This one could be a different kind of town-hall meeting.

Rapid City's town hall on health care reform Friday will be unlike similar events in other states where Democratic members of Congress have been challenged - and sometimes shouted down - by opponents of health care reform.

Is turnabout fair play? We'll see.

Republican Sen. John Thune, who organized town-hall meetings on health care in Rapid City and three other South Dakota towns, opposes the reform proposals by President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress. And he'll likely have strong supporters on hand at 8:30 a.m. Friday, when his town hall begins in the Surbeck Center at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.

But Thune also could be challenged, or at least intensively questioned, at his own meeting by supporters of reform, if they show up as expected. And health care reform advocate Jane Murphy believes they will.

"Sen. Thune's town hall meetings are a great opportunity for citizens of all opinions and concerns to express themselves and ask tough questions," said Murphy, director of the pro-reform South Dakotans for Health Care Solutions. "I have no doubt that the senator and his people will do their best to treat everyone equally and fairly."

Murphy said members of the pro-reform coalition will attend the Rapid City meeting and "listen, ask questions and become better informed." She said it's well past time that more South Dakotans, and especially the news media, got engaged by the health care issue.

Murphy thinks the angry disruptions at some town-hall meetings in other states received disproportionate coverage and emphasis, while less-dramatic events of substance were ignored or underplayed. South Dakotans for Health Care Solution held six public forums on health care, including two in Rapid City, two in Sioux Falls and one each in Kyle and Sturgis. Yet they received little notice or coverage, she said.

"But now that the media and the public are paying more attention, perhaps we can get the attention of our members of Congress to let them know we know there's a critical problem," she said.

As members of the party that is in power and driving health care reform, Sen. Tim Johnson and Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin have been targeted by opponents of that reform and its Democratic proponents in Congress and the White House. Herseth Sandlin didn't support the U.S. House version of reform in its most recent form. As a member of the moderate-leaning Blue Dog Coalition of House Democrats, Herseth Sandlin helped stop work on the reform bill until after the August recent.

Johnson supports reform but said there is much work left before a final version is passed.

Both he and Herseth Sandlin have previously held meetings and hearings on health care, but in more controlled environments than the typically wide-open town-hall format. Neither Democrat is planning a health-care town hall. They've been criticized for that and for the fact that none of their previous health care meetings were held west of the Missouri River.

"I was, frankly, appalled that our three representatives (in Congress) had no plans to come here to hear our views and clearly state theirs," said Don Atyia of Deadwood, who describes himself as a "right-leaning independent."

Atyia said he supports health care reform but believes the far-reaching plan pushed by Obama to be "a total debacle." He remains frustrated that neither Johnson nor Herseth Sandlin will have a public meeting on health care in western South Dakota, although he is gratified that Thune is having his.

Johnson doesn't apologize for not scheduling town-hall meetings on health care. He pointed to a series of five hearings and round-table discussion on health care in East River towns, as well a standing solicitation on his Web site of personal health care stories that has collected more than 200.

He also is appearing on a South Dakota Public Radio show on health care.

As for the town-hall-style meeting, Johnson said it can be manipulated by activists on this subject.

"I refuse to give a forum to the distortions that are forthcoming from the Republican Party," Johnson said. "I fear that this is staged and designed to frighten senior citizens and other good people."

Johnson said most South Dakotas would be responsible at town halls called by Democrats. And most would seek real answers to legitimate questions. But a few acting together could disrupt otherwise meaningful public events, he said.

"I fear that a small minority of people worked up by Rush Limbaugh and others to impose their opinions without giving a chance for the other side to speak," Johnson said. "I don't think that's the way South Dakotans want it, and I will answer questions. But the questions, I feel, should be questions and not insults."

Thune said some citizens are likely to get emotional, which is understandable given the serious nature of health care reform. He doesn't expect significant disruptions at his town-hall meetings on the subject, but he does expect an intensely engaged audience.

"There's a lot of interest in it. Some people say it's all been orchestrated. But I think there's a lot of passion out there, and it's hard to manufacture the kinds of crowds they've been seeing," Thune said. "I think the people need to be heard."

Thune said health care reform has been the top constituent issue during his past two weeks of travel through the state. He said his first town hall on health care in Aberdeen went well.

"As you might expect, South Dakotans have expressed their concerns in a very civil manner," he said.

Herseth Sandlin, who joined Johnson in three health care hearings and has gathered thousands of comments on health care from South Dakotans, didn't respond personally to a Journal request for comments on this story. Press Secretary Betsy Hart said, however, that Herseth Sandlin continues to discuss health care and other issues with constituents during the August congressional recess.

"We have scheduled her time home in August in order to facilitate a frequent and productive dialogue with a range of South Dakotans to gather input on the various proposals being considered," Hart said. "Again, this is why she worked with the Blue Dogs, to make sure that no vote was taken in the House before folks had a chance to get home and talk it over with constituents."

Both Johnson and Herseth Sandlin will be in Rapid City next week for several events. Most notable is their meeting with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki on Wednesday, to discuss veterans' health care issues in the region. Shinseki came to South Dakota through a request by Johnson and Herseth Sandlin.

Neither plans to attend Thune's town hall. But plenty of others are expected to be there. Murphy said people should listen, learn and ask questions in a serious, civil manner.

"When our members of Congress make themselves available to the people they represent, and the media, everyone is expected to behave courteously," Murphy said. "Whether we agree or disagree."

Contact Kevin Woster at 394-8413 or kevin.woster@rapidcityjournal.com