Campaign ‘96

The check’s in the mail, politics aren’t dirty and I’ll remember you in Washington

In an election season nastier than most, and in an arena famous for the hollow statement, it’s difficult to select a winner of the least believable words of the campaign season. Five of the top statements uttered during the World Series of political absurdity would include:

“I am running nothing but positive ads, telling people where I stand”- Democratic U.S. House candidate Dan Williams, after months of telling voters nothing but what was wrong with Republican opponent Helen Chenoweth.

“Idahoans deserve a thorough debate of the issues” - Republican U.S. Sen. Larry Craig, who refused repeated invitations to show up for more than two debates with challenger Walt Minnick. Craig always said his schedule wouldn’t allow it.

“It wasn’t considered money laundering or trying to hide money or anything else” - Idaho House Speaker Mike Simpson, when asked why the state Republican Party was asking legislative candidates to send the state party some of the money the candidates received from the National Republican Congressional Committee. The state Republicans want the recycled bucks to fund a last-minute Republican get-out-the-vote blitz, in large part to help congressional candidates.

The Idaho Sportsmen’s Heritage Defense Fund is “a group of 124 local organizations dedicated to preserving hunting and wildlife management practices in Idaho,” the group’s campaign literature claims. The list that follows includes such great local groups as the Houston Safari Club, Illinois Bowhunting, Yakima Valley Hound Club, Alaska Bowhunters and New London County Sportman’s Club.

“I missed this item when filing my personal financial disclosure statement. I gained nothing from this omission” - U.S. Rep. Helen Chenoweth, when disclosing in September that she failed to report a $50,000 loan from a former client, prompting one of more than a dozen campaign finance disclosure amendments.

Campaign clutter

Speaking of unbelievable, newspaper fax machines around the state heated up immediately after Minnick announced he was pulling his nasty ads with supposed letters to the editor lauding the Boise businessman taking the high road. No organized campaign here, unless you count the identical typeface, the identical style, the simultaneous fax and, in a few cases, a similar return address. There’s a place for that type of campaigning. We call it the wastebasket.

Timely news

There is some confusion out there about when the polls are open in Idaho, no doubt because the hours run differently in our sister state of Washington. For the record, you can cast your ballot between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. in Idaho.

International political conspiracy

Idaho Rep. Wayne Meyer, a Rathdrum Republican, recently reported the $6,000 theft of a 1975 International flat bed pickup from property on Meyer Road. It’s no surprise Meyer had a road with a name of its own. But $6,000 for a 21-year-old International pickup? That gives you inflationary worries. Or it makes you wish for a boatload of International pickups for a budget-reduction benefit auction.

The latest results are …

People who can’t go to sleep in the wee hours after the election or want politics with the morning after breakfast can tap into two Spokesman-Review sources for up-to-date election results. Those who want to know by phone should call (208) 765-8811 on a Touch-Tone phone and then press 9893. Computer surfers will want to tap into our website to find the political play-by-play. Look under www.virtuallynw.com and follow the signs to Election Central.

Campaign Calendar

Kootenai County Republican Women Federated already have a victory celebration planned. It begins at 8:30 p.m. at Agency One, 7600 Mineral Drive in Coeur d’Alene. For more information call Shirlee Wandrocke at 664-1052.

, DataTimes MEMO: Campaign ‘96 is published regularly during the campaign season and is compiled by Ken Olsen from staff reports.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by Ken Olsen from staff reports