Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle and "Startling Meanness"

[Big Foot 48]

While I like his points, I sure wish he would walk the talk.

1. Tom sure changes his tune when facing a re-election.
2. The ads he mentioned above Max Cleland DID NOT compare Max to bin Laden. So whoooo is being "mean" now?

Senate minority leader sees 'startling meanness' in politics

JOHN HANNA
Associated Press

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle decried Monday what he called the "startling meanness" of American politics.

The South Dakotan, who has been Senate Democratic leader for nine years and is seeking re-election in November, said campaigns were especially ugly in 2002 and that the ugliness continues.

"Today, enormous new challenges confront each and every one of us," he said. "We will not meet those challenges or seize those opportunities if we indulge in the brutal politics of division, if we attempt to silence those who have other ideas."

--snip

"There are things that matter more than political parties," Daschle said. "There are lines we should not cross regardless of the advantage we think it may give our party at times."

He continued: "Demonizing those with whom we disagree politically does not serve the interests of democracy. It does not resolve differences."

As examples of the meanness in politics, Daschle noted that two Democratic senators, South Dakota's Tim Johnson and Georgia's Max Cleland, were compared in television ads during the 2002 campaign to terrorist Osama bin Laden. Cleland, a decorated veteran who lost three of his limbs in Vietnam, was defeated in his bid for re-election.

Daschle said the political left is responsible for some attacks, too. He cited a recent ad on the Web site Moveon.org that compared President Bush to Adolf Hitler.

"America has real enemies in the world," he said. "Creating false enemies among us to score political points does not make us safer, it makes us more vulnerable. And trying to bully and intimidate others into silence or compliance does not lead to progress. It leads to increased polarization and eventually paralysis."

[Big Foot 48]

Mean, mean, mean!"

Two dozen of President George W. Bush's otherwise noncontroversial choices for federal judgeships have stalled just short of a Senate vote -- hostages to an ongoing dispute between the White House and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D.

Daschle, as leader of the Senate Democrats, is now refusing to permit floor votes on any judicial nominees, even those who have gotten past the Judiciary Committee without difficulty and would probably be approved overwhelmingly by the Senate.

The minority leader says his actions are a protest against the administration's decision to give recess appointments earlier this year to two hotly contested picks for the appellate bench -- Charles Pickering Sr. for the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and William Pryor Jr. for the 11th Circuit.

http://daschlevthune.typepad.com/daschle_v_thune/2004/05/daschles_blocka.html

[Greg Smith]

BF I don't know the ad you are talking about - can you post a source.

I think I agree with your overall point - one man's "mean" is another man's "tough but fair".

I also agree TD is at best a little self-serving. It is not just one party doing the negative advertising. However, my perception is the quantity, virulence, and tendency to distort the facts in negative ads in greater on the Republican side. I will be the first to admit this is a subjective assessment and undoubtedly biased. Does anyone have data?

Imagine car ads that spent all their time tearing down the competition. How would you feel about cars? Voting is at an all time low, 25% or less of the voting age population decides most election outcomes.

[Big Foot 48]

Info on the ad: http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/4264879.htm

I think all the negative advertising should stop, but that will never happen. I haven't seen any studies on which side is more negative more of the time, but I do remember the dispictable Democratic ad about the dragging death in Texas that was blamed on Bush of all things.

[Greg Smith]

We had an Armeggdon of a senate race here in in 2002. Both sides went negative early. I agree it's awful but don't have a constructive solution. The only thing worse than free speech is no free speech.

[Highflight]

Tom Daschle accusing people of "startling meanness" is the Pot Calling the Kettle Black.

Highflight