"People ask," Hatch said, "'Why weren't you for the CAFE (corporate average fuel economy) standard increases?' Because the idiotic liberals back there always made them so high that they were impossible to reach.

"If they had done a reasonable CAFE standard increase, I think we could have supported it. But if we move to hybrids . . . we may be able to solve an awful lot of our energy needs right there."

When Hatch finished his prepared remarks and the floor was opened to audience questions, Utah's senior senator opined on a wide variety of topics. A sampling:

• On the prospect of nuclear waste being stored on an Indian reservation in Skull Valley: "I'm doing everything in my power to make sure that doesn't happen. A tribe with less than 70 people (living) in Utah is going to bind all the other 2.4 million people (in Utah) unless we can find some way to stop it. I guarantee you I'm pulling (out) every stop in the book."

• On Utah's institutions of higher learning: "Our university and college system in this state is super. Do you realize that Utah State University gets more money per capita than any other university in the country? Do you realize the University of Utah is on the cusp of almost all health care? Take Brigham Young University, that has the greatest, finest accounting program in the world today. Its business school is one of the top 30. Its law school is one of the top 30. Utah Valley (State College) — can you imagine what that's doing to help our kids get an education, one that they can afford?"

• Why he's running for re-election: "One reason I'm running for Senate again is because all of these projects I'm in the middle of and a whole lot more. I believe I have some work to do. The future of our state depends on it. I'm in a position where I can get it done, and I've got to have all of your help to do it. As you know, my life has never been an easy one — there's always someone who wants to run against me."

Other issues that Hatch endorsed included the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee John Roberts, the Dream Act that would allow in-state tuition for illegal aliens that grew up stateside, driver's privilege cards for illegal aliens, President Bush's policy in Iraq, and the flag amendment that would empower Congress to outlaw physical desecration of the nation's flag.

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E-mail: jaskar@desnews.com