It appears that Bill Clinton’s latest run for president will be his last, despite rumors that he may run again in 2012. “I want to say also, that this may be the last day I’m ever involved in a campaign of this kind,” he said at a rally in South Dakota today. “I thought I was out of politics, ’til Hillary decided to run,” he continued, “But it has been, one of the greatest honors of my life to go around and campaign for her for president.” Indeed, now that his wife will likely leave the race, President Clinton — the leader of the Democratic Party for 16 years — can no longer be involved in politics, much like he wasn’t when he didn’t campaign for John Kerry or Al Gore. [First Read]

Hillary Clinton continued the Enfranchisement Tour 2k8 today in South Dakota, which is fully franchised and will likely go for Obama on June 3 but doesn’t matter. While there she visited the only “thing” in South Dakota: Mount Rushmore, where the rocks look like famous presidents. Look at Hilz in the picture, striking the pose as a park ranger fines her for littering. Maybe? Who knows what actually happened during the stop, because the ABC News report is all about… well, the headline pretty much says it all: “Clinton Ignores Press at Mt. Rushmore.” This article is delicious.

ABC News’ Eloise Harper notes that she and the other traveling press had numerous questions for Hillary, who hasn’t held a press avail since May 15 — right around when the Clinton Bullshit Meter went cosmic, making Hillary incapable of responding coherently to any question about her latest “disenfranchisement” motif. But Ms. Harper clearly does not realize that Hillary has been on vacation since May 15!

Enjoying a lighter load on the campaign trail with two stops in South Dakota Wednesday and two stops Thursday Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton played tourist at Mt. Rushmore, ignoring questions and telling the press to “learn something about the monument”.

Hillary’s lighthearted condescension gives way to visible irritation:

While the New York senator enjoyed the site, she was surrounded buy a U-shape of cameras hoping to get a shot of her looking at the monument while a traveling staffer insisted on standing in front of the her to block the shot. When the staffer refused to move after many calls from the press and other staffers, Clinton turned around and said “this is a tourist occasion.”

The press notices she’s irritated and proceeds to fuck with her:

A reporter attempted to ask Clinton if she could see herself on the famous monument. Clinton just raised her hands in the air and said “I” and sighed. Another reporter asked “Do you think Bill Clinton should be up there?” Clinton didn’t answer and said “why don’t you learn something about the monument.”

Then Eloise Harper asks Clinton “Hey Hillary, don’t you think Kermit the Frog should be up there? Don’t… [stifles a giggle]… don’t you think… [cannot control laughter]… don’t you think Lanny Davis should be up there?”

Hillary makes a few phone calls and responds, “Maybe you should check on your cat, Eloise.”

Clinton Ignores Press at Mt. Rushmore [Political Radar]

Tragic liberal presidential candidate George McGovern lost horribly to Richard Nixon in 1972 and then became an Elder Statesman and endorsed Hillary Clinton like all the other Elder Statesmen in 2007. But now it is 2008, so it is time for Hillary to go under the bus along with Tom Eagleton. George McGovern officially hearts Barack Obama, the McGovern of the 21st Century! MORE »

Former South Dakota legislator Ted Klaudt was convicted in Blowvember for sexually abusing his foster daughters while telling them his was examining them for their suitability as egg donors. Ted, by the way, isn’t a doctor. He was sentenced yesterday to 44 years in prison and won’t be eligible to apply for parole for until 2030. Ted’s lawyer had argued for a lesser sentence because a 50 year-old, 600 pound man is likely to die in prison, but, really, that’s a fate that Ted could’ve prevented by NOT RAPING HIS FOSTER DAUGHTERS so the judge and I and probably most of the rest of the world don’t really give a shit. Enjoy prison, short eyes. [Fox News]

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A source close to the Johnson family told us this little tale last night. MORE »

Senator Tim Johnson remains at George Washington University Hospital, recovering from a brain hemorrhage. His condition is more or less unchanged. But the GWU hospital is one of the top in the country at… well, brain stuff. Maybe. We just kinda made that up. But Dick Cheney goes there, and he’s only nearly died a couple dozen times! MORE »

Bad news, single men of Washington — Stephanie Herseth (D-SD), the only cute and normal member of congress, is engaged. For real, this time. And not to some Wikipedia-vandalizing nerd she doesn’t know. MORE »

In the Department of Stuff That Might Be True, we go to Wayne Madsen and his occasionally semi-accurate unsourced website. Madsen says the new Senate Majority Leadership will try to convert moderate Republican Susan Collins and Oregon rebel GOP’er Gordon Smith should Tim Johnson be unable to continue as senator. MORE »

* Senator Tim Johnson apparently suffered a “brain hemorrhage,” or “an intracerebral bleed caused by a congenital arteriovenous malformation,” which you might remember as the thing that happened to Nate on Six Feet Under.
* Even if Johnson resigns, the January 4 “organizing resolution” could — could — keep the Senate in Democratic control. We didn’t pay attention all that closely to how (this ain’t Hotline, fer chrissakes), but Time attempts to explain here.
* South Dakota’s Secretary of State has a totally kickass website, mustache. Also, people are paying attention to him for the first and last time in history. He was also Kip in Napolean Dynomite. A journalist tells us that he ends calls with “Mmmmmkay bye.”

If South Dakota Senator Tim Johnson dies (”critical condition” still), the guy who’d most likely have opposed him for reelection, SD Gov Mike Rounds, will appoint his replacement. Unfortunately, it is still not known at this time whether Governor Mike Grounds is or isn’t a dick.

But while the “movement” to convince a Republican Governor to appoint a Democratic Senator just ’cause will probably turn out like most blog-based campaigns, there is still hope for the Democrats: It’s really hard to get someone to leave the Senate.

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