Privately they may be quaking, but publicly Salt Lake City's mayoral wannabes played it cool after Rocky Anderson's jaw-dropping admission that he may enter the race.
Here are the rejoinders from the major contenders:
* Dave Buhler: "I would welcome him in the race."
* Ralph Becker: "Whether Rocky's in the race or not at this point is not a factor."
* Jenny Wilson: "I don't believe Rocky Anderson has a license on progressive initiatives."
* Keith Christensen: "Rocky talked me into this. Rocky continues to support me. If he isn't, it's not noticeable to me."
Anderson says he would be tempted to dive in as a write-in candidate if he doesn't like the two choices who survive the Sept. 11 primary. Of course that may interfere with his other agenda: "I'm too busy running for president," he deadpanned.
Becker hits
the books
Insisting the next mayor can play a "constructive and convening role" to help solve the problems in Salt Lake City schools, mayoral hopeful Ralph Becker has released a seven-point education plan, which he calls his top priority.
The blueprint calls for a significant partnership between City Hall and the school district. It includes a senior-level position called the Education Partnership Coordinator, monthly school summits, business partnerships, more extracurricular learning, frequent meetings with school officials and a pledge to help every student pass a second-language proficiency exam by the time she or he is 18.
"There is an enormous amount the city can do," Becker said. "We can be the additional ears and eyes and idea generators for how to continually improve our public schools."
Former Utah first lady Norma Matheson praised the platform, calling Becker's camp "the campaign to watch."
You can review the plan at www.ralphbecker.com
More love
for the Dems
The two Democratic heavyweights in the mayoral horse race have notched key endorsements.
House Minority Leader Ralph Becker gets the nod from former U.S. Senate long shot and XMission founder Pete Ashdown.
"I know Ralph Becker believes as I do that politics holds the potential to become more than a money game," Ashdown wrote. "His ethics are admirable."
Salt Lake County Councilwoman Jenny Wilson, meanwhile, has snagged the support of the city's firefighters union. The president of the firefighters IAFF Local 1645 praised Wilson for a "proven track record" in support of labor.
Rocky rage
in the Big Apple
Hoping to "remove and repudiate" the Bush administration, Rocky Anderson will join war protesters, writers and former government officials Monday in New York, where the group will call for the immediate impeachment of the president.
The "Society for Ethical Culture" event will provide a stage for the Salt Lake City mayor to rail against the continuation of the war in Iraq and the administration's "active preparation to bomb Iran," a release from Anderson's office states.
The group will warn against the "folly and immorality" of waiting until the 2008 presidential election to replace Bush.
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* Have a tip? Contact DEREK P. JENSEN at djensen@sltrib.com, 801-257-8785; CATHY MCKITRICK at cmckitrick @sltrib.com, 801-257-8778; ROSEMARY WINTERS at rwinters@sltrib.com, 257-8737; KRISTEN MOULTON at kmoulton@sltrib.com, 831-0467; JEREMIAH STETTLER at jstettler@sltrib.com, 801-257-8755.
