The Rapid City Journal, which must be from Rapid City, SD, is making sure that locals stay abreast of the issues in this campaign. John Thune, the Republican challenger, is giving Tom Daschle, current Minority Leader in the Senate, a "run for his money"—and in politics that phrase really means something.

In a 2500-word article titled "Chicken What?" I learned three things:

• that according to one of Daschle's aides, Thune's campaign manager told the aide that his boss was a "chickenshit"—not once, but twice.

• that according to Daschle, this kind of langugage is beyond the pale of the acceptable in South Dakota and that an apology is expected.

• that according to Thune, no apology is necessary. It is rather Daschle who should apologize for not having scheduled all the debates that Thune wants besides the debate they're about to have in five days.

Since I'm not from South Dakota, I think I can clear this up in a way that will be fair to both sides and perhaps leave the Rapid City Journal free to pursue other interests at the same time.

Tom Daschle is a chickenshit, and John Thune's campaign manager is a foul-mouthed son-of-a-bitch.

Now I wonder if there was anything else troubling them.