the gap in the last days of the campaign.

But it’s a pretty good gap. The election is less than two weeks away. And Johnson’s previous refusal to debate didn’t seem to hurt him much with voters.

Something this time that is different?

Was Johnson ducking another public appearance, or simply doing his duty as a senator?

By Kevin Woster

OK, OK, that’s not exactly what Joe Biden said. But it was in the same rhetorical neighborhood.

I think he’s a great public servant. And I absolutely love the fact that he rides the train to work - from his home, to the U.S. Senate. And I still consider him an experienced head and a strong leader.

But I gotta believe that sometimes Obama does a little head slap and says: Geez, I could have had a V-8 - and Hillary Clinton.

Who could think it’s a good idea to guarantee an international threat, or challenge, to U.S. national security interests if Obama is elected president?

Not just predicting, mind you, but guaranteeing it.

Why? Apparently because the world will feel like Obama’s more vulnerable to such a challenge than, say, John McCain?

I don’t know if that’s true or not. And, yes, Biden went to some length to predict that Obama would show the right stuff in responding to that national-security test.

But for an old hand at the political game, you have to ask yourself: Joe, what were you thinking, buddy?

By Kevin Woster

Question:

Of the following, which statistic tells the most about the candidate involved?

1) John McCain voted with George Bush more than 90 percent of the time.
2) Tim Johnson voted with Barack Obama more than 80 percent of the time.
3) Stephanie Herseth Sandlin voted with Nancy Pelosi 93.5 percent of the time.

All three voting stats are being used by opponents of these three candidates in their campaigns. Are all three percentages meaningful and relevant representations of the voting records and philosophies of those candidates?

Or are none of them?

By Kevin Woster

Tim H. has a good idea.

I think he got it off Politico.

At least, I think that’s where I ended up when I clicked on the link he sent, flew through cyberspace and eventually started channeling French TV shows, all with a Bill Fleming accent.

Wherever I was, they were discussing the value to McCain and Obama of announcing their cabinet selections in advance of the election. Which seems like a great idea to bring back here to Mount Blogmore, and possibly take on to Lyman County for the second week of the pheasant season.

I’ll let you know what they say back home. Meanwhile, who would you pick for cabinet members, for either or both?

And speaking of the cabinet, my guess is that Tom Daschle will not get a cabinet offer if Obama is elected. My guess is he’s already turned one or two down. But he almost certainly will get some sort of senior advisor’s role that allows him a bit more flexibility in his personal life - to travel, teach, hang out with grandkids and fly fish with the Black Hills’ Worst Fly Fisher.

Daschle played an important role in Obama’s decision to run for president, came out early and strong in endorsing him, and offered top staffers in his Senate office and, now, the national campaign.

Four years ago, Daschle had a miserable emotional hangover the day after the November election.

The way it looks, he’ll feel a lot better this year.

By Kevin Woster

I’ll put something up over on Take It Outside. But news of Tony Dean’s death is more than outdoor stuff.

It should be cried out here on the mountain, too.

Because Tony was never afraid to mix his politics with his hunting and fishing.

Like him or hate him, and there were those who did both, you couldn’t deny his impact, or his passion, or his inimitable skills over the airwaves.

Tony Dean mattered in South Dakota, for 40 years.

Now he’s gone, at 67.

I was among those who liked him. I think I was in the vast majority. And I intend to miss him, as well as that silvery voice calling out to the passions inside us, for years to come.

By Kevin Woster

Fleming called it breathtaking.

I didn’t see it, so I can’t say for sure.

But Colin Powell’s endorsement of Barack Obama surely must knock the wind out of the McCain for President campaign.

Hammered by the economy. Struggling in the polls. Losing ground in the swing states.

Now Colin Powell?

That’s pretty much it, isn’t it?