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Show Viewpoint - Suddenly I'm very popular is By JACK HILL When the political mass meetings convened in April, I was there. After all, it is our civic duty right? "Mass" means "a large quantity or number" so the term is inappropriate inap-propriate when applied to the political meetings referred to above. Citizens who lean toward the ..Republican Party met at the high school There are 14 voting districts in Pleasant Grove ancTthedistriet-I 1 ive in is number 8. We had 24 people in attendance which was the most of any district and enough to win the traveling elephant trophy. In case you didn't know, or hacr" forgotten, the Republican elephant, the Democratic donkey and Santa Claus as we know him, are all creations of Thomas Nast. Nast was a political cartoonist who is best known for his courageous exposure of "Boss Tweed" and his gang of corrut politicians in New York State in the 1870's. Nast was once offered $500,000 to lay off Tweed and move to Europe. Back to the voting districts. Most of the other 13 districts had far fewer people in attendance. How the Democrats did the same night, I don't know. As the current district chairperson, chair-person, Carol Harmer conducted the business for district 8 and before I could get comfortable, Floyd Ostler nominated me to serve as the district chairman for the next two years. After a long campaign and terrific" floor fight, J was elected without opposition. One of the privileges usually accorded the district chairman is to be a delegate to the State Convention. Having never been a delegate to a State Convention, the experience sounded interesting. With the governor's race wide open to this point, it has been very educational. The Convention is Friday and Saturday and it is amazing how popular I have suddenly become. Every day for the past month, the mail box has been full of pamphlets, flyers, invitations and personal letters from the candidates. I have been invited to breakfast with Norm Bangerter, dinner with Dan Marriott, a barbeque and an evening of entertainment with Karl Snow and a variety of receptions and "meet the candidate nights." Bob Wright even came to my home and we talked just like I was an important person! I haven't heard from Laura Ferguson. . . yet. Once or twice a week a different pollster calls and asks questions. The questions asked run like this: "You are a State Delegate, right?", "What is the main issue in this year's governor's race?" "Of the five candidates for governor, who will you vote for at the convention?" con-vention?" "Are you leaning in that direction or have you definitely decided?" After answering the questions, I ask a few of my own. "Who gets this information?" and "Who are you calling for?" One pollster didn't know or at least wouldn't a t, ci who was getting the data. ftJ to said that he worked for fls, th Polling Services and didn't b, at who or what organization r. getting the information. a Since I've studied and to about "Boss Tweed" and jy corrupt political machines, It. ' been expecting someone to offer- w( a new car, a trip to Europe n ' envelope with small unmarWt B! I guess that's just stuff you is about in the history books. Anjr. the bills in the envelope I'd ? would probably be gas, lelept- ' and water. to Friday and Saturday skiH 141 interesting. Of the candidate M met and talked with, each sk' like a good honest man, Sim P' haven't met Ferguson, I tot , ' formed an opinion concerning be After the vote at the com. wonder if any of the candidate . ' say 'Hello'. Oh well, popularity: all glory is fleeting. |