Utah’s lone Democratic Congressman, Jim Matheson, sent me an email tonight, asking for my opinion (via  radio-button survey) on the Financial Crisis. In case you aren’t on his “advisor list”, here are the questions he asked, along with my responses. My answers are the ones shown as bold.

Dear Misty,

Most economists accept that the nation’s financial crisis demands intervention by the government.  But I have concerns about the proposal to put $700 billion to $1 trillion in taxpayer money on the line.

Are we acting too quickly, without gathering enough information? Will the proposal work? What benefit will taxpayers receive, if the financial system is stabilized?  Are we giving too much power to one government agency?

I would like to hear from you.  Please take a moment to respond to the following brief survey.

Sincerely,

U.S. Representative
2nd District of Utah

Do you support the use of taxpayer money to buy up the bad debt on the books of troubled investment banks?

yes
no
don’t know enough about it

How concerned are you about financial executives receiving excessive compensation even as their companies go bankrupt?

Not too concerned
Quite concerned
Strongly opposed to it

Should homeowners facing foreclosure be allowed to restructure their mortgages to afford the payments and stay in their homes?

Yes
No
Don’t know

If the bailout plan is approved, should an independent oversight board be appointed to keep tabs on the program?

yes
no

Who do you blame most for the current crisis?

Banks
Wall Street executives
Homebuyers
Mortgage lenders
Homebuilders
Realtors
A combination of the above
the government

How worried are you about the safety of your savings accounts and mutual funds?

Not worried
somewhat worried
very worried

I found the phrasing of the questions quite interesting, and much of it quite leading. Especially the question about who I blame most. Why wasn’t this question a checkbox? I can’t blame the government as much as Wall Street, and if I want to blame both Wall Street execs and Banks, I have to blame the home builders, too? That doesn’t make much sense.

If you want to give Matheson your thoughts, you’ll have to use his web site. Unfortunately, I don’t think the survey is “open”, but you can use a feedback form to pass your answers on. Or give them a call at (202) 225-3011.

Feel free to leave a comment telling if you’d answer differently than me, and why.

I know that Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. keeps saying that he doesn’t want to leave Utah before his term is up, but how else do you explain this:

GOP vice presidential nominee and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has foreign policy experience because of the sheer location of the state she leads, Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. said Wednesday.

“I love when people say she has no national security experience, no foreign policy experience,” Huntsman told Utah delegates to the Republican National Convention. “The state borders Russia and Canada, for heaven’s sake.”

Huntsman gave a full-throated defense of Palin - a surprise pick by Sen. John McCain as his running mate - during a morning breakfast with delegates. Palin, who until Friday was a relatively unknown governor, is expected to speak tonight at the convention.

As a surrogate for McCain, Huntsman has made the rounds in the Twin Cities, speaking to several delegations and appearing on television to boost the Republican ticket.

He said Wednesday that he can’t wait for the vice presidential debate between Palin and Sen. Joe Biden, Democratic candidate Barack Obama’s running mate.

“The expectation will be so low, and she’ll just hit it all out of the park,” Huntsman said.

(Emphasis mine)

Burr’s Salt Lake Tribune article goes on to quote Huntsman defending Palin’s family, which has obvious contradictions to the “Conservative Family Values” that are so often pushed from the GOP. Huntsman has been a long-time fan of John McCain, but seriously….continuing the “Russia is next door, that’s foreign policy experience” meme is below him. Especially when his primetime speech just got bumped from the GOP Convention “coincidentally” right after it was revealed that it would be an environmental call to arms for the GOP.

Perhaps more Utahns should give Bob Springmeyer a second look?

Yes, it’s last-minute. But it’s decided. I’m going to Denver with the rest of the Utah Amicus crew! I’ll be blogging live from the Democratic National Convention, so that you, too, can experience history as it happens!

Don’t forget to check in often at the Utah Amicus for all the greatest coverage!

Judging by the comments on the latest article I’ve seen on the Deseret News story on TheSockObama, people are a bit confused on some of the basic facts about this story. So, I thought I’d do the world some good, and point out a few things along the way. (After that, can we all get on to the really exciting stuff, like Al Gore finally endorsing Obama?)

First, David Lawson, of West Jordan, not Park City, owns TheSockObama Co and was the designer of the offensive “Obama Sock Puppet” toy depicting Barack Obama as a monkey.

Binkley Toys is a custom toy manufacturer, and made the toys for TheSockObama Co.

When we (local grassroots Obama supporters) first got wind of the “toy”, early Thursday, June 12, we discussed it amongst ourselves (grassroots), and decided to ignore it. (Side note: West Jordan - that’s where they’re trying to ban toy guns, toy bows and arrows and sling shots, right?)

Friday morning, local news outlets had decided to cover it.

First was Lisa Riley Roche, of the Deseret News. I got a call from her, and said basically that I didn’t know the makers, so I couldn’t know their intent, but that the “doll” was obviously a racist depiction, and if they truly didn’t intend any offense, they would surely remove it from their web site. Here’s the quote from me in her article:

“When I saw something like that going on locally, I was a little bit upset,” said Misty Fowler of Utah for Obama. But then she decided the sellers either have a misguided sense of humor “or are someone to be ignored.”

Asked if the item was racist, she said, “It could be taken that way.” Or, Fowler said, “It’s entirely possible somebody couldn’t see how it could be offensive. I’m not worried about it.”

Either way, she said, the product shouldn’t be seen as representing all Utahns’ attitudes toward race. “There are people like that everywhere, so I don’t think it is a reflection on the average Utahn,” Fowler said.

Now, understand my perspective. I can’t stand racism, and it really baffles me to think of the ignorant hatred behind it. But, this stupid little doll was turning into a distraction from the Obama campaign. While I am very offended by it, I didn’t want to give the makers the attention they were receiving, and presumably, adding to their income. My goal is to get people to pay attention to what Obama is doing and saying. So, yeah I prefer to ignore it, instead of validate it.

Next up was Brent Hunsaker, of ABC 4, who called Nikki Norton. Nikki called me, and I ended up doing an on-camera interview with him in front of my house. (Side note: I told them I’d be home at 6:30, hoping to get there 15 minutes before then and primp. When I got home at 6:15, they were waiting, and I had no idea how badly I needed to primp, much less prepare what I wanted to say…)

While doing that interview, Arikka Von of Fox 13 (side note: when she emailed me, I almost “spammed” it without reading the email because the sender showed as “Avon”) called, left voicemail, and emailed me, hoping for an interview.

At this point, I was getting seriously disturbed, for what turned out to be pretty good reasons. This story ran as headline news on every local channel. I wanted to diffuse it, ignore it, and get the attention back on Senator Obama vs. John McSame, where it belongs.

I decided not to do the interview, because I just didn’t have the time. So, I started calling everyone I knew who I could trust to give a good perspective on the story, mostly grassroots Obama supporters, and who I had already discussed it with. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out so well. It was Friday evening, and I didn’t have much luck. Finally, I decided to call Rob Miller. The only reason I didn’t do that in the first place is that I figured he wouldn’t be too happy to be asked (he’s really busy on Jean Welch Hill’s Attorney General campaign), but I’m glad I chanced it. Rob did great in his interview, and was happy to be of help (LOVED the Buttars comment that he threw in, and the resulting discussion, btw!).

In the middle of trying to find someone for Fox 13, Robert Gherke, of the Salt Lake Tribune, called. Since it didn’t involve a camera, I discussed the story with him, expressing my views about it. I was very pleased with him using the quote he did:

Misty Fowler, the chairwoman of the grassroots group Utah for Obama, said she doesn’t believe the portrayal of Obama represents the average Utahn’s views.
“The sock monkey as Senator Obama is obviously a racist thing, but whether their motivation was a racist one or is unintentional naivete, I don’t know,” she said. “I’ve talked to quite a few other Obama supporters here locally, but it’s something we’re just trying to ignore because it’s not worth our time.”

So, Monday morning, the story is back on. Lisa Riley Roche called again, and told me that Binkley Toys had pulled the product and issued an apology. We were playing voicemail tag, so I called her back and said basically that I am glad they’ve removed the product and issued the apology. As far as I’m concerned, this has been a needless distraction from the real issues. I think that Utahns are much more affected by Obama’s economic policy than by some ill-conceived idea for a toy. My attention is on his speech today about how he will use education and technology to establish energy security, and put America back into a respected global leadership position.

I want to make it clear that during this time, I’d have loved to have had input from the Barack Obama campaign, so I could address this issue in the way they wanted me to. However, this isn’t the kind of thing that I can be a spokesperson for them for, or that they would want me to be. The views I expressed to the media, and here in my blog, are my own. Occasionally, I do get “insider” information, or am given direction on how to talk to the media. Voter Registration, for example - I got a list of “Do’s and Don’ts”. The “Don’t” list included something to the effect of “Don’t present yourself as a represenative of the campaign”. The “Do” list included something like “Do register anyone and everyone who wants to be (as long as they qualify to vote, duh), regardless of any party or candidate preferences they may express”.

So, I was on my own. And really, I’m glad that I was only representing myself, and not the campaign. I’d hate to ever have that job. I always feel like the media is trying to trip me up or get something “juicy” out of me, so I can’t imagine what it would be like if they really tried…

Then I got a call from Tom Grover, of KVNU’s For the People, asking me for an interview after 4. Now, I’m not BFFs with Tom, or anything, but I’ve talked to him via email and on blogs, and I was pretty excited to be doing his show (Jeff is next). I’m about 10:30 in for hour 1. I think this was the first live interview I’ve done, but it wasn’t nearly as nervewracking as the ones I know they’ll cut my screw-ups out of, because I was comfortable, and got the chance to say all of what I had to say, and not just a little part.

Anyway, in reading the latest article, TheSockObama Co sent a letter to the Deseret News that was appalling on every conceivable level. Or maybe I just need to “grow up and get off the internet” as Tom said. Anyway, as one commenter pointed out, the letter may qualify for some sort of ‘Worst Writing Ever’ award, for the poor grammar, typos and finger pointing at everyone else. Some of the commenters seemed to be confused over the difference between the toy’s inventor and it’s manufacturer. Some were obvious Chris Buttars allies. Some were outraged at either the racism, or conversely, the supposed “anti-Americanism” of shutting down the toy. I rarely read comments, because there isn’t much intelligence behind them, and that held true for this article, too.

So, now that all the facts are out there, the toy has been pulled, the manufacturer has apologized, and the inventor is having some sort of breakdown, can we all go back to the real issues? Like how exciting it is that Al Gore has finally endorsed Barack Obama? I was so close to actual doubts about Gore, but it’s all ok now. Anyone think that Detroit will help themselves and help America by going green with their cars? Barack’s speech:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw2gbiW1Oqs]

Barack Obama has announced that he’s taking the 50-State Strategy all the way, and there will be campaign offices in every state, including Utah. Monday morning I was able to confirm that it will likely be late July before we see them on the ground here, but that’s far earlier than I had even hoped for. So far, they’re not telling us much more than that, but I’m sure that when it gets closer, they’ll be looking for housing for staffers again. If you have the ability and willingness, please keep an eye out here for the announcement.

Here’s the email from David Plouffe about it:

Dear Misty,

I have some news that I wanted you to hear.

People like you have been the heart of Chairman Howard Dean’s 50-state strategy to rebuild our party and empower Democrats to compete everywhere. We’ve all seen the energy and enthusiasm at the grassroots level impact races up and down the ballot over the last three years.

I am proud to announce that our presidential campaign will be the first in a generation to deploy and maintain staff in every single state.

The network of volunteers and the infrastructure built up during the historic primary season — on behalf of all the Democratic campaigns — have given us an enormous and unprecedented opportunity in the general election.

Now it’s time to expand our network and push our organizing resources even further. No matter where you live, our success this November will depend on your involvement. Sign up to join our campaign now, and we’ll make sure you’re aware of all the latest news and opportunities to make a difference:

http://my.barackobama.com/getinvolved

Of course, some states will be more competitive than others, and we will scale our resources accordingly.

But your work building our party means that the list of competitive states will be longer than ever before — and it will include states like Virginia and Montana where your work has helped a Democratic resurgence at the state level.

And in every single state, no matter what the likelihood that we carry it in the fall, our staff will build volunteer capacity that will provide help where we need it and impact races up and down the ballot this November.

Every day counts — voters head to the polls in less than five months.  This is your opportunity to shape this election and our unprecedented 50-state campaign now:

http://my.barackobama.com/getinvolved

Thanks to your support, we are on our way to building an unprecedented organization for the November elections.

As the presumptive Democratic nominee, Barack Obama will fight to unite our party and win contests up and down the ballot.

But he cannot determine the outcome of this election on his own.

It will all come down to what you are willing to do.

It’s time to answer the call.

Thank you,
David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

Blogging is likely to be a bit sparse again for a while. I just started a new contract through the company I work for, and I’ll be doing some overtime in order to be able to take off in August to go with Rob and the rest of the Amicus gang to the DNC in Denver. And I have to admit, I’m loving the new job. It’s so odd to work for a company that has written decent, organized code, and gives good requirements. In fact, I was able to write code on my first day there, and finish it by the second. I’ll be there around 90 days, and I have a feeling I’ll be happy there right up until the end of the contract.

Nikki Norton is being drafted as my Co-Chair for Utah for Obama tomorrow night. She’s been a lifesaver as of late, and I’m glad she’s finally agreed to it. She was highlighted in this TIME.com article:

Utah is hardly the place that jumps into most Democrats’ minds when brainstorming about red states where they have a chance to make headway this November. The Beehive State was one of just three states in which President George W. Bush swept every county in 2004 — all of them except for two with more than 55% of the vote. In the state’s 2008 primaries on Super Tuesday, Republican voters outnumbered Democrats by a margin of 2.5 to 1.

None of that, however, has discouraged Nikki Norton and her band of 40 volunteers from organizing for Obama ahead of the General Election. And surprisingly, it hasn’t deterred the Obama campaign from formally helping Norton by investing in the state; Norton, co-chair of Utah for Obama’s grassroots campaign, got a call a couple of days ago telling her to expect paid staffers to arrive within the next month. “Even if we don’t win Utah we definitely want to create a downstream effect for local candidates,” Norton said. “It could also force [Republican presumptive nominee John] McCain to defend Utah; he might have to split his resources for a state like ours where he probably wouldn’t have needed to before. And our volunteers had a big effect on border swing states, particularly in rural areas in Nevada, and that was a big benefit for Obama [who won Nevada's delegate count over Hillary Clinton by dint of his rural victories].”

From the earliest days of his upstart campaign, Obama pledged to run a 50-state effort, vowing to move past the traditional partisan divide and expand the electoral map by appealing to independents and even Republicans. But few people, even in his own staff, thought he’d actually invest in every single state. As it turns out, Obama’s phenomenal fundraising has allowed him to deliver on his bold promise and place campaign staff in every one of the 50 states, as his campaign announced it would Monday. The strategy could force McCain to defend Republican strongholds, may help those lonely Democratic candidates in so-called Red States and could further expand Obama’s already massive volunteer and donor bases (indeed, the move was announced in a fundraising e-mail plea to donors).

Obama is able to do this, in part, because of the grueling, drawn-out delegate fight with Clinton that only just ended. The long primary season forced the campaign to build bases of support for the Illinois senator in every single state. The dividends of the high-profile Democratic presence are already being felt. Earlier this year, Democrats picked up three long-held GOP congressional seats in special elections in Mississippi, Louisiana and Illinois. The party is also mounting House challengers in 14 states that Bush won in 2004, including Wyoming, Alabama and Arizona. And Democratic candidates are contesting at least five GOP stronghold seats in the Senate: Alaska, Kentucky (Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s seat), Nebraska, Kansas and New Mexico. “Senator Barack Obama’s plan to compete in all 50 states is a reflection of the overwhelming desire for change that is transcending state boundaries and has energized voters in every corner of the country,&q uot; said Maryland Representative Chris Van Hollen, who runs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which works to elect Democratic candidates.

No one contends that the 50-state strategy is Obama’s brainchild; it actually comes from Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, who not so long ago took a lot of heat from Democrats angry that he was squandering their limited resources on perceived long shots in the south and west. But after his gamble paid off in 2006, when Dems won both chambers of Congress, his expansive notion suddenly seemed a lot more viable. “The 50-state strategy has been historic — just the enthusiasm that our volunteers have, that our candidates have, that our party is visible and active even before the campaign, it pays off on so many levels for a state like Kansas,” said Mike Gaughan, executive director of the Kansas Democratic Party. In a state where only two out of 105 counties voted for John Kerry in 2004, Democrats took a House seat, six seats in the Kansas Legislature and the attorney general’s office from the GOP in 2006. “We saw Obama’s staff at w ork here during the primary season. They had organized on the ground back from October for the February 5 caucuses,” Gaughan said. “The way that they activated their supporters is going to pay dividends” for all Kansas Democratic candidates as the party seeks to expand its presence there.

I’ve been telling people for a while, that we’re in this to win, and that Utah for Obama is going to put effort into getting Utah to go blue this November. It’s very, very, very gratifying to find out for sure that the Obama campaign believes in us. Then again, that’s kind of why we believe in the Obama campaign, huh?

I just read this letter to the editor about how unfriendly Salt Lake City is to bicyclists:

It’s amazing how few legitimate bicycle lanes or bike paths exist here in Salt Lake City. Anyone trying to “do the right thing” by commuting to work by bicycle will not find the going easy or safe.
What you will find is half-hearted window dressing - signs proclaiming “bike lane” and a few blocks of striping where a little extra paved shoulder already happens to exist, then prolonged stretches where the cycler is forced to ride in the right lane of traffic and dodge parked cars. Busy intersections are really dangerous.
Bicycling magazine recently rated U.S. cities for bike-friendliness. Salt Lake City was rated poor. Many cities do much better than we do.
Huge sums are spent to subsidize suburban sprawl, with public money for auto infrastructure, yet we spend little to facilitate human-powered transportation. Many current officeholders promised to improve this situation. Was it just lip service?

Bill Dennis
Salt Lake City

I don’t currently ride, but I used to, and probably will again as soon as I can afford a decent bike. So, for now I’m a driver dealing with this. I have to say that this goes both ways. I, as a driver, feel very unsafe, under these circumstances. When I see a cyclist having to use the main road, I have to slow down and find a way to move over a lane, or cut into the opposite side of the road, because I don’t feel like 6″ is enough room to give someone on a bike. I really hope that everywhere across the valley will upgrade biking lanes, and give us all a little bit of room.

And while I’m on the topic of bikes, I have to say that there are a lot of selfish, ignorant people out there. Drivers need to be a bit nicer to those on bikes, and realize that the cyclist is doing them an environmental favor. And cyclists that break laws, by riding on sidewalks, riding through crosswalks as though they were a pedestrian, or running red lights, need to realize that they’re giving other cyclists a bad name. (I wish sometimes that cops would start giving tickets for those offenses!)

So, whether you’re in a car or on a bike, start being nicer and obey the laws.

Can’t we all just get along?

I really, really, really can’t wait for the Downtown Farmer’s Market to open! I’m excited to get fresh, local produce, and see the vendors. I’ve had the opening date (June 14th) set up on my calendar for months. Here’s the information on the opening celebration:

Market Merriment
Gather with the Growers

The Downtown Farmers Market celebrates the opening of its 16th season!
Enjoy a festive evening with farmers, fun, food, and famous ale.

Monday, June 9th, 2008
5 pm – 8 pm
Squatters Pub Brewery
147 West Broadway

$25 in advance, $30 at the door
Local flavors and spirits provided
Proceeds benefit the Farmers Market

For more information contact Danica Farley at 801.333.1105 or
danica@downtownslc.org.

And the info on the actual Farmer’s Market:

The Downtown Farmers Market opens on June 14, 2008. We can’t wait to see you there.

When: Saturdays - June thru Oct Time: 8:00am to 1:00pm Where: Historic Pioneer Park (300 South & 300 West) The Downtown Farmers Market is a local growers’ market, featuring fresh produce from over 70 Utah farmers. In addition to the produce, the Market also offers a variety of fresh baked breads and pastries, cheeses, meat and seafood, jams and honeys, house and garden plants, arranged planters, and numerous handmade arts & crafts. Unique food vendors also are a part of the Market, offering prepared foods and beverages. Sign up for to recieve “Fresh Peaches” , the Farmers’ Market email newsletter twice monthly to your inbox. http://www.downtownslc.org/newsletter.htm

I think that I’ll get the boys up early that day and find our way over to Trax. They love riding the train, and that will be a great way to start the day. To go along with the food, is the Art & Craft Market:

Downtown Art & Craft Market 2008

Dates: Saturdays - June 14 thru Oct 18 When: 8:00am to 1:00pm Where: Historic Pioneer Park (300 South 300 West) Downtown Salt Lake City The Downtown Art & Craft Market features vendors who create all categories of handmade, non-imported crafts and visual arts; including original paintings, photography, jewelry, pottery, household wares, leather goods, dried flowers, bath products, furniture, and one-of-a-kind gifts.

While I’m writing about local events, I should include these, from the Local First newsletter.

• Attend the Salt Lake City Open House on Conditional Use Zoning on June 11th

Consultants working with the Salt Lake City Council are holding a public open house to review the Conditional Use Zoning Ordinance refinement process and to discuss potential changes to the ordinance amendments. The open house will be held Wednesday, June 11th from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at Salt Lake City’s Main Library Branch (210 East, 400 South) on the 4th Floor. For more information email Robyn Geist at robyn@wfandco.com.

• Join Local First and Partners at Salt Lake’s City Weekly Summer Rec Fest on June 14th

Salt Lake City Weekly’s Summer Rec Fest was created to boast Utah’s greatest outdoor assets. The festival will include Dutch oven cooking competitions, fly-fishing demonstrations, a climbing wall, live music, food, and prizes! Local First and partners will have vendor booths. Come support the Local First community and enjoy the atmosphere on June 14th from 12 PM to 6PM at the Gallivan Center in Downtown Salt Lake City. Email info@localfirst.org for more information or visit http://slweekly.com.

• Visit the Zion Canyon Art and Flute Festival June 9th Through June 15th

The Zion Canyon Art and Flute festival is a gathering of world flute recording artists performing live on stage, flute makers and native artists displaying their original work. Admission is $1.00 per person and takes place in Springdale, UT. For directions and more information visit www.zioncanyonartandflutefestival.com.

Side Note: While I was on the Downtown Alliance web site, I noticed a poll asking if I agreed with the proposed change to downtown parking, requiring payment on evenings and Saturdays. Let them know what you think.

URGENT: Support the Climate Security Act!

Target: US Senate
Sponsored by: Environmental Defense Fund

UPDATE (June 5, 2008): The Senate has scheduled a “cloture” vote to end the filibuster on the Climate Security Act tomorrow morning. It could come as early as tonight.
———–
The Senate is set to vote on the Climate Security Act in early June.

It is crucial that the bill gets passed this year. Each year we wait means extra effort in reducing emissions to avoid catastrophic global warming.

There are five simple but extremely important reasons why the Senate must act now:

• Every year we wait equals extra effort.
• The science is unforgiving.
• The political opportunity is ripe.
• Someone is going to win the global race to reinvent energy. It should be us.
• This is an opportunity for the 110th Congress to leave its legacy.

We have no time to lose. Help keep up the pressure so the Senate doesn’t miss this historic opportunity!

Dear Senator,

I strongly urge you to put an end to the Senate filibuster on the landmark Climate Security Act by voting Yes on cloture.

This is the most important climate vote in the Senate in three years. No time has been more critical for the environment and our future generations.

Here’s why you should vote Yes on cloture and the Climate Security Act:

1. Every year we wait equals extra effort. If we delay this bill by just two years, we will have to make twice the annual cuts in carbon emissions to hit the same cumulative reductions by 2020.

2. The science is unforgiving. As the Earth warms, we approach a “tipping point,” after which large destructive climate changes become inevitable.

3. The political opportunity is ripe. 78% of Americans want Congress to act on global warming. We need to take advantage of the tremendous momentum that exists today.

4. Someone is going to win the global race to reinvent energy. It should be us. Renewable energy promises to become one of the world’s most profitable industries. But advances in renewable energy technologies will not be fully realized without a national cap on global warming pollution. The sooner we act, the sooner these new industries will start to flourish.

5. What legacy will the 110th Congress leave? When future generations look back at this moment, they will either praise the Senate for starting us down the path to solving the global warming crisis, or blame the Senate for squandering this opportunity.

Thank you for your leadership.

Sincerely,
[Your name here]

Maybe Jim Matheson will get the hint.

At least, according to Paul Begala.

“He says it’s a long-term strategy,” said Paul Begala, the longtime Clinton aide and Democratic strategist. “What he has spent it on, apparently, is just hiring a bunch of staff people to wander around Utah and Mississippi and pick their nose.”

You know, seeing Obama staffers here in Utah, and sometimes staying pretty late, after they’d finished making calls and wrapping up paper work, you’d think that if they were wandering around picking their noses, that I would have seen it. Oddly enough, I guess I missed that part. Or maybe that was just the 2004 election.

What I did see was them reaching to every corner of the state, organizing voter registration, calling campaigns and lots of good that was done both for the Obama campaign and for the Utah Democratic Party. They built on what we had started, and left us with organizing abilities that we did not previously have.

I believe that Utah has lots of potential for the Democratic Party, and that many Utahns, even those who may not vote for Senator Obama, appreciated that we were not ignored. Utah has far more unaffiliated voters than it does for both major parties combined. And though some may have short memories, it’s not been all that long since Utah was considered a Democratic state.

On top of which, the attention given to Utah from the Obama campaign in the primary election greatly helped the chances of Democrats running for state and local offices. People are more involved, and they are willing to work to achieve their goals. Hope, being the tagline of the Obama campaign, is really what we were given. Hope that we could make a difference in our own lives, instead of assuming that wealthy Republicans were going to win anyway, so why bother? Without that type of hope, they will win. But, with it, we are spurred to action, and we will be much better off for it.

And if staffers are brought back to Utah, I’ll buy the Kleenex, just in case.

Utah for Obama is hosting a “Yes We Did” Celebration party to watch Barack Obama’s Victory Speech tonight at SkyBox Grille at the Gateway Mall at 7:30 PM.

After Saturday’s decision to finalize the Michigan and Florida delegates, 2,118 is the magic number of delegates to reach the Democratic Nomination. As of this writing, Barack Obama needs 31.5 delegates to get there. Tonight, after the votes are counted in Montana and South Dakota, the last few names of Super Delegates who will vote for Senator Obama at the DNC in August will be announced, and Senator Obama will make his victory speech.

According to my sources, his speech will happen at 8:15 MDT, just after the polls close, so make sure that you arrive by 8!.

This campaign is a movement of the people, and I cannot think of a more appropriate title for tonight’s event than “Yes we did”. Barack won this nomination because of you, and me, and literally millions of other people’s efforts. It’s not just Barack who won, it’s all of us. We have more work to do, but tonight it’s time to celebrate what we’ve accomplished.

And tomorrow, we can get on to the work of showing John McCain for what he really is - 4 more years of Bush.

Details:
SkyBox Sports Grill, 7:30 PM
4 South Rio Grande Street
Family-friendly event
Bring your friends, too!
Use Winter Parking entrance on north side of 100 South.
SkyBox is on the west side of Rio Grande Street, on the Promenade level