John Thune, Possible 2012 Candidate, Takes a Jab at Palin while Joking about His Own Lesser Known Status

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

WASHINGTON -- South Dakota Sen. John Thune is considered a relatively strong potential presidential contender, but in the national political arena, he is relatively unknown. He acknowledged as much today at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington while getting in a light jab at his potential primary opponent Sarah Palin.

"The truth is, I've never held a book signing," Thune said. "I've been to Iowa plenty of times, but it's usually on my way to South Dakota."

"And the closest I've come to being on a reality show is C-SPAN's live coverage of the Senate floor," he said in allusion to Palin's TLC reality show, eliciting laughter from the conservative crowd. Instead, he said, he spends most of his time in the halls of the Senate or speaking with his constituents in South Dakota.

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The senator shared with the crowd his family's Norwegian roots, praising his parents for instilling in him and his brothers "Midwestern values" that give them a sense of "the importance of family and the value of life" and allow them to "appreciate our freedom and liberty."

"But for those of us who value liberty and freedom, Washington, D.C. has been a pretty lonely place the last couple of years," Thune said.

The senator took President Obama to task on a range of issues, from the economy to national security.

"President Obama likes to talk about winning the future," he said. "But someone ought to tell him: You can't win the prosperity of tomorrow if you're mortgaging it to pay for the big government programs of today."

Thune was referencing the phrase the president used frequently in his State of the Union address last month - at which Thune and other congressmen sat in a bipartisan arrangement to pay respect Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), who was injured in a mass shooting.

"Democrats invited their favorite Republican to sit with them, so I sat with Senator Gillibrand from New York and Senator Carper from Delaware," Thune said today. "Apparently I'm so conservative it takes two Democrats to balance me out."

"But let's be clear," he said. "A new seating chart is not bipartisanship. And new rhetoric is not a new agenda."

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As many Republicans have, Thune blasted the president for speaking about "investments" rather than government spending. The senator called for more initiatives to save money - such as a two-year budget that spends money in the odd-numbered years and saves money in the even-numbered years, or a congressional committee dedicated to reducing the deficit by cutting government spending.

He also called for tougher rhetoric and tactics in the "war on terror."

"Despite what some in this administration may think, our men and women in uniform are not engaged in an Overseas Contingency Operation; they are fighting a global war on terror," he said.

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That war, he said, requires "all the elements of our national power" to win.

"We need to use lawful interrogation techniques to acquire actionable intelligence," he said. "And when we're done interrogating terrorists, we should give them their day in court - in a military tribunal, not an American courtroom."

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[daffy64]

"But for those of us who value liberty and freedom, Washington, D.C. has been a pretty lonely place the last couple of years," Thune said.



Wow. Cool sweeping statement. And it really plays on the harp strings.

But what are you suggesting?

[daffy64]

"President Obama likes to talk about winning the future," he said. "But someone ought to tell him: You can't win the prosperity of tomorrow if you're mortgaging it to pay for the big government programs of today."

Yeah. But as Dick Cheney said "Deficits don't matter".

[levelheadedtoo]

Senator Thune brought South Dakota a big Obama Stimulus check to help them with the state budget deficit.

"South Dakota will receive $37 million in stimulus money for Fiscal Year 2012, down from $94 million in the current fiscal year." Doesn't sound like much but remember there are only about 200,000 people actually contributing to the tax base in SD.

While he criticized the the federal stimulus plan, he was grabbing as much as he could. Thank you Senator for not caving in on your principles of saying one thing and doing another.

[JV1970]

Thune is right about one thing. Terrorists should be tried in military tribunals, not American courtrooms.

[starving1968-3]

Military tribunals should be for members of the military charged with crimes - not for non-military people that commit crimes.

[chris87654]

Funny how these guys say what needs to be done (like for the war on terror) but act like the cost is free, or that shutting down earmarks will help the fed budget (which just bailed out states with stimulus money). ALL Republicans do this (except Daniels, that I know of).

Thune seemed to forget what happened when Santorum implied a comment about that who should not be commented on in such a manner. Barracuda Barbie is probably sharpening her claws as I write and will come out as Mama Grizzly to maul Thune.

[euge005]

While Thujne is wrong on almost ever level, I have to respect that he did not cut and run from his office after half a term to chase big money and camaras.

[thinking-voter]

Lawful interrogations? Terrorists being tried? Look around, Senator Thune, and catch up to reality. You have proposed what is already being done.

[tsigili]

Don't think anyone is as picked at, as Palin, since Nixon. Everyone must really fear her.

[slatep]

Senator Thune,

If you really mean the words in the last three sentences above. GO FOR IT.!!!!!

I'd vote for you in a heartbeat.!!