PHILADELPHIA — Blacks and Hispanics parade to the podium. A gay congressman is featured. Women are highlighted — including actress Bo Derek, who became famous by her sex appeal. And entertainers sing songs that are sometimes suggestive.
It may sound more like the stereotype of a Democratic National Convention. Instead, it has been the lineup of this year's very atypical Republican National Convention. And Utah's delegates generally like it — well, at least most of it.
"At least we're not having a fund-raiser at the Playboy Mansion like the Democrats" are at their national convention, said Dave Buhler, a Salt Lake City Council member and delegate.
Salt Lake County Commissioner Mary Callaghan didn't care for Derek, but like many fellow Utah delegates she says political beliefs are more important to the party than race or national origin. "But sometimes we haven't done a good job of communicating to people of all those groups. They may have shared our beliefs but didn't really know what we believed."
Delegate and Lt. Gov. Olene Walker said, "I like sending the message that we are inclusive and not exclusive. We are a big party, and all people can belong to it. We won't agree on everything. But people who believe in core principles like less government and lower taxes are welcome."
Buhler said, "The Democrats have taken many of these groups for granted too long - so I think it helps to reach out to them."
Winston Wilkinson, one of two blacks among Utah's 29 delegates and 29 alternate delegates, said the party is wise to change its approach with minorities.
"I think it is working," he said. "We're making progress." He added that he sees far more minority delegates this year than when he first went to a Republican National Convention in 1980.
James Evans, a black alternate delegate, said the atypical lineup "opens the doors to all who believe like me, and show they are welcome in the party. It doesn't mean the core values of the party will change. It helps show the party is open and accepting."
But Utah conservatives don't like some of the new direction. Gayle Ruzicka, a delegate who is president of the conservative Utah Eagle Forum, wasn't happy to hear Bo Derek would be at the podium.
"We should have a sweet, young woman speak, someone we can point our daughters to and as example. If (Derek) is not an icon of virtue she has no business up there" talking to the convention, Ruzicka said.
Besides watching the atypical convention, Utahns had other adventures on Wednesday and Thursday, including formally casting their votes for Bush; meeting quarterback Steve Young, who opened the convention with prayer; and Orrin Hatch gaining credit for coining the phrase "compassionate conservative."Proud to be the only state that starts with a "u":
Lt. Gov. Olene Walker gave a long ad for the Beehive State as she cast Utah's 29 votes for George W. Bush.
After declaring the state will have an all-GOP leadership after the November election, Walker touted Utah as home of the 2002 Winter Olympics and welcomed delegates and "the next president, George W. Bush, to come to Utah in 2002. "
"Utah, the only state that starts with U," she said before predicting Utah would lead the nation in the percentage of votes given to George W. Bush.
Young makes a pass at politics:
Steve Young, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, opened the convention Wednesday with a prayer, calling on leaders to obey the commandments and for delegates to value the worth of each soul, and asking for a special blessing on former President Gerald Ford who suffered a stroke.
Before the prayer, Young met privately with Utah delegates. They said Young reported that he always wanted to be involved in politics and the Olympics, but football had been in the way until he recently retired.
He told them his prayer helped with the politics, and he has an upcoming job at the Olympics in Australia. He also said he and his pregnant wife have discovered their baby due in December will be a boy.
Asked by a reporter when he might run for office, he just smiled and declined to answer.
But many delegates say he has a bright political future in either Utah or California, where he now lives.
"He could have a tough time if he ran for the U.S. Senate in Utah, however," said Richard Snelgrove, a former 2nd Congressional District candidate and currently a top aide to Rep. Merrill Cook, R-Utah.
Sens. Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett are secure in their seats. When one retires, a number of heavyweights would get in the race. "You could be looking at Jon Huntsman Jr., or Mitt Romney or others" who have serious personal wealth. "Steve would just be one more big name" with money to spend.
But in the north San Francisco Bay area where Young now lives he could be a real force in a U.S. House race, Id say, said Snelgrove. Those are GOP areas today and few people would have the name identification and general love of Young, who led the 49ers to many successful seasons and a Super Bowl title.
Ron Fox, who has been a GOP political operative in several states, said that with his background in law, Young may want to run for attorney general, even a county prosecuting attorney. Does even the famous Steve Young have to pay his political dues with such a lower office? Everyone has to earn his stripes, said Fox. Even the famous.
The original compassionate conservative:
The Washington Post did some research on who first used the phrase "compassionate conservative," which has become Bush's rallying phrase.
The newspaper reported Wednesday that Hatch was the first nationally prominent politician to use it, although a little-known Arkansas Senate candidate did use it a few years before him.
Hatch said Wednesday that he uttered the phrase in 1981 that when under attack by Democrats as "unfeeling" when he was chairman of the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee.
Of interest, Bush developed the phrase and philosophy when he ran for governor of Texas with the help of his top adviser, Karl Rove, who just happens to be a former Utahn.
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