Today was just another example that South Dakota can be successful without Tom Daschle with Ellsworth being taken off the closng list. And most important, it was how we succeeded. Instead of playing politics, we used the South Dakota value of hard work. Our Congressional delegation worked hard to have important facts considered. Facts that weighed in on what was best for this country as a whole.
In the end it was national security that determined the fate of Ellsworth. This was far different in 1995 when Ellsworth was saved by political means.
And despite what they say, this is a devastating day for the Hildebrand Boys. All along they blamed John Thune, but never said what Tom Daschle would have done differently. Now they want the credit to be shared equally with the Democrats. While Tim Johnson and Stephanie Herseth deserve a lot of credit for their efforts, John Thune was the focus on this issue. Since he would of received all the blame if Ellsworth closed, he deserves most of the credit for it staying open.
And obviously, Tom Daschle deserves no credit. We got along fine without him.
