The Right To Be Rude
When you encounter a U.S. president who wants to shake your hand, Miss Manners would tell you to do so - no matter what you think of him. Also, it is permissible to engage him in small talk, particularly on sports topics. Whatever you do, however, it’s bad form to tell our chief executive: “You suck.” It might hurt his feelings. Besides, the Secret Service won’t like it. On July 2, Patricia Mendoza, upset by the Saudi Arabia bombing that killed 19 U.S. servicemen, gave President Clinton a piece of her small mind when he made an impromptu stop at a Chicago food fair. She and her husband were arrested for disorderly conduct - and instantly became the darlings of conservative talk radio, which defended their right to be rude. A preliminary hearing for the Mendozas is scheduled Tuesday in Chicago, the second day of the Democratic National Convention - unless, of course, the potentially embarrassing court proceeding gets postponed until after the election. Where have you gone, Paula Jones?
16th time’s the charm for Helen?
What’s with Idaho Rep. “Give-Em-Helen” Chenoweth’s inability to clean up her 1994 campaign finance reports? Since taking office, she has amended her federal statements 15 times and still may not have them right. She has Idaho Democrats screaming bloody murder again - this time over a land deal made by Chenoweth to help finance her 1994 primary campaign. The sale never was recorded, and Chenoweth hasn’t produced any documents to show that it took place. Chenoweth contends the sale is routine. But then she misrepresented a $40,000 unsecured bank loan for seven months as a personal loan to her campaign before securing it with a second mortgage on her Boise home. The Republican congresswoman should know by now that shady rural land dealings can come back to haunt a woman on the move.
My crown for a chocolate eclair
Call it Revenge of the Red Hot Mommas. Call it poetic justice. Call it whatever you will. But it’s hard to empathize with Venezuela’s Alicia Machado, a 5-foot-9 beauty who may be in danger of losing her Miss Universe crown unless she sheds a few Big Macs. According to rumors, she has grown to 130 pounds since the May pageant. Seems she has a thing for chocolate, pasta and corn pancakes. Now, she reportedly has to shed 20 pounds in two weeks - or else. Her mother contends that Alicia looks heavier because she had four wisdom teeth pulled and her face swelled up. That’s my problem, too. I really can take or leave peanut butter.
, DataTimes MEMO: D.F. Oliveria’s “Hot Potatoes” runs Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can comment on the items by calling (800) 344-6718 or (208) 765-7125 or by sending e-mail to daveo@spokesman.com.