President Barack Obama walks from Marine One to board Air Force One at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colo., Wednesday, April 25, 2012, en route to Iowa. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Media to play the Mormon card? Utah still holds to 'traditional family' roles. Hatch's cash holdings offer big leg up heading into a primary.

Happy Thursday. How Mitt Romney's Mormon faith will affect the presidential election this fall is unclear but a New York Times contributor says that for the LDS religion to make a difference, the Obama White House needs the news media to play the card.

-> Says the author, "Not through overt attacks on Mormon theology and practice, which would be out of bounds for most mainstream outlets. Rather, the Obama campaign's best-case scenario involves a wave of theoretically evenhanded coverage come August and September - newsmagazine cover stories on Mormon theology, 60 Minutes specials on L.D.S. history, pieces about Romney's own family tree - that end up reminding undecided voters of the things that they find strange and alien about the Republican nominee's faith." [NYTimes]

Topping the news: While families across the nation are moving to a more "modern family" structure, newly-released Census data reveals that Utah still maintains a more traditional family unit, perhaps influenced by the Mormon culture throughout the state. [Trib]

-> Hatch has the leg up in the road to the primary, amassing nearly 13 times the cash of opponent Dan Liljenquist. [Trib]

-> A handful of BYU alums in Congress are seeking keep the block Y on the mountain above Provo right where it is for years to come. [DNews]

Happy Birthday: To state Sen. John Valentine.

Tweet of the Day: From @Mark Shurtleff: "@Utah_Genius: 'Now @kslradio and @markshurtleff can't sue me.' If you keep calling yourself Genius, I might sue for false advertising. JK"

Happening Today: Gov. Gary Herbert holds his monthly news conference at the KUED studios at 10 a.m.

In other news: Hatch offered bonuses to some campaign staffers if they could avoid a primary election -- a common move in political efforts. [UtahPolicy]

-> Robert Gehrke runs down the allegations in the 2nd District Republican race as the party prepares to launch a probe. [Trib]

-> A Ute tribe is joining forces with environmental groups to sue Deseret Power over un-checked pollution from its coal-fired power plant. [Trib]

-> Meanwhile, several Utah counties receiving failing grades for air quality. [Trib]

-> Pat Bagley shares his take on the way John Edwards chooses to manage his wallet. [Trib]

-> A rundown of the legislative primaries this year that await voters. [UtahPolicy]

2012 Watch: It's finally over for Newt Gingrich, his campaign announced, after the Republican sunk deep into debt and won just two states. [LATimes]

-> With Gingrich bowing out of the presidential race, CBS news takes a look at what the former House Speaker has said about Mitt Romney. [CBSNews]

-> President Barack Obama is set to hold his first official re-election event on May 5 in the battleground states of Ohio and Virginia. [Bloomberg]

-> Stephen Colbert's super PAC, Americans for A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow, has raised more cash than some PACs associated with legitimate candidate Ron Paul. [ABCNews]

-> In the duel to the presidency, Romney's crutch is likability, Obama's is the economy. [CSMonitor]

-> Romney nabs another endorsement from former rival, Rick Perry, saying the former Massachusetts governor "earned the nomination." [HuffPost]

-> Obama pushes his stance on maintaining student loan interest rates to capture the youth vote. [CNN]

Where are they?

• Sen. Orrin Hatch heads to a Finance Committee hearing, meets with Utah Association of Independent Insurance Agents and later with the Utah State Orthopedic Society members.
• Rep. Jason Chaffetz speaks at the Computer and Communications Industry Association, hits a Judiciary Committee meeting, meets with Utah Association of Independent Insurance Agents and with the Utah State Orthopedic Society then heads to an NRCC annual fundraising gala.
• Gov. Gary Herbert hits his monthly news conference, attends an AMA Supercross press conference, meets with Cherilyn Bradford to discuss boards and commissions then heads to the Utah Library Association Centennial Gala.
• SL Co. Mayor Peter Corroon makes a stop at the Goodwill Industries grand opening, heads to a Jordan River Commission board meeting, attends the Conference of Mayors and hits the Utah Library Association centennial gala celebration.
• SLC Mayor Ralph Becker meets with the Jordan River Commission, attends the Salt Lake Valley Conference of Mayors and meets with U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah David Barlow.
• WVC Mayor Mike Winder attends the Salt Lake Valley Conference of Mayors and hits a musical at Valley Junior High.
• President Barack Obama meets with the vice president in the Oval Office.

Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com.

-- Thomas Burr and Laura Schmitz
Twitter.com/thomaswburr