A Gift for Unity

On Saturday I met with Republicans canvassing for Ben in Sandy. While there I had a chance to speak with Russ Wall, the mayor of Taylorsville. He was going door to door despite a foot injury forcing him to roll along on what looked like a child's scooter.

Russ' disability, and the pain it must cause, made his participation heroic. However, with a mug and a physical presence matched to a boxing ring, his scooter was an especially comic touch.

......

While there I heard Ben had received a strong endorsement in the Tribune. Quickly I whipped out my phone and read it. "Absolutely perfect!" I said to those waiting to share glad tidings of Ben's campaign.

"Perfect?" someone asked.

"Sure. It starts with 'Ben for Mayor,' and then suggests 'Ben for King' somewhere down the line. It ends by calling Crockett 'combative,' and 'a technocrat who prefers numbers to people.' Hard to beat that."

Someone offered the observation. "You know, the county council is majority Republican and none of them have endorsed Crockett."

Now there's an intriguing fact, I thought. Like so much else in this contest, there's as much to learn from what's happening for Ben, as from what is not happening for Crockett.

......

Before I let go of those Sandy Republicans, let me offer a deathless line overheard within their company, "Mark Crockett is the Rocky Anderson of the Republican Party."

Those of us who first heard it were obliged to laugh. The meaning of course is that Crockett is ideologically scripted and needlessly provocative.

Later, when Club McAdams gathered at Sugarhouse Park for a political event, we were still laughing about that characterization. Then, for a brief moment, it appeared a wonderful opportunity might present itself.

Crockett and Anderson both showed up for this same event. Our cabal of campaign underlings were counting on Rocky's famous sense of humor, so could we engineer a photo op of Anderson endorsing Crockett?

It would all depend on Rocky, since Crockett does not share equal fame for self deprecatory humor. I spent a long while with our former mayor hoping to find a seque to this delicate request. Finally, I brought up the subject of Crockett thinking the conversation might play out according to my own agenda.

Unfortunately, the word "Crockett" has the same aroma for Rocky that garlic does for Dracula - and it has nothing to do with politics. It seems that during the Republican convention Rocky and Crockett were scheduled for a joint media appearance. Then, at the last moment, Crockett blew it off with no excuse.

Rocky was incensed by the brazen arrogance of such an act.

The Trotsky of University Gardens lost his trademark sense of humor. I commiserated with him, and described a similar snub Crockett offered to Doug Wright of KSL. "It's nothing personal," I assured him, "Crockett behaves the same way with all human beings."

For a moment I came to doubt Ben's famous advantage in this campaign. Everyone lauds him for reaching across vast political divides to build consensus. And yet, it seems, Crockett has a similar gift for uniting the most unlikely people in a common opinion.