In Sioux Falls, Klobuchar says Trump is a 'whiner,' will hit 'beautiful blue wall' in Midwest

Jonathan Ellis | Sioux Falls Argus Leader

An earlier version of this story misidentified Dave Roetman's political party.

Amy Klobuchar brought the zingers.

The Minnesota Senator and Democratic presidential candidate stopped in Sioux Falls Monday ahead of a holiday trip home. Democrats crammed into the home of Brendan Johnson, the former U.S. attorney and son of former Sen. Tim Johnson, to hear Klobuchar, and to write checks to her campaign.

Johnson introduced Klobuchar and recalled that when his father had a brain hemorrhage in 2006, the newly elected Klobuchar had “South Dakota’s back” while his father recovered for much of 2007. Johnson marveled at the turnout, which was between 100 and 200 people, saying he’d expected only 30.

“The reality is, this is a campaign we know speaks to so many of us,” he said.

Klobuchar, one of the survivors in what was a jam-packed Democratic field, has enjoyed a good week following a debate in Los Angeles. During the debate, she got attention for criticizing Pete Buttigieg’s comment about a wine cave fundraiser, saying she only knew about Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota.

Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar visits Sioux Falls Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar speaks to a crowd of people during a meet and greet on Monday, Dec. 23, 2019 at former U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson's home in Sioux Falls.

Klobuchar talked about her ties to the state, saying that as a child growing up, her family frequently went to the Black Hills for vacations. “This was our big vacation place. We went here all the time.”

She said America does "not need a whiner in the White House," and lauded recent Democratic victories in Virginia, Kentucky, Louisiana and Kansas, noting that President Trump’s supporters had all been beaten.

“My question is, where can we send him next?” she said to applause and laughter while implying that Trump is a loser.

She said Democrats were in the process of building a “beautiful blue wall” across the Midwest. “We’re going to make Donald Trump pay for it,” she said.

Des Moines Register: Riding debate momentum, Amy Klobuchar plans to have visited all 99 Iowa counties by year's end

In a statement, Dave Roetman, the political director for the South Dakota Republican Party said: "South Dakota Democrats keep bringing in these fourth-tier candidates. First was presidential wannabe Joe Sanberg for the Democrat dinner in April, and now Amy Klobuchar, who has raised the least amount of money and is polling near the bottom at 4 percent."

On policy, Klobuchar has positioned herself as a moderate. Unlike some Democrats who want a government-run health care system and free college, Klobuchar has advocated for strengthening the Affordable Care Act and making college more affordable. She said the country needs better long-term care insurance options for the nation’s elderly population, and she said the country’s higher education system needs to also focus on trade schools.

“We’re not going to have a shortage of MBAs in this country, we’re going to have a shortage of plumbers,” she said.

That pragmaticism appeals to Marilyn Rasmussen, who listened to Klobuchar on Monday.

“She’s made a very good case for, could you even get some of that through Congress,” she said of other Democrats who have advocated for free health care and college. “You might as well aim for something that is achievable.”

Klobuchar faces her first test with voters when Iowa kicks off the nominating contests on Feb. 3.