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In this Sunday Edition, KSL's Richard Piatt discusses the campaigns of Jon Huntsman and Mitt Romney with University of Utah political science professor, Timothy Chambless, and Deseret News political reporter, Lisa Riley Roche. Also, fire officials discuss Utah's new firework law and what it means for our dry state.
SEGMENT 1: Huntsman, Romney running for President
Two candidates we know well in Utah are vying for the nation's top job. And they are counting on a lot of money from Utah voters to help fund their presidential campaigns. Mitt Romney held several fundraisers in Utah on June 24 and Jon Huntsman will hold his own in Utah this coming week.
Romney and Huntsman have several similarities and one of their challenges will be differentiating themselves.
"I think Huntsman is already trying very hard to differentiate himself as a GOP candidate," says Roche. "He sees himself as a moderate voice of an increasingly right wing party that is increasingly listening to its Tea Party supporters, as opposed to more centrist Republicans who may or may not feel they have as much of a voice in the party as they once did. Huntsman is really making an attempt to reach out to them. Now the question is -- is that something the voters in early caucus and primary states want to hear?"
Both self identify as fiscal conservatives, however, in contrast to Mitt Romney as a social conservative, Jon Huntsman sees himself as a social moderate. We see a clear distinction being made there.
–Timothy Chambless
"Both self identify as fiscal conservatives, however, in contrast to Mitt Romney as a social conservative, Jon Huntsman sees himself as a social moderate. We see a clear distinction being made there," explains Chambless.
Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was a challenge for Romney in 2008. It appears to be an issue again this year.
"A new Gallup poll out this week that shows 22 percent of voters in the nation won't vote for a Mormon, period, whether that person becomes their party's nominee or not. So clearly there's still a segment of the population that is tuned out to a Mormon candidate," says Roche. "We've done some of our own polling at Deseret News/KSL and even among Utahns, who do understand the role Mormonism plays in Utah politics; 50 percent thought that would be a negative for Huntsman and Romney going into this race.
"The first time is always a difficult time," Chambless explains. "We've never had an LDS President elected. We saw back in the 1960's George Romney, a candidate for President for a short period of time. But what we see in the polls, whether it's the New York Times say with 22 percent or a couple weeks ago the Washington Post/ABC poll that was from 34 to 43 percent of potential voters, saying they would not vote for someone who was LDS. This is significant. But on the flip side, it also indicates that somewhere between 60 and 70 percent of potential voters would not see one's religious faith as being a significant obstacle for support."
Chambless and Roche also discuss both candidates' chances against President Obama if they won the GOP nomination and why they decided to skip the Iowa primary.
SEGMENT 2: New firework law
Colorful fireworks that shoot a fountain of sparks as high as 150 feet up, once illegal, will start lighting up neighborhoods June 26. Lawmakers lifted the ban on some aerial explosives, known as cake fireworks, this year.
Utah State Fire Marshall, Brent Halladay and Unified Fire Marshall Boyd Johnson join Sunday Edition to discuss the potential ramifications of these new laws and fireworks.
"We are making a major change," said Halladay. "For nearly 30 years we allowed 15-feet high and 10-foot laterally, and now we're having fireworks that will go 150-feet in the air. We are really very cautious at the fire service. We don't know exactly how it will play out."
We are making a major change. For nearly 30 years we allowed 15-feet high and 10-foot laterally, and now we're having fireworks that will go 150-feet in the air. We are really very cautious at the fire service. We don't know exactly how it will play out.
–Brent Halladay
The fireworks are designed to go up hot and come down cool. Halladay says, of the 500 he has seen, the majority of them do come down cool.
Fireworks are inherently dangerous.
Johnson said sparklers are the number one injury, according to the consumer products safety commission reports.
"We in the fire service would encourage parent and adult supervision whenever they're used," says Johnson.
Fire officials are concerned both with fire and injury.
Many cities have closed areas to fireworks this year because of fire danger in the hillside areas.
"Injuries can never be underestimated," describes Johnson. "Let's face it, burn injuries, there's really nothing quite as bad as when we have to respond to a child that's been severely injured and especially by fire."
Halladay is concerned Utahns are not educated when it comes to the newly legal fireworks.
"I still think that about 50 percent of our citizens in our state right now do not know that there is major change coming in fireworks," Halladay says. "There will be a difference when you go to purchase them ... you will have to have one-to-one person contact with someone in the facility to buy them this year, if you buy aerials. And that's the fire prevention board's desire to try and teach the public that this firework is different than the one you're used to before. There's a huge difference between 15-feet and 150-feet."
