<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)">
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoPlainText, li.MsoPlainText, div.MsoPlainText
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Plain Text Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";}
span.PlainTextChar
{mso-style-name:"Plain Text Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Plain Text";
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
p.ap-story-p, li.ap-story-p, div.ap-story-p
{mso-style-name:ap-story-p;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.body, li.body, div.body
{mso-style-name:body;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
span.headline
{mso-style-name:headline;}
span.byline
{mso-style-name:byline;}
span.bylinetitle
{mso-style-name:bylinetitle;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>KUDOS to those in the GOP who
are belatedly condemning Rambo Rammell. I remain dismayed, however, that
those in attendance at the GOP fundraiser didn’t have the sense God gave
a billy goat to slap the fool down right then & there since that has become
an unfortunate MO with the GOP.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><a
href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iOmeH2w9CG7tbMZBMOVvbmG3XwKAD9AC4KC00">http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iOmeH2w9CG7tbMZBMOVvbmG3XwKAD9AC4KC00</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>GOP blasts Idaho
candidate's 'Obama tags' comment <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>By JOHN MILLER <br>
Associated Press Writer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- The list of Idaho Republicans
condemning a GOP gubernatorial candidate's comments about buying a license to
hunt President Barack Obama grew Friday, as party leaders worried the incident would
reflect badly on the state.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo said former elk rancher Rex Rammell's
comment at a Twin Falls GOP merits an apology, U.S. Sen. Jim Risch disavowed
him from the Republican Party, and Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter
called Rammell's comment "reckless and inflammatory."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>Rammell is among those running in the 2010 Idaho GOP
primary against incumbent Otter.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>On Tuesday, a GOP rally attendee shouted a question about
"Obama tags" during discussion of Idaho's upcoming wolf hunt, where
hunters must purchase $11.50 wolf tags.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>Rammell responded, "The Obama tags? We'd buy some of
those."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>In a statement Friday, Crapo said, "Rex Rammell's
comments are in very poor taste and should not have been said. Remarks like
these should not even be made jokingly. He should apologize for those remarks
and for the perception they may have created."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>Otter said Friday afternoon that there was no place for
Rammell's comments in Idaho, which he said damages confidence in the political
process and those who serve the public.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>"As governor, as an Idaho Republican and as a citizen
of our state, I reject and condemn this kind of rhetoric," he said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>Rammell, a longshot GOP candidate who as an independent
garnered just 5.4 percent of the vote in his unsuccessful 2008 U.S. Senate run
against Risch, has refused to apologize and said he doesn't advocate
assassinating Obama.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>"Anyone who understands the law knows I was just
joking, because Idaho has no jurisdiction to issue hunting tags in Washington
D.C.," he said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>Rammell isn't the first Rexburg resident who has drawn
attention for making an anti-Obama comment.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>Last November, second- and third-grade students on a school
bus there chanted "Assassinate Obama" after his election, prompting
the mayor of this eastern Idaho town to publicly apologize.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson also criticized Rammell's comments,
which he said weren't a true reflection of Idaho residents' hearts.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>"It is absolutely irresponsible to say such
inflammatory things, especially for someone who seeks to be a leader in Idaho,"
Simpson said. "I know our great state is filled with people who do not
share Rex Rammell's views and we should not let isolated situations dictate how
our state is perceived."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>Risch has tangled with Rammell before, in 2006.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>That summer, more than 100 elk from Rammell's ranch near
Rexburg escaped into the wilds, prompting Risch, then Idaho's governor, to
order an emergency hunt to prevent the spread of disease or interbreeding with
wild elk herds near Yellowstone National Park.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>Rammell's political run two years later against Risch for
U.S. Senate - a race Rammell contested as an independent - was seen largely as
an attempt to settle a personal grudge.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>On Friday, Risch disowned Rammell as a GOP colleague.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=ap-story-p>"Everyone needs to remember the last time Rex Rammell
ran for public office, he said, 'I'm not really a Republican.' He then filed as
an independent," Risch said in a telephone interview from Lewiston, Idaho.
"I agree with him. He's not a Republican. We all have our disagreements
with the president, sometimes deep disagreements. But the man is the president
of the United States and deserves to be treated as such."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
vision2020-bounces@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com] <b>On
Behalf Of </b>Saundra Lund<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, August 27, 2009 9:30 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'Moscow Vision 2020'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Vision2020] Idaho GOP at its Finest: Obama Hunting Tags?!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText>What is wrong with the GOP In Idaho – see emphasis
below. Not only is Rammell a moron, but what on earth is wrong with the
rest of them that he’s not been rightly and soundly rebuked?!?!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><a
href="http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2009/08/27/news/local_state/169498.txt">http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2009/08/27/news/local_state/169498.txt</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Rammell
howls at Otter for not buying wolf tag<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>By
Jared S. Hopkins<br>
Times-News writer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>This
time, the howling isn't coming from the wolves.<br>
<br>
Rex Rammell, a long-shot gubernatorial candidate seeking the Republican
nomination, criticized Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter on Wednesday for not
making good on a promise to buy the first wolf tag. Tags for hunting the gray
wolf went on sale Monday.<br>
<br>
Rammell said Otter, who was elected in 2006, is "a lot of talk" who
hasn't accomplished anything as governor. And he pointed out that no wolf tag
was claimed by Otter, who declared he'd proudly buy the first one and, when
asked in March for response to the delisting proposal, gave a howl.<br>
<br>
On Monday, Otter attended in Lewiston and spoke at the funeral of Bruce
Sweeney, a 10-term state legislator who served while Otter was lieutenant
governor. When told this, Rammell said, "That's a lame excuse."<br>
<br>
He said "there's nothing wrong with going to a funeral" but promises
as both a governor and a candidate should be followed through on. He questioned
whether environmental groups pressured Otter to back off.<br>
<br>
"He could've had someone go get it for him," he said. "Hell,
he's the governor. He could've ordered the Fish and Game to give him the first
tag."<br>
<br>
Otter spokesman Jon Hanian said Otter tried to get a tag Monday evening a
computer problem at the location delayed sales.<br>
<br>
"What I would tell you is he's going to act like every other citizen. He's
not going to ask for any special treatment or favors," said Hanian, noting
he was speaking strictly about Otter's schedule and not addressing campaign
inquires. "I guess Rex Rammell is entitled to his opinion but the governor
felt it was pretty important to go to his funeral."<br>
<br>
Hanian referred further inquires to Otter campaign worker, Brenda Maynard. She
said Otter planned to pick up a tag Wednesday evening and would not have a
staff member run an errand like that.<br>
<br>
"His priority was where it should be - attending the funeral," she
said. "The governor has never used the privileges of his office. He's an
avid sportsman and like everyone else will stand in line."<br>
<br>
Rammell's remarks on Otter came in an interview Wednesday after the Times-News
asked about comments Rammell made Tuesday night at a local Republican party
event.<br>
<br>
<b>After an audience member shouted a question about "Obama tags"
during a discussion on wolves, Rammell responded, "The Obama tags? We'd
buy some of those."</b><br>
<br>
Rammell, a veterinarian and former elk rancher from Idaho Falls, said his
comment was a joke and he would never seriously talk about President Obama that
way, although he doesn't support anything Obama's done as president.<br>
<br>
"I was just being sarcastic. That was just a joke," Rammell said.
"I would never support him being assassinated.<br>
<br>
"She kind of caught me off guard, to be honest with you."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>