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Truman: Weiland Beats Rounds… for Music and Travel, If Not Legroom

President Harry Truman endorses Rickstock:

Photo from Kevin Weiland, Rickstock Facebook page, 2014.08.06
Photo from Kevin Weiland, Rickstock Facebook page, 2014.08.06

While I tie-dye my press hat for the big August 16 Rick Weiland musical fundraiser in Piedmont, the Democratic candidate continues his crusade to win a seat in the Senate by shaking hands in every town in the state. Journalist Kevin Woster is impressed with the effort Weiland is making in a campaign he's "almost" certain to lose:

It’s the “almost,” of course, along with a young, palm-studying staff of smart-phone addicts, that gets Weiland out of bed early each day to pound the pavement, press the flesh and pass mile after mile of lonesome South Dakota roads in a low-budget, wrist-wrenching retail campaign he wouldn’t trade for just about anything. OK, maybe he’d trade it for a lot of campaign cash and a 15-point lead over Rounds, but let’s get serious. This is South Dakota, where Republican candidates begin any statewide campaign with a 50,000 vote edge over Democrats in registered voters.

Still, Weiland is serious about the campaign and actually seems inspired by it. Asked to compare this campaign to his previous two, Weiland said: “This one has been much more hands on. It’s a real campaign, and these are real visits. Our goal has been to meet at least one person in every town. And we’ve done that" [Kevin Woster, "Haven't Been to Hillsview? You Haven't Really Campaigned," KELOLand.com, 2014.08.05].

Rick Weiland campaign van next to SDGOP campaign bus
Rick vs. Mike—David vs. Goliath

Compare Rick's hard-charging minivan tour of South Dakota with Mike Rounds's comfortable cruise around the state in a giant wrapped bus, and you can understand why the press, not to mention hard-working voters, might talk more about Weiland's travels than about what a Weiland fundraising pitch deems the GRA$$ROOT$ EXPRE$$. Weiland's Everywhere-Everyman-van versus Rounds's luxury travel could also explain why, even though he has more name recognition, his favorable–unfavorable ratio is notably worse than Weiland's.

8 Comments

  1. mike from iowa 2014.08.07

    People still tie-dye stuff? Thought that dyed out in the 60s.

  2. 96 Tears 2014.08.07

    Just more of Mike Rounds common sense values? Wonder what kinda mileage that ocean liner gets in town and on the highway.

  3. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.08.07

    96, Rounds is awfully generous with his wieners. He should bring the Gra$$root$ bu$ to Rickstock and let folks use the bathroom on board to supplement the two porta-potties Kevin Weiland has ordered. :-)

  4. mike from iowa 2014.08.07

    If the public doesn't show for Rickstock,give 'em hell,Harry.

  5. Kevin Weiland 2014.08.07

    [Kevin Weiland, "Haven't Been to Hillsview? You Haven't Really Campaigned," KELOLand.com, 2014.08.05].
    Hey Cory, I took the photo but did not write the Keloland Article. KW of the Woster kind wrote it, not KW of the Weiland kind. Besides, if I were a news reporter/Journalist for the largest news outlet in the state, I would be writing/reporting more on EB-5 and the fact that our State is the second most corrupt state in the union. Sorry KW, but had to say it.

  6. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.08.07

    You ruggedly handsome Rapid City Kevins all look alike to me. ;-)

    Sorry about that, both of you Kevins! I have edited the post to cite the correct author.

  7. Joan Brown 2014.08.08

    96, several years ago I had a 1978 Chrysler that got a whopping 10 miles to the gallon on the highway. I would be awfully surprised if the Rounds boat gets much more than that.

Comments are closed.