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If you haven't heard, Ted Kennedy has been hospitalized after a seizure this morning. Here's Tim Johnson's statement of support, just issued:
This is a difficult time for any family and brings back memories for my own family and me. Ted is a friend and was source of support during my recovery. There is no doubt that he is a strong man and a fighter. As we wait for more information, our thoughts and prayers are with him, Vicki and the entire family. I look forward to being back on the Senate floor with him very soon.
Regional headquarters open in Brookings, Pierre, Yankton, Watertown, Mitchell, and Spearfish
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's campaign today announced the opening of six new offices across South Dakota. The offices in Brookings, Pierre, Yankton, Watertown, Mitchell, and Spearfish join the state headquarters in Sioux Falls and regional headquarters in Aberdeen and Rapid City bringing the total to nine throughout the state.
As we've seen in state after state this year, the Democratic primaries and caucuses have been drawing in huge numbers of people, both old and new, into the Democratic Party. Now, according to The Forum, it's happening in South Dakota as well.
Democratic activists in South Dakota are hoping all the attention to appearances by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama - planned for today and Friday, respectively - will give their party an enduring boost that will help other candidates in the November election.
The most tangible measure so far of elevated enthusiasm: 1,200 new registered Democratic voters, according to a party official.
"Twelve hundred new Democrats is significant to say the least in South Dakota," Matthew McLarty, legislative director of the South Dakota Democratic Party said Wednesday.
Take a look at what happened in North Dakota:
Jamie Selzler, executive director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, agreed. He believes the crowd of 18,000 people who were on hand to hear Obama and Clinton speak during the party's state convention April 4 will carry over to November.
The huge convention draw helped with fundraising, and also drew new faces to the party, Selzler said. Democrats in both Dakotas hope excitement in the presidential race in November will help them capture the state Senate.
The question is, will the surge of Democratic enthusiasm (and new party registrations, volunteers, money, etc.) continue in South Dakota? Will it help Democrats both in this year's elections - Tim Johnson, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, the state legislature, party building in general - and also down the road? We'll see, but if other states are any guide, it certainly looks likely.
Reaction to the Farm Bill, which passed Congress this week, varies widely. Here's a sampling; first the positive (and mixed) reactions, then the negative.
...This final farm bill is not a perfect piece of legislation, but it is the result of compromise and a desire to give our farmers and ranchers the ability to plan for the next five years.
I'm glad to see it includes a common-sense approach to implement COOL. It also has a structured approach to ag disaster, and it continues a strong safety net for commodities.
Along with these victories, however, I am disappointed about the lack of meaningful payment limitations provisions, and that the bill does not address packer ownership of livestock.
I will not let perfect be the enemy of the good, and will support the bill. I hope the President does the same. Our producers deserve this bill.
This final version of the Farm Bill makes important reforms while at the same time includes a number of wins for our state, including a strong safety net for producers, an agreement for Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling, permanent disaster assistance and language to prevent the closure of FSA offices," Herseth Sandlin said. "Although the final bill doesn't include everything that we would like, I believe that the result of this long process ultimately does right by our farm and ranch families and rural communities in South Dakota."
"South Dakota stands to reap substantial benefits thanks to the 2008 Farm Bill. Agriculture, weather disasters, outdoor recreation, and ethanol all significantly impact our state's economy, and as a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee I've worked hard to ensure this Farm Bill addresses specific needs and will work well for South Dakota," said Thune. "This bill makes great strides in providing disaster relief, advancing biofuels production, making adequate conservation tools available, and not just preserving, but improving the farm safety net."
Jeffrey Feldman suggests, "For joking about the assassination of Sen. Obama, Mike Huckabee should be removed from the rosters of all the various cable and network stations on which he regularly appears." What do you think? Does this remove Huckabee from any consideration as John McSame's running mate or was it just a (not funny at all) joke?
P.S. Huckabee's joking about killing people appears to be bipartisan, as he said something similar about Mitt Romney.
The story, told in the Journal last Saturday, was of an 88-year-old former ranch wife from Faith ( Florence Steen) who gathered strength enough to cast a deathbed vote for Clinton. Steen, who was born in 1920 seven months before women won the right to vote, was dying of congestive heart failure and was in hospice care through Rapid City Regional Hospital. Yet she managed to rally enough April 29 to study and mark an absentee ballot brought by her daughter, Kathy Krause.
Clinton referred to Steen's inspirational action Tuesday night, after a runaway primary win over Barack Obama in West Virginia. Clinton also noted solemnly that Steen had died on Mother's Day.
And that death, coming more than three weeks before the June 3 South Dakota primary, nullified the vote that Krause said her mother waited for her entire life. Yet Krause said Thursday evening that her mother's vote would still have lasting impact and meaning, even if it won't count in the official election tally.
"My mother left this world believing that her vote counted and that she had finally had a chance to vote for a woman, and did," Krause said. "And not just that, but she got to vote for a very intelligent, very capable woman, someone who gets knocked down and is tough enough to keep going, just like the women of my mother's generation."
I am not blaming anybody here; the County Auditor is just following the law. This situation is just one of those that is extremely rare and sad. It probably won't happen again for a long while. But, this case is unique in one respect: Florence Steen was photographed and videotaped voting. The ballot was valid and mailed in before her death. That should count for something.
I know it is not good policy to make exceptions, and it probably cannot happen at this point. Still, I wish something could be done to honor this woman's voice, her vote, and her life.
40 years after Sen. Robert Kennedy won South Dakota in the primary, Ethel (Sen. Kennedy's wife)and Max (9th of Sen. Kennedy and Ethel's 11 children) returned to South Dakota to host a rally in support of Sen. Obama before the June 3 primary. I was there and got pictures and video for you all to enjoy.
Remarks of Senator Barack Obama
As Prepared for Delivery
Rural Town Hall
Watertown, South Dakota
May 16, 2008
It's good to be in South Dakota with my friend Tom Daschle. Now before I share some thoughts about my plan for rural South Dakota, I want to say a few words about a little dust-up that we had yesterday.
You see, after almost eight years, I didn't think that I could be surprised by anything that George Bush says. But I was wrong. Yesterday, he used his address to the Israeli parliament to launch an outrageous political attack. On a day when we were supposed to be celebrating the anniversary of Israel's independence, he accused me and other Democrats of wanting to negotiate with terrorists, and said we were no different from the people who appeased Adolf Hitler. That's exactly the kind of appalling attack that has divided our country, and alienated us in the world. That's what needs to change in Washington.
John McCain also gave a speech yesterday. He talked about the need for civility in our politics. He talked about elevating the debate in this country. He talked about reaching out to the other party. And then not one hour later, he turned around and embraced George Bush's outrageous attack. Then he jumped on a call with bloggers and said that I wasn't fit to protect this nation that I love, this nation that my grandfather served in World War II, this nation that has given me everything that I have. So much for civility.
Well I want to be perfectly clear with George Bush and John McCain - if they want a debate about protecting the United States of America, that's a debate I'm ready to win, because George Bush and John McCain have a lot to answer for.
As usual, George W. Bush is doing a "heckuva job." This time, it's his pathetic, demeaning groveling and begging to the Saudis on oil prices. Believe it or not, this groveling even includes an offer to "help [Saudi Arabia] in developing peaceful nuclear energy." Wait a minute, the country that supplied 15 of 19 hijackers on 9/11 -- not to mention Osama bin Laden himself -- and which finances anti-western, anti-Christian, anti-Semitic fundamentalist "madrasas" all over the world gets nuclear assistance from the United States? And the Saudis give us...what exactly? Well, this morning they told Bush where to shove the oil pump, essentially.
...Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil producer, does not see enough demand from customers to increase oil production, the White House said Friday morning. President Bush was in the oil-rich Gulf kingdom in part to lobby for an increase in crude output.
As if on cue, oil prices "surged more than $3 Friday, shattering a previous record in a spike near $128 a barrel, as prices at the pump pushed to new highs of their own."
And, as if all that wasn't enough, Goldman Sachs increased its forecast for light, sweet crude (West Texas Intermediate) during the second half of this year by $34 per barrel, to $141 per barrel. That would add around 80 cents per gallon at the gasoline pump, so get ready for $4.50 per gallon later this year if Goldman Sachs is correct. Oh, and enjoy the Bush-McSame economy! :)
P.S. USA Today nails it on oil prices. In short, "As gratifying as it is to point fingers elsewhere, the mirror is the main place to look for the reasons that oil prices are hovering around $125 a barrel."
U.S. Sen. Barack Obama will visit South Dakota [Friday] to talk with voters about his plans to change Washington and finally tackle the challenges facing hardworking American families. Obama will hold a town hall meeting on rural issues in Watertown [Friday] morning before heading to Sioux Falls in the evening to hold an early vote rally at Sioux Falls Arena.
Senator Obama will be joined by former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle at both events and will also be joined by former U.S. Senator and Democratic presidential nominee George McGovern at the rally in Sioux Falls.
The House on Thursday passed a Democratic plan sharply boosting education benefits for Iraq-Afghanistan veterans and awarding people whose unemployment benefits have expired with a 13-week extension.
The 256-166 [vote] fell short of the two-thirds needed to overcome a promised veto by President Bush.
The Democratic plan would impose a surtax on individual incomes exceeding $500,000 to pay for the 10-year, $52 billion cost of boosting the GI Bill to provide Iraq veterans with college educations. Couples would pay the tax on income exceeding $1 million.
So what's the one big problem? See the last five words of the second paragraph. That's right, George W. Bush, who claims to care deeply for the troops, has promised to veto a bill that would provide our returning Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans with tuition and stipends to attend the four year colleges of their choice.
Why would someone who claims to "support the troops," and who constantly uses that line as a cudgel against anyone who dares oppose his Iraq policy -- if one can even call it a "policy" -- oppose providing educational benefits for the troops? Well, unlike Bush claimed to be able to do with Vladimir Putin, I can't read people's minds or look into their hearts and souls, but there's something seriously wrong here. Hypocrisy? Check. Callousness? Check. Nastiness? Check. The Bush-McCain Republican Party? Check.
It's pretty bad when even Pat Buchanan thinks George W. Bush is nuts.
UPDATE: McCain doesn't know that the Reagan Administration negotiated with the mullahs of Iran? He's forgotten Oliver North, John Poindexter, the "cake shaped like a key," etc? The Iran-Contra scandal? Well, alrighty then!
Washington, DC-U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) today commented on Senate passage of the Farm Bill:
The Senate is moving today to pass this bill and now it is up to the President to work with Congress and not throw up another roadblock. This final farm bill is not a perfect piece of legislation, but it is the result of compromise and a desire to give our farmers and ranchers the ability to plan for the next five years.
I'm glad to see it includes a common-sense approach to implement COOL. It also has a structured approach to ag disaster, and it continues a strong safety net for commodities.
Along with these victories, however, I am disappointed about the lack of meaningful payment limitations provisions, and that the bill does not address packer ownership of livestock.
I will not let perfect be the enemy of the good, and will support the bill. I hope the President does the same. Our producers deserve this bill.
The Farm Bill includes several provisions Johnson worked with colleagues to make sure were included in a final version, including:
If you haven't heard, Ted Kennedy 
As we've seen in state after state this year, the Democratic primaries and caucuses have been drawing in huge numbers of people, both old and new, into the Democratic Party. Now, according to 
This story is heartbreaking. From the 
As usual, George W. Bush is doing a "heckuva job." This time, it's his pathetic, demeaning 
According to 
