Oct. 5--They've been off the stage for years, but two aging politicians remain the Idaho standard of excellence for Democrats and Republicans running for office this fall.

Former governors Cecil Andrus, a 77-year-old Democrat, and Phil Batt, an 81-year-old Republican, are fondly remembered for a brand of no-nonsense, consensus-building leadership that many say is lacking in public life today.

"In terms of getting the job done from a pragmatic point of view, the two very best governors were Batt and Andrus," said Republican Bruce Newcomb, who retired in 2006 after 20 years in the House and a record-setting eight years as speaker. "They were true leaders who were willing to lay it on the line."

That view is affirmed in a Statesman survey of 62 Treasure Valley candidates on the November ballot. Andrus and Batt were the top choices in answer to the question, "What living politician do you most respect, and why?"

Though he left office in 1995, Andrus won 20.5 votes (some people split their votes). The No. 2 Democrat was retiring Rep. Margaret Henbest of Boise, also known for her ability to bridge partisan divides, with 3 votes.

Republicans, who dominate Idaho politics, had more high-profile choices. But Batt, who retired in 1999, bested sitting Gov. Butch Otter 6.5 votes to 4.2. Newcomb was No. 3 among Republicans, with 2.5 votes, ahead of U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson (2.2), U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo (1.5) and Rep. Bill Sali (1).

Democratic Sen. David Langhorst, a candidate for Ada County Commission, named Andrus. If he'd had two votes, Langhorst said, he would have voted for Batt, too. "We have a few heroes that we all remember. And if we want to do a good job, we strive to do as well as they've done."

Langhorst's opponent, incumbent Republican Rick Yzaguirre picked Batt. "Gov. Batt wasn't afraid to speak out and be the lonely guy at the head of the pack," said Yzaguirre. He complains of a vacuum in political leadership at Idaho's highest levels. "We need an advocate for local government, and there seems to be a touch of a void," he said.

Yzaguirre, Langhorst and a host of local officials are trying to convince the Legislature to let local voters decide whether to tax themselves to pay for transportation improvements. For decades the Legislature has refused to cede that power, despite polls consistently showing Idahoans have far more trust in local government than in state or federal governments.

RESPONSIVE, EFFECTIVE GOVERNORS

The view that government is unresponsive contributes to the longing for Andrus and Batt. Andrus is best remembered for paying for kindergarten for the first time and substantially increasing funding for public schools. Batt's legacy includes extending workers compensation insurance to farm workers and leaving office with fewer state employees than when he began.

They also advanced transportation, economic development and environmental quality, and helped limit storage of nuclear waste in Idaho. They even navigated abortion politics, staying on the right side of voters and the Constitution.

After all these years, both former governors say they are routinely stopped and told, "I wish you were still governor."

Citizens are frustrated, Batt said. "We have an increasingly complicated government that doesn't serve the people any better. They're nostalgic about government working for them."

Batt also said political nonsense has blossomed. "There's too much of a tendency to obfuscate about your aims and not be too clear on where you stand. Both Gov. Andrus and I had very little of that in us."

Added Andrus: "Phil and I are like a pair of old carpet slippers. We're comfortable. People know exactly who we are, what we'll do in any given situation.

"Neither of us was blindly partisan, and we spent our lifetimes building a reputation of trustworthiness, honesty and integrity. And we didn't vacillate."

'THEY'RE TIRED OF PARTIES FIGHTING'

Jim Weatherby, a retired BSU political scientist, said he's not surprised Andrus and Batt came out on top. "They have remained popular since the day they left office. They are identified with courageous stances they took as governor, not as ideologues, but as pragmatic problem-solvers."

Weatherby said the absence of Dirk Kempthorne on any of the 62 ballots was telling. Kempthorne, governor from 1999-2006, is President Bush's Secretary of the Interior. His resume is perhaps the most impressive of any Idaho politician: Boise mayor, U.S. senator, governor, Cabinet secretary.

"It's stunning -- not a single vote for Kempthorne," Weatherby said.

Kempthorne's reputation has soured, suggests 16-year veteran Rep. Max Black, R-Boise, because of indecisiveness. "Kempthorne's problem was he didn't want to offend anybody, so he just delayed and delayed and delayed," he said. "The thing about Batt was there was no hesitation."

House candidate Pat Takasugi of Canyon County was agriculture director in the Batt administration. They also farmed neighboring fields, and Batt sometimes intervened in neighborhood disputes.

"He knew both sides and worked with people," said Takasugi. "Boy, now more than ever, do we ever need that."

Takasugi said voters are fed up with glossy politicians who obscure their views. "They're tired of parties fighting, of the aisles and gorges. They just want people to solve their problems. Forget about Republican, Democrat, independent, Libertarian, Constitutionalist, Green, whatever else -- take care of us out here in Wilder and Greenleaf and Caldwell."

Takasugi's opponent, Democrat Mike Warwick, said he considered naming both Andrus and Batt, but followed directions and chose just one name. "They both demonstrated what we need: The ability to work together."

'GOVERNMENT IS NOT WORKING'

Warwick's been knocking on doors in his district and said voters are most engaged on transportation issues the Legislature has yet to solve, including local-option taxation and transit. "The sentiment is government is not working. That's the big issue."

Lt. Gov. Jim Risch, the GOP nominee for U.S. Senate, said he expected to see Andrus and Batt on top. "Whenever a person becomes an elder statesman, the vintage ages and refines and becomes a better product in the cellar."

But Risch's opponent, Democrat Larry LaRocco, said the affection for the pair goes beyond nostalgia and signals a longing for officeholders who eschew consultants and spinmeisters.

"They weren't afraid to go into hostile crowds," LaRocco said. "Andrus expected people to throw spears at him. He thought, that's politics, that's Idaho. People speak their minds and at the end of the day we're going to work this out."

Grant Burgoyne, a Democrat running for the House in Northwest Boise, said voters express befuddlement that such a talented and dynamic society is having trouble governing itself.

"There is no Republican or Democratic way to get through the intersection of State Street and Glenwood," Burgoyne said. "Ordinary folks who have to drive to work every day would rather our political leaders not tilt at windmills but get down to working on the sewers and the roads and the public schools. Grandiose philosophical notions don't have a lot to do with those things."

Joan Cloonan, Burgoyne's GOP opponent, said she's appealing to Democrats by talking about her service on the state environmental quality board. "People sort of laugh at me on the environment. They say, 'A Republican environmentalist! It's an oxymoron.' No it isn't. We've done some things that haven't been terribly popular with some Republicans. What I do is build consensus."

HOPEFUL SIGNS FOR IDAHO

Langhorst, the Ada commission candidate, said voters are exhausted by partisanship at the national level. But he has hope for bipartisan problem-solving at home. "I still don't believe Idaho is ruined that way. We need more balance, but it's not the Washington scene that's totally disconnected from reality."

Andrus sees a silver lining in the current financial crisis, including a deeper understanding of the consequences of federal debt. "The fiscal insanity that has consumed us has finally gotten people's attention."

Andrus predicts consensus-style candidates will fare better in 2008. "But it didn't go sour in one election and it won't heal up in one election."

Batt laments that his party "shamelessly" expanded the federal government and made foreign policy missteps that damaged America's reputation.

"We've allowed ourselves to deviate from our historic goals of limited government, frugality and not involving ourselves in foreign affairs any more than we have to," Batt said. "I think the country's in for tough times and they're going to last a while. But we still have, by far, the best governmental system in the world. And I think we'll emerge leaner and stronger and more content with our position in the world."

Dan Popkey: 377-6438

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