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Campbell Challenges NCAI Head
Hill, Indian Country Eagerly Awaiting Showdown By Brian Takes-Any-Story
Tomorrow Staff Writer
Monday, February 18, 2002 
Campbell intently discusses strategy after contentious hearing. Aides said he intends to bring out the "big one." (NSM)
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WASHINGTON, DC - A routine Senate hearing took a strange twist on Friday when an infuriated Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.) challenged National Congress of American Indians President Tex Hall. The packed room watched the drama unfold as Campbell, the vice chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, grew increasingly tired with the proceedings. Testifying on the new federal budget, Hall insisted that a national task force of tribal leaders be convened to examine the document, which he said was developed without lengthy and meaningless consultation with Indian nations. "Once again, this administration has ignored our right to slow things down and make sure nothing happens," said Hall. Campbell, who had been fidgeting the entire time, interrupted Hall and launched into a diatribe about his formative years in an all-white community in California. "I didn't grow up in free, substandard HUD housing, wearing extra large cowboy hats like you did, Mr. Hall," said Campbell. "My mixed-race family had to pay rent for our middle-class apartment," he continued. "I had to pay for my own judo lessons." "And no one ever remembers that I was at the Olympics too, not just that crazy Lakota," he said, obviously hurt about not being invited to this year's ceremony and asked to carry the Olympic torch like Gold medalist Billy Mills. The 15-minute tirade concluded when Campbell said an alleged group of Indians in Minnesota couldn't even speak their own language yet had their own corporation. 
NCAI aides immediately released photos of Hall's most treasured asset to show Campbell "what he's up against." (NSM)
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Hall at first seemed amused by the diversion, smiling broadly throughout the lecture. At the end, however, he was clearly upset with the time wasted on "this rambling" and made a joke about Campbell not knowing about his own Indian heritage until relatively late in life. "He was a white man until he decided to run for Congress," the chairman of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation half-mumbled into the microphone, eliciting laughter from the gallery. "Then he turned back into a white man when he joined the Republican party," snapped Hall. "That's it!" exclaimed Campbell as he jumped up and immediately challenged Hall to a gun duel. "Draw your weapon, Chief Saca-jew-e-a!" But as Campbell reached for his holster, he found the gun missing. Aides later said he left it at home due to increased security precautions on Capitol Hill. Not willing to retract the threat, however, Campbell demanded Hall's participation in an Indian rodeo tradition dating back decades: the belt buckle contest. "Meet me at Blackie's at noon!" he said, banging his gavel. "And bring that hat with you!" "Oh, count on it," shot back Hall. "I'm gonna send your ponytail wearin', no tax payin', jewelry makin', Gale Norton defendin' Cheyenne patootie up Sand Creek." 
"This is the real s*** here! Right now is the place to be," said a pumped-up Charles Tillman, Chairman of Osage Nation. (NSM)
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With that, the room erupted into chaos as audience members and Congressional aides began debating who would win the showdown, scheduled to take place today. Bets were taken on both sides of the argument, with just as many supporting Campbell as Hall. "I'm not a betting man," said Osage Nation Chairman Charles Tillman, "but if I were, I'd place my money on Hall. I've seen his stuff and boy, it's monstrous." But some quickly acknowledged that Campbell would be the clear winner in a shootout. "No one can fire it up like him," said former chief counsel Aurene Martin, and now legal aide to Assistant Secretary Neal McCaleb, visibly shaken by the ordeal. Employees at Blackie's House of Beef, the downtown eatery where the contest is to take place, welcomed the chance to host the event. They said it has been pretty boring ever since the staff from the National Indian Gaming Commission began eating lunch at The Palm just around the corner. "We haven't seen this much action since [former Assistant Secretary] Kevin Gover, some white man named Rex or something, and some nobody named Mike Anderson got drunk and started a conga line," said manager Steve Tarkenton. |
© 2001-2002 Indian Country Tomorrow
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