Is That Senator Roberto Bennettito?

Today the paper announced the withdrawal (a week after he declared he was in) of Fred Lampropoulos in the race against our three term republican stalwart Robert Bennett. Fred L. (I had to look to spell his name the first time, I'm not going to keep doing it) isn't a lightweight, he has made millions in the medical devices industry and I am sure along the way paved a very nice path for his good name in the greater Salt Lake City community.

There are a couple of scary things about this. First, Fred L. said he has "business commitments that prevent him from seeking the GOP nomination". Does that sound a little fishy? I would have thought that a CEO of a multi-national corporation would have checked his calendar before making a public commitment to something like running for senator.

The second thing that seems scary about this is that Fred L. isn't the first local celeb to bow out. Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff (I had to look at how to spell his name also) declared himself a candidate for Robert Bennett's senate seat and then dropped out so he could be with his daughter through her tough personal crises.

Now I don't wish any ill will toward the AG's daughter and I think that is noble for him to put his family first, but doesn't it sound like the caliber of reasoning put forward by Fred L? Something that you can't really check up on and maybe they should have considered before declaring their candidacy?

I'm not saying that our esteemed senator is handling things like a mafia turf war, that's how politics is handled back East. In fact if I want any kind of professional success in this great valley I insist I am not saying anything of the kind.

At well over 6 feet tall and weighing less than a pee wee football player, Robert Bennett doesn't have the swagger or presence of a Suprano. He doesn't walk around with sun glasses on inside or have an entourage of "associates". In fact I don't think Utah Woolen Mills even knows what a "Gambini Style" suit is.

But I do want to be on the safe side. So, just to be clear - any inference that you may draw from this blog that could possibly be construed as casting an unfavorable light upon Mr. Bennett is purely your own paranoid delusion and you are solely responsible for its content.

I think I'll move to Bolivia and leave no forwarding address.