Last updated on 2012.08.19
Matt Varilek's campaign manager David Benson sends out an invitation and campagin donation pitch to supporters that alleges Rep. Kristi Noem is luring her followers to stack the DakotaFest debate audience with free food, shirts, and transportation:
As you may have heard, Kristi Noem is refusing to debate Matt at the State Fair.
It's unfortunate Kristi has decided to turn her back on a long held tradition in South Dakota. But one debate she did agree to is coming up this Wednesday in Mitchell.
On Wednesday, August 22nd, Matt and Kristi will debate from 2:00-3:00 pm at Dakotafest.
In an effort to counteract the criticism Kristi has received due to her inaction on the farm bill, her absence on the Ag Committee, and her refusal to debate at the State Fair, the Noem campaign is PAYING to bus in supporters from Sioux Falls. (They also get a free lunch and t-shirt.)
We can't let the Noem campaign get away with stacking the audience.
Show your support for Matt and join us in Mitchell on Wednesday afternoon. And if you can't make it, show your support by making an online contribution. Every type of contribution makes a real difference in this race.
I hope to see you in Mitchell on the 22nd!
Thanks for all that you do,
David Benson
Campaign Manager
Matt for SDP.S. I'm sorry we can't afford to bus in supporters with an offer of a free lunch and t-shirt. But I can promise you one thing: Matt will hold Kristi accountable for not standing up for South Dakota farmers and ranchers. Please help cheer on Matt in Mitchell on the 22nd.
P.P.S. While you're in town, make sure to visit the Prehistoric Indian Village---one of my favorite places in the state [campaign e-mail, August 18, 2012].
There's no technical foul here. Noem isn't buying votes. But she is completely undermining her argument that she only wants to debate in front of "fair and non-partisan groups." Her bus ride bribes make clear she wants to debate in front of audiences as tilted as possible toward the fantasy all South Dakota needs in Congress is a pretty woman who rides horsies.
Kristi wants you to believe that a non-partisan group with Dems as members hosting the debate will subject her to an unfair and unfriendly audience. That's bunk. Kristi's real problem is that, with her failure to deliver on anything of substance in her two years in Washington, any attentive audience in South Dakota will be rightly unfriendly.
Dakota Fest in 2009 was where the GOP packed the crowd with crazies and it was a scream-and-boo fest against Stephanie Herseth Sandlin. It was ugly and marked the turning point that led to her defeat in 2010. For a Democrat like Matt Varilek it's like walking into the tigers cage. Too bad Noem can't show the slightest courage to debate in front of a very tame State Fair crowd.
Let's hope the audience, moderator or Matt ask Kristi about the impact of the Ryan budget on Medicare and Medicaid on South Dakotans.
The Republican proposal would have adverse impacts on seniors and disabled individuals in the state who are currently enrolled in Medicare. It would:
• Increase prescription drug costs for 11,300 Medicare beneficiaries in the state who enter the Part D donut hole, forcing them to pay an extra $111 million for drugs over the next decade.
• Eliminate new preventive care benefits for 133,000 Medicare beneficiaries in the state.
The Republican proposal would have even greater impacts on individuals in the state 54 and
younger who are not currently enrolled in Medicare. It would:
• Deny 600,000 individuals age 54 and younger in the state access to Medicare’s guaranteed benefits.
• Increase the out-of-pocket costs of health coverage by over $6,000 per year in 2022 and by almost $12,000 per year in 2032 for the 125,000 individuals in the state who are between the ages of 44 and 54.
• Require the 125,000 individuals in the state between the ages of 44 and 54 to save an additional $29.2 billion for their retirement – an average of $182,000 to $287,000 per individual – to pay for the increased cost of health coverage over their lifetimes. Younger residents of the state will have to save even higher amounts to cover their additional medical costs.
• Raise the Medicare eligibility age by at least one year to age 66 or more for 68,000 individuals in the state who are age 44 to 49 and by two years to age 67 for 474,000 individuals in the state who are age 43 or younger.
http://democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?q=page/district-by-district-impact-of-republican-medicare-plan-and-medicaid-cuts
The hit the Ryan plan that Kristi voted for is even more harsh on South Dakotans with Medicaid.
In the AL congressional district in South Dakota, which Rep. Kristi L. Noem represents, these provisions could:
• Reduce coverage for 12,000 dual eligible seniors and individuals with disabilities who rely on Medicaid to supplement their Medicare coverage or pay their Medicare cost sharing.
• Jeopardize nursing home care for 3,600 whose expenses are paid by Medicaid.
• Impair the health care of 73,000 children, including 3,300 newborns each year, who receive coverage under Medicaid.
• Cut payments to hospitals for 18,000 emergency room visits paid for by Medicaid each year.
• Cut payments to hospitals for 7,900 inpatient visits paid for by Medicaid each year.
• Reduce jobs and hurt economic growth by eliminating $1.5 billion in Medicaid spending.
Maybe some of the seniors on Kristi's bus will want to ask these questions as well.
Interesting post, Cory. Is Matt's campaign manager Matt or David Benson?
Looking forward to see how Kristi used all her free time to cram for Wednesday's DakotaFest debate and whether or not there'll be a Kodak or YouTube moment.
Wasn't there an incident in the last campaign when she was approached by a voter with a question on the State Fair midway and her first reaction was to turn to an aide and ask something like "is it okay for me to answer that?"
[CAH: David Bensons. Thank you, Mark! I've got Matt on the brain. Correction made!]
Isnt that bribing voters?
Yep! That's Kristi for yah. What's that bad smell coming from the dumpster at the Fairgrounds? Why, it's Noem's Campaign! LOL
All of us in SF should take the free food, throw the shirts away and ask her hard questions. All we need is transportation back to SF.
Great idea Justin! I say: "Just Do It!" It's too bad you guys don't have MORE progressive statesmen and women like we do in Oregon. If Kristi campaigned in Eugene, they would laugh her right out of town.
I'm guessing when Matt points out that Kristi had to bus supporters in from Sioux Falls that the local farmers will think that is a great idea. Way to connect with the rural voter Kristi and show everyone just how authentic you are!
Also guessing that the various media outlets from around the state will report she had to spend money to find supporters.
So let's see what she won't talk about:
- Lack of leadership on the farm bill
- Gutting medicare and medicaid
- Support for Romney/Ryan and their ban on contraceptives
- The best friends money can buy for only a bus ride and some free food
- Gutting Pell Grants
- California trips to fundraise
Eager to see the first statewide poll after DakotaFest.
There is nothing illegal about it, every campaign does it to some point, some more then others. I don't think it looks good, and wouldn't be surprised if the news gets wind of this story as well.
It looks bad though, especially after dodging a debate, which gives way more free press to Varilek then showing up does, its a non-televised debate where a few hundred, maybe 500+ show up and watch. Now if the press is good and runs with this story, which they might it looks really bad.
I think they will, especially after giving her a pass in 2010 on the phony Tea Party 'astro turfed' protests in her debates with Stephanie Herseth.
Of course, like back in 2010, maybe Kristi's bussed in supporters from Sioux Falls will be given a script and theatrical instructions on how to disrupt a debate...bought and paid for by Freedom Works, the Koch brothers and Dick Armey.
I'm guessing that the media is a little smarter this time around.
I've never attended DakotaFest, but I heard an audio feed of the debate two years ago, and I think one must strain to term it a "debate." My distinct memories of listening to it is not the points made by the candidates, but the cheering, jeering and overall disruptive nature of the audience.
Hopefully, steps will be taken this time to control Kristi's mob. No doubt they will be given orders to do everything they can to turn the event into a big circus and take the focus off Kristi's poor performance and stupid decisions.
I really want to get in there and record all the instructions they give.
If I don't, somebody else will.
Any chance that Kristi could make any claim to representing all South Dakotans, courage or leadership are gone.
No doubt Noem will also have her federal staff in attendance also wearing Kristi campaign shirts. If I'm team Varilek or even Johnson I send someone to take pics of her federal office people wearing Noem stickers and t-shirts this weekend.
Johnson and the Dems owe Noem some pay back for how they smeared the johnson staffer on the blogs. I have a hard time seeing how the Johnson people can work with Noem's after that smear.
Mike, I'd enjoy pointing that out, but I would do it from the perspective of, "See? We told you so. There is no ethics violation here, and Noem proves it."
Joe is right that there is no food-for-votes question on this one. Noem isn't giving free lunch and rides immediately before voting; she's just stacking an audience for a public forum.
But not televised? Well, come on, someone here has to have a video camera, a YouTube account, and spare time on Wednesday. Record... and send me the link when you're done!
Not a food-for-votes question is correct. Unless it occurs in Indian Country.
I was at DakotaFest in 2010, but loudest, most obnxious audience member was Stace Nelson.
Ellen, was Nelson cheering for that big-government, anti-free-market RINO Kristi Noem? I'll be disappointed if he was.
He was heckling Herseth Sandlin, interrupting her, and with his booming Marine voice, did a good job. Hopefully if he attends this year, he will remember that he is an elected official and act accordingly. He was so inappropriate I kept wondering why he hadn't been escorted out.
As the user of a strongly projecting voice, I recognize the need for decorum in public settings. Heckling isn't illegal, but it is indecorous. I'm o.k. with general audience expressions of approval or disapproval in public forums, but one should respect the questioners and answerers who have the floor.
I liked Stace much better when he played Benny on L.A. Law:
http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&biw=1682&bih=969&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=V89BpJTWmH8bwM:&imgrefurl=http://www.headofrothchild.com/2011/02/10/dance-monkey-dance/&docid=_V9zJbdB2wjjMM&imgurl=http://www.headofrothchild.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/p184084_n460_cc_v2_aa.jpg&w=232&h=309&ei=Bo0yUOn5CoOxywGcqYCwCA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=191&vpy=127&dur=2394&hovh=247&hovw=185&tx=104&ty=139&sig=117629479790320845969&page=1&tbnh=143&tbnw=127&start=0&ndsp=49&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:76