LaRocco pitches in for veterans

Anyone who's ever caught Larry LaRocco as the guest auctioneer at an Idaho Democratic event knows that he has a real talent for it. (Remember when he drove up the bids for a roll of George W. Bush toilet paper at the '06 state convention?)

Not many Idahoans know that LaRocco has put that skill to wider - and notable - use as the volunteer auctioneer for Fisher House Foundation, a group that shelters families of military service members. According to its website, Fisher House supports military families with airline tickets and "homes away from home" that help family members remain close by when a service member must be hospitalized for illness or injury. Tonight's charity auction, in Lansdowne, Virginia, caps the Fisher House Charity Golf Tournament, an event recognized by the Department of Defense program, “America Supports You.”

By contrast, LaRocco's likely opponent this fall, Republican Jim Risch, was also back East last week to cash in at a party thrown by Washington, D.C., lobbyists Jeffrey Kimbell and Rick Murphy of R.B. Murphy & Associates, known for their work on behalf of such corporate giants as Altria (formerly Philip Morris). As a LaRocco campaign press release noted today, former congressman LaRocco’s "charity work contrasts with Risch’s favorite charity—himself."

LaRocco is a Vietnam-era vet of the U.S. Army, while Risch - three years older - somehow managed to avoid military service during that tumultuous time. Also worth noting: LaRocco has been endorsed by Gen. Wes Clark and a host of Idaho veterans.