Archive for May, 2008
Herseth Sandlin: Primary will make Dems stronger
By Denise Ross
On a conference call with reporters Wednesday, Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-SD, said she is not worried about a prolonged primary election between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton weakening the Democratic presidential nominee in November.
No commentsAs someone who went through a primary campaign in 2002, I think primary election campaigns make candidates stronger.
On balance, the engagement of so many people has been not only overall good for the party, but ultimately good for the nominee.
Some of the criticism or charges (against Obama) coming from Sen. Clinton or her supporters are the types of charges we’d ulitmately hear. It is something that has strengthened the campaign. I think it has been good for the political process.
The changed tone we’ve seen over the last couple of weeks is indicative of the fact that the party will be unified behind Sen. Obama.
Childers’ campaign manager: ‘We’ll keep beating you’
By Denise Ross
Watching the video below, one detects a fresh, still subtle bloom of hubris from Joel Coon. Coon managed the special election campaign of Democrat Travis Childers, who last week defeated Republican Greg Davis in a district so red that it’s been described as “scarlet.” (If you think Stephanie Herseth Sandlin is a conservative Dem, check this guy out. Pro-gun, anti-abortion, anti-tax. It’s like he read Steve Jarding’s book or something.)
Childers victory, the third recent Democratic win in otherwise Republican strong-hold districts, has national level Republicans wetting themselves and has distracted the chattering class at least a little from the Obama-Clinton mud-wrestling match.
Coon notes that both sides spent millions and goes on with:
This proves the Republican brand, the Republican ideology’s in deep trouble. People aren’t buying it any more. …
People are looking for some sort of change come November, and I don’t think it’s the Republican brand of change. …
As a Democrat, I just want to tell them, ‘Keep doing what you’re doing, and we’ll keep beating you.’
Hoghouse Blog was lucky enough to have Don Simmons of the McGovern Center in Mitchell in Mississippi on election night. Simmons was interested in the parallels between red Mississippi and red South Dakota. He conducted the interview with Coon in the video below.
1 commentEquality SD endorses candidates
By Denise Ross
Welcome back, Hoghouse readers. Sorry things went radio silent for much of last week. I got sucked into another project - the documentary - which is nearing completion at long, long last.
I return bearing gifts.
First is the list of legislative candidates endorsed by Equality South Dakota, the relatively new LGBT advocacy group. Later today, there will be video of an interview with the Democratic campaign manager from Mississippi who won the special congressional election last week. (I swear it’s true.)
OK, so Equality South Dakota endorsed seven Democrats. Here’s the list. (Read the full press release by clicking “CLICK HERE to read more” below.
- Elaine Elliott, House District 2, Aberdeen. Candidate Elliott is in a three-way primary against longtime legislator Paul Dennert and candidate John Graham for two spots on the general election ballot.
- Darrell Solberg, House District 11, Sioux Falls. Candidate Solberg faces fellow candidates Don Rose and Shawn Anderson in a three-way primary for two ballot spots.
- Martha Vanderlinde, House District 15, Sioux Falls. Candidate Vanderlinde faces fellow candidates John Madigan and Patrick Kirschman in a three-way primary for two ballot spots.
- Caitlin Collier, House District 17, Vermillion. Candidate Collier faces former legislator John Reedy, incumbent Eldon Nygaard and candidate Thomas Jones in a four-way primary for two ballot spots.
- Larry Lucas, House District 26A, Mission. Incumbent Lucas faces candidates Calvin Jones and Paul Joseph in a three-way primary for one spot on the ballot.
- Kevin Killer, House District 27, Pine Ridge. Killer faces fellow candidates Robert Fogg, Joseph White Bear Claws and Ed Iron Cloud III in a four-way race for two ballot spots.
- Jeff Nelsen, House District 33, Rapid City. Candidate Nelsen faces fellow candidate Kimberly Henderson and perennial candidate Gary Loudner in a three-way race for two ballot spots.
A bit of insight into the Daschle-Hillary relationship
By Denise Ross
A piece out today in The Hill offers a glimpse into the complicated relationship South Dakota’s own Tom Daschle has had with the Clinton power couple.
According to the article, Daschle rebuffed Hillary’s idea to set up a permanent campaign spin office within the US Senate, but the rebuffing did not outlast Daschle as Democratic leader.
No commentsSen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) was the original impetus behind the Senate Democratic “war room,” …
The war room has been credited for revolutionizing message strategy in the Senate but also criticized for creating a permanent campaign atmosphere in a chamber that has long prided itself on collegiality and across-the-aisle relationships. …
Clinton first proposed a Senate war room while Daschle was the Senate Democratic leader, but the soft-spoken South Dakotan declined to implement her idea …
Daschle did not respond to several requests for comment. …
Bill Clinton praises John McCain
By Denise Ross
Near the beginning of his speech in Rapid City, Bill Clinton had some kind words for John McCain. He also sorta acknowledged that Barack Obama doesn’t totally suck.
McCain, he said, has given all one could give to this country without giving his life. AND, we are honor-bound to recognize his service during this presidential campaign. Obama, he said, is a gifted orator. Both Dems, he said, are “brilliant.”
Watch the video.
OK, it’s time to start asking President Clinton on the record who he plans to vote for in an Obama-McCain match-up.
1 commentFaces in the Clinton crowd
By Denise Ross
These visits are getting to be a daily occurence, but here is the last bit from Bill Clinton’s Saturday visit to Rapid City.
(Photos by David Larson)
The Hoghouse does not have identifying information for the people in these photos. If you know them, post a comment with the appropriate info, and I’ll update this post to ID these Hillary fans.
1 commentClinton security
By Denise Ross
Bill Clinton’s visit to Rapid City on Saturday wasn’t sweetness and light for all who attended.
Security - from town cops to what I assume were Secret Service officers - monitored the crowd and threw at least 2 people out.
This woman had to leave before Clinton appeared for his speech.
As did this young man, who some folks who were nearby said the officers called him by name and the parties appeared to know each other.
You talkin’ to me!?
Bill Clinton, man of the people
By Denise Ross
The Stevens High School gym in Rapid City was packed Saturday as people lined up in blustery winds to hear former President Bill Clinton tell how his wife could return the country to the peace and prosperity America enjoyed during his 8 years as president.
(Photos by David Larson)
After his hour-long speech, Clinton was swarmed by an adoring crowd.
Bill Clinton said that he knows from experience both how hard the job of president can be and how easy it is for presidents to forget what crowds like that in Rapid City look like and “what your lives are like.”
He promised the crowd that Hillary Clinton would not let that happen if she were elected president.
3 commentsIt’s people like you in places like this that have kept her in this race. I don’t have anything bad to say about anybody, but if you need a president, you’ll never vote for a better one.
Judy’s introduction
By Denise Ross
Former SD Dem party chairwoman Judy Olson Duhamel introduced Bill Clinton to the standing-room-only crowd at the Stevens High School gym Saturday in Rapid City.
(Photo by David Larson)
Here’s what Judy said:
The Clintons have been good to South Dakota. Isn’t it great to know our vote counts? Isn’t it great to participate in this historic presidential campaign?
It’s an honor to publicly support a woman who has lead our country in the area of health reform, a woman of substance, a woman of intellect.
Dependence on foreign oil, higher gas costs, lower wages - these are devestating to American families.
Hillary is a woman who understands the umbrella issues of economics and education. She knows the plight of the middle class. She understands the need to improve the lives of Native Americans.
No commentsBill Clinton and the super-delegates
By Denise Ross
Mr. Hoghouse Blog and I no more than entered the Stevens High School gym on Saturday than we noticed a familiar face: SD Dems’ national committeeman and super-delegate Nick Nemec, who lives more than a 3-hour drive away in Holabird.
And then we saw Jack Billion, SD Dem Party Chairman and super-delegate, who lives 5 hours away in Sioux Falls. They were there for Bill Clinton’s campaign rally for Hillary Clinton - and they’ve announced their support for Barack Obama.
(Photos by David Larson)
Members of the press quickly swarmed the two geographically suspicious super-delegates.
They got the call about 5 p.m. Friday that the former president would like to speak with them - even though, or maybe especially because, they had already publicly declared their support for Barack Obama.
Said Billion:
2 comments