Jun 11
Thune steps up for McCain on ‘it doesn’t matter’ Iraq comment
By Denise Ross
The world got a peak at how the presidential campaign will go through November - lightning fast, biting and featuring SD’s own Sen. John Thune.
After Republican John McCain said on the Today show that “it doesn’t matter” when US troops leave Iraq, the Obama campaign quickly set up a conference call to blast McCain.
Here’s the video:
Not to be outdone, the McCain campaign quickly set up their own conference call featuring Thune and Democrat and hawk Joe Leiberman.
(He)called the criticism of McCain “a deliberate distortion… The Democrats are trying to blow this up as an issue because they don’t want to talk about the successes of the surge… It’s been 885 days since Sen. Obama has visited Iraq and he hasn’t had a meeting with Gen. Petraeus….” And to suggest that McCain doesn’t understand the sacrifices our troops are making, Thune said, “is just absurd.”
“To put it in a basketball term,” Thune said, “this is a head-fake and I think what people need to do is keep their eyes on the ball.”
Oh, yes, the old campaign head fake. While it’s impossible to hear Thune criticize campaign strategery as disingenuous and immoral without harkening back to his own take-no-prisoners tactics during SD’s 2004 Senate race, the point here is not so much what Thune said. The point is that he was tapped to say it.
Might this be a test to see how well he would perform as a VP candidate? It might very well be. And if not VP, no doubt there would be lots of other plumbs awaiting the loyal defender in a future McCain administration.
No sign of Tom Daschle on this one, but the Obama campaign - perhaps more shrewdly - put people on their conference call with extensive foreign policy experience. I’m just sayin’.
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Lots of plumbs waiting? Well, at least he’d know if he was on a straight line, I guess.
I’m kidding. You know I’m kidding
Let’s say Thune is tapped for VP & let’s say McCane/Thune win. Rounds would appoint Thune’s replacement until 2010, and then Stephanie would take over the senate seat. Same thing if Thune takes a cabinet position. Republicans know this. McCane’s advisors look at the big picture even if they don’t broadcast it.
Thune will not be the VP nominee. Thune will not take a cabinet position. The GOP cannot afford to lose yet another senate seat, particularly one that is safe with Thune keeping it warm.
McCane is far better off choosing Loverman for VP so that the two of them can raise their illegitimate lovechild together. After the Dems bolster their senate majority this year they will kick Loverman out of their caucus anyway - the Judas - so he might as well leave on his feet before they throw him out on his head.
P.S. McCane and the GOP would much rather have Connecticut Republican Governor M. Jodi Rell appoint Loverman’s replacement than M. Michael Rounds appointing. Connecticut is so Democratic that the GOP has no real opportunity to pick up a senate seat - unless Loverman vacates one they can appoint. The GOP wouldn’t hold it in 2010, but they didn’t expect to have a senate seat in Connecticut in at all any time in the foreseeable future. 2 free years - yippee! (plus subtract one from the enlarged Democratic majority next year and add one GOPster).
denise, good article today in the pioneer press, on both counts. mccain definitely could’ve said it differently, and thune could’ve at least acknowledged it.
and for the dykstra-johnson policy differences, thanks for alerting us to that. too little about campaigns and congress gets so dak media coverage.
keep up the good work.