DeePee (RE: statement, "with Popkey now peddlin' Labrador"): FWIW, Chris Carlson made the transition from newspapering to flacking for Cecil Andrus without losing an ounce of integrity, and so have others, so give Popkey a break here. Chris will be up here on Sept. 18 at the NP Depot in Wallace to read from his bio on Cecil. We had lunch in May; Chris is battling many health demons but, living in Medimont now, still manages to get a fly in the water every week. Don't sell a reporter short for going to work for a pol. Sometimes integrity matters to both sides of that bargaining table.

DFO: DeePee brings up a great point. Chris Carlson made the jump from journalism to PR for such bright lights as Cecil Andrus. His books from that experience re: recent history of Idaho are invaluable. Other journalists have performed well after jumping into the PR world. Keith Erickson, for example, is doing a bang-up job with the city of Coeur d'Alene. However, there is a bit of a stigma attached to a journalist who is suppose to be objective entering a subjective profession. It's hard to return to the media, once you cross over. Bill Hall, the former long-time Opinion Page editor of the Lewiston Tribune did it, jumping from journalism to Frank Church's staff and back again. But I'd say he's an exception to the rule. Then, with journalism in the shape it is, I wonder how many journo-turned-PRmeister would want to return. Anyone?