Former Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle is hoping to save incumbent Democrats from his own fate, giving away $230,000 in campaign cash to vulnerable members of his party. He may also be thinking about his own future. A spokesman said Thursday that Daschle, who lost a 2004 bid for re-election in South Dakota but has not ruled out a run for president in 2008, raised the money last year for Democrats in Congress.
Former Daschle campaign manager Steve Hildebrand also said Daschle will give a speech in the politically pivotal state of Iowa next month. This will be his second trip to the state since he left Congress. Daschle is also scheduled to speak in California and New York this month. "It certainly raises speculation by folks about his future, but he remains in a position at this time that he does not intend to run but doesn't rule it out," said Hildebrand of a presidential run.
Hildebrand, who is director of Daschle's political action committee, said the fundraising figures will show up on the committee's campaign finance report at the end of this month. He said Daschle gave to vulnerable members of the House and Senate, including challengers to Republican senators in Rhode Island and Montana.
Daschle, who was defeated by Republican John Thune, has been vocal in his criticism of the Bush administration recently, calling for withdrawal of troops from Iraq and saying he rejected an administration request for the use of wiretaps on American citizens when Congress authorized the use of force against al-Qaida after the Sept. 11 attacks.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DASCHLE_FUNDRAISING?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US
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