Daschle downplays base debate

By The Associated Press, and Journal Staff | Saturday, August 27, 2005

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WASHINGTON — Former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle said Friday that the debate over the future of Ellsworth Air Force Base during last year's Senate race was "overblown."

In downplaying the significance in last year's campaign, he said Friday: "I think that part of it was overblown from the very beginning."

In the months leading up to the 2004 election, Daschle used radio, television and full-page newspaper ads to emphasize his leadership post, his past efforts to support Ellsworth and the power he would have in the coming BRAC round.

In a debate a few weeks before the election, Daschle revealed that he had convinced President Bill Clinton to personally intervene during the 1995 BRAC round and have Ellsworth removed from the closure list.

"I was able to demonstrate how important it is to be at the front of the line as the leader of, one of the two Senate leaders, when I was actually in the Oval Office and asked President Clinton to take Ellsworth off the base-closing list. He did. He did because I'm leader," Daschle said during the campaign.

In the final days of the 2004 campaign, Daschle convened a news conference in downtown Rapid City devoted to the topic of Ellsworth. He pointed out that, as minority leader, he would have the power to appoint one member of the Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) Commission, as he had in 1995.

"It is critical that we have our voice this time just as we did last time," Daschle said at the news conference.

Daschle said it is impossible to tell whether the process would have been any different if he had been re-elected. Republican John Thune defeated Daschle after the two argued over who would be in the best position to save the base.

Thune said his connections to Bush would be most beneficial to the state, and Daschle argued that his position as minority leader would allow him to nominate a commissioner.

Daschle said Friday that he has helped the delegation make calls to commissioners to make the case for Ellsworth.

He said he would not be able to call Thune to congratulate him.

"I am in Western Montana, so I'm not in a very good position to make calls," he said in a telephone interview. He said he would be "contacting the delegation and giving them my best wishes."

Daschle said he is in Montana because his wife has a conference meeting there.

Daschle said he is thrilled Ellsworth will stay open. The BRAC Commission voted Friday to overturn the Pentagon's recommendation to close the base.

"I'm absolutely delighted. I think it's great news," Daschle told The Associated Press.

"I know Rapid City must be breathing a sigh of relief, and I am as well."

In an e-mail in response to a Rapid City Journal inquiry, Daschle said, "I think our strategy to invest heavily in Ellsworth's infrastructure since the last round has paid off. I heartily congratulate the Task Force and the delegation for their good work."

Daschle added, "This is a huge insurance policy against another BRAC round. This is a huge victory."

The list of closures and realignments will now go to the White House and Congress. President Bush can accept or reject the list in its entirety or send it back to the commission for revisions. Congress also will have a chance to veto the plan but it has not taken that step in four previous rounds of closures.