"I did stress, and this is not partisan, that Republicans and Democrats alike need to pull together to provide better affordable housing options," Anderson said. "And Section 8 (low-income housing) cuts under the Bush administration have hurt a lot of people in cities throughout the country. This was all said in the contexted theme that everyone in public service wants to help other people, and in pursuit of that we all need to do things to bolster, rather than diminish, affordable housing opportunities.

"I never said one word about integrity or ineptitude (by Bush)," Anderson said . "Although I have in other settings, of course."

Anderson and Utah GOP legislative leaders have knocked heads for years. After Anderson joined in an environmental lawsuit that delayed construction of the Legacy Highway in Davis County — the state did not follow required environmental regulations, a federal court found — some GOP lawmakers looked at punishing the city by keeping sales tax revenue that otherwise would have flowed to Salt Lake. Anderson ultimately promised not to join any other anti-Legacy lawsuits, and the city got its money.

The exchange between Stephens and Anderson spiced up an otherwise dull work day at the convention, which will draw thousands of state lawmakers, staffs and vendors to the city to discuss various issues facing state governments. Most attendees have not yet arrived, which is good because Utah's legislative staff — all dressed in bright yellow shirts that prompted people to dub them "honey bees" — was still getting things set up late Monday morning.

"This is not why I went to law school," groaned one legislative staffer, clearly more accustomed to business suits than a bee outfit.

With a twisted sense of irony, those who arrived at the conference early were treated to a luncheon primer on Mormon tenets and history by former House Minority Leader Frank Pignanelli, an Italian Catholic, who spoke about everything from federal military occupation of Utah to Republican domination of state politics to the state's unique liquor laws.

He even drew a map for one attendee who wanted to find the state wine store.

"It's one of the best wine stores in the country," Pignanelli boasted. "If you can't find a drink, let me know."

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E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com; spang@desnews.com