“If the Shoe Fits” …
… is the theme of the annual Women’s Conference at the College of Eastern Utah in Price. And that is where Ted and I are headed in 30 minutes. Journalism professor Susan Polster asked me several months back to give a keynote address at the conference. I had some sway as a daily newspaper columnist back then. When I mentioned to Susan I had quit the Tribune, she was kind enough to keep the invitation in play. So I’m on the road.
I’ll be talking about all the shoes women have worn through recent history. From house slippers to spike heels, and everything in between. That in between includes running shoes, climbing boots, bike shoes, steel-toed work boots and more. At least in my own case. The point I hope to get across: We can, as women, trace our evolution as a species to a certain degree through the shoes we have worn (and wear).
If the shoe fits. Get it? I thought so. (And a big thank you to Ted Wilson, my speechwriter)
Meanwhile, I’m still shaking my head at the puffball questions our own Sen. Orrin Hatch pitched yesterday at that obfuscating AG Alberto Gonzales. Our senior senator clearly established with his hard-line interrogation that Gonzales has a busy job. A hard job (just like our president). I mean, more than 100,000 employees to supervise. It must be impossible to keep an eye on what all the underlings are doing. Go here for Tribune reporter Robert Gehrke’s, dare I say “acerbic” reporting on the Hatch embarrassment. (Very well-done, Robert. Insightful. I’m surprised your mangers let you get away with such brilliant little digs in the news section!)
I fear Utah will have Hatch in place for life. (At least the rest of his life, anyway) He’s our own homegrown version of Strom Thurmond, but without tangerine-colored hair. Now is the time for the Utah Democrats to start seriously planning for his replacement. 2012 has got to be the year they once and for all bring down Orrin. Has the all-out grooming of Rep. Jim Matheson begun yet? Or Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon?
Namaste. And be sure to pick comfortable shoes today.
April 20th, 2007 at 7:22 am
I read something the other day that speculated Pres. Bush would ask Hatch to replace Gonzales. Far out speculation, probably, but fun. Since. Gov. Huntsman would be unlikely to pick Matheson or Corroon to replace the Sen, maybe he’d go bold and appoint himself!
April 20th, 2007 at 7:49 am
Maybe include the outrageous Supreme Court abortion decision in your remarks. The reasoning from Justice Kennedy is that women don`t have the smarts or emotional stability for such important matters..but five middle aged men do. Wow! Alito and Roberts are the ultimate poison pill from Bush.
I fully expected Orrin to walk over and give Alberto a wet one..on the forehead or some other more intimate place.
On a more edifying note Zbigniew Brzezinski has a new book out.”Second Chance” is a catalogue of the Bush/Iraq disaster.Mr.Brzezinki`s conclusion is our prez is a mental dwarf..a “catastrophe”.
April 20th, 2007 at 10:18 am
In 2012, the Wasatch Front will have about 2.2 million folks, many of whom will be relatively young and new voters. I suspect that Hatch’s worldview won’t resonate quite as well with that future, relatively urban electorate as it has with past, relatively rural and suburban electorates.
The change probably won’t be enough to send him packing, but hopefully it will give future candidates something to consider.
I think that progressive political candidates will fair surprisingly well in Utah sooner than many would guess.
April 20th, 2007 at 10:47 am
Gabespop–
“In 2012, the Wasatch Front will have about 2.2 million folks, many of whom will be relatively young and new voters. I suspect that Hatch’s worldview won’t resonate quite as well with that future”
I hope you are right! Orrin will be 78 by then. Maybe Pete Ashdown could give it another try?
April 20th, 2007 at 10:55 am
On the other hand, by 2012 Pres. Romney will have had an amazingly successful first term, and like-minded Republican candidates will sweep into office on his coattails…
April 20th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
Hey, “Greenjenni.” I liked Ashdown. He’s gonna need a lot more money and political clout to knock off Hatch, though. And that’s too bad. I think he’d be a hell of a senator.
And I like your optimism, msteele:-)! (Romney is just behind the Law and Order guy in the most recent polls now). However, we gotta figure out what sort of “mind” Romney has (that is, what in the hell he actually believes in) before we can have “like-minded” Republicans.
April 20th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
I thought women were supposed to be “barefoot and pregnant”. They don’t need shoes. At least that’s what I wast told when I lived in Texas for a brief time. And we trust everything a Texan tells us don’t we?
April 20th, 2007 at 3:22 pm
msteele-
Instead of Mitt how about a Clinton Restoration ? Hillary can solve the pressing issues with her warmth and charm..and Bill can make nocturnal rounds of the Lincoln bedroom….solving other problems.
April 21st, 2007 at 9:53 am
Interesting idea, chardonnay! There would be a certain poetic justice to wife following husband after son followed father to the presidency, and maybe she’d bring a steely Thatcher-like quality to the job…but I suspect the only way I’d vote for Hillary is if she promised to divorce Bill before taking office, just to avoid those nocturnal rounds.
April 22nd, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Pres. Wilbur just doesn’t have that nice ring to it. Wilbur.
WHY would anyone name their kid WILBUR? Curel and unusual.
Re: Pres. Bill, w/all of his troubles, he STILL handled the country way better than the current Dunderhead-In-Chief.