Arf.

Live blogging the Stevens trial, from the Alaska Political Corruption blog.

Musher Dean Osmar, dog-breeder David Monson, and Alaska State Balladeer James “Hobo Jim” Varsos all give testimony designed to make the point that the Siberian husky that Stevens got as a gift was worth far less than the prosecution suggests. Osmar and Monson know their sled dogs: The former has won the Iditarod and the latter has taken the Yukon Quest crown, and Monson's late wife was Iditarod legend Susan Butcher.

Osmar said he originally donated the dog for a charity auction because of its perceived low value. He said the dog was the runt of the litter, and was particularly unappealing for mushers because it was a blue-eyed female with light coloring. It might be an old wives’ tale, but the word around the campfire has been that such dogs tend to be “wheezers” that end up with breathing problems.

Some media coverage of the day’s events have a distinctly canine flavor. The ABC News website, for example, headlined its story “Senator, Sled Dog Champs, ‘Hobo Jim’ Testify at Stevens Trial.”

Note: Alaska folk singer "Hobo Jim" is a tool. I watched him singing "This Land is Your Land", stealing Springsteen's intro about Woody Guthrie's hidden lyrics, and then changing these lyrics from an anti-private property point to a right-wing anti-government anthem. Minor in the scheme of things, it was a moral lie, which is really out of bounds for an alleged folk singer.