Wit and Wisdom of Phil Batt

MY IDAHO."NATS OF MUSIC" TO SIT ANDTALK WITH FORMER GOVERNOR PHILBATT YOU FIRST HAVTOE LTEISTO THE MUSIC.

"NATS OF MUSIC"THE WILDER NATIVE FELL IN VELOWITH THE CLARINET AT A YOUNGAGE, AND EVEN THOUGH IT WOULDSTAY WITH HIM HIS ENTIRE LIFE,PUBLIC SERVICE CAME CALLINING1965...AND END SOME 33 YEARSLATER.

"I GOT A LONG VERY LLWEWITH ALL THE LEGISLATORSREGARDLESS OF PARTIES SO I HADMY OWN AGENDA AND VERY GDOOFRIENDS FOR A LONG TIME." TTLOST A GUBERNATORIAL RUNN1982 BUT AS STATE G.O.P.CHAIRMAN IN 1993 THEY LOOKEDFOR A CANDIDATE TO RUN AINSTGAPOPULAR DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATELARRY ECHOHAWK.

"WE DECIDED TOELIMINATE EVERYBODY BUT ME SOI WAS THE CHOOSEN ONE." THEFIRST POLL SHOWED BATT BEHDINBY AS MUCH AS 35 POINTS, BUTTHINGS GOT A LITTLE BIT BETTERAS THE CAMPAIGN WENT ON.

AS AMATTER OF FACT, SO GOO BTD,PULLED OFF ONE OF THE BIGGESTPOLITICAL UPSETS IN STEATHISTORY.

"I WAS VERY PLEASEDWHEN I WON SOME WHAT LUCKY,THANKYOU, THAT GOES BACKO TTHE BOOK." BATT PUSHED FOR ONEOF THE LARGEST CHANGES INIDAHO LAW WITH A BILL WOULDMAKE FARM WORKERS,OSOF MWHOM WERE HISPANIC... ELIGABLEFOR WORKER'S COMPENSATION.

AMOVE MANY OF HISARR FFRIENDS DIDN'T LIKE.

"SOME OFMY OWN FARMER FRIENDS WEREKIND OF OFFENDED IT WASEXPENSIVE FOR THEM BUT WENEEDED TO DO IT VERY BLYADAND HE NEGOTIATED A DEALLIMITING NUCLEAR WASTE SRAGETOIN IDAHO...SO IT WAS NOSURPRISE BATT HAD SOMEIG HHRATINGS.

SO WHY DIDN'T HE RUNFOR A SECOND TERM?

"I NERVEWAS A BIG POLITICIAN I MEAN IWAS MORE INTERESTED INFARMING, MY WIFE WAS NOTOO TKEEN ABOUT IT SO WE LEFT AERONE TERM." AGREE WITH THATRNOT...IT IS REFRESHING COMINGFROM A MAN WHO GOVERNED WITHCOMMON SENSE AND DECENCY.

INHIS BOOK...ONE OF THE AREASBATT GOES INTO IS THE CKFLACIVILITY IN POLITICS TODAY."I'VE BEEN A REPUBLICAN PARTI PLEADED FOR PEOPLE TO TGEALONG REGARDSSLE OF THEIRDIFFERENCES." AND DO HESSYMPATHIZE WITH GOVERNORLITTLE OVER THE CRITICISM HE'SRECIEVING FROM HIS OWN PARTY?"BY ALL MEANS HE'S A VERY GOODGOVERNOR LIKE HIS AGENDA ,IT'S CHANGED A LOT TOWHERE...NO I CAN'T TONALTHAT." ONE THING BATT CAN'TSTOP TALKING ABOUT IS HIS VEFOR JAZZ...HE EVEN PLAYED THWITHE GREATS LIONEL HAMPSTON ANDGENE HARRIS.

"NATS" EPKEPLAYING PHIL...NEVER STOP.ONNELSON IDAHO NEWS SIXHERE'S A LIVE LOOK A