Post-Mortem Part I: The Good, The Bad, and Previewing the Ugly

This is the first of three posts looking at the election. Part one will look at the good and bad of the 2010 election. Part two will look at the ugliest race of the 2010 election. And Part Three will be a preview of what's next. So,on to part one:

The Good

*Sam Granato

Yes, I have Granato on my good list. Why? Well, despite running a "name on the ballot" race formost of the last 18 months, he started actually campaigning at the end. And the result was the Most successful Democratic Senate race since 1992. Maybe it's the power of incumbency, but 1992 was the last time we had a new US Senator, with Bennett winning by 16 points.

*Philpot Phailure

For the fifth straight election, Republicans ran on a Matheson=Pelosi platform. And for the fifth straight time, Matheson was re-elected.

*Sim Gill

A Democrat back in the DA office. Now's the time for Sim to rock.

*Patrice Arent

OK, this is personal, as Arent is my Representative-Elect. However, any candidate who asks for volunteers to help take down yard signs via Facebook is one to respect.

The Bad:

*Losing 20% of our Legislative Democrats

Yes, we only lost 6 seats (5 in the house, 1 in the Senate). However, we only had 30 seats to begin with. A 20% cut hurts. bad.

*Losing control of Salt Lake County Council

I suppose it was inevitable, with the Pubic Safety Tax Fee and everything.

The Ugly:

Well, it needs it's own post. I'll post that a little later. It's a post on a race hat's missing from this list. And it uses boxing metaphors. It's good stuff, except it's going to piss a few people off.

Granato: Mike Lee Doesn't Understand Earmarks

From the email box:

As a small businessman for more than 40 years, I know what it means to be fiscally responsible. I’ve run a business on a budget and I’ve made all the tough calls that come with it.
I know the difference between solutions that actually work and a bunch of empty rhetoric — and I can tell you that Mike Lee is offering nothing but a bunch of hot air when it comes to federal funding for Utah.
Mike Lee insists that all earmarks are completely unacceptable, and that he will neither seek nor accept any federal funding for the state of Utah. He claims this is fiscally responsible, despite the fact that it won’t save so much as a penny of the federal budget.
I don’t think Mike Lee understands how the budget process works.
You see, an earmark doesn’t determine if the money will be spent — that decision has already been made long beforehand. Earmarks only determine where the money will be spent — and if Mike Lee refuses to accept the money in Utah, it would simply be spent in California or New York or someplace else instead.
Mike Lee may think he’s taking a noble stand with this charade, but the reality is simple — he’s hurting Utahns. The citizens of Utah pay a tremendous amount in federal income taxes, and our senators should be working to make sure as much of that money comes back to the state as possible.


Quite frankly, Mike Lee’s stand on this issue is an empty gesture that would solve nothing and cost Utah billions of dollars. We can’t afford to let him put his extreme ideological agenda ahead of Utah’s best interests.
It is true that the earmarking process needs reform, and I would demand complete transparency and accountability in that process. However, at the same time, I would not cut off funding for vital programs in Utah that rely on federal dollars — programs like public schools, TRAX and other transportation projects, funding for research and buildings at Utah’s universities, and many others. These projects create good jobs here for Utahns, and that’s something we simply cannot take for granted in these tough economic times.
Mike Lee seems to be the only one who doesn’t understand how important this issue is for Utah.
When I’m elected, I won’t play partisan games with important projects. I will fight for Utah and ensure we receive our fair share of federal funding to improve our state and create jobs here at home.
My allegiance will always be to the people of Utah, not an extreme agenda. Utah families come first.
Sincerely,

Sam Granato

CNN: Mike Lee Loves The Constitution (except Amendments 14, 17, 28, 29)

I've been saying this for a while, but now CNN is catching up to it: Mike Lee really loves the constitution. Except the parts he doesn't like.



(Amendments 28 and 29 would be the two he wants to propose. He hates them because they don't exist yet.)

Email From Granato Campaign

From the email box:

Dear Bob,
It's been 40 years since Utah last elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate — but I’m working hard to change that and I need your help!
Some people have tried to tell me that the race is over, that Utah only elects Republicans, and that the people don’t even need to vote. They tell me I should just give up and stop wasting my time, that Utahns will wander into the voting booth on Election Day and check the same box they’ve checked for the last four decades.
You know what I tell them? I tell them they’re wrong.
I don’t believe Utahns are detached or disinterested. I give us more credit than that.
I believe most Utahns want a Senator who will take common sense and mainstream Utah values back to Washington, not more ideological extremism and partisan gridlock.
I believe they want a Senator who will work across the aisle to find solutions that benefit working families, not just give fancy speeches and pound the pulpit.
Most of all, I believe the people of Utah are looking for something different this year — and that their voices will be heard loud and clear at the ballot box on November 2nd.
We can win this election -- but I need your help.
In 1970, Frank E. Moss became the last Democrat to win election to the U.S. Senate from Utah, showing that ours is not a one-party state and that Utah voters are fair-minded folks who want real representation. I believe this remains as true today in 2010 as it was in 1970. We can do this together.
That’s why I’m asking everyone to make a contribution of $19.70 to our campaign — to help us simultaneously remember our past successes even as we prepare for our future victories. Even the smallest contributions will be of great importance as we reach out to voters and spread our message around the state. With your help, we can win this election and begin a new era of leadership in our government.
This fight won’t be easy; we will be fighting against the status quo and special interest dollars the whole way. But, like Senator Moss showed, it can be done. We can do it together.
As always, I look forward to working alongside you as we make history and bring common sense back to Washington.
Sincerely,

Sam Granato
Candidate, U.S. Senate


Tell Us Your "Sam" Story!
As we’ve traveled around the state over the past year, we’ve met with countless voters in each of Utah’s 29 counties — and the stories are almost always the same. Whether we’re speaking with a registered nurse in Salt Lake City or a retired coal miner in Price, they each seem to have a story about Sam, how he has impacted their lives in the past, and why they believe in him now as a candidate.
Now we want to hear from you. We want to hear your stories and experiences with Sam, whether it be a light-hearted lunchtime conversation at one of his delis or a substantive discussion somewhere along the campaign trail. Share your “Sam” story with us by clicking here!
Thousands of Utahns support Sam and his candidacy, because they know who he is and what he stands for. They share their stories with us every day. We look forward to hearing yours!

Come Celebrate the Grand Opening of Our New Office!
Thanks to the help of many friends and supporters, we recently moved into a brand new office in Salt Lake City — and we want you to come help us celebrate!
We will be holding an open house event at the office (located at 1073 E 300 S) for the general public on Tuesday, July 13th from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., and we want you to join us! Feel free to swing by, say hello, and mingle with supporters and campaign staff.
Mark your calendars! We hope to see you there!

Defining Mike Lee

With 6.6% of registered voters voting for him, Mike Lee won the Republican Primary and advances to face Democrat Sam Granato in November.

Mr Lee has spent the past few months defining himself as a "constitutional expert." It's time that we Democrats stand up and define him.

*Mike Lee is a (DC Based) Lawyer who doesn't want Utah to have a say in whether or not they allow nuclear waste. (States rights my butt.)

*Mike Lee wants to declare that children born to illegal immigrants within the borders of the United States are no longer subject to the jurisdiction of the Unites States government. That would make them not citizens, so the Unites States (which, by the way, now has no jurisdiction over these people) can deport them. Let that sink in for a minute. (Please tell me someone out there has that exchange from the KUTV debate last Sunday)

*Mike Lee is in favor of underground nuclear testing. Except he is in favor of ratifying a treaty that bans testing of nuclear weapons. Unless a country decides they need to test to preserve their national security. (If a Democrat took that many positions, he'd be called a flip-flopper.)

*Mike Lee trusts the Utah Legislature more than he trusts Utah Voters. (See revoking the 17th amendment.)

*Mike Lee isn't just a lobbyist. Mike Lee is an illegal Lobbyist.

*Mike Lee wants to raise taxes on the poor and middle-class.

*Mike Lee wants to reduce government regulations. Lax government oversight caused the Gulf Oil Spill and the mine collapse in central Utah a few years ago.

*Mike Lee seems to forget that Article 3 of the Constitution gives the Supreme Court the authority to declare whether laws are constitutional or not.

*Mike Lee loves the constitution, with the exception of Article 3 and Amendments 14, 16, 17, and 10 (only when it is contrary to the desires of his clients).

Mike Lee T-Shirt on Sale at KSL.....

This was funny. Thanks to several friends who posted it on Facebook and Twitter.

Mike Lee US Senate Campaign T-Shirt Adult XL. Pocket Constitution included.
Salt Lake City, UT 84121 - Jun 4, 2010
This is a T-shirt that I got at the Utah Republican State Convention. The shirt has "I Like Mike" on the back.

I'm selling this shirt because I stand for principles and I can no longer have "I Like Mike" displayed on my back. I thought I liked Mike. He loves the Constitution. I love the Constitution. He was a true conservative. I am a true conservative. It was something I was looking forward to wearing.

But in the past few weeks, my shirt has come to mean something else. I found out that Mike failed to register as a Lobbyist when he represented his clients in front of Elected Officials. But instead of admitting he was wrong, he blames other people. It sort of reminds me of another Constitutional Lawyer who is now our President.

Then he started attacking his opponent over issues like earmarks, even though he has represented companies that receive federal funds. These attacks came after he threw a fit before the convention when Senator Bennett was attacking him. He is acting like the bully down the street that loves to dish it out, but can't take it when someone does it to him. I'm not sure who Mike Lee really is anymore. Is he truly a Constitutional expert or is he just another lawyer opportunist?

He wants a constitutional amendment for term limits, but he won't self-impose his own limits if he is elected.

He believes in state's rights under the 10th Amendment of the Constitution, but he represented EnergySolutions that wants the Federal Government to force Utah to take nuclear waste that we don't want.

This shirt needs to go to a home that believes in hypocrisy in their Senate candidates. They need to lack depth in their political discussions and then be uncompromising in their defense of Mike Lee, even with all the evidence I just presented.

I'm willing to trade for a Bridgewater or Granato XL T-shirt. Since they still have some integrity left in them.

Granato: GOP Candidates Want To Increase Taxes on 83% of Taxpayers

Tommy Burr, Out of Context:

Sam Granato, the Democratic nominee for Sen. Bob Bennett's seat, castigated Republican primary opponents Mike Lee and Tim Bridgewater for expressing support during a KSL debate for "so-called 'fair' or 'flat' tax plans" that, according to Granato, "economists say could result in substantial tax increases for 83 percent of American families."

"That doesn't sound fair to me at all," he said in a release Wednesday.

Granato said that non-partisan fact-checking organizations have said these plans aren’t very flat or fair, and will result in tax hikes for families earning less than $100,000 per year, while the wealthy receive sizeable tax cuts.

“Lee and Bridgewater need to stop pandering to extreme ideologues and start focusing on helping the Utah families who need it most,” Granato continued.

Republicans want to raise your taxes. Republicans want to raise your taxes. Sounds like who I want to vote for.....

Stout and Granato on KVNU

I just listened to the archive of KVNU's For The People interviewing both Christopher Stout and Sam Granato last night.

If you have an extra hour, listen to it here. Stout is interviewed first, and Granato goes second.

It's "I have solutions" vs "I'm a small business owner."

I could make more editorial comment, but I'll let you have a listen and decide for yourself.

-Bob

Delegate Email From Sam Granato: Join Us at Convention, Saturday

May 5, 2010

Dear Bob:
Since kicking off my campaign in June 2009, I've talked with thousands of people throughout Utah and it's no surprise that the same issues keep coming up in conversation…

HEALTH CARE REFORM. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) signed into law by President Obama on March 23 was a start, but we still have a long way to go to bring coverage to every American, improve the quality of care, and control the rising costs of health care.

Cost-containment is the biggest issue left unresolved in the law. If we do nothing to address rising health care costs, within eight years health care will consume nearly 21% of our national economy.

As a Board Member of Intermountain Health Care (IHC), I've watched the health care reform debate unfold with a great deal of interest. IHC has been recognized as one of the best models in the nation for managing and delivering quality health care at a reasonable price. I am proud to be a part of an organization lauded by the experts as an effective example and am eager to bring my knowledge and experience to the debate in Washington.

CREATING NEW JOBS. We all know that government doesn't create jobs, small business does. Government can create the climate necessary for small business to thrive, but the recently enacted Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act does little to accomplish that goal.

The HIRE Act includes provisions that don't make a lot of sense to a small business owner like me. The law provides an employer tax credit for businesses that hire unemployed workers. Sounds great, but businesses don't make hiring decisions based on tax breaks. We hire new workers when our businesses are growing and we can sustain those workers at a living wage. Career politicians may think they are helping businesses in America, but this law doesn't really help business.

As a small business owner for more than twenty years, I know what it takes to create sustainable jobs. We need laws that actually support small business, not ones that just look good on paper. If more of our elected officials had jobs other than being politicians, we would have laws that actually help small business.

REGULATING WALL STREET. Greed and lack of oversight brought our economy to the brink of collapse and ushered in one of the worst recessions in our nation's history.

We need strong and reasonable regulation. Regulation needs to address Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, which were responsible for more than $2.7 trillion in bad mortgages. Regulation needs to separate commercial banking and investment activities like it was before Congress repealed the Glass-Steagall Act. We don't need regulation for the sake of regulation. We need reforms that will create a sound foundation for future economic growth.

As former Chairman of the Board of Beehive Credit Union, I understand the complexity of the financial industry and recognize the need for banks and other financial institutions to make a profit for their members or stockholders. Too often, however, bankers forget that the money they are handling belongs to the depositors, not the financial institutions. Laws should encourage banks to be good stewards of those funds and remind the CEO's that the financial institutions work for the people. Without the deposits of hard-working Americans, there would be no financial institutions.

These are important issues and I look forward to talking with you more about them at the State Convention.

Sincerely,


Sam Granato, Candidate
United States Senate

** Please bring this letter with you to the State Convention and visit us at our campaign booth for a special delegate surprise!

ENDORSEMENT: Stout for Senate -- Substance over Style

I like Sam Granato. I was excited to see what he had to offer when he first started running.

However, other than his friendships with "Mr Mac" Christiansen and Frank Layden, delicious food, and the ability to identify that the Government is not doing things well, I don''t really see where he has brought anything to the race.

Yet, the more that I look at Christopher Stout, the more I like him.

Not only does he identify the problems we are facing, he provides solutions, more than most candidates at this stage of a campaign.

Stout has been labeled as the more Liberal of the two Democrats running for this seat, mostly because of the company he is keeping.

However, does this sound like a typical "Liberal" candidate?

Many people have asked me, “Why do you want to run for U.S. Senate?” The answer is as complex as the many problems our nation faces today. First, and foremost, I believe that a Democrat can represent the people of Utah in the U.S. Senate. Many Democrats within Utah feel that the state isn’t willing to accept Democrats in the state’s highest offices. I disagree. We need more Democrats to step up and prove that we have the ability to identify issues and work towards resolutions that benefit the people of Utah. We have viable solutions to issues, we share common values with our Republican friends, and we can make a difference.

Second, the nation was founded on compromise, maintained by compromise, and successful because of compromise. In the Senate today, I see very little compromise. I see a Senate that is playing politics and pampers the special interests rather than meeting the needs of the People. The health care debate over the past year provided an insight to me, that many politicians and special interests groups aren’t really trying to help bring solutions to our issues. We must determine problems, offer solutions, reach compromises, and then revisit the issue again next year to see how well our compromises worked and reach more compromises until we have the best possible government that we can have. I believe that this effort is missing from our Senate representation. It is missing because we keep electing career politicians, and not representatives of the people. We must approach our solutions that are in the best interests of the people, not special interests, and not politicians.

It sounds like someone who knows what it will take to be an effective Senator for Utah.

And that's why I am endorsing Christopher Stout for US Senate.

-Bob Aagard

Read More about the candidates::
Sam Granato
Christopher Stout

Delegate Email 2-for-1: Chris Stout and Sam Granato

Two emails, two candidates, same theme.

Chris Stout:

Dear Friends,
I’d like to offer my sincere thanks to those of you I’ve had the opportunity to either meet in person or talk with on the telephone over the last several months. As I continue expressing my views of good government and my desires to work for the people of Utah in the U.S. Senate, I want to ask you to do two things:
1. Compare the candidates. Take a long look at both web sites and compare our plans and our issues. I suggest starting at www.stout2010.com. For several months, as I've worked to reach out to every delegate in person, by phone and email, I've had a plan; a clear outlining of important issues and solutions.
2. Ask me questions. As detailed and as open as this campaign has been, I know that some of you still have questions about who I am and what I believe. The simplest solution to any problem is usually the best solution – so; call me and ask.

Between now and the state convention, my phone line is open and I am standing by to take your calls. Leave a message if you don’t get through and I’ll return the call as soon as I can.
Take the time to get to know me and the reasons I’m running for the U.S. Senate. I am always happy to share with you my thoughts and feelings on any given issue. I also promise to listen to your take and engage in sincere discussion and constructive dialogue about the topics that matter most to all Utahns.

Sincerely,

Christopher Stout
801-892-9700

Granato:

Dear Bob:

Congratulations on being elected as a delegate to the Utah Democratic State Convention! I'm running for United States Senate and am asking for your support.

I value your vote and your opinion. As a delegate, you are among the most active and engaged Democratic voters in Utah and I want to hear from you. Since kicking off my campaign in June 2009, I have visited dozens of communities and talked with thousands of people about the issues that concern them most. In Roosevelt, it's immigration and energy policy. On the Wasatch Front, it's air quality, jobs, and education. In St. George, it's growth, water resources, and wilderness designation.

Of course, everywhere I've been, people are angry that healthcare reform either went too far or did not go far enough. People are anxious about the economy and disgusted by the nasty rhetoric of Washington politicians.

In the days remaining before the State Convention, I hope we have a chance to talk about these issues as well as other concerns you may have. Please contact our campaign headquarters at (801) 486-2010.

As you know, the State Convention will be held Saturday, May 8th at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City. Registration begins at 9am and I hope we can talk more then, too. Let me know if you plan to attend so I can look for you and we can spend some time together. Either reply to this email, or answer our brief survey on the top left of this page.

Thank you for your time!

- Sam

Shurtleff Out --What does it mean for the other competitors?

With Attorney General Mark Shurleff suspending his campaign for US Senate to deal with family matters surrounding his daughter's depression, what does it mean for the other people in the race?

Sen Bob Bennett (R)

In the eyes of many, this boiled down to a two-person race -- Shurtleff vs Bennett. With the AG out of the picture, Bennett's run get much easier. There's still a chance, but his road to reelection definitely got easier today.

Sam Granato (D)

Easily the person most hurt by this is Sam. Let's face it, the best-case scenario for Dems was a Shurtleff-Granato race to November. The worst-case scenario is Bennett-Granato.

Cherilyn Eagar (R)

This is definitely a win-lose for the Eagar camp. On one hand, it opens the door for more media coverage. On the other hand, she loses much of the "anything you can do I can do better" competition she was playing with Shurtleff. She'll gain some of the delegates that were looking to Shurtleff for change, but not enough to make a difference.

Tim Bridgewater (R)

The second-worst-kept secret in the 2010 cycle has been that Tim Bridgewater was running for Senate. And, because of that, the announcement of his campaign came with little fanfare. However, with Shurtleff gone, it allows him to step up to the plate. His experience in the Republican Convention/Primary system from his two runs for the US House gives him the leg up in recruiting delegates. He is the new favorite to force a primary with Bennett. his ability to win a primary is another question.

-Bob

FTC ruling affects bloggers

From the DesNews:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Federal Trade Commission will require bloggers to clearly disclose any freebies or payments they get from companies for reviewing their products.

It is the first time since 1980 that the commission has revised its guidelines on endorsements and testimonials, and the first time the rules have covered bloggers.

But the commission stopped short Monday of specifying how bloggers must disclose any conflicts of interest.

The FTC said its commissioners voted 4-0 to approve the final guidelines, which had been expected. Penalties include up to $11,000 in fines per violation.

The rules take effect Dec. 1.

Since I don't review products or businesses (although I once did movie reviews and have toyed with restaurant write-ups), this shouldn't affect me.

Or will it?

If, say, Sam Granato were to host a meeting with bloggers and were to feed us sandwiches, should we not disclose this? And could I be fined if I don't.

Just wondering....

-Bob

[P.S. - Granato's, nor the Sam Granato campaign, provided any compensation for this mention, although now I want a sandwich....]

Coach Frank Layden Speaks at Sam Granato Meeting

One of my favorite people I have met over the years is Coach Frank Layden. Frank is the former coach and President of the Utah Jazz, and is knwn as the Yogi Berra of Utah. Frank tells the story of his early years as coach in the mid-80's when the team wasn't very good and people weren't coming to the games, and so they'd put on the marquee "TONIGHT: FRANK LAYDEN (and his Utah Jazz) vs CHICAGO BULLS). Someone once asked him what time the game was and he asked them what time they could make it.

His two trademarks are his sense of humor and always telling you what's on his mind, both things seen in this video from a Sam Granato house party (h/t Utah Amicus):

Frank Layden Supports Sam Granato For US Senate from Donald Lewin Nelson on Vimeo.

Donate to Sam here.

-Bob

UT-Sen: And then there were six

DesNews:

Vowing to wage a low-cost grass-roots campaign aiming to return the country to constitutional principles, Republican James Russell Williams III formally announced his candidacy Wednesday for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Bob Bennett, R-Utah.

"We have to change the way our politicians are running the government. The best hope for our country, and for our families, is to return to our core conservative principles of fiscal discipline, accountability, strong national security, limited government and immigration reform," he said.

He enters a crowded race. Already in it are Republicans Bennett, Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, and former congressional candidate Tim Bridgewater, and conservative Cherilyn Eagar is expected to formally announce her candidacy on Thursday. Also in the race is Democratic food business owner Sam Granato.

Williams, 36, of South Jordan, owns a small business called Creative Customs, which provides electronics work for car dealerships. He said he has never run for political office.

From The SideTrack

Jim Matheson to run for ..... Something in 2010

Utah's Second District Congressman Jim Matheson is probably the most powerful man in Utah Democratic politics right now. He tells KTVX that he's considering running for Senate or Governor next year if he doesn't run for reelection. Let's look at some pros and cons of each race:

Congress: He'd be looking at his sixth term if elected, which is a high probability. The higher-profile races are drawing Republicans away from this race. Matheson's leaving for higher office could open the door to someone else from the Dems stepping up. Also,should Matheson announce his decision to leave the house early enough, look for a Republican that won't win one of the other races will jump in.

Senate: Sam Granato will be officially announcing his candidacy on Monday, so Matheson jumping in could lead to a intra-party battle to riva the GOP's.

Governor: There is a large online movement to draft Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon to run for this office. Should Matheson run for a this position, Corroon could pull a Chaffetz and run (If memory serves me right,the Corroons live on H Street. The east side of I street is in the 2nd district).

However, The least you can say is that it is a fun time to be a political junkie in Utah!

-Bob

From The SideTrack

Sam Granato US Senate Campaign Launches Next Monday

What: Sam Granato for US Senate (2010) Announcement
When: Monday, June 1, 2009 11:30 AM
Where: Granato's Deli: 1632 S Redwood Rd, SLC

See you there!

-Bob

From The SideTrack