Jer Bear, who I think is a wonderful writer and wit and one of my favorite bloggers, tears my friend Mark Haugen--yes, that Mark Haugen from Sen. John Thune's staff-- a new one in today's Don't Worry About the Government.

I don't want to repeat what Jer Bear wrote about Mark, you can read it yourself.  I will say this: I think it is over the line.

Mark Haugen and I don't agree on very much politically.  (We do agree on one important thing, however: Prince is great.)  Mark works for a guy that I didn't want to see elected.  I didn't much like how the 2004 Thune Senate race was conducted.  I hope Sen. Thune is defeated in 2010. 

But Mark Haugen ALWAYS treated me fairly when I was a columnist for the Tea-Harrisburg Champion.  He took an enormous chance with the paper and turned it into a roaring success in terms of journalism, design, circulation, and profitability.  The Champion reflected the issues, hopes, and dreams of northern Lincoln County and made people feel a part of a community.  He is a good father and husband.  He has been a good friend to me.  He has ALWAYS been honest with me.  I don't give a damn that he works for Thune and he's a Republican.  That doesn't make him an ogre.

Joe Scarborough last night on MSNBC said that during the wake of Katrina, we need to put aside our partisanship for a few weeks and just think about what happened to our country and what we are going to do to make things better.  Maybe we need a similar respite here in South Dakota.

Maybe I've gotten soft in my old age.  But what I have been through and what my family has been through his past year changes your perspective.  I have had so many good wishes and good thoughts from people in the past several months.  And you know what, my Republicans friends and readers have been extremely suportive of me and my family.  So, yeah, I'm soft and think people are people no matter what their political affiliation. 

So, let's all cool the rhetoric of personal attack.  Politics has to be more than name calling.  The public is sick of it and it turns them off of the process.