Native Americans Protest Flier

A campaign mailing by former Republican Rep. John Thune of South Dakota, who is trying to oust Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, drew criticism from some Native Americans for perceived racist overtones.

A flier stuffed into voter mailboxes in western South Dakota included a picture of prairie dogs with the line, “The dogs are lining up to vote for Tom Daschle.”

The image is a reference to the prairie dogs that plague South Dakota ranchers, a problem that has become a campaign concern.

But some Native Americans felt the line was reminiscent of the signs that used to hang on South Dakota stores: “No dogs or Indians allowed.”

“This flier shows poor taste and judgment,” Robert Moore, chief of staff for Rosebud Reservation Chairman Charles Colombe, told Indian Country Today this week.

Inside, the mailer read: “No wonder the varmints are heading to the polls to vote for him.” The Thune campaign said the flier was meant to address the prairie dog issue.

“Anyone who reads the piece will see that it has to do with prairie dogs in South Dakota,” Thune campaign manager Dick Wadhams told Indian Country Today. “I’m sorry if someone took offense.”

Thune and Daschle are nearly even in recent state polls.

Fashions for Kicks

Enter the political fashion police.

In the case of Fort Lewis College student Mark O’Donnell, a Republican sweatshirt is what caused all the trouble.

O’Donnell was showing his College Republicans sweatshirt to people at a restaurant near the Durango, Colo., campus when a visiting college instructor spied the shirt -- which read “Work for us now ... or work for us later” -- and kicked him in the leg.

Modern languages instructor Mario Spero then told O’Donnell “she should have kicked me harder and higher,” O’Donnell told Associated Press this week.

Spero wrote O’Donnell an apology letter Friday saying she “acted inappropriately ... giving vent to a thoughtless, knee-jerk political reaction that should never have happened.”

The college also issued a formal apology, but O’Donnell said he planned to file a complaint with the school.

Who’s Counting?

$11.7 million: Amount Kerry campaign has paid its employees since January 2003.

$10.1 million: Amount Bush campaign has paid its employees over the same period.

341: Number of paid employees working for the Bush campaign.

342: Number of paid employees working for the Kerry campaign.

Duly Quoted

“Even with Bill Clinton -- and he’s a great campaigner, nobody takes that away from him -- but selling John Kerry in a conservative state like Arkansas is tougher than selling Red Sox souvenirs in Manhattan.” -- Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Republican, on “Fox News Sunday.”

“According to a new Democratic poll released today, 50% of Vice President Cheney’s daughters are still gay.” -- Amy Poehler on “Saturday Night Live’s” Weekend Update.

Compiled from staff, Web and wire reports by Times staff researcher Susannah Rosenblatt.