Daschle will post diary on his Senate Web site

[w4rma]

WASHINGTON - Tom Daschle is coming soon to a blog near you.

The Senate minority leader and South Dakota Democrat will post a daily diary on his official Web site as he drives around the state next month during Congress' annual August recess, he said Wednesday. The diary is modeled on the growing phenomenon of the online journals known as Weblogs, or blogs for short.

"At the end of the day, wherever I am, I can just type up some thoughts and tell stories about things that happened," Daschle said. "I'm always up for trying something new."
...
http://www.argusleader.com/news/Thursdayarticle1.shtml

I think what Daschle is doing here is really cool!

[w4rma]

1. Travels with Tom (Sen. Daschle's first entry)

Thursday, July 31, 2003

Welcome to my travel web log. For the last ten years, I’ve gotten in my car every August and driven all over South Dakota – no schedule and no staff. My “unscheduled driving tour” is always one of the highlights of the year for me. I find it an invaluable tool for keeping in touch with needs and concerns of South Dakotans. Every year I meet the most fascinating people, have the most amazing experiences, and end up with great stories to tell.

I’ve started this diary to share those stories and experiences with anyone who might be interested. After a day of driving I will post on this site some thoughts, stories, and anything else that may come to mind. This is the first time I’ve done anything like this, so it is a bit of an experiment, but I’m looking forward to sharing some of my experiences with you.

This year I’m focusing my driving tour around the issue of health care. I was motivated to do this by the growing crisis in health care in South Dakota and throughout the country.

I’ll kick off this year’s driving tour on Monday, August 4 in Rapid City. I hope to see as many of you as possible over the next couple of weeks.
http://www.senate.gov/~daschle/travels_with_tom.htm

[RapidCreek]

6. Are you a South Dakotan W4rma?

Just wondering....as I am.

RC

[w4rma]

17. Nope, I'm a Virginian.

I was born in North Carolina and grew up in Martinsville, Virginia (economy there used to be based on manufacturing, but now all of the factories left for China, Mexico, etc. and the unemployment rate has skyrocketed), I moved to Richmond, Virginia after high school (around 1993) and now live here.

[Elidor]

2. Sunday, May 18

MTP - Trent questions my patriotism on the show. That's not fair! But I don't say so. That would be partisan. I sit there and take it. Trent is a good man. I will win his respect by being civil. After the show, I ask about his family. He doesn't ask about mine, but that's okay. Trent's a busy man. But he's my friend. And gosh darn it, he likes me!

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. LOL

YOu just gave me a good chuckle, but I will bookmark the thread. I am interested in seeing what he does.

[RapidCreek]

9. You know.....

I campainged for Tom....I did for Tim as well, and sadly, I am inclined to agree with the flavor of your post....completely.

While I am pleased that Tom seaks to make himself available and he has come to understand the power of the internet, I have to wonder, given his demostrable lake of spine...what good it will do.

RC

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

13. I have to disagree with you there

While other Dems were breaking the party such as Breaux, Daschle has held the fort to block judges, block the Repub energy bill, block the bankruptcy reform and stood his ground. I think epople now confuse being a gentleman with being spineless. That is unfortunate.

Daschle also had the Dems holding down the war vote until that gratuitous Rose Garden photo op with Gephardt, Lieberman and others

[RapidCreek]

14. I encourage all to read this post

When he and his party and their motives are attacked he does not stand up for them. I think people mistake his timidity for gentlemanliness. A leader cannot, in my opinion afford to be timid.

Another gripe I have with Mr. Daschle concerns an issue which I would imagine none here are familiar with. He has been kissing the ass of Barrick Goldstrike in an effort to secure a site for the building of a Neutrino Lab in Deadwood South Dakota. Learn about it here. The assertion made in the article that keeping the mine free of water has or is costing Barrik hundreds of thousands of dollars a month is bullshit. The power which is required to run the pumps is generated by an illegally run hydropower system. A hydro power system which has completely diverted the water out of Spearish Creek and from Spearfish Canyon (this is the environmental issue, to which I refer below). Two environmental groups, I and some other local whitewater kayakers have forced Barrick to get a FERC liscence for this Hydro Power System. It is 90 years old and in poor repair and to get a liscence they would need to rebuild it and that is what would cost them money....allot of money, money which they don't care to spend. You might want to do a Google and check out the history and associations of Barrick as it relates to George Bush Sn. and Jn., terrorism, and resource extraction from Canada to Zaire. Here is a good place to start. Inside Story: The Bush Gang and Barrick's Gold Corporation. Scroll around the page and check it all out. It's allot of reading but quite informative.

There environmental ramifications to the little deal which Mr. Daschle and the State of South Dakota are trying to make with Barrick are substantial. I am to tired to address them at this time but I will later if you care to hear what they are. Suffice it to say it is an issue near and dear to my heart. One to which I have invested significant time, money and effort. One whose resolution has been impeded by Mr. Daschles timid little footsie game with Barrick.

RC

[RapidCreek]

16. Hey NSMA

Pardon my French but in the words of my ole Company Commander..."One 'awe fuck' screws up a whole lotta 'attaboys'".

RC

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

21. LOL! Got it :-)

and I just read your post but haven't read the articles you link to yet. I will in the AM...that really is the shits if that's gong on.
Thanks.

[cthrumatrix]

4. August 1.... I hope the world ever finds about about 911 and how bad

we are all bought and paid for.

[booksenkatz]

5. Maybe he can create a macro

that posts "quaked in fear" every day.

Sorry, I think he's a very nice guy, but he ain't the tiger we so desperately need right now.

[robbedvoter]

7. Again: Dem does good - gets attacked for it here

Who needs Free Republic anymore?

[RapidCreek]

11. Ya know robbed

I campaigned for Tom twice and he let me down both times. You got a problem with me criticizing him for his lack of stones? Ok, I won't and I won't campaign for him either....I'll go hang around at FR instead. Yea, that's the ticket!


RC

[Elidor]

18. I didn't attack him - I mocked him

I think Daschle is a credit to the party, but he is not leadership material. I made the point in a humorous way. If I wanted to attack him - oh, why do I bother trying to explain these things to people who've had their sense of humor surgically removed? You'll know when I attack somebody because I'll be cussing up a storm.

[amazona]

8. cool, i'll look for it, thanks NT

.

[htuttle]

10. I blame Dean for this

But maybe 'credit' is a better word than 'blame' here. I think several of the candidates will start trying to use the internet more effectively. given Dean's success with it.

But here's a question: Who's going to have the first 'candidate-cam' running 24/7?

:)

[loyalsister]

12. If people put the pessimism on hold

they might observe that this is something that will draw an important contrast between Democrats and Republicans. Although they probably think is irrelevant. The contrast is in access. Republicans don't take the time out of their lives to make themselves accessible to people in the most ordinary ways. This is meaningful to many people. People here whine about Tom's negative qualities without checking his positive characteristics maybe this is one.
This is also a signal. I have been saying for awhile that the whole Democratic party could capitalize on Dean's momentum. This is the first step. It's a signal to all of the legislators running for re-election to get their asses on the net. AND to those thinking of taking out the pukes who are running in '04 that they should get on board with this tool.

[RapidCreek]

15. Of course you are right

On the net thing that is....The American media by it's very nature forces progressives to seek out other venues for their news. Naturally the net would be it. Rethugs on the other hand can rely on Faux and the simpletons who watch it. The later I would imagine are happy to sit watching Hannity and Colmbs....learning to use the net requires a bit of thinking, something the vast majority are quite aversed too. In the end the mind candy Faux, NBC and CNN pump into the heads of their willing victims and Rethuglican reliance upon its effect, will be their undoing.

RC

[maggrwaggr]

19. "Dear Diary, why do so many people hate me? "

I'm such a nice guy, aren't I? I'm so nice to those republicans, but still they say bad bad things about me

[Rose Siding]

20. Good for Daschle.

This is a step in the right direction for him- more connection with the people. I hope he gets some decent input.