AM Hucks: Leaf It, For Modesty’s Sake

North Idaho College sophomores Spence Butterfield , 22, and Travis Temple , 19, have nothing on John Goedde , as far as the Coeur d’Alene Republican state senator is concerned. Butterfield and Temple are the two candidates for the NIC Student Senate featured nearly nude (save for strategically located tree leaves) in posters around campus. One young man struck a pose mimicking Rodin’s “The Thinker,” the other, Michelangelo’s “David.” (David was classically posed sans leaf.) The posters and the ensuing sexual harassment flap were on state Sen. Goedde’s mind as he began his three-minute speech during a candidates forum in the NIC student union Tuesday. You’d never see me doing something like that, Goedde quipped, because (drum roll, puh-leez) “there isn’t a leaf big enough.” Huckleberries heard that the audience gasped. At least two witnesses interpreted Goedde’s comments to mean that he was bragging about … ah … well … you know. But Goedde had a different explanation after I posted online his comment and a Photoshopped image of him wearing only a tree leaf. (See what you miss when you’re not reading Huckleberries Online weekdays?) Quoth John: “You missed the point entirely. To be unoffensive (sic) at my age and in my physical condition, the leaf would have to be huge. It has nothing to do with private parts.” Ohhh … K. The NIC votes were counted last night. Dunno if the beefcake helped Butterfield and Temple. But Goedde remains the favorite to retain his Senate District 4 seat, with or without leaf.