The entire American West bears the imprint of Cecil Andrus:

[yonder]

I just found out our former governor, interior secretary, fellow democrat and all-round good guy passed on Thursday. He would've been 86 years of age today and will always be remembered for doing the right thing for Idaho and Idahoans, someone our current (and persistent) crop of red-state politicians could learn from. He will be joining Frank Church, Terry Reilly and many others at that great deer camp in the sky to spin another yarn about the "one that got away". Rest in peace, Cece!

Here's more: http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article169295432.html#navlink=SecList

[Homeoutside]

1. He was the best of the best...

He was Idaho's peak.

And it all went down from there.

[Dave Starsky]

3. He was an avid outdoorsman who referred to the NRA as "gun nuts".

They tried to use this against him when he ran for a fourth term. I remember a TV reporter asked him if wanted to walk it back and he reaffirmed that no, he indeed that thought that they were "a bunch of gun nuts".

He won again anyway, handily.

Can you imagine ANY politician, of any party, having the guts to do that today?

[Dave Starsky]

2. Holy shit! I did not know that! He was the BEST!

I had the pleasure of interacting with him several times when he returned to the Governorship after being Secretary of the Interior. GREAT, super friendly, man.

He was a terrific Governor and a great American. Idaho should be ashamed of themselves for the bozoes they've consistently elected for the past 30 years or more.

I am so sad to hear this.

[yonder]

4. Yeah, I'm sad too...

in the same manner as last Nov. 9th but in a strange, kind of inverted way. A passing of what once was, and should still be, today. I once shared a commercial flight (coach, of course) to Denver with him. What a smart, articulate, knowledgeable and down-to-earth guy. His light dimmed a bit over the years, but he did more for Idaho, Alaska, the West and by extension, the rest of the country than most anyone. Somebody compared him to Teddy Roosevelt for resource/wildland protection.

LBN's 12 hour rule prevented me from posting there, but I wish there was a way to get this the visibility it deserves.