Iowa Results Tonight
Tonight the cable TV news channels, along with national newspaper web sites, will provide minute-by-minute results of the Iowa caucuses. Iowa officials have said they expect to have final results by 10 p.m. Central time, but that could change. Some Utah news media also have reporters on the scene in Iowa.
In Utah, the Barack Obama campaign will hold an Iowa Caucus Night Part beginning at 6:30 p.m. at 1747 South 900 West. Friends and supporters of the Obama campaign are invited.
Mormon Media Monitor
Joel Campbell, an assistant professor in the Department of Communications at BYU and a seasoned reporter himself, does a terrific job exposing bad reporting on Mormon topics. His latest post at the Morning News’ LDS Newsline grades recent coverage of the LDS Church.
Here’s an excerpt from Campbell’s first post (a version of which was also published in Editor & Publisher): “As a professional journalist and a Latter-day Saint, I am amazed by the level of negative rhetoric about my faith in the news media recently. As I review the good, the bad and the ugly written about GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, a truism seems to hold. Just like the public at large, the more reporters and pundits know about Mormons (or have attempted to understand us) the less likely they are to use stereotypes, frame us as ‘wacky’ and turn to those not of our faith to answer questions about what we believe.”
Dispatch From the Front
All Caucus Eve
Jared Whitley, who works for Sen. Orrin Hatch in Washington, D.C., is taking some personal time to volunteer for Mitt Romney in Iowa this week. He is blogging about his experiences at Rapier Whit and Utah Policy Daily will link to his posts from the front lines. An excerpt from Wednesday night: “Mitt was introduced tonight by Olympic gold medal-winning speed skater Dan Jansen, who told us he knew that the 2002 Olympics would be successful as soon as he met Mitt. For himself, the former SLOC President expressed considerable modesty about his Olympic legacy. He asked the crowd, ‘Did I turn around the Olympics singlehandedly? No! Of course I didn't,’ but he explained that he knew how to bring together and organize the people who turned the Games around.”
CPPA Newsletter, Report
The University of Utah's Center for Public Policy & Administration has posted its latest Policy Perspectives newsletter. This month's edition looks at identity theft in Utah and features a summary of CPPA's latest Policy In-depth Report, which evaluates Utah's state retirement plans.
Today in Political History
Jan. 3, 1521: Martin Luther is excommunicated by the Roman Catholic Church
Jan. 3, 1847: California Town of Yerba Buena renamed San Francisco.
Jan. 3, 1861: Delaware legislature rejects proposal to join Confederacy. (Source: NCBUY)
Jan. 3, 1959: President Dwight Eisenhower signs a proclamation admitting Alaska to the Union as the 49th state. (New York Times)
Wise Words
“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.”
-- G. K. Chesterton (Patriot Post)
Utah Landmarks
Capitol to Reopen
The Capitol Preservation Board invites the public back to the People's House to view the beautifully restored and renovated Utah State Capitol. An open house will be held Saturday, Jan. 5, through Friday, Jan. 11, from 9 am to 8 pm daily. Each day will focus on a unique aspect of the restoration project, culminating with Capitol Discovery Day on Jan. 12. The special focus subjects for each day are:
-- January 5, the Rotunda and niche sculptures.
-- January 6, the Visitor Services Center and Fourth Floor Exhibit
-- January 7, the Governor’s Suite, State Reception Room, and Territorial Governor’s Exhibit
-- January 8, the Senate Chamber
-- January 9, the House Chamber
-- January 10, the Supreme Court Chamber
-- January 11, the Arts
-- January 12, the Restoration, Seismic Retrofit, and Capitol Discovery Day (Source: Capitol Preservation Board)
National Politics
Best Stories From . . .
-- Associated Press: "Uplifting appeals largely replaced stinging insults Tuesday as Democratic and Republican candidates did the only thing left to do in Iowa races that are too close to call -- encourage supporters to vote for them."
-- The Politico: "Officials in both parties and independent observers expect participation in the [Iowa] Democratic caucus could run nearly twice as high as in the Republican contest -- a reflection of the greater urgency Democrats feel about the 2008 election and greater enthusiasm for their choices."
-- Washington Times: Columnist Tony Blankley: "In Iraq, as military and security conditions continue to improve, American war politics enters one of its stranger moments in our history. Certainly it is historically odd for war reporting to diminish almost to the point of public invisibility -- just as our troops are starting to gain the upper hand."
-- Bloomberg: Columnist Kevin Hassett lists the "Top 10 pieces of happy economic news in 2007."
Blog Watch
At Perception is Reality, Tyler Kotter posts on a variety of topics, including Utah business and China, taser use in law enforcement, and access to the renovated State Capitol.
Lighter Side
“I cannot part the Red Sea, but I believe I can part the red tape.”
-- Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister, replying to a question on government spending during a presidential debate in Iowa (The Economist) |
