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This is it. Today's the day. Senators John McCain and Barack Obama have made their campaigns, and all they can do now is wait for the voters to decide.
We sat down with Utah Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Holland and with Utah Republican Party Vice chairman Todd Weiler for this in-depth look.
What, if anything, are you nervous about for your presidential candidate?
Todd Weiler: "Well, I'm nervous about him losing, of course. I mean, that's what I'm nervous about. Obviously, the media has been telling us for months that Barack is going to win even though the polls are tightening."
Wayne Holland: "I think complacency is what we're nervous about, mostly, in some of the battleground states that have been traditionally Republican states where Barack Obama has leads."
Why should Utahns vote for your candidate?
Todd Weiler: "Barack Obama, although he may very well be a fine person, I believe that his vision for where the country should go is drastically different from what the average Utahn wants to see."
Wayne Holland: "We believe that the West will be vital, and Utah will be right in the heart of the Rocky Mountain states that will be vital to our energy independence programs in the future."
How effective do you think both campaigns have been?
Todd Weiler: "Both campaigns have been extraordinarily effective. We're seeing voter trends go up. In 1996, there were 196 million voters. In 2000, there were 204 million voters. In 2004, there were 220 million voters, and this year we're expecting 230 million voters."
Wayne Holland: "I think Senator Obama has put together a campaign that's a machine unlike any we have seen on our side. The McCain campaign has certainly, I think many of the Republican strategists, top level strategists, have admitted they've struggled to find a message."
Is there anything that anyone on your ticket did or said that you wish they hadn't?
Todd Weiler: "I wish the RNC had not spent $150,000 on Sarah Palin and her family's wardrobe. I think that was a mistake."
Wayne Holland: "Every day there's something that I wish would have been said differently. Certainly, Joe Biden is a very energetic guy, and once in a while he'll just shoot right off and say something that's like (gasp) takes your breath away."
Is your party going through "voter fatigue?"
Todd Weiler: "I think that the whole nation is having voter fatigue. I think this campaign has been so long. There have been so many negative commercials. There has been so much fundraising."
Wayne Holland: "There is no doubt. Here's the strange thing, I think, this campaign has gone on longer than any I ever remember, and I think everybody feels the same way."
How confident are you that your candidate is going to win?
Todd Weiler: "I believe that John McCain can win this race. I don't know if he will win this race. It all depends [on] who shows up."
Wayne Holland: "I've never been this confident. I think that tells you a lot."
What is the biggest fear that your party is facing now?
Todd Weiler: "I think the biggest fear that we're facing is being the minority in Congress, losing the White House and basically just facing one-party rule by the Democrats for the next two to four years."
Wayne Holland: "It's the potential of Election Day... long lines on Election Day [and] disenfranchising in big cities in Ohio."
E-mail: pnelson@ksl.com
