Election ‘98
Tupperware politics
Talk about your grassroots campaign effort. Jim Sinsley, Republican candidate for Kootenai County Commissioner, is having a garage sale April 17 to help raise fuel for his campaign machine. Or maybe at the county level, it’s a motor scooter. Sinsley may not make a bundle, but it’s a brilliant way to meet voters. Just consider the hordes of garage sale addicts making the rounds every Saturday morning.
Gimme some spotlight
Cecil Kelly III has called the purveyor of this column to complain that his name did not appear in the last run of political notebook. The dedicated Democrat probably deserves some mention. After all, Kelly seems to appear at nearly every public function these days passing out literature about why he should be elected Kootenai County Commissioner. If he gets the job, we predict it won’t take many months before he’s trying to keep his name out of the newspaper. Stay tuned to polling central.
The Lone Stranger
Meanwhile back at the Cowboy Hall of Fame, Jack Wayne Chappell has launched a missive declaring the Associated Press the nadir of American Journalism for not recognizing he is “the frontrunning Democratic candidate for governor,” as well as the one candidate “that elitists fear the most.” We haven’t heard back from the elitists on that one, but we figure the street crews in Boise are afraid. Chappell is the guy who circled the state capitol in February on his mule Spotty to announce his candidacy. Picture this: A governor, atop a mule, ending each day in office with “Hi-Ho Spotty and Away.”
Yawners Unite
While the cowpokes provide colorful entertainment for the voters, other candidates are giving them the No-Doze test. Wally Hedrick, candidate for Superintendent of Schools announced a press conference to announce his “major endorsements.” Boise attorney Bill Mauk, who is running for U.S. Senate declared, “The only thing keeping taxpayers from getting the relief and protection they deserve this year is politics as usual.” And as for the previous 200 years, Bill?
Top dollars for the top dog?
The Idaho Land Board called a special meeting to talk about giving the director of the Idaho Department of Lands a temporary salary increase. Lucky he has a board with such power. Legions of other state employees, barely eking out any raise for years, must envy that perk.
Where’s Friar Tuck
In the wacky word watch, U.S. Rep. Helen Chenoweth called New Jersey’s Sterling Forest the Sherwood Forest more than once during a debate on the House Floor. Is Robin Hood now taking lumber from the rich and giving to the poor?
Campaign finance consternation
Perhaps the whackiest exchange last week came between Chenoweth and Democratic challenger Dan Williams over Williams’ call for both to swear off independent advertising efforts in the campaign. Chenoweth refused, saying it would violate her First Amendment rights. … No doubt that includes the right to complain about how much money Williams gets from labor. Williams helped himself to more union-loving labels by vowing to support a $1 an hour increase in the minimum wage, an idea long embraced by labor. Of course the more they make, the more they can give…