Where I Stand — Mike O’Callaghan: Come home, Mr. Rogers

Tuesday, July 9, 2002 | 8:57 a.m.

IN NEVADA, JIM ROGERS IS KNOWN for his contributions to education and other community projects. Every now and then, when he's upset with the political or business world, he comments on KVBC Channel 3. These comments usually are effective because Rogers limits the number of personal editorials he delivers.

Not long ago, the people of southeastern Idaho got a taste of Roger's political views. In a television editorial (Rogers also owns a station in Pocatello), he called Gov. Dirk Kempthorne "the man in an empty suit." This really rattled the chains of the governor's defenders who claimed that Rogers' barrage was fired to help Democratic candidate Jerry Brady, who is also a communications entrepreneur in that area. However, this isn't the first time Kempthorne, a Republican and former U.S. senator, has been referred to as a nice man who hasn't accomplished much in that solid GOP state.

Rogers, always pushing for economic development and progress in education, is upset with the governor's lack of action. "The man simply doesn't have a clue. He certainly can't fix what he doesn't know is broken," Rogers commented.

In an editorial, The Idaho State Journal newspaper in Pocatello gave its own view of the charges made by Rogers and the countercharges of Kempthorne's minions. The editorial first took on the defenders of the governor:

"We're sorry that their reply wasn't more substantive than that. While politicking might be the most obvious conclusion, we think there's more to it than that. Rogers has long been a proponent of economic development in eastern Idaho; he's even been critical of local economic development officials for not doing enough to promote our area. His track record is pretty clear-cut: he wants people to perform the duties of their position, and if they don't live up to his expectations, he'll let them know he's not happy with them.

"In fact, he's spoken to Kempthorne on numerous occasions, and he's even voiced his displeasure with the governor in person. Couple that with the fact that Brady is a business competitor in the eastern Idaho market (the Democratic candidate has an interest in KIFI-TV, an Idaho Falls-based television station that goes head-to-head with Rogers' KPVI in Pocatello) and it seems less and less likely that Rogers was just taking potshots at the governor for the benefit of the Brady campaign."

Then the newspaper editors slapped the governor even a bit stronger than Rogers did in his television delivery. The Idaho State Journal concluded:

"From our vantage point, Kempthorne has been too quiet. It seems to us that he has lived up to Rogers' description as an all-for-show chief executive. As Kempthorne takes off on a trade mission to Asia, leaving the state as its institutions such as Idaho State University begin hemorrhaging faculty, staff and programming, who is the culprit when it comes to campaign rhetoric? The governor shows the depth of his understanding by exclaiming that our state will be among the first to emerge from the recession because the state government cut taxes last year.

"It seems to us that Jim Rogers' support of Jerry Brady has less to do with Brady's politics than it does with the shortcomings of the man currently in office."

I imagine Rogers is having a difficult time adjusting to the slow moving pace in that part of Idaho. Maybe the businesses in and around Pocatello could pick up some of Rogers' energy as they attempt to move forward during the coming years.

In the meantime, Jim Rogers, come home and give us your opinion about the closing of the UMC Trauma Center, nuke waste dumping and government in general. You have been spending too much time in Idaho.