A Special Father’s Day Message From John and Harold Thune, and Senator Thune’s Weekly Column: Being a Dad is the Best Job of My Life

A Special Father’s Day Message From John and Harold Thune

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), co-chair of the Senate Task Force on Responsible Fatherhood, and his dad Harold Thune have a special message about Father’s Day and the importance of being a good dad.

“I want to wish all dads across the state of South Dakota and across this country a happy Father’s Day and encourage them to keep on keeping on even when it gets hard – to battle through the tough times – but never forget to spend time with and connect with those kids and invest in them because that’s the most important thing that we can do,” said Thune. “That’s our greatest treasure, and that’s what really Father’s Day is all about.”

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John_Thune,_official_portrait,_111th_CongressBeing a Dad is the Best Job of My Life
By Sen. John Thune

I’ve worn numerous hats, held a lot of jobs, and had many titles throughout my life. And while being your U.S. senator is one of the most humbling and fulfilling of those experiences, it pales in comparison to being a dad. It’s the most amazing blessing I’ve ever received, and I thank God each day for the privilege of having had the opportunity to raise two strong and confident daughters.

My dad taught me a lot of lessons in life, including that with faith and hard work, all things are possible. Personal responsibility, discipline, patience, and humility were qualities my dad modeled every day, and they are the qualities to which I aspire.

My dad is a very humble guy. When we were growing up, he was “dad,” the guy who always showed up to batting practice, throwing pitch after pitch for me and my teammates. He was the guy who enjoyed the simple things in life, and so loved spending time with his kids that even though he was a teacher, coach, and the athletic director, he still drove the school bus to and from sporting events.

Had it not been for my mom, my siblings and I might never have known that my dad was a fighter pilot and war hero. He flew multiple missions over the Pacific from the USS Intrepid during World War II and even earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, which is awarded for “heroism or extraordinary achievement.” I don’t know that he ever would have told us about his basketball career either – a hall of famer, nonetheless. In fact, the good people of Murdo were kind enough to name the Murdo City Auditorium after him.

Needless to say, my dad set the bar pretty high.

Being a dad to Larissa and Brittany is the most serious role I’ve undertaken, and I’ve always believed that if you don’t do your best at being a dad, nothing else really matters. My dad proved there’s no greater power than the power of example, and I’ve tried to follow his lead.

Being there for the big moments in the girls’ lives has always been important to me. I can still see Brittany breaking free of my hold for that first bike ride without training wheels. I remember like yesterday pulling Larissa out of a fast-moving creek in the Black Hills, and I will always cherish tucking in the girls each night and reciting our bedtime prayers. I relish the moments – both the good times and the bad – when I could sling my arm around them and offer congratulations or provide the comfort that things will be okay.

Being a dad is more than a job to me. It defines who I am, and it inspires me to be a better person for my family and also for the community I serve. There’s no other job I’d rather have.

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9 thoughts on “A Special Father’s Day Message From John and Harold Thune, and Senator Thune’s Weekly Column: Being a Dad is the Best Job of My Life”

  1. PP. I’ve gotta say something here. I love ya but, of your last ten articles posted on this blog, you have had zero comments. Zero. This is not good.

    I truly want you to succeed but these press release articles have got to stop. You have had no comments (except for mine) in the last 24 hours. Is this deliberate blog suicide? I can find no other explanation.

    1. Jim –

      I’ve been doing this for over 11 years now, and trust me, I have people who like to read them, as what they get in the mainstream media is heavily excerpted. The weekly papers often will print them in their entirety, while the dailies don’t.

      I try to provide a wide range of content for a variety of people, and what our congresspeople are focusing on is important to many, whether they comment or not. I suspect many haven’t been commented on as most have just gone up in the past hour or so.

      Otherwise, it’s Father’s Day. And I’m going to enjoy my day.

      -PP

      1. My two cents are keep printing them. I like to see what is going on with the representatives.

  2. Jimmy,

    I’m with Dakota Conservative. The lack of comments is not an indication of lack of interest. Believe it or not, I read alot of information (on blogs or other places) and don’t have a need to comment. In fact, if the body politic listened more, got more information, and commented less based on perception, we’d be better off.

    1. Troy,

      I know that you and Pat believe that these news releases are worth posting but I strongly disagree. If they were good for newspaper readership, you’d see them printed, wouldn’t you? If they were good for TV ratings, anchors would be happily reading them on the air. You couldn’t keep them from covering it. They don’t. So why would you think it would increase your traffic?

      I find them irritating, to say the least, and I am not the only one. I don’t like being spoon fed political talking points when I read a blog. I prefer a creative discussion of news and events. I believe that these releases rarely get comments because most people do not bother to read them and, of those who do, they find it unworthy of a reaction.

      Is there another blog that does this? I have not seen it.

  3. Jimmy,

    When I read what is in the Argus and what isn’t in it, I prefer to hear occasionally from my representatives direct from their mouth and on issues they choose to talk about. I’d feel that way if they were all Democrats. I can discern what is political talking points and what is real information.

  4. Finding deer in the garden, raccoons in the living room, or possums in the kitchen, is annoying. Especially when you don’t even know they are there until you switch on a light.

    Finding these press releases in a blog? No. Not a problem. Haven’t seen one yet that caused me to jump three feet in the air and scream “get out of here!”
    Keep publishing them. It’s okay.

    By the way, I could use a house sitter while we go to the conventions. Somebody who isn’t easily annoyed would be good.

    1. OK Elly May…. I will grant you that these press releases are not much more annoying than raccoons in the living room.

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