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In The Hoop
THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2002

Welcome to In The Hoop, Indianz.Com's occasional column about assorted Indian issues.

Behind Every Good Senator
While in Washington, D.C., this week, Northern Cheyenne President Geri Small received a warm welcome by one of her most well-known constituents on Tuesday. It was none other than Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.), vice-chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.

Campbell is a member of the Montana-based tribe so he took time out to acknowledge Small, who as he noted is the tribe's first female president. "She's your boss?" interjected Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii).

"In some respects, yes," replied Campbell.

"I am especially proud to be testifying before the honorable Ben Nighthorse Campbell, the tribe's most esteemed member," said Small, who provided her views on a trust reform bill.

Senator Chief?
Speaking of Campbell, he's known for wearing many hats. Former Congressman. Veteran. Senator. Artist. Olympic athlete. Honorary Cheyenne Chief.

So with all the different titles, it might be confusing to some. That's what must have happened to Associate Interior Deputy Secretary Jim Cason last week during his appearance before Campbell's panel.

Cason, it seems, forgot the Democrats were in charge. He started to address Campbell as "chairman" then quickly corrected himself.

He also may have thought he was in the House and it was the late 1980s. Because he almost called Campbell "Congressman" but finally settled on "Senator."

Mr. Manners
Never let it be said that Assistant Secretary Neal McCaleb an attentive Bureau of Indian Affairs chief. When he appears before Congress, he always sticks around for the full duration of any hearing to hear the (sometimes lengthy) views of other witnesses, most often tribal leaders.

But this morning, he had to leave a hearing on two California tribes early. "May I be excused at this point?" he asked the Indian Affairs committee.

"Thank you chairman," he responded when Inouye said he could go.

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