The Montana media is going a little over the top with their coverage of the final days of the senatorial career of Max Baucus.

Get the popcorn – this week I believe the Montana Television Network (MTN) will bring viewers “a behind-the-scenes look as Baucus’ career in the Senate comes to a close.”

I wonder if they will tell the whole story.

All this coverage got me thinking about one of the first times I saw Senator Max Baucus. It was when he was giving a speech at a local hotel in Great Falls in the mid 1990s.

Baucus showed up to a room full of people, grabbed his speech from a staffer, and delivered it like he was reading it for the first time. Then he took questions. Someone asked him a question about a section of the bill he had just talked about in his speech. Baucus said something like, “I don’t know, I have not read the bill.” The person asking the question said something like, “But you are an original co-sponsor of the bill.” Baucus moved on to other easier questions.

Baucus made a stop in Great Falls on Saturday. I did not attend the event, but I read that someone from the local Chamber’s Montana Defense Alliance thanked him “for his support of Malmstrom and MANG” (Montana Air National Guard) plus he received a key to Great Falls.

In regard to his support for Malmstrom and the Air Guard: on Baucus’ watch the aircraft mission was taken from Malmstrom, he royally screwed up opening the runway at the base, and 50 missiles were removed from the base’s mission – and the jobs that went with them. The jets were removed from the Air Guard.

Yes – thanks for all your support, Max.

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