Thursday, August 31, 2006

While two of the top cabinet officials in George W. Bush's administration were in Salt Lake City to speak to the American Legion Tuesday, Sen. Orrin Hatch turned his attention, at least during the lunch hour, to the possible future of the Republican Party instead of the present.

Hatch dined with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was in Salt Lake City not for the American Legion Convention at the Salt Palace, but as a speaker for the heavily-attended motivational seminar that took place just down the street at the Delta Center.

Hatch and Giuliani reportedly talked about congressional races this year and the prospects of the Republican Party to hold onto the majorities in both houses. They also talked about the national election in 2008.

Giuliani is one of the Republicans widely talked about as a possible presidential candidate in 2008 and, while he is known to be more on the liberal end of the Republican Party than Hatch, the two share common ground on many issues, a Hatch aide said, particularly on how to combat terrorism.

Meanwhile, the Hatch fund-raiser on Thursday featuring president Bush was an opportunity for two veteran political event organizers to work together again. Amy Hansen and Allison Bell used to put together the Governor's Galas for former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt. Hansen, the daughter-in-law of former Congressman Jim Hansen, has basically retired to motherhood and Bell joined Leavitt, now the Health and Human Services secretary, in Washington, D.C. Those who attended the Hatch fund-raiser Thursday say that Bell and Hansen have not lost their touch. The event went off without a hitch.

Cheers,
Paul Rolly