Who likes Tom Daschle?

I do. Why is he such a focus of hatred? To me, at least, he seems like a guy with integrity.

Anyone better informed than me?

They showed him driving around SD by himself, dropping in on town meetings, and eating in diners.

He isn't running down PA Avenue mooning people and rioting. He isn't running down the Capitol Steps smoking pot while engaging in violent protest.

That may be a bit of an exagerated statment Carlos, but it sure put a funny image in my head. Can u imagine him doing that?

n/t

But the reason for the loathing of him on DU is mainly because most DUers are angry about what they see as very weak opposition by the Dem's in Congress and the Senate, and since he is the Senate leader he get's a lot of the blame. They also don't like his low key tyle, they prefer the DEMS to yell like maniacs all the time.

When Jeffords switched over, he did a great job stopping the Bushies. And recently, with Bush's war-glow over, he and Pelosi seem to be mounting a decent opposition.

He's not perfect, but I don't think the total derision he gets is deserved. He really seems like a good guy.

Obviously he hasn't been perfect, and I think it is kind of a bad decision having ur minority leader, your standard bearer come from a state that is not very friendly to your party, but he seems like a real good guy who really cares about Democratic values.

He had a hand in convincing Jeffords to turn independent.

The reason there is animosity towards Daschle is because after he got Jeffords to switch (which was more due to his own integrity and Bush's behavior) he did nothing. His two biggest failures were not pursuing the Enron scandals further and not pushing the issue of the Department of Homeland Security when Bush was objecting to it. They might have been able to break through the wall of secrecy of Cheney's energy meetings if Enron, and the whole energy "crisis" caused by them, was thoroughly investigated. They would have had much more ammunition to block the recall effort in California if the Enron connection was made clear to the general public. And instead of making Bush look bad by blocking the Department of Homeland Security, they just sat on it until Bush was suddenly all for it. He was able to rewrite the entire bill and then characterize the Democrats as being unpatriotic because they were then forced to either accept the bastardized version or be portrayed as being unpatriotic. I blame Daschle for both of these huge mistakes, and I also blame him for losing the Senate, which was largely due to the aforementioned mistakes.

People don't like Daschle because they blame him for the Democratic party having no spine. I for one am a big fan of Daschle, and there are a few things that Daschle-haters need to keep in mind:

1. In politics, doing what you want to do is rarely the best option.
2. Daschle comes from South Dakota, a pretty conservative state, and as such he cannot afford to be seen as a radical liberal.
3. He was anthraxed after 9/11, so frankly anytime I see him speak out against the BFEE I am very impressed with his courage.

when he assumed the role of majority leader, but didn't follow through. A lot of folks, and I'm one of them, felt let down by him.

in an impossible situation. He's a lot smarter than many give him credit for.

Senate Minority leader seems a thankless job.

Thanks, Tom! :)

I'm a native New Yorker who moved to Colorado in '76. Since then, I've traveled around the American west quite a bit. I've come to see Daschle as typically western with his quiet and deliberate manner.

A while back, I saw him on C-Span in a meeting in is home state. It was with military people of all kinds. Veterans from WWII, Korea, Vietnam as well as young people in ROTC. I forget all who was there. But the way Daschle conducted the meeting, I was able to learn a lot about him. He was so at ease and paid so much attention to each person as they spoke. He was able to draw a lot from each person.

The older veterans were especially moving. Daschle never tried to rush anyone along. He had them elaborate about their experiences so the young people could learn what being in the military has meant to the nation and these individual soldiers. It was obvious to me that he has a genuine interest in the people he met with. You could tell how at ease he made people feel because of his temperate manner.

I think that when we see people in sound bites, we just don't get enough information about some of the less flashy in our government. That's why I like C-Span so much. I get a better "feel" for who these guys are when watching committee hearings, campaign coverage and the more intimate meetings with consituents.

Sorry for going on so long. I guess it's the New Yorker in me!

I think the anger sometimes has more to do with powerlessness overall - and the success of the right to take razor thin margins and use them legislatively as if they were sledgehammers.

I think there is a feeling that a soft spoken leader is ineffective against the brutally loud right.

SOme of the criticism - in terms of strategies pursued - is warrented. But some of it seems to be context free (as in ignoring the current political realities). Most of it, imo, is projection of extreme political frustration.

One of the thing that bothered me with the Clinton-bashing is that Clinton was a Dem president in a very right-wing time. In that context, he did quite well. . .

I think the reasons the dems have been so quiet are 1. we are not like them and don't want to be and 2. 9/11 felt like war and in times of war you pull together to defeat a common enemy.

Now that the mission has been "accomplished" its time to point out how horrid this administration is.

It's what makes the Wilson affair so perfect. It points out how political this administration is (to the point of treason if it serves its ends) AND keeps reminding people of the lies to go to war. Wilson is brilliant when he keeps saying: "this is about 2 things, the 16 words and the outing of my wife. I had nothing to do with either." Daschle and company should pick it up like a mantra.

Sen. Daschle's travel web log:
http://daschle.senate.gov/travels_with_tom.htm

thanks for posting this!

He may do an occasional conservative thing, but sometimes people forget that he is from a fairly conservative state. It's better to have him be a tad conservative and re-elected than to have a Republican in that seat. Same for Tim Johnson.

... but I think he's way too much of a gentlemen to lead the opposition party against republican-controlled government. As a majority leader in a democratically-controlled government, he would be perfect though.

as a leader, HE SUCKS.

Seems to be a nice guy, but the wrong man in the wrong job.

Really, what actions in the past or now should he take? I'm honestly curious.

"he sucks" or else the homophobic "pink tutu" photoshop, or smear jobs about him blocking investigations, are common ways Daschle is opposed here at DU.

I would hope more thoughtful and honest discussions would take place here.

And regarding Daschle, he rocked the hardest at the DLC meeting this past week, with Kerry coming in a close second.

Most people say that he has done a great job with uniting the party. He has been able to lead these judicial filibusters and usually keep the senators together. It is very hard to hold together the democrats in congress when you have moderates like Ben Nelson and John Breaux and there are liberals like Ted Kennedy and Barbara Boxer. He has been a good leader of a party that was once much more disorganized and divided.

I think Tom Daschle is an awesome leader. :scared: lmao!

:scared:

BUSH INC. NEEDS TO BE F***ING SLAMMED - HARD - AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY. DASCHLE IS JUST TOO DAMN CIVIL. It doesn't work with these creeps who practically own the media. We need a leader who TELLS IT LIKE IT IS. Bush doesn't MISLEAD US - he is a F***ING LIAR. How about that for starters.

Daschle is a good Democrat but is sorely lacking in the leadership department. The surrender strategy in 2002 stung very bad too. I personally would rather see someone like Kerry leading the Democrats in the Senate.

from the right wing and I can't forget someone tried to do away with him with anthrax. Wonder if that's why he didn't run for president - worry for his family.

I don't always agree with him, however.

but lost a lot of respect for him on the pledge of allegiance controversy and agriculture votes. Yes, I understand that he has to look out for the interests of his state.

You mean all 99 Senators present caved right? because they all did. I agree wtih the court' decision (though I beleive the case to be frivolous) but don't ask me to risk my career over it! We would get nothing progressive done in Congress is were to ignore political reality so blantantly.

Then again, perhaps if someone was mailing me anthrax, could I not cave? Interesting question.

and he got sent anthrax as well.

from what I understand he is the one who worked and worked and got Jeffords to leave the repuke party. :thumbsup:

and thats because he is a good guy! :bounce:

Seems like a very nice person.

That however does not translate into being a qualified, strong, effective leader.

Unfortunately, I feel he (and others) has shown tremendous weakness and in many ways left Americans highly vulnerable to this Administration, and overall our National Security. By many Democrats consistent resignation and lack of courage have allowed our nation to arrive to place we are today.

I have wondered time and time again, why he has been so conciliatory and at some points almost groveling to this administration. I dont understand it frankly.

I'd like to see someone with some courage on the reproductive rights issue leading the Senate Demos. Makes me feel like the party's not looking out for women's best interests.