We see now the clearest indication of the no-respect, pull-no-punches brand of politicking Dan Lederman plans to bring to the South Dakota Republican Party. Lederman has scheduled a Republican “Freedom Rally” featuring Breitbartian shouter David Horowitz for Saturday, April 29, at the Sioux Falls Ramkota, the same time and place as the South Dakota Democratic Party’s McGovern Day Dinner. Lederman’s pal and SDGOP spin blogger Pat Powers portrays the Horowitz event as counter-programming to the Democratic event, which features Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison as dinner speaker. The Powers counter-programming post features a graphic of Freedom Rally flyer looming over a smaller McGovern Day invitation with a boxing glove and a starry pow! graphic symbolizing the pugilistic nature of the SDGOP event.
I’ll not spend too much time on the Horowitz/Ellison conflict, other than to note that Horowitz has the gall to label Steve Bannon a “civil rights hero” (not true, absolutely Newspeakingly false, especially on education).
I would rather focus on the seeming incivility of Lederman’s counter-programming. I don’t know the full history, but I get the impression that the Republican and Democratic parties generally leave each other alone at their party functions. They don’t crash each other’s party meetings and fundraising events. They choose separate venues for their conventions. To schedule a political event targeting not just the opposing party but the opposing party’s guest of honor at the same time and in the same building seems… unnecessarily provocative.
Upcoming SDGOP Lincoln Day Dinners:
- Aberdeen, April 20, 6 p.m.,
Dakota Event Center - Brookings, April 21, 5:30 p.m., Swiftel Center
- Spearfish, April 22, 5:30 p.m., Spearfish Park Pavilion
- Rapid City, April 29, 5 p.m., Rushmore Plaza Civic Center
Now I’ll put my big-boy pants on and say, fine, free country. Dan Lederman wants to spend his party’s money to make a scene at his opponents’ fundraising event? That’s up to him and his party’s donors.
But the Lederman event seems to open the door for Democrats and other activists to respond in kind. Who’s to say now that when Republicans hold their next Lincoln Day Dinners, or their Reagan lunches, or other party events where they invite speakers and donors and public officials and candidates, the Democratic Party or Indivisible 605 or anyone else displeased with Dan Lederman or the local GOP or their speakers can’t muscle in and make some noise in the same building where Lederman and friends are trying to meet? Does Lederman really want anti-Trump picketers camping out at every GOP luncheon?
For the record, I’m still planning to attend the Brown County Lincoln Day Dinner, since candidates can make some news at such events. I’ll attend politely and quietly, as I have at prior Republican events, unobtrusively but critically documenting what I see and hear (we already know what I’ll smell—rubber chicken!). I go to Republican events to learn and report, not to antagonize on the spot. We can only hope Chairman Lederman is not seeking to provoke antagonism at McGovern Day in Sioux Falls.
As a registered foreign agent for Saudi Arabia Lederman better be careful not to offend his benefactors. Why hasn’t the press interviewed him about a Saudi agent being in charge of the SD GOP party? Is there no news media in SD?
Good point Mr. Rorschach, a couple of Jewish fellers working for the Muslim Brotherhood and the Black Panther Party? Wow! Maybe that could be the theme the Democrats could have at their dinner, “A Prosperous America, Built to withstand Saudi Suicide Intentions within the parameters of the Black Panther Party”. The SDGOP seems to have forgotten 9/11 and the Saudi Arabian attack, Democrats should not. One thing for sure at the Lederman/Horowitz rally, pork will not be served. On the Democratic dinner, I would suggest pulled pork sandwiches.
Their choice seems to be to try to intimidate. No one intimidates if they do not have a weakness or fear. Brietbart howlers intimidation, remind me of the farce that is going on in the Pacific. How much will this show of farce cost taxpayers? I can tell you that the bad haircut guy will line his pockets with a tidy sum, courtesy of the fleeced taxpayers in the US to cover the fact that our system has been taken over by the russian mafia, all to cover the huge pile of dung we keep hearing about each day. Canada had better watch itself now that they are legalizing recreational pot.
Ror, SD media seem to have an intentional blind spot for certain political stories.
Jerry, if there are any dietary restrictions, wouldn’t the Muslims we Dems are plotting with to destroy America also reject those pulled pork sandwiches? ;-)
No dietary restrictions apply. Just good choices for a menu with meaning. American Arabs have no use for the Muslim Brotherhood either as it is not applicable to their current lifestyles. They would also understand cynicism of the kind that would schedule and alternative gathering in a location that has already been chosen. As my man Khalil Gibran wrote “Where is the justice of political power if it executes the murderer and jails the plunderer, and then itself marches upon neighboring lands, killing thousands and pillaging the very hills?” Khalil Gibran
Note that Kahlil was not Muslim, but his works are fitting displays of his Syrian Lebanese heritage that show the current situation that these two knuckle heads blather about. With the question that Khalil Gibran asks, why shouldn’t we all be?
Is it at all surprising that the ‘Slippery Slope’ declines of civilized discourse and relations have in last decade always started with the GOP?? Just like they did with the quadruple paraplegic Vietnam war vet that ran the VA under Clinton? Let ’em keep it up, they will pay the price hard……
I might have to go mow. Time to raise hell
Trump has removed the White House Visitors Logs from public view. The Logs will remain secret until 5 years after he leaves office. Freedom of Information requests will be honored rarely.
The party of “hide and sneak” still at work.
Perhaps the SD party organizers will be stationing observers outside each other’s events to log all attendees.
Owen—go mow? Can you break out the groundskeeping machines outside the GOP lecture hall while Horowitz is speaking? :-D