Kim Strassel writes an awesome piece on the South Dakota Senate race.
Well worth a read in full, she provides a comprehensive look at his historic strengths and his current weaknesses. Of particular interest to me were a report from Kranzburg, S.D. and a look at how bloggers have provided information that the Daschle-friendly press did not.
"He delivers," says Linda Kasten, a 51-year-old government employee who tells me she's voting a Bush-Daschle ticket because the senator secured $700,000 in federal money for a senior center in her small town of Parker.But the Linda Kastens are dwindling as Mr. Daschle's reputation as loyal South Dakotan and federal sugar daddy comes under fire. For one, he is facing for the first time an opponent, John Thune, who while running an aggressive campaign of ideas, also isn't afraid to hammer on the Daschle record. If anything, the Thune camp has provided key details about the incumbent's inconsistencies, and probably even benefits from keeping the focus on Daschle failures.
Second, and just as important, the state's main news outlet, the Argus Leader--an unrelenting supporter of Mr. Daschle that has refused to report on the senator's inconsistencies--has been challenged by a wave of alternative media forums, especially bloggers.
Whatever the reason, South Dakotans have for the first time been hearing a few things about "ole Tom" that have surprised. Most residents took Mr. Daschle at his word that he's for gun rights, like them. So imagine the bewilderment on discovering that the NRA had awarded his Washington voting record an "F." Back home "Tom" has run ads featuring his post-9/11 hug of Mr. Bush, who is popular in the state for his tough national security policies. Yet now they hear that Mr. Daschle lambasted the president for failing "miserably" at diplomacy and dragging us to war.
If you don't completely trust NED, a few dollars to Mr. Thune won't go amiss. I think $25 or $50 makes a difference in smaller media markets -- that's money that'll come back to you if he loses.