Time to go after Thune too. Won't be long before Cornyn will be the only GOP Senator that can pass the Cyberloon purity test, poor sap.
"Thune threatens no votes on Bush priorities
MARY CLARE JALONICK
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Since Republican John Thune defeated the Senate's top Democrat last November, he has been one of the most loyal Republicans to President Bush. He has traveled around the country to fundraise and championed the party's priorities on countless news networks.
But now that the Pentagon has targeted South Dakota's Ellsworth Air Force Base for closure, Thune is increasingly flirting with the opposition.
This week he threatened to vote against the nomination for John Bolton, Bush's embattled nominee to be United Nations ambassador. If he does vote against Bolton, he will be one of only a handful of Republicans to do so.
Thune also has declined to take a position on the Central American Free Trade Agreement, another Bush priority.
"Ellsworth will not go down without a fight," Thune said Wednesday. "I've made it clear that I am very disappointed with the Pentagon's decision."
Thune is also working to convince members of the Senate to co-sponsor a bill that would delay the entire base closing process.
Some congressional Democrats may be wary of partnering with Thune, the man who defeated Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle. Feelings still are bitter from that heated race, and national Democrats have sent out news releases attacking Thune for not being able to save Ellsworth.
The three members of the North Dakota delegation - all Democrats - have declined to co-sponsor the bill despite thousands of jobs that would be lost with the realignment of Grand Forks Air Force Base.
Other Democrats have joined the fight, though, including Democratic Sens. Tim Johnson of South Dakota, Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Max Baucus of Montana and Jon Corzine of New Jersey. All have threatened bases in their states.
If Ellsworth closes, about 3,800 military and civilian jobs will be lost in the Rapid City area. The state has been fighting to keep it open since the most recent base closing round 10 years ago, and Thune made it a campaign issue last fall.
At the time, Daschle said he would be in a better position to save the base because he would be in line to appoint a member of the commission that reviews the list. Thune argued that his ties to President Bush could only help the state.
Thune has said he hopes his political clout will pay off as the base closing process moves forward. The commission is now reviewing the list, and will send it to the White House and Congress for approval this fall.
There is some evidence that his threats may be heard. Soon after Thune, Johnson and Maine Republican Olympia Snowe introduced a bill Wednesday to force the Pentagon to release more data on base closings, much of the information was released.
Bill Richardson, chairman of the political science department at University of South Dakota, says it's "time to collect" from the Bush administration.
"This is Thune's first real test," Richardson said. "If he pulls it off he will be the hero in South Dakota."
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