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Thune To Play Role At National GOP Convention
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| U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) has remained under consideration for the Republican vice presidential spot and will play a prominent role at next week’s GOP national convention. Thune spoke Wednesday with Press & Dakotan staff during a press conference. (KELLY HERTZ/P&D) |
BY RANDY DOCKENDORF
randy.dockendorf@yankton.net
U.S. Sen. John Thune may not be up for re-election this year, but the South Dakota Republican will remain in the spotlight at next week’s GOP national convention.
Many pundits and party leaders are speculating that Thune remains on the short list of vice presidential choices for presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain.
Thune spoke Wednesday to the Press & Dakotan, sharing his thoughts on the political conventions now under way along with the upcoming fall elections and the remaining work before Congress.
Thune has spent the August recess traveling the state, with a particular focus on energy issues, the farm bill and crime on American Indian reservations. But now he is preparing for the GOP convention, where he will remain visible during the week.
“I’m going to St. Paul, not until Monday afternoon, and I will be chairing the South Dakota delegation,” he said. “I don’t expect to be in a speaking role at the convention from the floor, but I will be speaking at a number of convention activities and stuff going on with our delegation.”
Thune has fielded offers to meet with a number of party faithful during the convention.
“That includes a certain amount of (meetings with) not just the delegation but with state organizations that will be there,” he said. “We have a whole long list of invitations, but we haven’t firmed up our schedule.”
And has he received any calls from McCain for the No. 2 spot on the ticket?
“As far as vice president, I haven’t been vetted in terms of being asked to give information,” Thune said.
While others bring up his name, Thune said he has not focused his energy or thoughts on the veepstakes. “I’m not going down that path,” he said.
Vice presidential candidates are often sought for geographic or philosophical balance on the ticket. However, Thune sees another major factor looming in McCain’s selection of a running mate.
“The first question would be, if necessary, is this somebody who can step in as commander-in-chief ?” Thune asked.
Some pundits have placed greater emphasis on the GOP running mate because of McCain’s age. However, Thune disputed the idea that McCain has determined he will serve only one term.
“I think that’s more media speculation. I don’t think the senator (McCain) has given any indication or given any thought to that (one-term presidency),” Thune said. “ People are looking at his age because he is 72 and going through a glass ceiling in terms of his age as a first-term presidential candidate, but (McCain) is not going on that.”
While he doesn’t know who McCain will chose as a running mate, Thune said he holds an educated guess when the VP announcement will be made.
“(Democratic nominee Barack) Obama will make his acceptance speech Thursday night, and there will be press,” Thune said. “Then, McCain will try to do what he can to draw down the bounce of the (Democratic) campaign by naming his vice president.”
For the most part, both the Republican and Democratic conventions have become scripted affairs with little high drama, Thune said.
However, that doesn’t mean conventions have lost all meaning, Thune said. The gatherings still provide a way for reaching out to a national audience, he said.
In that respect, McCain will speak to more than the delegates in the convention hall, Thune said.
“Mainly, it will be (McCain) getting out his message not only to those sitting in his audience, but he will also be casting his vision for the country,” Thune said. “The main thing that will come out of the convention will be a unified party with enthusiasm for the fall election and going to work. For the broader (audience), he will be able to broadcast his clear message about the campaign and what he thinks about the issues.”
Both the delegates and the nation will find a different GOP convention than in recent history, Thune predicted.
“I don’t think there will be any big surprises, but I don’t think this will be a traditional ‘speaking to the base’ Republican convention,” he said. “McCain is not clearly cut out of the traditional Republican mold. There will be a slightly different tone to it than the usual Republican conventions. He will reach out to the new voters who would not be inclined in the past to support him and vote for him.”
Thune said he has been watching some of the televised Democratic convention, particularly U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s speech Tuesday night. Thune questioned one aspect of Obama’s selection of U.S. Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware as his running mate.
“The selection of Joe Biden conflicts with Obama’s message of change,” Thune said. “You hear the talk about how Biden goes home every night (to Delaware), but he has been a senator for 36 years and is a creature of Washington.”
Biden also doesn’t balance the ticket politically with Obama, Thune said. “They are not that different ideologically, with Obama ranked the most liberal senator and Biden the third most liberal,” he said.
South Dakota received a large number of candidate visits during the Democratic primary, and Thune joined McCain and his wife, Cindy, on stage during a concert at the Sturgis bike rally. However, Thune doesn’t see the major candidates beating a path to South Dakota during the fall campaign.
Regardless of whether candidates visit South Dakota, Thune said he will work to maintain his home state’s visibility on the road to the White House.
“South Dakota is important to their campaigns,” he said. “We will do whatever we can to keep South Dakota on the radar screen with the campaigns.”
And what will be the main issues? Thune ranks the economy at the top of the list, with many people feeling anxiety and uncertainty about fuel prices and health care, he said.
“The issues are going to be kitchen table issues,” he said. “And people will be really focused on the election of who can be the next commander-in-chief. That will decide the candidates and election in people’s minds.”
The American people are looking for leadership, inspiration and trust both on the domestic front and in the war on terror, Thune said.
“What this comes down to is the candidate’s ability to protect the American people as well as his character and his personal attributes,” he said. “This election is a lot about the character and quality of the two candidates and the public’s trust in them as commander-in-chief.”
Many pundits and party leaders are speculating that Thune remains on the short list of vice presidential choices for presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain.
Thune spoke Wednesday to the Press & Dakotan, sharing his thoughts on the political conventions now under way along with the upcoming fall elections and the remaining work before Congress.
Thune has spent the August recess traveling the state, with a particular focus on energy issues, the farm bill and crime on American Indian reservations. But now he is preparing for the GOP convention, where he will remain visible during the week.
“I’m going to St. Paul, not until Monday afternoon, and I will be chairing the South Dakota delegation,” he said. “I don’t expect to be in a speaking role at the convention from the floor, but I will be speaking at a number of convention activities and stuff going on with our delegation.”
Thune has fielded offers to meet with a number of party faithful during the convention.
“That includes a certain amount of (meetings with) not just the delegation but with state organizations that will be there,” he said. “We have a whole long list of invitations, but we haven’t firmed up our schedule.”
And has he received any calls from McCain for the No. 2 spot on the ticket?
“As far as vice president, I haven’t been vetted in terms of being asked to give information,” Thune said.
While others bring up his name, Thune said he has not focused his energy or thoughts on the veepstakes. “I’m not going down that path,” he said.
Vice presidential candidates are often sought for geographic or philosophical balance on the ticket. However, Thune sees another major factor looming in McCain’s selection of a running mate.
“The first question would be, if necessary, is this somebody who can step in as commander-in-chief ?” Thune asked.
Some pundits have placed greater emphasis on the GOP running mate because of McCain’s age. However, Thune disputed the idea that McCain has determined he will serve only one term.
“I think that’s more media speculation. I don’t think the senator (McCain) has given any indication or given any thought to that (one-term presidency),” Thune said. “ People are looking at his age because he is 72 and going through a glass ceiling in terms of his age as a first-term presidential candidate, but (McCain) is not going on that.”
While he doesn’t know who McCain will chose as a running mate, Thune said he holds an educated guess when the VP announcement will be made.
“(Democratic nominee Barack) Obama will make his acceptance speech Thursday night, and there will be press,” Thune said. “Then, McCain will try to do what he can to draw down the bounce of the (Democratic) campaign by naming his vice president.”
For the most part, both the Republican and Democratic conventions have become scripted affairs with little high drama, Thune said.
However, that doesn’t mean conventions have lost all meaning, Thune said. The gatherings still provide a way for reaching out to a national audience, he said.
In that respect, McCain will speak to more than the delegates in the convention hall, Thune said.
“Mainly, it will be (McCain) getting out his message not only to those sitting in his audience, but he will also be casting his vision for the country,” Thune said. “The main thing that will come out of the convention will be a unified party with enthusiasm for the fall election and going to work. For the broader (audience), he will be able to broadcast his clear message about the campaign and what he thinks about the issues.”
Both the delegates and the nation will find a different GOP convention than in recent history, Thune predicted.
“I don’t think there will be any big surprises, but I don’t think this will be a traditional ‘speaking to the base’ Republican convention,” he said. “McCain is not clearly cut out of the traditional Republican mold. There will be a slightly different tone to it than the usual Republican conventions. He will reach out to the new voters who would not be inclined in the past to support him and vote for him.”
Thune said he has been watching some of the televised Democratic convention, particularly U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s speech Tuesday night. Thune questioned one aspect of Obama’s selection of U.S. Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware as his running mate.
“The selection of Joe Biden conflicts with Obama’s message of change,” Thune said. “You hear the talk about how Biden goes home every night (to Delaware), but he has been a senator for 36 years and is a creature of Washington.”
Biden also doesn’t balance the ticket politically with Obama, Thune said. “They are not that different ideologically, with Obama ranked the most liberal senator and Biden the third most liberal,” he said.
South Dakota received a large number of candidate visits during the Democratic primary, and Thune joined McCain and his wife, Cindy, on stage during a concert at the Sturgis bike rally. However, Thune doesn’t see the major candidates beating a path to South Dakota during the fall campaign.
Regardless of whether candidates visit South Dakota, Thune said he will work to maintain his home state’s visibility on the road to the White House.
“South Dakota is important to their campaigns,” he said. “We will do whatever we can to keep South Dakota on the radar screen with the campaigns.”
And what will be the main issues? Thune ranks the economy at the top of the list, with many people feeling anxiety and uncertainty about fuel prices and health care, he said.
“The issues are going to be kitchen table issues,” he said. “And people will be really focused on the election of who can be the next commander-in-chief. That will decide the candidates and election in people’s minds.”
The American people are looking for leadership, inspiration and trust both on the domestic front and in the war on terror, Thune said.
“What this comes down to is the candidate’s ability to protect the American people as well as his character and his personal attributes,” he said. “This election is a lot about the character and quality of the two candidates and the public’s trust in them as commander-in-chief.”
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