Good Monday morning Utah! Thanks for reading “The Rundown”.
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That infamous dinner between Trump and Romney was precisely what we thought
We all know the now-famous picture of Mitt Romney having dinner with then-president-elect Donald Trump in 2016. Trump was reportedly considering Romney for a spot in his new administration, but a new book says the dinner was set up by Trump to “torture” Romney.
Former Trump White House staffer Stephanie Grisham writes in her book I’ll Take Your Questions Now about the story behind the dinner.
Raw Story reports the meeting was a “power play” by Trump to humiliate Romney.
“Trump wanted all the press to see that Romney would come all the way to New York and sit down with a man he had called a ‘con artist’ and ‘a fake’ to sing for his supper,” the book said. “Donald Trump was many things, but even his critics had to admit that he was a master at TV spectacles. This was yet another, set to be one for the ages.”
During the 2016 campaign, Romney delivered a speech at the University of Utah where he excoriated Trump as a charlatan.
“Here’s what I know. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. He’s playing the American public for suckers,” Romney said during the speech.
“Trump wanted all the press to see that Romney would come all the way to New York and sit down with a man he had called a ‘con artist’ and ‘a fake’ to sing for his supper,” the book said. “Donald Trump was many things, but even his critics had to admit that he was a master at TV spectacles. This was yet another, set to be one for the ages.”
Here’s what you need to know for Monday morning
✈️ Southwest Airlines canceled hundreds of flights over the weekend. The company blamed the disruption on weather and issues with air traffic controllers, but there are indications that the problems arose from protests against a vaccine mandate. [WaPo]
🦠 Merck is seeking FDA emergency use of its antiviral treatment for COVID-19. [CNN]
⚡️ Soaring energy prices are raising concerns about inflation and the impact that may have on the economy. [WSJ]
⚖️ How will President Joe Biden’s restoration of two national monuments in Utah impact legal challenges to the Antiquities Act? [Tribune]
👀 Former President Donald Trump came “incredibly close” to installing his daughter, Ivanka, as the head of the World Bank in 2019. Trump argued his daughter was “very good at numbers.” Then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin stepped in to block the appointment. [Intercept]
💉 The Tribune’s Robert Gehrke looks at the starkly different approaches to COVID-19 in Summit County and the Uintah Basin. They had wildly different results. [Tribune]
💉 Hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops have not yet complied with a vaccine mandate as the deadline approaches. [WaPo]
Allen West, a former congressman who is running for governor of Texas, was hospitalized with COVID. West is unvaccinated. [WaPo]
🚨 A new report says a quarter of critical infrastructure in the U.S. could fail due to flooding. [CNN]
➡️ Supporters of Bears Ears celebrate President Biden’s restoration of the national monument. [Tribune]
💵 The Nobel Prize in economics was awarded to a trio of researchers from America to understand how the job market works. [WSJ]
👀 Former President Trump paid tribute to Ashli Babbit, the capitol rioter killed during the January 6 attack. Trump sent a video message to a rally on Sunday for her birthday in which he called for an investigation into her death. [Insider]
🚀 William Shatner is headed to space on Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket on Wednesday. [The Verge]
Utah Politics Podcast
In this week’s episode, I’m joined by Rex Facer, chairman of Utah’s independent redistricting commission.
We discuss the factors they’re considering as they come up with map proposals and the importance of public input to their process.
Listen to the conversation here.
Monday morning’s Utah news roundup
Utah
Rural Utah wrestles with its future as apostles, tech executives and lawmakers weigh in. [Tribune]
Runners who fought ‘near whiteout conditions’ during Utah ultramarathon had one choice: Keep moving. [Tribune]
In a historic neighborhood, Ogden faces an age-old battle: how to balance preservation with the need for denser housing. [Tribune]
Zion’s monster year means record rescues, trash, graffiti and, in nearby towns, revenue. [Tribune]
Lionsback Resort above Moab is under construction, after delays and litigation. [Tribune]
What’s being done to help human trafficking victims in Utah? This recovery center is seeking donations. [Tribune]
Dozens of Southwest Airlines flights to/from SLC canceled. [Fox 13]
First Afghan woman to openly protest Taliban now living in Utah. [Fox 13]
Politics
Biden is the first president to mark Indigenous Peoples’ Day. [Tribune]
COVID-19
Andy Larsen: Explaining molnupiravir, a new COVID drug with surprisingly effective test results. [Tribune]
Drop in Utah COVID-19 cases stalls. What that means for hospitals. [Tribune]
Elementary school in Provo moves to remote learning following Test-to-Stay event. [KUTV]
Opinion
What’s wrong with Utah politics? Facebook whistleblower explains, George Pyle writes. [Tribune]
What should come after restoration of national monuments in Utah, from the Tribune Editorial Board. [Tribune]
Opinion: Bernie Sanders is wrong about Sens. Manchin and Sinema. [Deseret News]
🎂 You say it’s your birthday?!!
Happy birthday to former Utah state Rep. Ben Ferry.
Belated birthday wishes to Rich McKeown, former chief of staff to former Gov. Mike Leavitt who celebrated on Sunday.
Got a birthday you’d like us to recognize in this space? Send us an email.
