Despite all the hullabaloo over the state Senate majority leader’s statement on the budget , including the perception he took on the governor, this was vintage Bill Raggio…

By Jon Ralston (contact)

Sunday, Oct. 28, 2007 | 7:17 a.m.

Despite all the hullabaloo over the state Senate majority leader's statement on the budget , including the perception he took on the governor, this was vintage Bill Raggio. His message was what his message usually is: Cut the partisan nonsense and calm down. And the usual subtext: Listen to me. And, in this case, he was talking to Jim Gibbons, too. He wanted the governor to know that he had to "reexamine" his exemptions list, including the obvious notion he should have included child welfare. Oh, it was criticism, but mailed fist in velvet glove criticism. Raggio knows the governor will have to come to him before he does anything. If Gibbons chooses to circumvent the Buddha, my guess is the next statement won't be so nice.