Sandpoint retiree’s teatime makes the big Times
Now that she has a lead role in a North Idaho Tea Party movement, Pam Stout, 66, is lucky that she has jettisoned her shyness. Otherwise, the Sandpoint woman would be overwhelmed by the spotlight shined on her by the New York Times Monday – front page and two inside pages. Reporter David Barstow led off his long piece about the Tea Party movement by describing Stout’s pilgrimage from shy retiree to nominating herself to be president of the Sandpoint Tea Party Patriots. She told the Times reporter that she was transformed after listening to former Arizona Sheriff Richard Mack bring 1,400 to their feet during a speech in Post Falls. Barstow writes: “Mrs. Stout said she felt as if she had been handed a road map to rebellion. Members of her family, she said, think she has disappeared down a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories. But Mrs. Stout said she has never felt so engaged.” The Times also interviewed human-rights activists Tony Stewart and Rachel Dolezal. Who are nervous about the Tea Party movement. And ends with Stout wondering if another civil war is necessary to fix this country. That kind of talk would make anyone nervous.
Fan mail
Gregg Mathews of Valleyford, Wash., didn’t appreciate that commentary I wrote for Handle Extra last Sunday, criticizing Benewah County Sheriff Robert Kirts. Who refuses to give Coeur d’Alene tribal police authority to arrest non-Indians on their reservation. E-mails Mathews: “I myself love to go to Benewah County and might not be a bad idea to get a reputation as bit crude area. Might just keep your kind from moving in and destroying it. Have a nice day and hope your one of the first Tribal police to get the ticket.” Can you feel the love? … Meanwhile, Ralph Brandvold of St. Maries offered these, ahem, “kind words” re: the commentary: “The Spokesman will hire anyone, you need to go back where ever you came from!! I canceled my subscription, and will have not have a good thing to say about you or the paper of LIES.” So does Rudy want me to go back to Lewiston? Where I still could write about the lousy treatment the tribe gets at the hands of county elected oafishals?
Huckleberries
Poet’s Corner: “Please bless the hockey/and figure skate twirling,/but spare us O Lord/from any more curling” – The Bard of Sherman Avenue (“Poet’s Corner Prayer for the Winter Olympics”) … Rattled colleague Greg Lee declares that the Mother of All Potholes this break-up season lurks at Atlas and Seltice Way, in front of the old Stimson/IFI mill, waiting to misalign vehicles. Quoth Greg: “If I had gotten out of my car and stepped in it, I would have been in it up to my ears.” ’Tis the second time that spot needs attention this winter … Bumpersnicker (spotted by John Livingston on a black pickup on Ash/Spokane): “I didn’t fight my way to the top of the food chain to eat vegetables” … Huckleberries Online Poll: 66 percent of my blog crowd said that Idaho should privatize liquor sales rather than continue to monopolize them. Ditto for a similar Lewiston Tribune online poll. But I wouldn’t hold my breath re: privatization. The state won’t let go of that $45M in revenue it gets for the liquor monopoly … One bar patron had an unusual concern re: that plan by two downtown taverns (Icon and Baja Bargarita) to use metal detectors to ensure cuss-tomers aren’t packing heat. The Hayden resident called the sheriff’s office to ask what effect those wands would have on his pacemaker. Seems the impact of booze would be more dangerous.
Parting Shot
Mainstream Repub Christa Manis can’t figure out why Dems are tailing her on vacations. Last year, she encountered tight security when she visited San Francisco because President Obama was to speak at her hotel. Recently, Christa ran into similar security hassles because VP Joe Biden was speaking at a fundraiser for Patty Murray at her hotel in Seattle. On the positive side, ya gotta figure there’s no bedbugs in hotels that attract the cream of the Dem crop.