Tom Harkin Outdoes Watergate

September 24, 2002

In other news ignored by the media, Iowa Republicans have discovered that the Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) campaign bugged the campaign headquarters of his opponent, Congressman Greg Ganske. Reuters reports of the apparent felony, "Sen. Tom Harkin's campaign has admitted leaking a transcript of his Republican opponent making sharply worded comments at what was supposed to be a private strategy session." This is worse than Watergate, folks!

Clearly Tom Harkin doesn't have the heartland values that the farms of Iowa are famous for. I mean, we've never been a fan of this guy's politics, but who knew he'd stoop so low as to bug his opponent's campaign HQ! Couldn't he win on the issues? Did he have to stoop to breaking the law? I wouldn't insult all the Midwest or all Iowans because of Harkin and his campaign. I just hope no one buys the line that's sure to come that Harkin didn't know anything about this, blah, blah, blah. Mike Dukakis said, "the fish rots from the head down," did he not?

Indeed, Harkin's campaign manager denied that they got this transcript of the event, but when the evidence came out, admitted the truth – sound familiar? At least in Watergate, they didn't get the bugs to work. This is Watergate II, only it's in Iowa – which is where Keokuk is, for those of you wondering why MSNBC is called Keokuk's News Channel. It's hard times for Democrats and the ultra-liberal Harken. As David Yepsen of the Des Moines Register reports, "Iowa Republicans have opened up a 52,000-vote registration edge over the Democrats." Good.