Republican Senate candidate and current state senator Larry Rhoden went to New Orleans last weekend for the fifth annual RedState conference. Proving that the conservative movement is all a bout fear, Rhoden hyperventilated about the United States being under its greatest threat in history (really, Larry? The Canadians and Brits in 1812? Secession in 1861? The Axis in 1941? The Soviets in 1962?).
He also rationalized his change in tactics to directly criticize opponent M. Michael Rounds with this strangely ahistorical explanation:
Rhoden had resisted criticizing his opponent, but things changed at RedState. “I resisted the temptation to talk about my opponent,” Rhoden said. “But in the last three or four days, some things have come to light in the press that I have found extremely interesting…My opponent says he refuses to take pledges because that ties his hands and keeps him from negotiating. Isn’t that exactly the point? It’s time that our politicians be held accountable” [Teresa Mull, "New Crop of GOP Challengers Rise at RedState Gathering," Human Events, 2013.08.07].
The last three or four days brought no real new news about Marion Michael Rounds and his anti-pledge stance. If Rhoden had been reading, he'd have known since at least spring 2012 that Rounds is no fan of signing pledges that trade practical problem-solving for fealty to outside special interests. The only new news on that front was David Montgomery's pointing out that Rhoden himself publicly expressed the same disdain for tax pledges during this year's Legislative session, before he announced his run for the GOP Senate nomination.
Saying our nation is at more risk now than in the Cold War is sloppy history and hyperbole. Citing imaginary news from the past week is a strange but minor rhetorical fudge. But claiming to be for pledges that he opposed just a few months ago may be too much for attentive voters to overlook.
Related: Rhoden goes to New Orleans; Rounds goes to northwest Iowa (alongside Rick Santorum—yikes!); is Democrat Rick Weiland (Brandon, Alcester, Elk Point, and Centerville today!) the only U.S. Senate candidate talking directly to South Dakotans?
Santorum/Sandusky: nuff said.
"Rhoden goes to New Orleans; Rounds goes to northwest Iowa (alongside Rick Santorum—yikes!); is Democrat Rick Weiland (Brandon, Alcester, Elk Point, and Centerville today!) the only U.S. Senate candidate talking directly to South Dakotans?"
and that's something that Democrats and Weiland have to keep hammering away at. Rounds is out of state raising money and Weiland is out talking to the people of South Dakota.
(goggle "Santorum")
owen: unlock your twitter acct.
One interesting non-attendee at NW Iowa is Sen. Grassley. Could it be that he does not want to be on the same stage as Rounds?
The economy is bouncing back from the Bush/Cheney Great Recession. Our troops are out of Bush's war in Iraq. Osama bin Laden, whom Bush couldn't find, is dead. Housing is back in the black.
So, where is the greatest threat in U.S. history? Could it be the President of the United States was black in his first term and he continues to be black in his second term, having trounced the GOP's two white guys?
The next President is probably going to be white, but she will be a woman and maybe that will also be the next greatest threat in U.S. history to middle-aged, well-to-do, insecure white guys. Please, boys, don't ever change.
I look forward to hearing him denounce Rep. King's statements on immigration. (nod, nod, wink, wink.)
@interested party. Try twitter now
followed.
Owen: which Dem(s) should run for governor?
@interested party. Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin or Steve Jarding
following you as well interested party. I'm not into twitter much
10-4 good buddy. Back off the hammer and watch the Bears in the air.