Even Rolling Stone gets in on the act!

Well, it wasn't featured as strongly as first thought, but national news coverage is national news coverage:

Montana has hottest governor, says Rolling Stone

Saturday, October 01, 2005

HELENA (LEE) -- Rolling Stone magazine ranks Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer as the nation's "hot governor" in its 2005 "Hot List" issue, but a planned story about Schweitzer and his photo didn't get into print.

Instead, Schweitzer received his mention in the crawler running across the bottom of one of the 50 pages in the Rolling Stone's 20th annual "Hot List" issue. Someone from the magazine called Schweitzer a couple of months ago and interviewed him briefly, and the Rolling Stone requested photos.

The Rolling Stone cover features a photo of a scantily clad actress, Evangeline Lilly from the television show "Lost," and there's plenty of female and male skin shown throughout the "hot" section.

Schweitzer was squeezed out by stories such other hot topics such as L.A. Sunday pool parties, a fantasy girl, actor Joaquin Phoenix, singer Fiona Apple, bathhouses and recreational drugs.

In the end, Schweitzer wound up on a page with stories about Microsoft's Bill Gates, the company's Xbox 360 video game player and a couple of video hot games.

After hearing about the issue, Schweitzer said he was pleased to be mentioned "on the boring page with Bill Gates."

Schweitzer said he doesn't subscribe to Rolling Stone, but does take Better Beef, Progressive Hay Producer, Montana Farmer Stockman and the Wall Street Journal.

"Since Hunter S. Thompson left, Rolling Stone hasn't been worth reading," Schweitzer said.

Sarah Elliott, Schweitzer's spokeswoman, said, "I don't think he reads the magazine. He relies on some of more hip staff."