Campaign ‘96

Sporting chance

So much for the glamour of politics. Larry Kenck, one of the brave, few Democrats showing their faces in North Idaho political races, discovered there’s more than pictures to filming a television commercial. When he stepped before the bright lights Friday, he had to swap sport coats three times and debate whether to have a tie. Once the haberdashery was hashed out, the glare of the lights forced him even to remove lenses of his glasses. Nothing like going all the way for Election Day.

Suing for peace?

It may be the most compelling “vote for me” pitch given by a candidate in a decade. Coeur d’Alene attorney and Kootenai County commission candidate Chuck Sheroke is well known for suing the county over land-use issues. The Democrat commissioner candidate, who faces Ron Rankin in November, said this week he’d close his law practice if he won a seat. He added, with a grin, “I would think that’d be enough incentive for the current (all-GOP) board to back my candidacy.”

I paid it my way

Tax-activist and campaign finance reform proponent Ron Rankin wants a Kootenai County commission seat, but not badly enough to take money from a political action committee. He is so opposed to taking cash from PACs he actually gave back a $200 contribution check this week from a local Realtor PAC. Still, the always pragmatic Rankin - not wanting to offend - assured real estate agents he would be more than happy to take their money - if it came in the form of individual contributions.

Unabashed optimism

Bryan Wilkes, press secretary for U.S. Sen. Larry Craig and accountant for every fax from Capital Hill, is betting his boss won’t be asked to leave in November. Wilkes and his wife just purchased a townhouse, their first home. So if things don’t work out, there’s always a bed and breakfast?

Anticipation is making him crazy

Kootenai County Clerk Dan English must be anticipating a landslide - of voters, that is. English, facing his first round supervising the time-consuming tallying operation, is spreading encouragement for people to vote absentee. Ostensibly, that eases the election-night crush. Sorry Dan, a 32-cent stamp won’t ease the pain. It will be nasty no matter what.

Spin schism

It’s proof there’s no truth, only opinions, in politics. U.S. Rep. Helen Chenoweth’s Republican spin on Congress’ recent budget votes was all negative. “I felt it was a ‘hurry-up-and-get-out-of-town’ proposal, and we shouldn’t do business that way,” she said. U.S. Sen. Larry Craig, also a Republican candidate for re-election, instead listed all of the bucks he scored for the state: $400,000 for the Birds of Prey area; $450,000 for the Taft Tunnel bike trail; and $100,000 to fix logging roads in the Clearwater National Forest that collapsed in winter rains. Fiscal conservatism is hereby suspended, pending Election Day.

Not our fault, honest

Several irate readers wanted to know why presidential and vice presidential debates were listed in the newspaper’s TV Week when they didn’t occur. The answer: The debate schedule was revised after the magazine went to press.

Web site of the week

Want to bone up before the debate or review the substance afterward? Most political web sites will have major coverage, but Congressional Quarterly’s special debate site may be the place to start. It’s at http://voter96.cqalert.com/news/debates/ debates.htm. .. And, as promised some weeks back to balance out a GOP listing, we now have a site to recommend for Democrats looking for political paraphernalia. Peruse the offerings at http://www.adler.com/adspecs/index.html.

Campaign Calendar

U.S. Rep. Helen Chenoweth, R-Idaho, and Democratic challenger Dan Williams will spar tonight in a debate aired by Idaho Public Television at 7 p.m.

Idaho Public TV airs a dialogue on the Congressional Term Limits Initiative Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

Kootenai County Republican Women Federated are hosting an Octoberfest to benefit local GOP candidates and U.S. Sen. Larry Craig will attend. It is Oct. 12 at 6 p.m. at Agency One in Hayden Lake. Tickets are $10 per person.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Graphic: How they voted

MEMO: Campaign ‘96 is published regularly during the campaign season and is compiled by Ken Olsen from staff reports. To submit information on a political event or a question you want the candidates to answer, write us c/o The Idaho Spokesman-Review, 608 Northwest Blvd., Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814. Or call Cityline at (208) 765-8811 on a Touch-Tone phone, then press 9893 to leave a message, your name and phone number.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by Ken Olsen from staff reports