About the oddest thing about President George W. Bush’s plans to visit Idaho later this month is that he hasn’t come sooner. Never, once, has this two-term Republican president visited the state with an all-Republican congressional delegation that’s given him more than two-thirds of its vote both times he ran.

The Idaho Statesman reported this morning that Bush may spend a couple of days vacationing in McCall and also apparently will hold a rally at the Idaho Center for military troops and their families the week after next. Today, the White House confirmed to the Associated Press that Bush will make his first visit to Idaho since taking office this month, but offered no more details.

Meanwhile, Vice Prez Dick Cheney, who’s shown up here often, is scheduled to attend a fundraiser for Sen. Larry Craig in Boise on Monday.