He has regularly marshaled a united Democratic front to re-order some of the most conservative measures coming out of the White House. Many are unaware of Daschle's skill in working across the aisle and his role in preventing Democratic defectors from removing President Clinton from office.
Daschle's mild-mannered demeanor and Midwest charm keep frustrated Democrats in the minority unified. Daschle is the only military veteran in the top tier of the congressional leadership. His opponent, John Thune, never served his country-except as an obscure congressman.
When the majority prevents the minority from conducting genuine debate, the filibuster is the last weapon of defense. Under his stewardship, the Democrats effectively used this tool to keep archconservative judges off federal benches. A federal judicial system poised to be packed with people whose personal ideologies and agendas are aimed at reversing two generations of decisions affecting the freedoms of every American requires strong opposition, and Daschle provided just that.
The Republican Party also charges that Daschle is not a senator for South Dakota, but a waterboy for the Clintons and Kennedys. To be sure, Daschle has a legislative agenda he pursues as one of the prairie populists-Midwestern Democrats who press for increased aid and price supports for farmers. Daschle is relentless in advancing his state's interests, and his legislative specialties have hewed closely to South Dakota's economic and politics needs: agriculture and veteran's needs. He promoted tax breaks for corn-based ethanol fuels. He was the lead senator to compensate Vietnam veterans for illnesses caused by defoliant Agent Orange. He sponsored a multibillion-dollar effort to advance credit to struggling farmers hit hard by the Bush economy.
But amazingly, throughout his years in Congress, he has cultivated the confidence of his party, working to earn a leadership position within the party hierarchy. Daschle exceeded expectations at the national level as his party's leader by acting on a patients' bill of rights and prescription drug benefits for seniors. It was under his leadership in 2002 that the campaign finance reform bill and common sense gun safety legislation passed. All these issues were core Democratic items-and were also articulated from the Republican side. That assures me that the agenda Daschle has fought for is one that is commonly shared by the American people. His empathetic genteelness and deferential style coupled with political resolve are rare in our polity. This all makes Daschle the number one political target of Republicans this year.
Daschle and Thune are running very different races. The Senate Minority Leader is focused on what he has done to improve the lives of South Dakota residents and has emphasized that his position affords his small state enormous clout in Washington. Thune is running on a naked platform that has as its central tenets a desire to vote for a constitutional ban on gay marriage and to rubberstamp George Bush's agenda.
Daschle is a true American public servant who can thoughtfully promote rural America and also bear the helm of the national Democratic Party. Republicans are confident that Daschle is a boxer with a glass jaw; that if they can recruit in Thune, a mere ambitious former congressman with an undistinguished record, Daschle can be beaten. I am relying on the people of the Mount Rushmore state to conclude otherwise. If not, a Kerry loss will leave Democrats hopeless.