Craig hammered by GOP -- Editor's Notebook

Last week was a real nightmare down here on production day, putting out the paper. And at the end of a long 12-hour day, I sat down to write the final headline, on the school bond issue -- and screwed it up.

All elections are held on Tuesday, so I automatically wrote that. Except this one, which is being held tomorrow, Thursday. I knew that. But the brain wasn't working (but then, I can hear my critics cry, when was it ever?). No excuses and I apologize to anyone who turned up Tuesday to vote. Please do so again this Thursday.

I got hammered pretty good over that goof, and every call was completely justified.

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Speaking of people who got hammered last week, what happened to me was child's play compared to what happened to Sen. Larry Craig. Even people I know who dislike Craig were feeling sorry for him.

It wasn't so much the incident for which he pled guilty (which he now says he shouldn't have done), as it was how his own party reacted to it.

After 30 years of loyal service to his party, very loyal service, his colleagues, peers and fellow party members turned on him like a pack of rabid wolves. I couldn't believe how viciously he was attacked by his own party, especially considering how other GOP party leaders have gotten the benefit of the doubt when they got in trouble (for little things, like graft and corruption).

I knew Larry was leaning toward retirement at the end of his term next year. Initially, I figured that this incident would mean he definitely wouldn't run again. No question he was mad about the allegations, but that wouldn't have been enough.

But when his own party dumped him like a hot Idaho potato, I think he got hurt, personally. And that, more than anything else, probably pushed him into resigning.

I thought Gov. Butch Otter showed class by standing behind him when Craig made his announcement. Loyalty, after all, is something important, and Butch is one of those people for whom loyalty is just part of his sense of honor. He stood by a colleague and long-time friend, regardless of any political consequences that he might have had for him.

Like I said last week, I really don't know if Larry is guilty of what he pled guilty to. But I do know he was an able representative for Idaho and I hope his record of public service lasts longer than the circumstances of its end.

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The spotlight now turns to Gov. Otter, who must appoint someone to replace Larry for the final year of his term.

Otter insists he hasn't made up his mind about anyone, and I believe him.

Butch doesn't have a lot of "warm fuzzy" feelings for most of the GOP legislative leadership, nor is he a great fan of the ambitious Jim Risch, who served temporarily as governor after Kempthorne resigned to become Secretary of Interior and then won re-election to the lieutenant governor's job. Butch might "reward" Risch for not running against him in the primary last year, and Risch has to be at or near the top of a fairly short list of qualified replacements for Craig, but if Butch was thrilled about the idea I think he'd have made an announcement right away, after Craig's resignation speech (in part to deflect some of the attention off Craig).

Second District Congressman Mike Simpson would be a good choice, but Mike told me a couple of months ago he wasn't all that interested in replacing Craig, if Craig decided not to run for another seat.

Mike has been in the House long enough that he's finally getting some seniority, which means he's in line for some rather plum committee assignments and a chairmanship or two. That would mean a lot of power on behalf of the people of Idaho. But if he took Craig's senate seat, he'd be starting from scratch on the seniority ladder. Still, I think he'd be great as a senator if he changes his mind.

After that, it's a crapshoot. I really don't have any idea who has the standing to serve in the Senate. Butch might appoint someone as a "caretaker" for a year, who won't run next fall, and then leave it open to the party to sort it out during the primary next spring. Or, he might try and find someone who could pick up the flag and be a good candidate for re-election, hopefully then avoiding any fratricidal primary battle that could open the door a crack (but only a small crack) for any Democrat.

It will be interesting to see what happens, but don't be surprised if it's someone you haven't heard of before. Butch has a pretty good feel for people. I'm sure he'll make a good choice.