Daschle's Dilemma

Jason Waguespack

You'd think after six years as minority leader, Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD), would jump at the chance to show America what a Democratic Senate, and himself in particular, could do for this country. After over a year, we know the answer. Absolutely nothing.

Sixty bills later, Tom Daschle is leading the Senate nowhere, his only concern to be with pumping pork to states with vulnerable Democratic incumbants so his thin-as-paper majority does not evaporate come November. If you're in Louisiana, Missouri, Minnesota, New Jersey, Iowa, et al, do not be surprised if your roads start looking a lot better and those pesky potholes start to vanish. Oh, and you'll be reminded to vote for that nice senator that got you that cold hard cash.

Will the pork buy off the vote? Hard to say. It is a gamble, but one wonders why Tom Daschle did not invest in something solid, say, some legislative accomplishments. Is there anything the majority leader can hang his hat on? Campaign finance reform? Senator McCain owns that, lock stock and barrel. Airport security? Our airports still are hampered by long lines and screeners that strip search old ladies looking for bombs. Don't look for anyone to take credit for that now. Economic stimulus? Passed only after Daschle made sure any tax relief was snipped out of the bill. Investigating Enron? The investigation has suddenly gone quiet, overshadowed by recent arrests made by the Justice Department. Perscription drug benefit for seniors? Bottled up in the Senate and going nowhere fast.

To Daschle, the only achievement worthwhile is the obstruction of President Bush's agenda. Tax cuts, school vouchers and conservative justices are turned away at the Senate door. In doing so, he has galvanized the Republicans to action, and they will fight all the harder to regain the Senate. Daschle may be counting on the off-year election tradition of repudiating the current president's policies, but as of late August, there is still no backlash against Bush and Daschle has no positive agenda to compensate for it. In a few months, Daschle faces a number of potential setbacks that could cripple him politically.

In his own state of South Dakota, Daschle is fighting to keep Tim Johnson as junior senator, a task made daunting because Rep. John Thune (R-SD) is running against him. To put this in perspective, Thune is South Dakota's lone congressman and is elected by the whole state. He won his election by over sixty percent, while Johnson barely squeaked by the first time around. South Dakota has become a reliably conservative state recently, voting for Bob Dole in 1996 and Bush in 2000. If Thune wins, it will be a sign that Daschle's influence in his home state is weakening. Compounding the problem, in 2004 both Bush and Daschle will be up for re-election, and having his name on the same ballot as Bush cannot comfort Daschle, especially if his Republican opponent makes his obstruction of the Bush agenda an issue.

Of course, Daschle is a powerful incumbant and probably will be re-elected. But if he loses the Senate this November, Democrats may pressure him to step down, and 2004 may be a good time to exit the stage. If not, he better be prepared to defend his record before the voters, or he may find his next re-election race a lot closer than he would have thought.

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