Poker in the News

Maybe I'm not one to judge-- I don't live in Montana. But the new governor, Brian Schweitzer, certainly sounds super-cool.

Schweitzer said he won't be a deskbound governor. He intends to hit the road often and will have the state airplane at the ready.

Montanans will be surprised because they'll see the governor in their hometown more often, he said. Former governors have had Capital for a Day programs in which the chief executive and some of his Cabinet members and aides would travel by bus or plane and visit a town once a month.

"I'm going to every courthouse in Montana and all tribal councils the first year" he said. "And you'll see me sitting at a table maybe as grandiose as this one and maybe not a rotunda as large as this, but similar, and meeting with folks."

Schweitzer said he will travel alone, perhaps accompanied by a junior staff member.

"So if you've got a beef with the government, talk to the governor," he said.

Schweitzer looks forward to working with legislators from both political parties. His family gave him a set of fancy poker chips for Christmas, and he intends to invite lawmakers over to the governor's mansion to play cards.

"It wouldn't be a bad idea for the governor to invite legislators over to play poker and then lose," Schweitzer said with a laugh. "I'll let them win the poker games."

I disagree though about Gov. Schweitzer needing to lose at poker to the Montana legislators. I think that a strong hand is important in a governor. Though I would bet he was just kidding about losing anyway--- he's probably a hustler... "Come on in fat cats, the water's fine...."

Congrats Montana on having a kick-ass governor.

Schweitzer's goals: New governor wants to make Montanans feel good about their state - billingsgazette.com