Core Beliefs

This is a picture of Mayor Rocky Anderson of Salt Lake City. I know Rocky well from my time as Mayor and in other dealings I have on public lands issues in Utah. Rocky is a somewhat liberal Mayor in a state that voted 71% for bush the last election. Rocky is pretty well liked in the city of Salt Lake itself, but once outside those boundaries I don't think he would score very high with the voters.

The reason I like Mayor Rocky is because he is a guy with strong core beliefs. Today, he organized and attended a anti Iraq war rally near bush's speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Salt Lake City. I really respect him for doing that. I have always felt that most politicians, including corrupt or blindly ambitious ones, have some strong core beliefs.(I have only known one who doesn't seem to have any.) Many times they will hide those beliefs because it is politically smart to do so, but some, like Rocky, aren't afraid to let them be known. He is courageous and I am proud to know him.

Press Guys



Now here is a trio that you should know. They are the hardworking news relations guys in the Governors Office. They do a lot more than handle the press. Just about anything that will end up in front of the public or media concerning Governor Richardson and his administration in Santa Fe will be filtered through these guys.

Billy Sparks, Deputy Chief of Staff, hails from North Carolina and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Billy has been working with the Governor for many years and seems to be one of the calmest guys I have ever known. I have never seen him get angry which is impressive when dealing with some of the media sometimes.

Just below Billy on the left is Gilbert Gallegos. Gilbert was a long time reporter at the Albuquerque Tribune and was on the job there when I was Mayor. Gilbert was simply one of the most accurate reporters I had ever worked with and he had a good sense for a story's meaning. He was one of the Governor's first hires and it was a great choice.

Next is Pahl Shipley. Pahl is the former news director of my old employer some thirty years ago, KOAT TV. Pahl has always reminded me of Lou Grant in the Mary Tyler Moore show(also from 30 years ago.) He has a dry sense of humor which I really enjoy. Paul's wife Liz is a long time media and policy person at the Albuquerque Public School System and now serves as the Executive for Board Services.

These are hardworking staffers who rarely get recognized by the public for their professionalism.