by CARL HULSE
New York Times
The fact that today the Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle trumpeted an endorsement from a woman who is not a big name in conventional political circles is very telling about the tight race he is in to retain his Senate seat from South Dakota.
Mr. Daschle issued a news release heralding the support of Elouise Cobell in his bid for re-election. While her name might not ring a lot of bells in Washington, it will among Native Americans in South Dakota. Ms. Cobell, a member of the Blackfeet tribe from Montana, is the lead plaintiff in an important case against the Department of Interior for its mishandling of Indian trust accounts, and she is something of a heroine in the Indian community.
“When historians write about who had the courage to stand up for justice, one name they will mention prominently is Elouise Cobell of the Blackfeet Indian Nation,” Mr. Daschle said.
Given the strength of Republican leanings in South Dakota, Mr. Daschle is relying on his strong support among Native Americans in the state to offset some of the built-in advantage that former Congressman John Thune has as the result of voter registration. But Mr. Daschle needs to generate strong turnout among the Indian group, and endorsements like the one from Ms. Cobell are aimed at stirring enthusiasm.
In a statement, Ms. Cobell said she had sought to stay out of partisan politics but believed that Mr. Daschle merited backing because of his efforts on behalf of Native Americans. “I urge all Indian people to do everything possible to ensure that when the sun rises on Nov. 3, we will still have our warrior, Tom Daschle in the Senate,” she said.
|
