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Huckleberries: Craig’s new GOP job prompts potshot

Wonkette, the left-leaning online mag, said the selection of former U.S. Sen. Larry Craig to be finance chair for the Idaho Republican Party is “an inspiring holiday story of forgiveness and redemption.”

Wonkette, of course, was being sarcastic. In a recent article, Wonkette’s Doctor Zoom continued: “It’s heartening to know that even after Craig was arrested in 2007 and charged with soliciting sex in a bathroom stall in the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport, then ordered to pay the Treasury Department roughly $242,000 after using campaign funds to cover his legal defense, Idaho Republicans are still willing to give Sen. Widestance a second chance.”

The article concludes with Dr. Zoom reminding readers how Idaho’s erstwhile “moral scold” called President Bill Clinton “a nasty, bad, naughty boy” during a 1999 “Meet the Press” interview. Elephants may forgive and forget when it comes to their own. But political opponents never do.

Sticker shock

Vicki Isakson of Post Falls was philosophical after making an unsettling discovery last week: “Have you ever taken off all your clothes and discovered a small sticker on your body – like you were a piece of produce? I would feel much better about discovering such a thing if mine would have said ‘organic’ ” … The weather outside isn’t as frightful as usual this December. Which prompted Kerri Thoreson’s thoughts to turn to spring. The Post Falls councilwoman Facebooked Thursday: “Temps in the 50s on the 11th day of December in North Idaho. If it wasn’t for the pesky raindrops that are accompanying the Pineapple Express, I’d be tempted to make it a top down kind of day. On my car, that is.” Of course … Twenty-seven years ago (almost to the day), Gary Norton redubbed the Henley Aerodrome as “Silverwood” because he wanted a name that had “a little bit of class” and reflected the region’s mining history. Things seem to have worked out.

Huckleberries

Poet’s Corner: “A pile of feathers left for dead,/all bruised and battered, broken, red;/but now we hear a thunder squawk – /that’s no Phoenix – that’s the Seahawk!” – The Bard of Sherman Avenue (“Phoenix Rising?”) … Poll: U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, contends that the release of the report on CIA torture was “reckless and irresponsible.” But 56 percent of my Huckleberries blog readers ( www.spokesman. com/blogs/hbo) disagree with him … And the answer is – $45. The question: What’s the going rate for a lock shop in the Coeur d’Alene area to unlock your car, if you leave the keys in it? It happened twice at Costco and once at Goodwill last week … Overheard at McEuen Park last Monday – a young woman talking loudly on her cellphone: “I can’t understand that he broke up with her because she wouldn’t talk to him – and then he’s mad because she won’t take his calls to see if she’s alright.” Sounds like it’s time for someone to move on … Sighted (by Nic Casey of Coeur d’Alene last week): A man with a monstrous beard and a lumberjack physique. This, and a handwritten sign taped to the back window of his Subaru Forester: “BACK OFF MY REAR.” Nic said the close encounter with “Idaho traffic” made his day.

Parting shot

Seems like only yesterday that Idaho Vandals football coach Paul Petrino was blaming the social media and denying rumors that former Coeur d’Alene High QB Chad Chalich wanted out of his one-win-per-year program. Actually, it was about three weeks ago. Said Petrino about the possible transfer then: “As far as I know, that’s not the case.” Last week, Idaho granted Chalich his release from the basement of the Sun Belt Conference. Chalich is free to talk with Montana, Idaho State and Sacramento State.

Meanwhile, Petrino’s credibility took a blow.

Dave Oliveria blogs about North Idaho issues on his Huckleberries Online blog, www.spokesman.com/ hbo.

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