SALI'S ARRANGED MARRIAGE
Progressive conservative blogger Dennis Mansfield thinks he might know why Wayne Hoffman, Rep. Bill Sali's spokesman and a former reporter for the Idaho Statesman and Idaho Press-Tribune, has attracted controversy of late:
"I've known Mr. Hoffman for many years. ... He's always been a stand-up reporter. To my knowedge, he never mistreated any political people - always seemed to have balance as his main goal. I know; I was one of them. ...
"Hoffman is today using the same news standards he used so well as a political reporter to hold the press accountable for its stories (and spin?). And for this he gets attacked? What am I missing? ...
"Could it be that the Press Tribune's not an overall conservative paper, after all? Could it be that it's a paper that wants to be viewed more as a neo-conservative paper, and Mr. Sali's oft-accepted politics of social conservativism seem to gum-up that desire?
"Bill Sali's faith has always been a fishbone in the throat of some journalists, just like Helen Chenoweth's faith was. In her 6 years, she successfully wedded the neo-cons and the faith-based cons. Bill Sali is still courting both groups during his first 18 months in office, and some people in Canyon County seem to almost hate it that he just might get an ongoing 'agreement of marriage' from both groups. It's like they are saying to each other: 'My God, he's not going away.'"
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