Jul 20
Washington Post swoons for Thune
By Denise Ross
In the latest VP installment, our junior senator is not on a mere list of potential McCain VPs. He’s got an entire Washington Post column to himself this weekend. And the columnist, she made note of some of Sen. John Thune’s finer qualities.
He’s young, easy on the eyes, articulate and personable. At the ripe age of 47, standing tall, trim and fit, Thune’s good looks could counterbalance McCain’s most glaring liability: his old looks.
Imagine if some menfolk had made such observations about our congresswoman. The disapproving tsk, tsks would deafen us - not that that’s stopped folks in the past. I recall making a Blogmore post featuring both Herseth and Thune for winning some literal beauty contests.
But all this going-weak-in-the-knees is only a distraction.
There are more important signals being sent in this column. Our old friend Dick Wadhams makes an appearance, after a run-down of Thune’s recent appearances on behalf of the McCain campaign.
On Thursday, Thune participated in a news conference in Washington to unveil a McCain campaign video slamming presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama’s “political posturing” on the Iraq war. That followed two conference calls with political reporters on behalf of the McCain campaign over the past several weeks, combined with numerous TV appearances and radio hits as a McCain surrogate.
Ah, but the surrogate has a surrogate of his own in Wadhams. It’s no coincidence, no lucky break that Wadhams goes on record here, saying:
Wadhams … says he thinks Thune could also appeal to the reservoir of independent and undecided voters who haven’t rushed to embrace Obama. He thinks those voters could get the “change” factor without the fear of putting a novice in the White House.
“John Thune comes from the same age group as Obama, yet he’d be the vice presidential nominee,” says Wadhams. “You’d have a very experienced, well-defined presidential candidate yet still have that generational message with John Thune.”
Rest assured that Wadhams was sent to deliver a message, spoke only after getting the highest security clearances. That part’s easy enough to get. The message itself, I’m still struggling there.
Thune appealing to independent, change-minded voters? Hmmm. I’m going to have to let that one sink in. Here I’ve been saying he’d be a great way for McCain to suck up to the GOP base. Could he do both?
He’s already gotten himself a whole column in the Washington Post. If he flashes that smile and bats those eyes, who knows what might happen next.
6 Comments so far
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War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Arbeit macht frei.
Wadhams=Truth.
Absolutely Orwellian.
Thune as change candidate. Just because he is the same age?
Wadhams shows his contempt for voters by equating demographic with substance and hoping the notion catches fire.
Dick Wad wants to be the next me, but he’s a piker. Thune wants to be the next Dan Quayle, which he would be if elected VP. I don’t know that independent change-minded voters want Bible College of Los Angeles (BIOLA boy) Thune. Not this year.
Thune’s getting all excited about “going Washington” full time. Isn’t that what got McGovern and Daschle in trouble?
Yep, Thune might tie up the empty-headed little old lady vote. A fitting tribute for an empty suit.
Sen Thune would be a solid choice, and would be a representative voice for our generation. It also is interesting that Sen McCain is considering Sen Thune, when we have so few electoral votes to offer. I believe that speaks volumes about substance. And while the excerpts address style, even the detractors above recognize that Sen Thune is no political weather vane - they may not like his views, but his views don’t shift with the winds of each day. Lastly, the dispariging comments about “empty-headed old lady” votes, sounds a lot like Sen Obama’s comments about we rural Americans being misguided because of our attitudes towards the Bible and firearms. Note to those who view themselves as morally superior for their anti-establishment, enlightened position, you only get to be somebody if the rest of us do the work to build the communities and societies - so you have something to make noise being against!
Tut, tut. Is this a snit on the hog site? Good comments by all. I take exception to the empty-headed little old lady description. They may be old, but most of those dames are far from empty-headed. Although I know at least one who still wishes she could circle the R on election day and be done. That’s music to your ears isn’t it Mr. Schoenbeck. And Mr. Thune I’d imagine, and Mr. Wadhams and Mr. McCain and Mr. Rounds, blah, blah, etc., etc.
I can see the wheels spinning in Schoenbeck’s head. spin, whir… “How do I get myself appointed by Rounds to Thune’s senate seat?” spin, whir …
Not gonna be a vacancy Lee. And if there is, you won’t get the call. I suspect you have gone about as far as you will go in politics. No clear path to higher office in front of you in the foreseeable future. I will give you credit for being a pretty good lawyer though.