Daschle's SOS

The nation's top Democrat wages his own little war.

By Jake Tapper

Apr 1, 2003 | As the war abroad continued to escalate last week, the nation's leading Democrat requested help for someone else under attack: himself. In response to Republican criticism, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle's reelection committee sent out an e-mail last Thursday to union presidents and other supporters asking for them to "take the time to defend Senator Daschle from his critics."

The e-mail, obtained by Salon, noted that after Daschle "criticized the Administration's diplomatic efforts, the conservative attack machine went into full swing." On March 18, right before President George W. Bush issued his final ultimatum to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Daschle told an American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees audience that he was "saddened, saddened, that this president failed so miserably at diplomacy that we're now forced to go to war. Saddened that we have to give up one life because this president couldn't create the kind of diplomatic effort that was so critical for our country." These remarks were criticized for any number of reasons -- but the timing was particularly bad.

The Daschle e-mail goes on to complain that the Republican National Committee, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, former Rep. John Thune, R-S.D., and their allies "put out scathing attacks on Senator Daschle -- going so far as to even question his patriotism." These criticisms, the e-mail stated, are being used by conservatives to "flood their rhetoric on talk radio and in news rooms across the state and country." It implored recipients to defend Daschle, who served with Air Force Intelligence during the Vietnam War, "as a veteran, a patriot, and the best friend South Dakota veterans ever had."

"Please speak out," the e-mail pleads. "This is important." Attached to the e-mail is a March 22 column by Beltway pundit Mark Shields defending Daschle.

Anita Dunn, a consultant for Daschle's political action committee DASHPAC, says that the e-mail was sent to dozens of supporters, union officials and others, and noted that it did not include a fundraising solicitation.

Daschle is up for reelection in 2004 and faces a possibly tough challenge from Thune, who lost a close Senate race last November to Daschle's protégé, Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D. The note does state that "we pray for our troops and for all the people affected by this conflict. If you have family members or loved ones involved, our thoughts are with them and you."

Kind words about the troops aside, the e-mail drew some mixed reviews from those Salon contacted. "I thought it was totally strange," said one union official who asked not to be named.

In many ways Daschle's note is symbolic of a larger problem for the Democrats: They need to both support our troops, lest they be painted as less than patriotic, yet they also need to point out the president's missteps, raise funds and prepare for the 2004 elections. This can create awkward situations -- ones that Republicans, better organized and funded, can easily exploit.

A Gallup poll released Monday indicated that more Americans have an unfavorable impression of Daschle than favorable -- 38 percent to 32 percent.

"When they launch full attacks on him it often leads to this result in the numbers," a Daschle staffer commented. The staffer dismissed the unfavorable rating as only indicating that "the people paying attention to these attacks are for the most part the Republican base."

Calling the timing of the e-mail "a little bit distasteful," John Feehery, spokesman for House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill. -- who slammed Daschle's comments last month -- said the e-mail is "a pretty clever way to try to hang a lantern on your problem. You tell your supporters that you made a stupid comment and they need to fight back because you made a stupid comment -- it's pretty clever." Feehery noted that Hastert typically "doesn't make comments about other members" of the House or Senate, "but Daschle's comments were so far beyond the pale."

Bob Stevenson, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said that "it's disappointing that they've chosen to put the letter out and continue an episode that most of us have put behind us." Stevenson calls the e-mail "a mistake" but adds, "I think it's ill-advised, but that's up to Daschle's political folks. But at a time when we're in conflict and we have men and women in harm's way, well, that's for others to judge whether that's appropriate or not."

At the time, Daschle also took a hit from the White House, with spokesman Ari Fleischer saying, "He's essentially blaming President Bush for the fact that we may be on the verge of war." That was hardly the only objection.

Next Page: GOP strategist: The way to go after Bush and his team is to "belittle them"

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