Buzz Blog

"I voted for Ralph Nader in 2000, but I will not make that mistake again. The joke is over for Nader. He was funny once, but now he belongs to the dead." — Hunter S. Thompson---

Maybe it's the waning moon, maybe it's the rain, maybe it's the cool beer on a hot day (or coldest). Whatever the reason, third-party candidates have made a bit of noise this week. Because it's Friday and I'm a bit tapped on rants (blame the Joel Gott), I'm going to let them do the ranting for me.

First, we have Libertarian candidate Jake Shannon, challenging Jason Chaffetz in the 3rd District. In a lengthy smackdown, he asserts that Chaffetz is a "tea-o-con," essentially a neo-con in tea bags. It's a well-informed screed, and at one point he even quotes City Weekly, but it's ... long. Personally, I think this would have worked better as a series of short blog posts, each one addressing a different failure (in Shannon's eyes) of Chaffetz. Then again, I'm a hypocrite to urge short blog posts.

Next, we have Dave Glissmeyer, independent candidate for the 2nd District. He dropped out, ostensibly, a couple of months ago, and I even wrote a "Miss" about it. I got a little flack from people who said he wasn't taking his name off the ballot, which was true. But I was focused on the fact he actually took the effort to announce his withdrawal. Well... he's back. Yesterday, he announced he was going to try to work a campaign into his schedule, which will apparently hinge mostly on issue blogs. This guy is interesting primarily as a way for voters to cast a vote against Matheson, if voting for Claudia Wright didn't satisfy them.

Finally, Cody Judy launched a "Time & Trust Tour" yesterday. As far as I can tell, itinerary is not set, although the opening show was in a parking lot at the State Capitol. As for the purpose, it seems to primarily be a reason for Judy to sing karaoke to classic rock. Judy=Supreme Awesomeness.

Other news:

Bennett Working for Sandwiches: Speaking of third-party candidates .... I kid, I kid. Sam Granato has achieved a minor coup, recruiting Sen. Bob Bennett's son to volunteer for him. I tweeted this morning that this was only mildly impressive, and I stand by that assessment. However, I do think that there's a number of disgruntled Republicans waiting for a good reason to jump ship. That reason, of course, is Granato having a chance, which only happens (in their minds) if Granato has money. To me, Jim Bennett is a lot like an "off-the-record" tip from a spokesperson. They want the reporter to chase the story just to see the reaction. This won't be the last defection from the GOP, either. I expect that other low- and mid-level Republicans will jump on Granato's car. It may not help Granato in the end, but at the very least, it will make Mike Lee work a little harder. Good catch on Paul Rolly's part, however.

Corroon Throws Another Jab: Speaking of third-party .... I kid, I kid. Peter Corroon continues to throw everything he can at Gov. Gary Herbert, hoping to somehow drag the governor away from the open bar at campaign HQ. Today, it's quality-of-life, which means something different to everyone. To Republicans, it's all about cash in tax-protected off-shore accounts. For Democrats, it's all about cash in tax reserves. For drunk alternative news editors, it's about being able to order a real beer from the tap in a real bar. What really stood out for me about this story, however, was the picture. Apparently, the Tribune fired all of their photographers in March, because that's when the picture with the story was taken. And if the smile on Corroon's face doesn't scream "I have a quality life," or at least, "I have a high-fiber diet," I don't know what does.

Another Third Party: Salt Lake City's almost, but not quite, rich enough people lose a round in their fight to save historic giant homes. Which I'm sure settles this issue. Other people who lost Friday: Wolf hunters in Idaho. The Club for Growth in Tennessee. And, sadly, me in my quest to somehow get out of the office by 6 p.m. 

This post is dedicated to Bill Frost, who continually svaes me from amking stupd spelling errrrs. Hey, he's got to earn the $3 steaks somehow.

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