I Wouldn't Have Guessed... Salt Lake City?

The Salt Lake City Tribune reports on the city's mayor's plans for the upcoming visit from 'The Decider.'

Salt Lake City's mayor says it's unpatriotic to be complacent, but others in his position say the real shame is disrespecting the highest office and being a bad host.

President Bush often encounters an unfavorable protest when he touches down in cities across America, but it usually isn't the local mayor holding the bullhorn.

Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson says it's his duty to speak at a rally outside City Hall when the president visits Utah's capital later this month, adding it would be "cowardly" and "unpatriotic" to stay silent.

"I don't respect people who see things headed in the wrong direction and because of their high sense of deference or because of their membership in the [national] culture of obedience they keep their mouths shut."

After the surprise of finding out that the Mayor of the capital of the state where Bush still has a positive approval rating is the one taking such an admirable stand, what really struck me was his phrase "culture of obedience."

I'd go as far as to say that within the GOP, it's a cult of obedience. It's actually a nice frame. Plays on fears of over-zealous religion and drives a wedge between the "I don't have to listen to anybody!" individualist streak in Conservative voters and the GOP. Try it this way:

(Your opponent here) is a member of George W. Bush's cult of obedience. He/she voted with the president 98% of the time. The majority of Americans want some sort of plan for getting our brave soldiers out of a situation that the Republicans allowed to get worse and worse, all while spouting flowery words about being greeted with flowers and chocolate! It's time for change in America! You're not going to get it by voting for George W. Bush's lap dog!

This could be fun. The opponent surely has some great soundbites left over from back when Bush was popular...

Salt Lake City Rocky Anderson George W. Bush Republicans