Larry Craig praises his kids on Web site

U.S. Sen. Larry Craig may be a pariah in many Idaho precincts as a result of his airport bathroom two-step. But his three adopted children still thinks he walks tall. As many dads enjoyed playing king for a day Sunday, Craig reflected on the support he got from Mike, Jay and Shae. On his U.S. Senate Web site, Craig wrote: “I remember Shae’s first date and her first breakup, Mike’s first car and Jay’s first soccer game. But nothing affected me as emotionally as my children’s love and loyalty during the dark days of last August.” At the Washington Post, blogger Mary Ann Akers notes that Michael Craig defended his father as ” … a victim of circumstance, in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Hmm. Craig awards such loyalty – blind loyalty – with this praise: “They were relentless in correcting the record – in television interviews and in doggedly responding to newspaper reporters’ endless questions. And when I appeared before the media to respond to unspeakable accusations, my kids stood with me, looking my accusers squarely in the eye.” Craig’s kids were collateral damage when he refused to own up to his crime – and quit as he initially told Idahoans he would do. Seems Craig’ll always be in denial.

Carrying wastewater

Last week, state Rep. Bob Nonini, R-Hagadone HQ, e-mailed a public documents request to the city of Coeur d’Alene, asking for a copy of CDA’s wastewater risk management plan. He was told by City Clerk Susan Weathers that the plan is protected under national security laws. Therefore, he’d have to indicate which pages of the plan he wanted. And they’d have to be OK’d for copying purposes by the city attorney’s office. What’s Nonini up to? As one city wag quipped: “He’s carrying Duane Hagadone’s wastewater.” Nonini and Hagadone, of course, are strident opponents of the proposed education corridor. Even though Nonini would like you to believe he isn’t.

Huckleberries

What had delegates from southern Idaho buzzin’ at the Idaho GOP convention last weekend in Sandpoint? North Idaho’s beauty, according to S-R reporter Erica Curless … So why did state Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake, miss the GOPfest? The docs were waiting for the swelling to go down on the foot he broke a coupla weeks earlier. Mike didn’t know he’d broken his foot until he had it checked out … Yeah, Huckleberries knows why that Boy Scout leader was smoking behind U.S. Senate wannabe Rex Rammell’s bus at the GOP convention in Sandpoint (thanks to S-R reporter Erica Curless). He didn’t want to set a bad example for his troops who raised the U.S. flag at the Bonner County fairgrounds … State Rep. George Eskridge, R-Dover, drank the Ron Paul water at the convention. He explained to HBO that he imbibed in the bottled water, which featured a photo of smiling Ron Paul and the slogan, “Clear Choice,” as a show of solidarity. No, Eskridge’s water didn’t contain Kool-ade, too … State Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, was surprised when a conventioneer asked about entertainment, responding: “It can’t get more entertaining than this.” By this, she meant R’ discussing pot, open primaries, and a new chairman.

Parting shot

A nugget can be found in the proposed lease agreement with the city of CDA that would give UIdaho at least 99 years at the seven-acre Harbor Center on the Spokane River and rights to 2.5 more acres for $1.3 million. In the contract, which could be approved by the Idaho Board of Education today or Friday, the 2.5 acres adjacent to North Idaho College was appraised at $1.9 million. At that rate, the 17-acre education corridor being considered for purchase by North Idaho College would have a valuation of $13.3 million. Developer Marshall Chesrown is asking $10 million for the old DeArmond mill site. Yeah, I know, $10 million used to be a lot of money.