big sky democrats

In case you missed it, the Billings Gazette today comments on Burns’ election year conversion over protecting the Rocky Mtn. Front. The piece makes you want to hurl as Lee-owned opinion page editors fall all over themselves to praise Burns (probably because it’s been so long since they’ve had anything positive to say about him).

But what’s just as (maybe even more) interesting are the little jabs at Dennis Rehberg sprinkled in throughout the piece.

Gazette Editorial:

"Yet Rep. Denny Rehberg this week contended that the Front could be needed to solve America's energy problems and that if there is energy worth developing in the Front that it can be developed in an environmentally responsible manner." more ass-kickin'

and

"But within days, Rehberg rained on the parade." (ouch.)

and

"Elections are the key time to hold our legislators accountable. Rehberg is up for re-election." (Yikes. Too bad the Lee higher ups will still make the Gazette endorse him.)

Side note: How many calls do you think Ol’ Mini Me made today about this? heh.

Anyway, this panny-fatting session is all well and good and we, of course, want the Front to be protected, but we also need to see this for what it really is – Burns’ election year politics.

$10 says Burns lets this thing get stripped out of the final bill – after he lines up a few more editorials like this and more props from reluctant albeit well-meaning conservationists.