| 
Campaign Fun on the Web
Ever seen Dave Buhler in a wig, dark glasses and a tie-dye T-shirt? Check out the Salt Lake City mayoral candidate’s new web site and you’ll see that and a lot more of what a Buhler campaign press release calls “Downloadable” Dave.
I’ve seen a lot of campaign web sites, and this one clearly sets a new standard, at least for Utah, in fun with a touch of whimsy. Its use of video and the latest web technology provide plenty of “cuteness,” combined with functionality and substance. The press release says the site adds “a pinch of personality” and “it’s not your father’s political website.”
“We know folks are tired of the same old thing on the web,” Buhler said. “So we decided to have some fun with our site. This isn’t the site for political junkies. Instead, it’s for everyday people who just want to know who I am and what I stand for.” The site features a revolving, “virtual” Dave avatar who points out the features of the website. Comments from Buhler supporters about why they “like Dave” rotate around various pages. The site, produced by Love Communications, also launches the first of several web TV spots.
Economy: Good Things Happening
Utah economist Jeff Thredgold’s Tea Leaf Economic Update this week focuses on economic growth in Europe and the lessening of inflationary pressures in the U.S., both of which are good news economically. Thredgold expects the U.S. economy to pick up speed over the next four quarters.
Washington Watch
Hatch, Cannon, Shurtleff Push Voting Rights Bill
Sen. Orrin Hatch speaks at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on behalf of his bill, the District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007 (S.1257), which would add a fourth congressional seat for Utah. Rep. Chris Cannon and Attorney General Mark Shurtleff also testify on behalf of the bill (see press release).
Matheson: No Nuke Funding
Rep. Jim Matheson says "he strongly supports a move by a House subcommittee to eliminate all funding in this year's budget for the Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW) -- a proposed new nuclear bomb" (see press release); Matheson sends a letter "asking a House committee to conduct a hearing on the possibility of expanding the federal Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to cover potential victims in Utah and Idaho" (press release).
Today in Political History
May 24, 2001: Democrats gain control of the U.S. Senate for the first time since 1994 when Sen. James Jeffords of Vermont abandons the Republicans and declares himself an independent. (Source: NBC5)
May 24, 2002: President Bush and Russian President Putin sign a nuclear arms reduction treaty which calls for each nation to reduce its deployed strategic nuclear warheads to no more than 2,200 within 10 years. (Source: perspicuity)
Wise Words
“Here in America we are descended in blood and in spirit from revolutionists and rebels -- men and women who dare to dissent from accepted doctrine. As their heirs, may we never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion.”
–Dwight D. Eisenhower (Source: Brainy Quote)
Salt Lake City Trivia
Q: What percentage of Salt Lake City voters say they are LDS Church members?
A: 44%. Percentages of other denominations in the city are: Catholic, 10%; Protestant, 7%; Other, 10% and No religious affiliation, 25%; 4% refused to answer the question. (Source: Dan Jones & Associates survey of 506 SLC registered voters conducted March 24-29)
National Politics
Best Stories From . . .
-- The Hill: Columnist David Hill: "Rumors of the Republican Party's imminent meltdown in 2008 are rampant. Websites and blogs bristle with headlines like 'They're screwed,' 'Licking their wounds,' 'Republicans really are the stupid party' and 'What are Republicans thinking?' And those are from the friendly conservative sources. ... Is it really an apocalypse for the GOP? Or is a weird coalition of the liberal mainstream media conjoined with the hard right making the Republican predicament out to be much worse than it really is? In my view, the case for a crisis is way overblown" (see also related Joe Conason column).
-- Washington Post: Editorial: Those who oppose the compromise immigration reform proposal must explain how its defeat "would leave the country in a better posture. The practical effect of a defeat would be to leave the country without any resolution to the current non-system of immigration for at least two more years, and possibly for much longer -- an outcome the American public clearly doesn't want" (see also related MSNBC story and Dick Morris column).
-- NBC News: Columnist Chuck Todd: "If one were to allow 12 voters from a cross-section of life and ideologies to pick the next president, some combination of Rudy Giuliani and Barack Obama would be the landslide winner. At least that's the conclusion of 12 voters from the swing voting area of Baltimore County, Md., via a focus group sponsored by the Annenberg Center of the Univ. of Pennsylvania."
-- The Politico: "In the South Carolina GOP presidential debate last Tuesday, in a closed-door gathering of senators Thursday and then on a conference call Monday with Republican-leaning bloggers, [Sen. John McCain] flashed what may be both his biggest asset and his biggest liability: a quick wit and stiletto-sharp tongue. The question for his presidential campaign this time is whether such attacks are helpful reminders for many people of why they originally liked the man or enhance his image as someone inclined to lose his cool when threatened."
Blog Watch
-- Sen. John Valentine solicits (and receives--see comments) reader feedback on how The Senate Site "is operated and funded. If you see something amiss with the way we've structured things, please give me your thoughtful suggestions for improvement" (see also posts praising the Senate Site by Rep. Steve Urquhart and David Fletcher).
-- Rep. John Dougall says: "Stuart Adams was just appointed as the new chairman of the Transportation Commission. Stuart is a former legislator and was a critical member of the Transportation Planning Task Force (2003-2004). I look forward to Stuart carrying forward the significant work that was done by the task force and the legislature as a whole. He will do a great job. Stuart replaces Glen Brown who has diligently served the state as a Transportation Commissioner for over 13 years (chair for most of his tenure). Glen has helped guide the commission through the boom of the I-15 rebuild in SL Co, the budget bust of 2002-2003, and the current resurgent boom in transportation funding and construction. Glen, we appreciate your service. Utah is better because of your willingness to give freely of your time and talents (15 years as a legislator and former Speaker of the House as well as 13 years as a commissioner). Thank you!"
-- David Fletcher notes: "With a population of 1,321,851,888, China will have a growing impact on the global environment. That is certain. With that in mind, the EPA has a new Chinese language website. Utah's Governor, Jon Huntsman Jr. is probably one of the few governor's to speak Mandarin in the U.S. Watch the video as he invites Chinese to visit Utah."
-- At Out of Context, Thomas Burr reports: "The District of Columbia's non-voting delegate Eleanor Holmes-Norton made a faux pas today when lauding Sen. Orrin Hatch for his leadership on a bill to give the district and Utah a House seat each. Norton, in praising Hatch, introduced him as a 'senior citizen, um, senior senator.' Hatch quickly grabbed his microphone. 'You got it right the first time,' Hatch said as the audience laughed. 'I feel that way right now.'"
Lighter Side
Best of Late Night Humor
(Source: Patriot Post)
David Letterman: “Top Surprises in Al Gore’s New Book”: Dedicated to his “soulmate” Lindsay Lohan; 52 chapters... to match his waist size; Chastises Bill Clinton for not sharing the hot intern action; After the 2000 election, shaved his head and checked into rehab; All proceeds go to Paris Hilton’s legal defense fund; The threat that keeps him up at night? A massive Fritos shortage; Besides the Internet, also claims to have invented Keno; Brags that he has now written more books than President Bush has read.
Jay Leno: Jimmy Carter actually said that George W. Bush is the worst in history. Then Bush said that’s not true, he said that he was the worst in math and English. He actually got a C- in history. ... President Bush’s approval numbers have dropped as low as 28 percent. That’s the lowest for any president since... Jimmy Carter, so he knows what he’s talking about. ... Now Jimmy Carter is backtracking. He now says that his comments were “misinterpreted.” I’m sure the phrase “the worst in history” can be taken any number of ways. ... This is kind of alarming. A nature watchdog group says that we have five years to fix global warming or face catastrophic consequences. Like the possibility of another Al Gore movie. |
