What's in a pork sandwich?

Sen. John Thune excoriated again by yet another conservative commentator

Robert Novak gives his 2¢ worth in the Washington Post today about South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune's failed attempted to get a whole hog's worth of pork for his buddy Kevin Schieffer's DM&E railroad.

Here's the beginning of what Novak has to say:

A Senator's Railroad No-Brainer

By Robert D. Novak
Monday, March 5, 2007; A15

The Federal Railroad Administration handed a rare victory to the American taxpayer last week by denying a questionable $2.3 billion loan application by the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern (DM&E) Railroad. What makes this news of special interest is the paramount role Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) played in boosting the loan. Here is a cautionary tale of political life in Washington and how it corrupts.

Thune guided through Congress legislative changes that made the loan possible. But an assessment that DM&E was a poor credit risk was shared by two other conservative senators -- Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Jim DeMint of South Carolina -- who took the extraordinary step of advocating rejection of a colleague's pet project. Making matters worse, Thune worked as a paid lobbyist for the South Dakota-based railroad before his election to the Senate and has received political contributions from company executives.

Thune entered the Senate in 2005 as a rising GOP star after defeating Democratic leader Tom Daschle. He declared himself eager to rein in spending in a Republican-controlled government. But instead of aligning with his party's reformers, Thune has been energetic in promoting pork for South Dakota. After the embarrassment of the DM&E loan rejection, a Republican Senate source who did not want to be identified said: "One can hope this episode helps Thune recover his revolutionary zeal."

The rest is here.

Those who have pointed out Thune's double standard on pork — that is, claiming to want to "rein in spending" while steering hog futures to his own state — need look no further than his own Senate website where he gleefully details all the road and highway earmarks he brought to South Dakota in the 2005 Transportation Bill. That press release is here.