Tag Archives: democrat

Jim Abdnor on speaking, dancing and working

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Jim Abdnor had almost slipped into the history books when he died Wednesday.

The former legislator, lieutenant governor, congressman and senator was 89 when he died at a hospice in Sioux Falls Wednesday. He had last served in elective office in January 1987, so an entire generation had grown up not knowing him on the public stage.

They missed a unique figure who rose to prominence and power due to a skill with people, and a desire to achieve. Abdnor was a short, unremarkable looking man who was afflicted with a speech impediment, but he became a U.S. senator despite that minor flaw.

In 1986, then-Gov. Bill Janklow challenged Abdnor in the Republican primary. Janklow, who died earlier this year, said Abdnor didn’t have the speaking skills to serve in the Senate and to take on Tom Daschle.

This was Abdnor’s response:

http://sddigitalarchives.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/government/id/47

And he went on to defeat Janklow in the primary, too. it was the only loss of Wild Bill’s colorful career, and the final victory for Jim Abdnor, who lost to Daschle that fall.

GOP circus won’t stop here

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Show’s over folks. Move along. Nothing to see here.

Rick Santorum’s announcement that he is quitting, formally known as suspending his presidential campaign, ends what little suspense was left in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator, will still be on the South Dakota ballot, however.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was the early favorite, had the most money, the support of GOP insiders and won the most delegates in primaries and caucuses. Santorum finally yielded to the math and ended his campaign Tuesday.

This means that 2012 won’t be like 2008, when the presidential circus made an extended stop in South Dakota. Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton both made several stops in SD, telling us how concernced they were about crop prices, Indian issues, rural sustainability and anything and everything else they could think of to win a few votes.

It appears there will be few or no campaign events and stops in our state now.

Romney, who was endorsed by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., still may breeze through before the June 5 vote. Rep. Ron Paul, of Texas, said he’s in the race through the convention, so he may make an appearance. Who knows what’s up with former speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, who admitted this weekend Romney was close to wrapping it up.

SD political junkies, writers and politicians hoped against hope we would see a repeat of four years ago, but it didn’t happen. Should we stick with a late primary or shift to an early one, despite the cost, in an effort to have a say in the presidential process?

Varilek hopes to copy McGovern

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George McGovern endorsed Matt Varilek for the U.S.House Tuesday.

Varilek is new on the political scene, untested and unproven. He’s facing an incumbent in a traditionally Republican state. George McGovern knows all about that.

McGovern was elected to the House in 1956, a year Republican Dwight Eisenhower was elected president. McGovern defeated incumbent Harold Lovre, a former resident of Hamlin County, the home county of Rep. Kristi Noem.

Lovre was also a relative of my family and, Dad says, a good man who loved my grandmother’s cooking.

McGovern won another term in the House in 1958, beating SD living legend Joe Foss. In 2008, looking back at his election history with me, McGovern said it was the easiest race of his life, since Foss didn’t really want to run but was talked into it by the state GOP.

McGovern went on to win three terms in the Senate, but his long career started with an uphill race for the U.S. House. Matt Varilek hopes to emulate that.

Was this Rush’s Imus moment?

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The radio star said he was just kidding about that vile remark he made about young women. It was a joke, you know, the kind he had told before. The big reaction against it amazed him.

So people would move on from this, right? Whoops. Sorry. Won’t happen again.

But, it was too late. It damaged his career, perhaps forever.

Rush Limbaugh? No, I’m referring to Don Imus, whose career collapsed after his racist, heinous attempts at humor exploded in his face in April 2007.

Imus ended up fired from his TV gig, his friends and radio guests scurrying away. After a run on the RFD-TV network — and wasn’t THAT a good fit — he’s now on the Fox Business Network. I think.

El Rushbo still has his national radio network and millions of loyal fans. He sets the tone for the national Republican Party and GOP candidates for president bow to him on a regular basis.

But this might be different. Limbaugh’s three-day attack on a young woman over contraception has enraged millions and millions of women. Meanwhile, President Obama and Democrats are smiling and fist pumping, in private of course, over Limbaugh’s self-inflicted wound. They’re also raising money and getting support from tons of women’s groups.

Rush finally apologized Saturday. He said he was just trying to be funny and that is so difficult, you know. Whoops.

The fact that advertisers were jumping ship and most GOP heavyweights were either criticizing him or avoiding the topic may have persuaded him a bit.

He may move on from this. Rush is still a big man in the conservative movement.

But if not, I bet there’s room on whatever network Don Imus is on now.

Janklow

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People loved him. People hated him. Almost all had strong feelings about him.

They adored him and voted him into statewide office six times, elevating him to nationwide prominence. They despised him and cursed him and celebrated his problems.

Few people had neutral feelings about Bill Janklow, who died Thursday at 72. He was a driven, angry, sentimental, caring, razor-sharp, bitter, vindictive, brilliant man.

I knew Janklow for more than 30 years and wrote about him many times. For some reason, we got along well and never had an argument, nor did he call me late at night to chew me out.

I admired him and feel his reputation will only grow. Others who I like and admire feel differently.

Now he belongs to the ages.