Huckleberries: Right, far-right wings flap

Now that local Republicans have chased the last Democrat from the Kootenai County Courthouse – County Clerk Dan English – it’ll be interesting to see if they can get their own house in order. First on the agenda of the Ron Paul/Rally Right wing is to send State Committeeman Matt Roetter packing, for supporting write-in Howard Griffiths over favorite son/tax dodger Rep. Phil Hart of Athol. But the RP/RRers could face a similar problem. Seems mainstream Republicans are aware that county Chairwoman Tina Jacobson joined Hart at a Friends of Liberty seminar this spring to tell folks how to run a successful political campaign. Nothing wrong with that, except member organizations of Friends of Liberty include the local Constitution Party (as well as John Birchers and Libertarians). I’ll connect the rest of the dots for you. Incumbent state Sen. John Goedde, R-CdA, ran against a Constitutionalist (Ray Writz) Tuesday. Therefore, according to Roetter supporters, Jacobson was potentially telling non-Republicans how to beat Republicans, including Goedde, by extension. It’s a stretch. But it isn’t apples and oranges. Stay tuned.

Above and beyond

Fedora restaurant gets the Huckleberries “Above & Beyond the Call of Duty” award, for sending over a dozen or so box lunches of burgers & fries and bottled water to partisans holding signs at the corners of Highway 95 & Appleway Tuesday afternoon. One of the recipients told Huckleberries that he’d already eaten but took a burger anyway because “you don’t turn away free food.” He described the burger as “delicious” … That guy who showed up with Reagan Republican Ron Lahr’s “Support Obama, Vote Minnick” sign when Fred Phelps’ Westboro Baptist Church visited in October set up shop again Tuesday – this time, near lame-duck Commish Rick Currie on the CdA Walgreen corner. Huckleberries hears Rick didn’t like it. One wag said: “It was hard to say whether motorists were flipping the bird at Rick or the sign guy” … Lt. Gov. Brad Little better be looking over his shoulder. Colleague Greg Lee confesses that he wrote in my name for Brad’s job.

Huckleberries

Poet’s Corner: “This month turkeys/are selected;/some get stuffed and/some elected” – The Bard of Sherman Avenue (“November Traditions”) … I got a guff for running a photo of a Phil Hart yard sign with the words “tax cheat” pasted on it because one of my Berry Pickers figured I was encouraging readers to deface signs. The discussion ended when I pointed out the yard sign was in the public right of way (near Garwood Dumpsters, Highways 53 & 95) where it shouldn’t have been … Christa Hazel tells Huckleberries: “I long for the time when Election Day marked the end of a campaign instead of the beginning of a lawsuit” … Facebook friend David Townsend had a rocky Election Day: “Had a cavity filled and then I voted. Hard to say which I found more uncomfortable. Not the voting itself, mind you, but the knowledge that here in North Idaho very few of my choices are likely to win” … John Foster, spokesman for lame duck Congressman Walt Minnick’s campaign, Facebooked on Election Day: “Given what happened a year ago (in Coeur d’Alene City Council election), I hope all 17 of Mike Kennedy’s kids vote.” Mike, who has “only” six kids, would need thousands more to slice into Walt’s final deficit.

Parting shot

At the final North Idaho College debate at the Kootenai County Democratic Club luncheon, CdA attorney Norm Gissel asked about a hypothetical situation, which was disallowed by moderator Mary Lou Reed, who didn’t think it was relevant. But candidate Ron Nilson answered anyway. Norm asked candidates what they would do about an individual who stole trees that supported kids’ education. Nilson responded even though he didn’t have to do so: “No way should anyone enter public land and take timber that belongs to our kids.” Rep. Phil Hart’s name wasn’t mentioned. But everyone knew for whom Norm’s hypothetical was tolling.