The Johnson campaign is disgusting…after stalking and smearing Steve Kirby, now they are BRAGGING ABOUT IT. Tim Johnson needs to fire the whole lot of them

from the ARGUS LEADER story:

Kirby said the attacks gave him and his family pause. Kirby has a high school aged daughter who lives at home. Two weeks ago, BadlandsBlue identified a mobile dog grooming service that had been at the Kirby household. That incident, combined with what Kirby thought was somebody photographing his home from the back of a moving car, played a role in his decision, he said.

“We were really taken aback by the monitoring of the home,” he said. “It was creepy. My family was frightened.”

Why do these kind of tactics surprise people, especially out of Johnson?? He pulls this stuff every time he runs! Larry Pressler, John Thune, Steve Kirby. I’m sure Joel is just pumped to have his house monitored, now that everyone knows he is the for sure candidate for the GOP.

Why do reporters treat Johnson like he’s some kind of saint when he’s such a gutter politician? Maybe they don’t want Jarding spying on their houses and sliming their business dealings and family. Who is going to stand up against these slimers? Johnson belongs in the same category as Spitzer

Let’s hope that the Johnson mafia keeps on taking Dykstra for granted. Once they’re side-by-side, the choice will be easy.

LOSERS
*Tim Johnson’s smear team, including Badlands Blue.

This is clearly a very embarassing moment for all South Dakota Democrats. We always attack Rove etc, but we’re worse. Going after a guy’s family is revolting. I am going to start a movement to have Jarding removed as campaign manager because this is ridiculous.

“The purpose of a having a political party is to win elections.”
— James Carville

“wins another big one”? By scaring a family man who was behind Johnson 70-19 in the polls before they started their shenanigans? Yeah, right, as if that’s a “win” to be proud of.

But I suppose [sarcasm alert] we should all be ever so thankful to Badlands Blue for increasing our hit counts. What ever would we unsophisticated hick-dabblers do without clever bloggers from Virginia to get people to read our paltry commentary on our own state’s politics? [end sarcasm alert]

Sorry, I’m a little torqued right now. The condescension from Virginia, paid for by state Dem dollars, is really starting to stink.

“Drag a $100 bill through a trailer camp and there’s no telling what you will find.” – James Carville

Bill, but you must also remember:

“We often give our enemies the means for our own destruction” Aesop

“To sit home, read one’s favorite paper, and scoff at the misdeeds of the men who do things is easy, but it is markedly ineffective. It is what evil men count upon the good doing.” Teddy Roosevelt

Politics.
This is a political blog, right?
Not a church? Help me out here.

How long until they fire this “Lowell.” Is this guy a complete idiot?

Howard Dean started this “red-state” program where the DNC parachutes out-of-state political operatives into small red states to build the party. Wouldn’t it make more sense to hire people who KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THE STATE?

Whenever these national party organizations come to SD, they always bring their dirty politics and win-at-all-costs attitudes with them. It’s true in both parties – remember some of the Victory team stuff from 2002 – that was a cookie-cutter RNC organization.

Lowell celebrates the smears, mocks people who denounce them (except of course when Johnson denounces them), then celebrates again when Kirby doesn’t run because his gutter politics works. Only Johnson lays the smack down on him again when the media picks up on it. I hope this guy didn’t sign a long lease!

I think everyone is giving Lowell waaaay too much credit. I’m sure there’s other more broad, global issues than this hack’s attempts to “scare” Kirby. He’s already been the target of that hack job Barnett and the all powerful OZ formally known as Jank. He can handle that. I think if you look at the article, his family didn’t want him gone for years, also.

This gives Kirby more time to compile his “told you so” list while Johnson continues his downward spiral into oblivion.

Billy, this isn’t church. If it was, we’d be having an exorcisim right about now….

4:07
DUH, don’t tell anybody, but I’m starting to like you, man.
I don’t agree with you at all, of course, but you do have style.

Yeah, Lowell is not the only guy – he’s a cog in the machine. But he seems to be a particularly stupid and public cog.

And it turns out he doesn’t live here at all – he writes that goofy blog from Virginia! Todd Epp had a great new idea – he started a new blog about Virginia politics. Checkit out: http://tidewaterblue.blogspot.com/

DUH, watch out. Bill is infectious. Before long you will be using quotes, referencing YouTube music videos, and promising to let him drink your beer and eat your food. But your gut will firm up as this guy can make you laugh.

bf, why are you giving credence to behaviors that you have in the past said you abhor?

lexrex, I’m not doing either, giving credence or abhoring.
I’m just observing and making comments. My chief observation right now is that we are talking about the mechanics and the nature of politics.

Lexrex 4:35.

I’m a virus baby, a virus I say….

To bend the will of man, is to expose the falicies of their will. – ?

Truth told, gentlemen, it’s not my “will” power, but rather my “won’t” power that I mainly monitor.

It’s always nice to be so highly thought of by one’s peers. Thanks, Virginia Lowell!

Todd
SD Watch http://www.southdakotawatch.net
Tidewater Blue http://tidewaterblue.blogspot.net

Oops, my URL is so new even I don’t know it;

http://tidewaterblue.blogspot.com

I can’t believe Fleming is endorsing this. Oh, wait, yes I can.

I hope this leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of many former Johnson supporters. And I hope it makes Johnson realize that he can’t hide behind a screen and just pass comments thru his ever so efficient staff/handlers about what a great job he is doing for us.

And I suppose the Dems who engineered this and who are in charge of Johnson’s campaign think the Republicans have no right to run a campaign against Johnson (i.e. criticize him) just because he has an illness. Listen up, guys, this IS a campaign season. Both sides have the right, the responsibility actually, to have compentent candidates and wage a campaign based on issues. But it seems that certain Dems don’t believe this. They believe that Johnson is the annointed, the king, the chosen, what have you, and deserves no opposition for his seat. Sorry, that’s not how it works in this great country of ours.

And Bill, I thought you had bid us all adieu a few days ago?

I am thinking now Tim J. health can be address as the Dems can’t say the Reps started neagtive ads now with a straight face. I am waiting for serval debates between Tim and the Reps whoever to see how Tim is able to handle himself.

Lynn, 6:14, Billy says lots of things…they’re all lies.

you’re all over the map, bf.

Fleming is a liberal hack, not sure why you pay attention to him. Maybe he said he was leaving the blog because he would be “busy” running negative ads against Kirby. Whoops.

How well I know, shaky jake! I’ve been reading him a long time now, and he has a definite constant gait toward the left. As long as his posts are read with that in mind, he’s harmless usually.

Let me get this straight.

Steve Kirby says he doesn’t want to run because his family and he don’t have the stomach to be dragged through the mud of a hard fought political race.

And we’re supposed to feel sorry for him even as the majority of you sharpen your knives and lick your chops at the opportunity to finally make political hay over Tim Johnson’s medical condition?

Steve Kirby says he wants to shield his family from all the grief, even as Tim Johnson’s family has been through hell and has ressurected with a resolve to fight, not just for himself but for the good of all South Dakotan, as they always have?

Let’s put it this way.

I’m sorry some of you haven’t figured out who you’re going to support for SD Senate this year yet.

But let me assure you, I sure have.

And as far as the current nastiness goes, we all know it was going to come sooner or later. The genius of the Jarding was to get it all on record so early in the game. All astute campaign manager has to do is review your last week of nasty posts here and to have all the ad content s/he would ever need.

Hey, politically speaking, who among you wouldn’t choose to win a political campaign with a single fundraiser mailer, if only you knew how?

Oh, and Todd, before you get too upset
with me Arjuna, re-read the Bagavad Gita.

BF the thing is Kirby was NOT and is NOT running. I find this disgusting to say the least and I would never , yep, never vote for Kirby but still find this sicken.

Billy 7:54.

First off, SD was sympathic to Johnson. Johnson’s grief was from an illness. Again, I’m sure that Kirby’s decision not to run wasn’t soley because of Jarding’s dubious deeds. Johnson through that fool Jarding attacked Kirby first. Now that Johnson’s badge of injury has been compromised and cast aside, all’s fair game and I agree that Johnson’s competence is very at issue and is THE issue. If the GOP doesn’t exploit this very telling factor, then it deserves its destiny.

If you’ve figured out that you’re voting for Johnson, then you DON”T get it. Johnson CANNOT handle the responsiblities associated with this position. He can barely function. If he is lucky to win, lets check out during the next EON (which it will seem like) how many Senate debates he gets into. How many late nights he posts. How many times he takes the Senate under his forearm and mangles it to his desire. How many CSPAN appearances the guy has promoting our values, our agendas. That’s laughable.

You may think the dems won the battle in this election, but I can assure you as sure as the sun rises and sets that if Johnson retains his seat, then SD has lost the war. If SD allows this to happen, it surely deserves everything it could get. If George McGovern, Daschle or even Micky friggin Mouse somehow took over the reins, I’d feel a lot better than having Johnson semi (used lightly) at the helm.

I’m glad to see BF is baaack.

Duh at 9:49.

Nasty.

This behavior from Johnson and his team should mean that all bets are off. There is no sanctity left. By his own actions, EVERYTHING that makes him suceptible and unfit for health reasons should take center stage. Period.

The gloves should come off. Show the comparison of a fit, articulate, healthy, able to serve Republican against……Johnson.

We’ll see how they look on the stage debating eachother and let the voters decide this issue once and for all.

Todd, I LOVE your new site!!

BF, I’m certainly partisan and agree that the object of political campaigns is to win the race. Politics can get rough and if there’s dirt on a candidate, it’s fair game to point it out. That said, there ARE limits as to how far a campaign can go before the “hardball” becomes a “knuckleball” and the knuckleheads throwing it blow themselves out of the race.

Stalking a candidates familiy really crosses the line for a lot of people & it would be sweet if Steve Kirby filed a protection order against “Lowell & friends”. It might even be good politics =|;)

Tim Johnson has been able to get votes from enough voters “in the middle” to win races because he’s perceived as a NICE GUY. It’s not that he’s a leader, has clout, actually writes any legislation or anything else. It’s because he’s a NICE GUY.

To the folks that aren’t political junkies and don’t really follow politcs, if Tim Johnson’s NICE GUY aura wears off, he’s not going to win re-election. The aura was tarnished in his last race and it’s fading fast when even the Argus publicly chastises his campaign.

Once people realize that Tim Johnson can’t even manage his own campaign staff, they’re going to realize he can’t handle the job he’s running for, either.

Nom at 9:50
I’m glad you’re here too.
Community, you know?
That’s what’s happening.
Init?

William, you have always seemed to me to be a nice enough fellow. Even so, I suspect you may not wash your hands often enough.

Godspeed, my friend.

BF

Dirty hands are a result of hard work =|;)

Wiiilam, no argument.
Even so, wash them anyway.
Don’t wear them.
We all work hard, my brother.
Comprénde, vato?
xxxooo
BF

Old guy at 9:48:

Yes, I think he was he was running, albeit for a very brief time.

And it’s ok if you dont believe, or agree about that.

We’ll still be pals (in my book anyway).

Best,

BF

sorry to hear you say those things, bf. very sorry.

…which things, lr?

lr is so Maryknoll nunlike sometimes.
And that’s so 4th grade for me. Ew.

How well I know, bill fleming! I’ve been reading him a long time now, and he has a definite constant gait toward the left. As long as his posts are read with that in mind, he’s harmless always.

let me just say that i wish you agreed with mr. epp on this issue, bf.

but you don’t. so fire away, sun tzu.

That’s an apt comparison, lr, and I accept it. Avoiding war is what it was all about:

“Amiot’s AD 1722 translation of Sun Tzu into French (the first time it had been translated into a European language) entitled Art Militaire des Chinois is likely to have influenced translations into the English often titled The Art of War.

However, Singaporean writer Wee Chow-Hou argued in his book Sun Zi Binga – Selected Insights and Applications that the direct translation of the title of the writings by Sun Tzu to be somewhat inaccurate, since there doesn’t seem to be an advocacy of actual battles; rather a set of philosophies on what to do in times of conflict. Indeed it seems that actual war was never advocated; rather how to strategically avoid war and yet still retain control of a tight situation with an adversary.”

so sliming and intimidating kirby and his family wasn’t actually war but an attempt to avoid it? got it.

i love how your relativism allows you to wiggle out of just about any tight spot in which it puts you.

A long, nasty campaign from now until November would have been “the war.” We both know that. Call it “relativism” if you wish. I call it “realism.”

If a Republican campaign had staked out Johnson’s house to see how ambulatory he is these days, would your view of this situation be different, BF? I’m just askin.’

9:01 It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that there is activity of that nature going on right now. Johnson and his family have been under the microscope since the day of his stroke. In very many ways, this will be Tim’s hardest fight. People have been wondering if he’s up to it. It seems we have the answer.

Guess that relativism allowed BF to duck the question.

9:19. Did I duck it? I thought I said I’m expecting the Republicans to scrutinze Johnson very closely if they’re not doing so already. I don’t like it, but I accept it.

Bill:

You and I disagree on this one. The stalking and intimidation of Kirby’s family is clearly out of bounds and is indefensible.

Todd
SD Watch http://www.southdakotawatch.net

I hear you Todd, and I respect your opinion.

Good thing Kirby didn’t visit Tom Daschle’s HOUSE.

Incidentally, how expensive is Kirby’s house? Does he get a Homestead exemption? Is it historical enough to get a tax break? Will he release his tax reports?

As I indicated on my own blog, unless he was thinking about running purely to Sandfordize his name, he can do more for South Dakota by putting some of his money into research useful to South Dakota than he ever would do for us were he to spend it getting elected Senator and then being senator.

good for you, mr. epp. and thank you for stnding strong.

Wiken. 10:39

My even when Kirby’s out, he’s still in your craw. A little (no, a lot) jealeous are you?? I can assure you despite some blog entries here that he was indeed serious about running and no Jarding’s actions were not the only reason he didn’t run. His family actually likes having him around, converse to Johnson’s 20 year space-using only presence in DC.

If SD were to keep their heads in the sand this fall, we’ll see how much Johnson helps us in DC. I’m sure that Walter Reed Hospital will be kept busy however. I wonder if the ADA’s “reasonable accomodation” provisions permit Jarding to cast votes for Timmy boy. Nope. Federal employees are exempt. What a joke. Some of you wouldn’t stay your own execution.

DUH, 11:32

Easy big fella.
If you keep doing that you’re going to give yourself a nosebleed.

Good one TGrind.

Now we need to call on everyone here to help put it out.
A couple of key people are already in line. PP, LR, Todd, Troy, You, Me, etc.

Let’s see if we can make a diff.

But first, let’s take the deepest possible breath.

naw, it’s a political reality, bf, that campaigns are gonna be fiery. far be it for me to condemn any nastiness. good for johnson and jarding for winning this initial battle.

i always thought it wasn’t whether you win or lose but how you play the game, but you showed me that that’s just dumb. if you gotta throw mud or cheat or whatever, then so be it.

dykstra, get your goons ready to stake out johnson’s house and take pictures of all the therapists who come and go. and if you can, track down what dog grooming service he uses. and dang it, i want pictures.

…now you’re talkin’ lr.

Kick out the jams.

You and I have been down this road before on a different issue.
And in those days, I was the one begging you and the Sibmeister to be nice. So it goes (until we agree to stop,)

10:03, yes, community is where it’s at.

Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

do tell, bf. what was the issue?

Don’t be a tease, lr.

don’t be coy, bf.