Consensus On Kempthorne - Nice Guy, Charming But Lacking In Substance

[hatrack]

BOISE, Idaho — He rides motorcycles, battles a bad back, does a killer impersonation of fellow Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and sometimes forgets to balance his checkbook. Even those who don't like his politics call him "Dirk," the way he prefers to be addressed. And they speak of him like he's the guy next door who just happens to be governor.

But the ready smile and neighborly style of Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne don't always get the job done, some supporters and critics say. They contend that the man President Bush has picked to succeed Gale A. Norton as secretary of the Interior often exhibits more charm than substance. Fellow Republicans and business leaders say Kempthorne, 54, knows how to create consensus but is too politically cautious. Local Democrats and environmentalists say that he is gifted at making people feel heard but that, at the end of the day, his loyalties lie squarely with development and corporate interests.

EDIT

In the mid- to late 1990s, Kempthorne successfully brokered a deal — protested by environmentalists — allowing the military to expand a training ground into the Owyhee Canyonlands in southwestern Idaho. Kempthorne also succeeded in weakening federal protection of gray wolves, shifting control to the state. Singer fears Kempthorne would continue his long campaign to water down the federal Endangered Species Act and would support oil-drilling in the Arctic and the sale of public lands to special-interest groups. Kempthorne, Singer said, has worked to overturn President Clinton's ban on building roads in wilderness areas.

"I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt in his new job," Singer said, "but my fear is he'll be closely aligned with Bush administration policies that have been detrimental to the environment." National environmental groups are harsher in their assessment. The League of Conservation Voters gave him a rating of 6 on a zero-to-100 scale.


EDIT

http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-na-interior19mar19,1,4107290.story

[Erika]

1. Kempthorne is the Ted Baxter of the GOP

That was offered by a GOP on a right wing site who is familiar with Dirk's personal antics. He sees himself as a statesman while he is not.

He is a 100% GOP Bushbot. He not only bounces checks, he also is delinquent in paying his property taxes on pristine land he owns that he pushed for decreased taxes for development purposes.

His motorcycle rides were to see Sally. A squeeze he took to DC when he was Senator.

Patricia, his wife, will not be relocating to D.C. She will stay in Boise. I think she's probably had enough of Dirk the jerk.