Jim Camden: Politicians don’t take summers off

We have not yet reached the dog days of summer, when news mountains can be made from information mole hills, but the state political parties seem headed there faster than the rest of us.

Consider, for example, the Washington state Republicans, who were trying to whip up righteous indignation against congressional Democrats.

Yes, that is their job. But one must pick one’s battles, right?

Last week they sent out a fuming press release denouncing the six Democrats in the House delegation for voting against an amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill: “WA Dems refuse to protect Snake River, Columbia dams.”

State GOP Chairman Luke Esser was duly outraged that, unlike Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and the state’s other two House Republicans, the Democrats voted against a proposal to ban any federal money from being used to tear down a federal hydroelectric dam.

“Spending any money to remove or study the removal of these dams is fiscally irresponsible and bad for the environment,” he scolded, adding that the vote “puts 40,000 jobs in the Portland area directly in danger.”

But before Palouse readers grab shotguns and head for a dam to ward off a phalanx of government bulldozers driven by environmentalists, consider what Rep. Peter Visclosky, D-Ind., the chairman of the subcommittee that wrote the bill, said during the debate:

“Certainly, this country and the government should proceed very carefully before any such decision (on breaching dams) is made. I would point out, however, that there are no funds in this bill for that purpose. I would remind my colleagues that authorization and direct appropriations for this purpose would also be needed.”

So it wouldn’t seem that those Portland-area jobs are in immediate danger. For those who say that Visclosky can’t be trusted because, well, he’s a Democrat, consider what Ohio Rep. David Hobson, the panel’s ranking Republican, had to say.

The amendment is “too broadly written and could lead to unintended negative consequences,” Hobson said. Congress should find a way “to see how we can get some language at some point that might address the problem in a more appropriate way.”

The amendment got hammered, by the way, 157 yes votes to 247 no votes.

Welcome to Seattle, Mr. Attorney General

State Democrats, meanwhile, were hyping the expected visit of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to Seattle this week. He will “return to the scene of the crime” and visit the office once occupied by former U.S. Attorney John McKay, Chairman Dwight Pelz said.

“Gonzales owes Washingtonians an explanation for firing John McKay, who refused to follow orders from backers of Dino Rossi’s failed bid for governor,” Pelz said in a press release.

And if that happens – don’t hold your breath – state Democrats should give Gonzales a gold-embossed Thank You card for handing them a bat with which they can continue to beat the administration.

Question is, who gets whacked next?

Hillary Clinton’s latest campaign video goes after a previously untested segment of the electorate – Sopranos fans – with an ad that is part spoof, part homage to the recent season finale.

It’s not clear if voters who weren’t fans of the series will get all the in-jokes, but Sopranos junkies definitely will. It opens with Hillary in a restaurant, at a table, waiting. In walks Bill, who sits down and glances at the menu, only to have her tell him she’s ordered for the table. He looks down at a plate of carrots and says “No onion rings?”

And where’s Chelsea? “Parallel parking,” Bill says.

True Soprano-philes – even if they’re good Republicans – might want to check it out just to see how many other references they can catch. A link can be found on the Internet version of Spin Control.

Catch the candidates

With the primary less than two months away, candidate forums and appearances are likely to pop up all over the area. Sponsors and campaigns should send information to the number or address listed below for inclusion online and in future columns. Here’s one listing that came in for this week:

Thursday: Mayoral candidate Mary Verner at a question-and-answer session. 7 p.m., East Central Community Center, 500 S. Stone.