Sibby Online

Daschle funding attack machine

Quentin is pointing out that another facet of the South Dakota Democrat’s promotion of lies is being funded by DASCHPAC, Daschle’s political action committee. Chad Schuldt, paid Daschle campaign staffer and the Clear Cut Kidder of the South Dakota blogosphere is whining about SDP:

While he’s taking a beating in the media on Ellsworth and Social Security, Johnny decides to call in the blogs to attack others rather than take responsibility. But then again, Thune never has been one to take responsibility for his doings.

It speaks volumes about the leadership coming from the Thune taxpayer-financed office when they rely on blogger interns at SDP to defend them.

Since Chad Schudlt was on Daschle’s campaign staff, maybe he can remember when taxpayer financed Steve Erpenbach, who was Senator Dascchle’s State Director, issued emails on behalf of the Daschle campaign.

Since the Clear Cut Kidder seems to have a lot of time to promote the Democrat's lies on the Social Security issue on his blog, could some of DASCHPAC be finding its way into Chad Schuldt’s consulting fees? Hey Schuldt, after coming clean on your financing, maybe you can hold Tim Johnson accountable for what he said in 2002 in regards to Ellsworth. But I am not holding my breath. Schuldt doesn't like to talk about the money he received to help the Daschle campaign's lying machine.

Larry Diedrich now within 2

Rasmussen Reports released a poll Monday showing Larry trailing just 47-49. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percent. This comes on the heels of the KELO-TV/Argus Leader poll showing Larry chipping away at Herseth's slight lead, 44-48 with a 3.5 percent margin of error.

Go see Larry Diedrich

Larry will be on both ends of South Dakota the next couple of days. Go say Hi:

Friday, Sept. 24
9:15 to 10:45 a.m. South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations, Sioux Falls
Special note:
Diedrich’s daughter, Brandi, a senior at South Dakota State University, will address the South Dakota Republican Women Convention in Sioux Falls Friday evening.

Saturday, Sept. 25
6 to 10 p.m.MT Rapid City Chamber of Commerce dinner

Rep. Stephanie Herseth’s first ad misleading

The Diedrich campaign issued this press release:

Rep. Stephanie Herseth’s premier ad contains several misleading statements. A narrator claims that Herseth has held to her campaign promise to be an “independent voice” yet Herseth voted over 75 percent of the time with one of the U.S. House of Representatives’ most liberal member, Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, whom Herseth declared to be her mentor.

“That doesn’t sound very independent,” said Jessica R. Towhey, Diedrich’s press secretary.

The ad goes onto declare Herseth a fiscal conservative yet within three weeks of arriving in Congress, she voted for a massive tax hike that would increase taxes by $18.9 billion next year. That’s equivalent to a $269 billion tax hike over the next decade.

“That doesn’t sound very fiscally conservative,” Towhey said.

The ad mentions that Herseth bucked her own party by voting for President Bush’s forest policy yet fails to mention that when given the opportunity to fund firefighters in national parks, she instead chose to increase funding for the National Endowment for the Arts.

“It’s going to be awfully difficult to keep those forests healthy when the firefighters lack the sufficient equipment to extinguish forest fires,” Towhey said.

Furthermore, the ad neglects to mention that Herseth’s “independent voice” failed to secure agriculture research dollars that support South Dakota’s number one industry. South Dakota was just one of two states that received no ag research funding.

Her “independent voice” also failed to convince a majority of her own party to support mandatory COOL during a vote in the House Agriculture Committee.

“That doesn’t sound very effective,” Towhey concluded.

More on Cancelled House debate

The Rapid City Journal has a report on the cancelled House debate at the South Dakota State Fair. Excerpt:

Herseth campaign manager Tessa Gould said the campaign agreed early on to debate at the State Fair, but the details of such a meeting were left in limbo. When the details didn't gel and State Fair officials said they were having trouble finding a debate sponsor, the Herseth campaign had to scrap the idea, she said.

"We had agreed to do it. They weren't able to find a media sponsor for a debate. We moved on and made other scheduling commitments, and that's where we're at," Gould said.

Those other scheduling commitments include having Herseth spend much of today at the State Fair. Because Diedrich will be there, too, he wants to debate, said his spokeswoman, Jessica Towhey.

"Why can't we have our debate? They're both going to be there," Towhey said. "We would like to give voters an opportunity to see the two candidates side by side."

Additional Note:DVT has a great analysis of the debate issue regarding the Senate race. Read the whole thing.

Diedrich at State Fair Saturday

As mentioned, the Larry Diedrich campaign has been flexible with the State Fair administration. Here is a revised schedule with Diedrich at the Freedom Stage at noon Saturday:

Revised schedule, Congressional candidate Larry Diedrich
Sept. 4, 2004

Congressional candidate Larry Diedrich accepted an invitation from the South Dakota State Fair Board to speak for 30 minutes, beginning at noon, on Freedom Stage.

“I’m so excited to have this opportunity to be part of the State Fair,” Diedrich said. “I always look forward to the fair and am honored to have been an invited guest.”

Saturday, Sept. 4
10 a.m. South Dakota State Fair, Huron
12 p.m. Freedom Stage, South Dakota State Fair, Huron

Diedrich and REO Speedwagon in Mitchell

Larry Diedrich was in Mitchell last night. He attended the REO Speedwagon concert at the Corn Palace. My wife Kathy and I had third row seats and had a great time. Kevin Cronin the lead singer was wearing a corn-patterned shirt.

Here is an excerpt from today’s Mitchell Daily Republic:

REO Speedwagon lead singer Kevin Cronin walked onto the Corn Palace stage Thursday night sporting a corn-patterned shirt and tight black pants. After the first two songs, he stripped away his kernel attire to reveal a simple black tank and then threw his guitar pick into the crowd.

About 1,400 people attended the REO Speedwagon concert Thursday night at the Palace, which can seat 3,000 people for the Corn Palace Festival shows.

“Since we are in the Corn Palace, be very careful - the walls literally have ears,” Cronin said. “It’s our first time here and we just love it.”

REO Speedwagon performed a 15-song list that included fan favorites such as “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” “Keep On Loving You,” “Time For Me to Fly,” and “Building The Bridge,” a song former President Bill Clinton adopted as his campaign theme in 1996.

After the concert we went to the Davison County Republican office to watch President Bush address the Republican Convention. Afterwards some of us got pictured with Diedrich. I am standing next to Larry in Rock N Roll mode…no ponytail.

State Fair debate cancelled

The Larry Diedrich campaign just issued this press release:

South Dakota State Fair goers in Huron next week will eat cotton candy, admire the livestock entries and even stare wide-eyed at a traveling 9,000-gallon tank of seawater and live sharks.

But those same fair goers will not be able to watch the candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives debate because the traditional debate has been cancelled. Congressional candidate Larry Diedrich said he was disappointed the debate would not take place and wondered how a debate that’s taken place each election cycle could not be scheduled.

“I was very much looking forward to meeting with Rep. Stephanie Herseth in the second debate of the general election campaign to discuss our different ideas for South Dakota,” Diedrich said Tuesday afternoon after being told the debate was off. “It’s unfortunate that the voters are denied this opportunity to see the two of us exchange ideas and explain the differences between us.”

Both campaigns had committed to debating at the State Fair.

SD Democrats and lawyers

SDP has a great post on Tom Daschle and his involvement with trial lawyers. This reminds me of Larry Diedrich’s closing statement during the Dakotafest forum with Stephanie Herseth (via AP):

Diedrich ended his presentation by saying there are too few farmers and too many lawyers in Congress. He said that when he started running, there were 146 lawyers in Congress and only 16 farmers and ranchers. ''I ask you, do you think government is working better today than it did 200-plus years ago when most of those people were involved in agriculture? . . . We have an opportunity to change that number to 17 this fall,'' Diedrich said.

Since the candidates pretty much agreed on almost every issue, Larry smartly distinguished himself from Herseth who is a lawyer. Of course, Herseth had to move to the right in order to meet Diedrich on most issues. In DC, Herseth may have problems maintaining those positions when the Democrat leadership will expect votes to the left in exchange for the money she wants to bring to South Dakota.

Besides the risk that Herseth will change her tune, the choice is now between a South Dakota farm boy verses an East Coast lawyer.

The Second Amendment Issue

I have added two links in my Campaign Links section. One is a letter of endorsement for Larry Diedrich by the South Dakota Shooting Sports Association. The other is a candidate rating of South Dakota House and Senate seats in regard to those best suited to protect the Second amendment.

Here is an excerpt from an email I received from David F. Conway, SD Shooting Sports Assoc.-Legislative Affairs and NRA-ILA State EVC:

In the 2000 and 2002 elections, gun owners played an integral role in securing the course of history for the Second Amendment. We cannot relax now. We need to continue electing those who understand, appreciate, and respect our firearms heritage. Politicians who will make a vigorous effort towards enhancing and protecting our constitutional rights. Our candidate ratings will assist your decisions on election day.

The Larry Diedrich and Stephanie Herseth race will need everyone's attention. SDSSA is the NRA State Affiliate and we generally agree with all NRA positions. But in this race, we take a different stance. Herseth has not been given an "A" rating from SDSSA. She has no history of supporting firearms ownership. She is a candidate, and as such, will say what is necessary to be elected. Diedrich, on the other hand, is endorsed with an "A+" rating.

Click on the image to view a mailing I received from the NRA asking us to vote for Larry Diedrich
Please help spread the word. There are those who will misrepresent this issue.