When the Red Hot Mamas from Hayden went by in the inaugural parade, there was a familiar face standing at the side of President George W. Bush – Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne.

Kempthorne, who spent the past week in Washington, D.C. working with other governors to lobby for more state aid for Medicaid and attending inaugural festivities, was among several governors joining Bush in the viewing stand for the parade. As the Idaho act went by, he stepped up next to the president, who had First Lady Laura Bush on his other side. That prompted some viewers to wonder if Kempthorne’s prominent viewing spot signified that he’s up for an administration job – something that’s been rumored off and on.

There’s no word on that front. Kempthorne’s press secretary, Mike Journee, said, “He wasn’t there the entire time. He did come up when there was an Idaho part of the parade going by.”

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