Dirk Kempthorne
A Western-state political mainstay who navigated from the mayor's office to the U.S. Senate, governor's mansion, and finally the cabinet as Secretary of the Interior.
Born 1951 (age 75)·American politician·Birthday: October 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Dirk Kempthorne built a durable political career on a foundation of Idaho conservatism and a genial, steady demeanor. His path was methodical: mayor of Boise in the 1980s, then a single term in the U.S. Senate where he focused on natural resource issues dear to his state. He found his most natural executive role as Idaho's governor, championing tax cuts and education reform while managing public lands that define the region. This expertise in Western land and resource politics led President George W. Bush to tap him for Secretary of the Interior in 2006. His tenure at the Department of the Interior was defined by its finality; he oversaw the listing of the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act—a decision that came with a controversial rule limiting the use of the listing to regulate greenhouse gases. A pragmatic manager more than a firebrand, Kempthorne's legacy is that of a reliable Republican steward who operated at every level of government, always with a deep connection to the interests of the American West.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Dirk was born in 1951, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dirk Was Born
The biggest hits of 1951
#1 Movie
Quo Vadis
Best Picture
An American in Paris
#1 TV Show
Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
Dirk's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1951Born
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1956Started school
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1964Became a teenager
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Could drive
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1969Could vote
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Turned 21
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1981Turned 30
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 40
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 50
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 60
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 70
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 75 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the 49th U.S. Secretary of the Interior, managing the polar bear threatened species listing.
- Elected as both a U.S. Senator and Governor for the state of Idaho.
- As Mayor of Boise, he was credited with revitalizing the city's downtown area.
- Played a key role in the passage of the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention while in the Senate.
Did You Know?
He was the first person to serve as both a U.S. Senator and Governor of Idaho.
Kempthorne began his career working in public relations for the J.R. Simplot Company.
He was considered for the role of Vice Presidential running mate for John McCain in 2008.
After politics, he served as president and CEO of the American Council of Life Insurers.
“Public lands are our heritage, and their management must be balanced and responsible.”
