Limbaugh and Novak under fire for Crossfire comment

Accuses South Dakota Indians of stealing election

PIERRE SD
Sam Lewin 1/9/2004

Democrats, Republicans, tribal leaders and political action groups have all attacked conservative commentator Robert Novak over remarks he made on CNN this week. Novak said on Crossfire Tuesday that Native Americans in South Dakota stuffed ballot boxes, helping Senator Tim Johnson win a close election in 2002 against challenger John Thune. Thune is now running against Senator Tom Daschle. Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh defended Novak and challenged listeners to take him to task for accusing Indian tribes in South Dakota for stealing the 2002 Senate election.

“In 2002, Thune would have been elected to the state's other Senate seat, but the election was stolen by stuffing ballot boxes on the Indian reservations. Now Tom Daschle may have to pay for that theft,” Novak said.