Press "Enter" to skip to content

Mike Rounds: South Dakota’s Mitt Romney on ObamaCare

Last updated on 2014.05.22

The blogosphere works best when we all talk to each other, openly, civilly, and rationally, to build our understanding of an issue. This weekend's example: John Tsitrian and I have a blog conversation that helps us understand that, on the Affordable Care Act, Marion Michael Rounds is South Dakota's Willard Mitt Romney.

On Friday, Tsitrian deemed our frontrunning, big-money GOP U.S. Senate candidate the winner of the Republican candidates' debate held on SDPB Thursday night. Tsitrian felt none of the underdogs said anything really new to distinguish themselves and damage the Rounds campaign. Tsitrian questioned charge leveled on Rounds by Rep. Stace Nelson:

To the charge that Rounds was complicit in developing Obamacare because he had worked on a panel studying healthcare reform with then Democratic Senator Tom Daschle, Rounds claimed that he had "never worked with Daschle" on Obamacare. I'm not sure this can be verified, but that's probably irrelevant as there was no follow-up in the debate, which effectively neutralized the the charge [John Tsitrian, "Re: Last Night's GOP Senate Debate. It Was An Exercise In Redundancy, Rounds Wins By Default," The Constant Commoner, 2014.05.16].

Nelson launched this attack at 57:40 in the debate, with the Daschle collaboration claim at 58:10. Rounds categorically denied collaboration with Daschle on ObamaCare at 59:05. Nelson rebutted this claim at 1:02:55, urging viewers to Google Rapid City Journal, Mike Rounds, Tom Daschle, task force for documentation. Within two minutes, KELO-AM's Greg Belfrage Tweeted the result of said search, Kevin Woster's February 11, 2011, Rapid City Journal article that said what Nelson said: Rounds worked with Daschle on a task force whose primary purpose, in Daschle's words, was "to explore how states can move forward in providing health insurance under the Affordable Care Act."

I blogged this documentation and the press release Nelson wrapped around it yesterday morning. Tsitrian read that post. Yesterday afternoon, he reassessed Nelson's attack, saying Rounds's collaboration with Daschle to implement the Affordable Care Act is a "major" point "considering that the Rounds campaign says the candidate 'couldn't sleep' over the Affordable Care Act":

Now that Rounds has been exposed as being complicit in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act that he publicly deplores--to the point that in one of his videos he trots out his own dad as an audio-visual aid in order to emotionally empower his antagonism toward ACA--I trust that he has made the appropriate explanations and apologies to his family. (And please, Mr. Rounds, don't tell me to leave your family out of this. You're the one that brought them in.) Next step would be to explain to voters that he was for Obamacare before he was against it, then hope that his standing in the campaign might merit a bit of the respect that it just lost [John Tsitrian, "Will Mike Rounds Ever Get It Right When It Comes To The Affordable Care Act? You Can Run From Obamacare, Mr. Rounds, But You Can't Hide," The Constant Commoner, 2014.05.17].

Tsitrian says Mike Rounds lied Thursday night. He says the only honorable way out for Rounds is to admit he lied and admit he was for the ACA before he was against it.

Rounds now sounds like Mitt Romney, who was for the ACA's health insurance mandate before he needed to be against it to run for President against Barack Obama. RomneyCare is ObamaCare, a fact that hobbled Romney's credibility as a conservative. Jim DeMint, one of the national conservatives who said last year he was on the hunt for an alternative to Rounds, said that Romney's inability to consistently attack the ACA hurt Republicans in 2012. The RomneyCare–ObamaCare connection still dogs Romney's pal Scott Brown, who voted for RomneyCare in the Massachusetts legislature but now is campaigning against ObamaCare in his run for New Hampshire's Senate seat.

Nelson seems to grasp the Mike Rounds–Mitt Romney analogy. He's hammered on Rounds's support for the ACA from the beginning of his campaign. Thursday night he mentioned Rounds's personal airplane, a clear nod toward the "rich and out of touch" characterization that Romney admits hurt his campaign.

Of course, for Nelson to capitalize on the Rounds–Romney analogy, he's got to get that message out to every Republican primary voter. He has two weeks to do so. If he can afford another TV ad, he needs to hammer that point home. The bare storyboard:

  1. Unflattering photo of Mitt: "Remember this guy? He was for ObamaCare before he was against it. He lost in 2012."
  2. Photo of Rounds with Obama: "Now this guy says he's losing sleep over ObamaCare, even though he helped Barack Obama and Tom Daschle implement it."
  3. Montage of studly images of Stace Nelson: "Don't let another fake conservative hand victory to Democrats. Vote for a real conservative who's opposed ObamaCare from Day 1. Vote for Stace Nelson."

Short of TV ads, Nelson needs to win on the ground game. His people need to knock on 500 Republican doors an hour, 12 hours a day, every day from now until June 3, telling people exactly this message: Rounds was for ObamaCare before he was against it. Rounds is Romney, and Romney means ruin. If moderate Republican John Tsitrian can see the impact of that message, so can half the folks Team Nelson would contact. Out of 90,000 voters contacted, that Romney message alone could win 45,000 votes. And 45,000 votes could be a majority in the GOP primary vote.

38 Comments

  1. John Tsitrian 2014.05.18

    I was remiss in not independently pursuing Nelson's charge during the debate and prematurely blowing it off as inconsequential. My thanks to Nelson and Cory for their follow-ups here. Based on the debate itself I still consider Rounds to have been the winner by default, as I explain in the Constant Commoner. However, Nelson is the clear winner of the debate's aftermath, which I believe is proving to be of more relevance to the primary race than the SDPB GOP confab on Thursday.

  2. Disgusted Dakotan 2014.05.18

    The question is, why isn't the mainstream news doing their job? Is Montgomery, Mercer, Dunsmoor, Ellis, Olson, etc., asleep?

    What about the fact check on the claims Rounds didn't spend more than was taken in (deficits)?

    Rumor has it that the day after the SDPB debate, Rounds campaign signaled they will not participate in the KELO debate at the end of the month. Whether that helps or hurts him is whether the collective news media starts doing its job.

  3. Kal Lis 2014.05.18

    I think John is correct in asserting that Nelson is winning the post-debate arguments and fact checking. I just question how much that fact will matter. Most primary voters probably have their minds made up. If EB5 and nepotism don't seem to be enough to derail Rounds, meeting with Daschle probably won't be either.

  4. John Tsitrian 2014.05.18

    Kal, I think the issues being raised now will carry over into the general, so, much as I agree with you on primary voters, I believe this discussion is far from over. That Mike's actions and words don't coincide is one issue, but flat out lying is another one.

  5. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.05.18

    Rick Santorum beat Romney up on RomneyCare=ObamaCare. Romney still beat Santorum. But the issue carried over to the general. And unlike the 2012 Presidential race, the 2014 South Dakota Senate race has a noisy Independent, Gordon Howie, who will gleefully amplify that message against Rounds.

  6. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.05.18

    Rumor, Disgusted? Where's the evidence? Has KELO announced a debate yet? Rounds skipping that debate would be a serious embarrassment for Rounds... but I wonder: if Rounds pulled out, would KELO still have the guts to air the debate?

  7. larry kurtz 2014.05.18

    I heard that too Cory. Radio? 'Scheduling conflict' sticks in my head.

  8. Rhino Lynn 2014.05.18

    The KELO debate is scheduled for Mar 26, 2014? Is that the last televised debate before the primary election?

    If Rounds cancels that debate it would be another example and the last prime opportunity for the other candidates to show that Rounds is running from his record and campaign claims. Tactically I would think that would be a major mistake for Rounds.

    If Rounds does participate in the KELO debate those other candidates need to obviously hammer him if they hope to win or seek a run off.

  9. Lanny V Stricherz 2014.05.18

    Do you mean May 26?

  10. Rhino Lynn 2014.05.18

    Lanny sorry May 26th*

  11. Rhino Lynn 2014.05.18

    ugh! I can't even find it to confirm. sorry!

  12. Michael B 2014.05.18

    Maybe the Rounds team thinks that there is no way he can lose the election at this point.

    We all thought Tom Daschle was unbeatable too.

  13. mike from iowa 2014.05.18

    Were any of the guys flashing cleavage at the debate?

  14. Douglas Wiken 2014.05.18

    Stace cleavage involves using a really big machete. I thought SDPB-TV would rebroadcast the SD Focus GOP debate today, but despite their schedule, no sign of it.

  15. mike from iowa 2014.05.18

    Has Thune endorsed Weiland,yet? Seems he was adamant about having both parties representing SoDak in Congress when he ran against Daschle.

  16. daleb 2014.05.18

    A point, in the last few years Romney has strangely walked away from his comments that he would issue an executive order to stop PPACA's implementation. Same with amnesty. A lot of people didn't believe Romney in his promises... Some still voted for him over President Obama, and some stayed home. Republican primaries have turned into circus where the clowns are paid handsomely and the animals are left to fend for themselves.

  17. SDBlue 2014.05.18

    Sorry I am off topic here. Just watched your daily devotional to Annette Bosworth. I cannot stop laughing! Bravo, Cory! Bravo!!

  18. grudznick 2014.05.18

    I hope Mr. H duct taped his pod to a window to video that, like Mr. Gibilisco does.

  19. 96 Tears 2014.05.18

    Who noticed how weird Marion Michael Rounds' eyes were in the debate? His lids were droopy. At times his comments were verbal salad. The energy was sketchy, on and off again. If he was dragging along because he was being attacked, then that boy has a glass jaw and ain't ready for prime time. He seemed distracted and looked like he was reading from cue cards when he spoke. I have seen lots worse from much lesser people.

    Was he drinking that night? Did he get bad news from the federal attorney that he's going to be in front of a grand jury very soon? Did somebody get a copy of the real autopsy report on Benda? Is Bollen squealing in front of a grand jury and he just heard about it?

    Check out his performance again. Those eyes are just weird!

  20. Jerry 2014.05.18

    Okay, I will bite, tell us about the grand jury. This is news to me.

  21. grudznick 2014.05.18

    I only notice how sharp and piercing Mr. Rhoden's eyes were, and how his iron jaw looked forceful yet somehow gentlemanly. Senatorial. Did you notice how he never fell into the well of insanity with those others?

  22. Roger Cornelius 2014.05.18

    Bob Mercer in today's RCJ has joined the chorus and called out Mike Rounds for his lies.
    The interesting part of Mercer's article is that he talks about Obamacare being a dead issue for Republicans.
    Of particular note, the only numbers that are important to the Obamacare debate are the three fourths votes in both houses of congress to repeal it.
    I don't know that in the history of our country if either party had a three fourths majority of both houses.

  23. Deb Geelsdottir 2014.05.18

    Doug, the cleavage and machete comment was great.

    I hope Rounds is done for. Go Nelson!
    (In the primary only.)

  24. Les 2014.05.18

    This is SD, Deb. ;)

  25. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.05.19

    Cleavage, indeed! Fine turn of phrase, Douglas. Nelson has fifteen days to show he can find the right machete to swing through the weeds of the Rounds-Wadhams image machine.

  26. mike from iowa 2014.05.19

    Don't you wordsmiths mean to pair machete with cleaverage and not cleavage? I'm having trouble pairing bodacious ta-tas with blood and gore. What did I miss?

  27. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.05.19

    Rather than cleave hairs, Mike, let us cleave unto unto Doug Wiken's cleverage.

  28. lesliengland 2014.05.19

    gop pivoted from obamacare. who cares what rounds does with it but what would rick's response be to the debate? daugaard, however needs to implement Medicaid Expansion now. anyone know how that is coming??

  29. lesliengland 2014.05.19

    96-real autopsy. you are being as silly as cory. stop it!

  30. 96 Tears 2014.05.19

    lesliengland - Motive. Opportunity. Means.

    Motive (millions in unsupervised private setup in a business arrangement between very few people).

    Opportunity (he was alone in a shelterbelt and dead men tell no tales and several people knew he was spending the pheasant opener with family).

    Means (gun shot to the gut ... Marty Jackley's case rests upon a twig pushing back the trigger and the muzzle blasting into the intestines ... slow and painful way to die and risky if you don't want to survive ... but maybe somebody needs to get a dose of reality here ... Benda was murdered for money and the ridiculously long autopsy investigation is highly suspect.)

    Suicide is far less likely than a common murder to silence a possible stool pigeon.

    You see people in the news a couple times a year in South Dakota who embezzle hundreds of thousands, and the courts allow them to make restitution and they do little time. They don't kill themselves. They take the punishment and move on. In the Benda case, we're talking about a very little amount and we're talking about an error that happens somewhat frequently among traveling state employees.

    Keeping that in perspective, how likely is it to you that Richard Benda would shoot himself in the gut with a twig to duck responsibility for an overcharge of travel expenses while he was a state employee?

    lesliengland, don't talk to me about being silly or naïve. Pull your head out of your ass. The AG's report on this is what is silly.

  31. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.05.19

    Silly? Me? Perish the thought.

    What if Benda really had more on his mind than those double-billed travel expenses? Does suicide become plausible then?

    By the way, Roger, thank you for pointing that article out to me. There are all sorts of shots to be taken at Rounds on the Affordable Care Act. The GOP primary challengers have two weeks to score bullseyes with those shots. Can any of them do it?

  32. lesliengland 2014.05.19

    the damage u people are doing to his family is likely irreparable. cruel. ignorant.

  33. 96 Tears 2014.05.19

    lesliengland - That was Jackley's excuse. He drew a completely bogus parallel with the Mickelson Governor's Mansion rape incident to cower from doing his job as South Dakota's Attorney General. It's crap. So is his twisting of the tradition to not comment on an issue or person under official investigation. Jackley takes that several steps in another direction to say candidates under suspicion can't be investigated and prosecuted for crimes. If you believe that, you deserve the result. Lawlessness.

    If you let a slacker like Jackley make the rules, you'll be made into a fool.

  34. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.05.19

    Since Leslie mentions family, I wonder whom Benda's family will be voting for in the primary.

  35. Roger Cornelius 2014.05.19

    lesliengland,
    The damage to Benda's has been done, in part by his own doing and then Jackley's covering up the investigation results. By doing so, there will always be rumor and speculation over Benda's death.

    Cory, with Tristan and Mercer both calling out the Rounds lies and giving Stace the ammunition he needs, people are finally learning about the real Mike Rounds.

    I'm actually hoping that Rounds wins the primary, Stace has already given Rick some pretty big rocks to throw at him.

Comments are closed.