Salt Lake Crawler

• For presidential ambition-a-tron Mitt Romney, the Republican gubernatorial election successes have a down side: Mitt's being compared to Virginia Governor-elect Bob McConnell — unfavorably compared, that is.

One could think of McDonnell as the un-Romney. Romney felt he had to establish his social conservative bona fides in light of his pro-choice stance during his 1994 run for the U.S. Senate and his 2002 run for governor. McDonnell, in contrast, had a lengthy record as a committed social conservative.

Mitt, when your name becomes a denigrating adjective—you've got an image problem.

• Actress Melanie Griffith (Robot Chicken) finished two months of drying out at the Cirque Lodge clinic near Sundance. As LA paparazzi snapped Griffith, who was resplendent in a mommy blouse and sunglasses from Target in Orem, she revealed that she feels wonderful and is still very much in love with husband Antonio Banderas (Shrek the Halls).

• Sens. Bob Bennett and Orrin Hatch are a couple of Diamond Jim Bradys, financially speaking.  Rep. Jim Matheson is wealthier than the average House member. Rep. Jason Chaffetz is poorer than average. And Rep. Rob Bishop is one of the poorest members of the House, which explains his penchant for handouts—EnergySolutions has gotten bills sponsored for the price of a 12" Subway Big Philly Cheesesteak with a soft drink, ranch-flavored chips and the giant chocolate-chip cookie.

• Sundance Film Festival is taking a road trip this year.  Bob Redford will distribute eight of the fest's films, along with their directors, one each to eight cities around the country on Jan. 28. The cities include: Brooklyn, N.Y., Brookline, Mass., and Ann Arbor, Mich.