EDITORIAL: Governors model beauty of bipartisanship
Butch Otter stole the show.
OK, maybe there’s a little Gem State bias behind that assessment. But a recent Western Governors Association discussion that featured seven former and one current governor talking about the importance of bipartisanship certainly cast Idaho’s former leader in a sparkling light.
The WGA doesn’t just talk the talk; they walk the walk. The panel assembled for the organization’s 40th anniversary featured three Democrats and five Republicans. Anyone listening to the podcast (which you can do here: https://shorturl.at/w1WD1) could easily imagine they were overhearing a conversation among eight longtime buddies.
With former PBS powerhouse Judy Woodruff moderating the one-hour discussion, the now 82-year-old Otter noted that one of the reasons he left Congress to become Idaho’s 32nd governor was because he was “tired of not getting things done.” As Idaho governor from 2007 to 2019, Otter got things done — much as his successor, Brad Little, is now getting things done.
So why can’t so many leaders work together for the good of the people?
“Hey, we’ve got to be better than our excuses (for not doing the right things),” Otter said. “We’ve got to be stronger than those things that hold us back.”
Former Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, a Democrat, paid tribute to his former Idaho colleague when he said every leader needs to find their north star to move forward. And Bullock’s north star?
“WWBOD,” he said. “What Would Butch Otter Do?”
The crowd loved it.
Moderator Woodruff called upon Otter to wrap up the session, and Butch did so with his trademark common sense and uncommon humor. He told the story of his successful battle against extremists in his own party who, in their fervor to control precinct positions statewide, labeled him a socialist and censured him.
And of course they called him a RINO — Republican In Name Only.
Otter told the WGA audience that he wore that acronym proudly — Rational Individual with Noble Objectives.
In addition to Otter’s suggestion that even the most passionate politicos should be able to “laugh a little bit at themselves,” here were just a few of the other offerings from panelists:
• Western governors get a lot done because they focus not on “phantom issues” popular in Washington, D.C., but on real issues that people in the West care about, like wildlife, wildfires, water, energy and endangered species.
• Western governors work as neighbors; “We spend time together as friends," said former Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead, a Republican.
• We the People must bear much responsibility for the proliferation of disrespect, which excuses and even encourages the bad behavior that many politicians now exhibit.
• Bipartisanship is hard work, much harder than simply retreating to party trenches.
• Everyone should respect the rule of law.
• Media must get away from rewarding clicks.
• Moderates should speak up and offer alternatives to extreme viewpoints.
Please set aside time to listen to the podcast. It demonstrates beautifully what happens when people with different ideas respect the individuals expressing them.
And in these days of deep national discouragement, that kind of encouragement can go a long way.