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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Campaign ‘96

Compiled From Staff Reports

Fool’s Parade, Part I

Despite heavy competition, Kootenai County Democrats captured the award for the most obnoxious participants in Coeur d’Alene’s Fourth of July parade. First, they sued over a foolish prohibition on passing out so-called campaign literature (that’s literature as in fiction, right?). Then they compounded the embarrassment by announcing candidates would walk the parade route “not once, but twice.” The second trip was to “clean up any of their literature accidentally discarded by parade watchers.” Apparently the First Amendment gives you free speech rights, but also the right to make a fool of yourself.

Parade Finale

If it was a cold day for literature-pushing Democrats, things didn’t seem a whole lot warmer for watercraft. Hydroplanes rolled down Sherman Avenue in the parade got the silent treatment from onlookers. That may bode well for the success of an initiative on the November ballot that would keep hydroplane races off Lake Coeur d’Alene.

Polling paranoia

Back in Washington, D.C., the conservative Washington Times announced the alarming news that its recent poll revealed “89 percent of Washington journalists voted for Mr. Clinton in 1992. And only 2 percent admit they’re conservative.” The paper’s solution to this crisis? Journalists should subscribe to its national weekly edition!

Bullish on Republicans

U.S. Sen. Larry Craig, hanging around North Idaho for a couple of days last week and acting like it’s a campaign year, didn’t show any worry lines from his bout with upstart Democratic challenger Walt Minnick. Heck, Craig even is predicting that the U.S. Senate will gain two Republicans, “worst-case scenario.” Of course you don’t predict otherwise when you are running on the ticket of the party you expect to be in power. Meanwhile Idaho Farm Bureau President Dean Kleckner got together with Craig to have a press conference about the new farm bill. That’s generating speculation that Kleckner wants to run the U.S. Department of Agriculture if Bob Dole becomes president. Can you say “National Spud Week”?

Got a set of (rusty) wheels?

They say a millionaire knows where every dollar goes and the rest of us just spend our money. Minnick keeps showing that over and over, most recently by asking people to donate used cars, motorcycles and “that old four-wheel drive in the yard.” The campaign even wants old buses and motor homes. Might be a way to get some of those unsightly yellow skeletons off of the blocks and out of the backwoods of North Idaho.

Web Site of the Week

If recent focus on Third Party candidates makes you wonder what they’re all about, here are some sites to satisfy that curiosity. The Taxpayers Party can be found at http://www.USTaxpayers.org/ … The Green Party, which supports biodiversity, opposes herbicides, pesticides and the death penalty, and would unilaterally disarm the U.S., is pushing Ralph Nader’s candidacy in states where it is organized. It can be found at http://www.greens … The Libertarian Party, which would repeal laws against drugs, prostitution, gambling and euthanasia, eventually abolish federal taxes and replace Social Security with a voluntary private system, is at http://www.lp.org/lp … Ross Perot’s Reform Party is at http:/ /www.reformparty.org.

, DataTimes MEMO: Campaign ‘96 is published regularly during the campaign season and is compiled from staff reports. To submit information on a political event or a question you want the candidates to answer, write us c/o The Idaho Spokesman-Review, 608 Northwest Boulevard, Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814. Or call Cityline at (208) 765-8811 on a Touch-Tone phone, then press 9893 to leave a message, your name and phone number.

Campaign ‘96 is published regularly during the campaign season and is compiled from staff reports. To submit information on a political event or a question you want the candidates to answer, write us c/o The Idaho Spokesman-Review, 608 Northwest Boulevard, Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814. Or call Cityline at (208) 765-8811 on a Touch-Tone phone, then press 9893 to leave a message, your name and phone number.