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Mitt Romney & the LDS Church
Yesterday I went to lunch with USA Today reporter Jill Lawrence, who was in town researching a story about Mitt Romney. She asked a wide range of questions, from Romney’s image and appeal in Utah, to the LDS Church’s formal and informal political networks and position on political involvement. We spent time discussing Gov. Jon Huntsman’s endorsement of John McCain. She asked all the usual questions about the LDS Church and had spent time on the Web looking at all the anti-Romney and anti-LDS Church sites purporting to expose the checkered history and strange practices and doctrines of the church. She had a meeting later in the afternoon with Michael Otterson, a spokesperson for the church.
I’m not sure what will emerge as the theme of her story, but she seemed fair-minded and knowledgeable. I quizzed her a bit about whether the national media are taking the Romney candidacy seriously and whether he has a shot at winning. She was rather guarded in her response, as smart reporters tend to be when they find themselves being interviewed.
But the fact that she was in Utah spending a couple of days on a Romney story is evidence that Romney is a serious and interesting candidate. The Mormon issue may have downsides for Romney, but it provides some intrigue and results in a lot more coverage than he might otherwise receive.
Lawrence said some observers wonder why Romney decided to go after the conservative evangelical vote, positioning himself as a cultural conservative to the right of McCain and Rudy Giuliani. There was obviously a bit of a vacuum in the conservative ideologue space, and the arch-conservative vote is important in the primaries. But it does seem to run somewhat counter to Romney’s natural inclinations as a super-capable, pragmatic, successful business leader/problem solver who isn’t particularly an ideologue. Romney also now has serious competition on the right with Sen. Sam Brownback in the race, likely to be joined by Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Presidential politics will make for a couple of fascinating years ahead.
Washington Watch
Bennett Introduces School Trust Land Bill
Sen. Bob Bennett introduces legislation co-sponsored with Sen. Orrin Hatch "that seeks to consolidate state school trust and public lands, resulting in more funding for Utah's school children and increased protection of critical areas along the Colorado River corridor in Uintah and Grand counties" (see press release); Bennett says of a moratorium on applications by retailers such as Wal-Mart to own Industrial Loan Corporations: "I don't see why a legitimate business should be prohibited because of the nature of its owner. As long as its owner doesn't break the law or do anything improper, why should it make any difference?" (Reuters).
Today in Political History
Jan. 26, 1998: Denying he had an affair with a White House intern, President Bill Clinton tells reporters: “I want you to listen to me. I’m going to say this again. I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.”
Jan. 27, 1998: First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton appears on NBC’s “Today” show and claiims that a “vast right-wing conspiracy” is behind the allegations against her husband. (Source: National Journal 2007 Calendar of American Politics)
Wise Words
“I offer my opponents a bargain: if they will stop telling lies about us, I will stop telling the truth about them.”
-- Adlai Stevenson, campaign speech, 1952 (Source: Quote Garden)
Logan Town Meeting
Sen. Lyle Hillyard, and Reps. Fred Hunsaker, Scott Wyatt and Jack Draxler will hold a town meeting tomorrow (Saturday) from 2-4 p.m., at the Cache County Senior Citizen’s Center, 240 N. 100 E., Logan. The legislators will give reports on the current session and hear comments and suggestions from citizens. The public is invited.
Hinckley Institute Publications
The Hinckley Institute of Politics has posted the 2005-2006 edition of its annual Participation newsletter, and the Conference Report from its April 2006 National Redistricting Reform Conference.
Rocky's Divine Strake Testimony
The Salt Lake City Mayor's Office has posted a transcript of Rocky Anderson's testimony at Wednesday's public hearing on the proposed Divine Strake bomb test.
Sierra Club Field Trip
The Utah Chapter of the Sierra Club is traveling to the north end of Utah Lake to inspect one of the proposed Mountain View Highway alignments. Interested citizens are invited to join them "on Saturday, January 27th for a field trip to see the Mill Pond spring source, the Spring Creek wetlands and the Jordan River outlet.” Participants will meet on Saturday in the Albertson's parking lot just off I-15 at 760 E Main St in Lehi (exit 279) at 10:30 a.m. For more info, click here.
Blog Watch
Neal Abercrombie says: "What is the hottest issue for the Utah State Legislature this session? I'm still trying to figure that out...I guess my vote would go to either tax cuts or education reform. While I'm still a little unclear on the top issues for the Utah Legislature, [the National Conference of State Legislatures] seems confident with their 2007 forecast of the top issues nationwide. Or as they put it they measure different policy issues in relation to water's boiling point...212 degrees. Any guesses on which policy issue hit the 300 degree mark? I'll give you a hint...in 2006 there were 570 various immigration related bills introduced nationwide. Looks like that trend will continue. Check here for the full ranking" (for other Legislature-related posts, see The Senate Site, Utah House Majorit, Utah Democratic Caucus, Utah Politics, Educating Utah, Utah Democrats, Utah Taxpayer, Out of Context, Simple Utah Mormon Politics, UAC Blog, Lincoln's Legislative Blog, and Red Pills).... Rob Miller announces "that Christian Burridge will be joining The Utah Amicus as a full-fledged partner".... At New West, Tracy Medley says: "So, how do you get citizens living in the most conservative state in the nation to talk about their extreme distrust of the United States government in public? Apparently all you have to do is threaten to detonate a 700-ton ammonium nitrate bomb in their back yard, which would kick up a 10,000 ft. mushroom cloud and potentially radioactive dust left behind from earlier nuclear testing. Utahns have come out of the box -- so to speak - with their absolute opposition to the government's planned Divine Strake test in northern Nevada".... At The Politico, Jonathan Martin reports: "Mitt Romney's courting of House Republicans for his presidential bid is picking up steam. In town last week for the Republican National Committee's winter meeting, the former Massachusetts governor spent a lot of time wooing Hill Republicans. Romney made his pitch to the GOP's Theme Team, which handles communications strategy. One excited Romney ally close to the campaign noted that 46 members showed up to hear Romney; last fall, he drew only about 25 from the conservative House Republican group. ... Individually, picking up Hill endorsements may not move a lot of votes. Collectively, though, such backing makes a statement about where some of the most prominent figures in the party are headed. Winning support from so many congressional Republicans so early in 1999 helped then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush create a much-sought sense of inevitability in his presidential bid" (for more Romney-related posts, see On Faith, Hotline On Call, COL Takashi, TPM Cafe, and The Huffington Post).
News You Can Use
- "NEW JERSEY: Don't Eat the Squirrels, State Warns"--headline, Courier News (Bridgewater, N.J.), Jan. 25
- "Never Give an Iguana Viagra"--headline, Reuters, Jan. 25
(Source: James Taranto’s Best of the Web at OpinionJournal.com)
Weekend Events & Outdoors Report
Outdoors Report
-- Read Morning News photographer Tom Smart’s account of a harrowing horseback adventure in Desolation Canyon. It’s one of the year’s most interesting outdoors stories.
-- For the latest wildlife news and information and the fishing report visit the DWR website
-- Tribune on a Utah couple’s passion for dog-sledding
-- Wealthy paying to help hunting conservation in the Tribune
-- Desolation Canyon horseback adventure turns dangerous in the Morning News
-- Get out of the inversion and enjoy one of the Tribune’s Top Six Trails for
-- Find out about upcoming events in the Morning News’ Outdoor Notes
-- Check out the Tribune’s Outdoor Notebook and Recreation Roundup for sports and recreation activities this week
New Films
-- Catch and Release: Tribune review
-- Volver: Tribune review
Concerts
-- Gospel Music Festival: “Make a Joyful Noise!” Friday, 7:30 p.m., Browning Center, Weber State University, Ogden, free
-- Winter Wonderland, Friday, 7:30 p.m., Assembly Hall, Temple Square, free
-- Ballet Showcase, Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m; also Saturday, 2 p.m., Alice Sheets Marriott Center for Dance, U., $10
-- “Dance in Concert,” The Dancers Company with VocalPoint and Jon Schmidt, Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; also Saturday, 2 p.m., Pardoe Theatre Harris Fine Arts Center, BYU, Provo, $10
-- “An American in Paris” Utah Symphony, Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m., Abravanel Hall
-- Faye Muntz, soprano, Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Assembly Hall, Temple Square, free
-- Origins Dance Company, through February 2, 7:30 p.m., SCERA Center for the Arts
Theater
-- “The Ladies Man” through January 27, Pioneer Theatre Company
-- “See How They Run” through Feb. 10, Hale Centre Theatre
-- “See How They Run” through Feb. 10, Terrace Plaza Playhouse
-- “A Thousand Clowns” through February 10, The Grand Theatre
-- “Aida” through February 17, Rodgers Memorial Theatre
-- “The Man With The Pointed Toes” through Feb. 17, Hale Center Theater Orem
-- “Nunsense A-Men” through Feb. 24, Desert Star Dinner Theatre
-- “Butch Cassidy & the Sunburnt Kid” through March 24, Desert Star Cabaret Theatre
Museum Exhibits
-- Peace Garden Exhibition through January 27, Salt Lake Art Center
-- Painters of the Wasatch Mountains Exhibition through January 28, Museum of Utah Art and History
-- Sideshow through January 28, Utah Museum of Fine Art
Et Cetera
-- SB Dance’s “This Mortal Coil,” through January 28, Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center
-- Park City Film Music Festival, through January 28, Park City
-- Sundance Film Festival, through January 28, Park City
-- Snowshoe with a Naturalist, Cottonwood Canyons Foundation, Saturdays and Sundays through March 25, free, reservations required |
