"I understand that most people in the state don't agree with my views," he said. "I don't regret the way I have expressed my views. I certainly have no regret about my conduct in office."

Protests

One of Anderson's more controversial moments came on Aug. 22, 2005, when he spoke at a rally protesting Bush's visit to Salt Lake City to address the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

An avid opponent of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the mayor also spoke at a protest a year later when the president was in town to speak to the American Legion.

"I'll always be proud of that," Anderson said. "There's way too much sycophancy toward the individual who holds the presidency rather than a demonstration of the true patriotism, and that is love and concern for our country and a commitment to getting our country back on the right track.

"It's not patriotic to sit there like a welcoming mat for a president of the United States who's violating the Constitution, who's allowing heinous human-rights violations to take place in our name for the first time as a matter of official policy in our nation's history. Anyone who claims traditional religious or moral values ought to be standing up, or they are part of the problem."

Though he's proud of his anti-war activism, that he was able to alter some perceptions of Utah's capital city by publicly making a case for impeachment of Bush and Cheney, Anderson hopes that will only be an example of his legacy — not the only thing for which he is remembered.

"I would hope that people remember me and my administration as standing for dignity and respect for all people, for taking a stand even on difficult issues in a particularly crucial and dangerous time for our nation and our world," he said.

Accomplishments

For all the national attention Anderson has received as the Salt Lake City mayor speaking out against Bush from ultra-red state Utah, he has gained even more acclaim for his work on environmental issues, particularly in the area of climate change.

"Salt Lake has emerged as a leader on environmental issues largely because of Mayor Anderson's focus on that," said Soren Simonsen, Salt Lake City councilman.

Anderson has been among the leaders in the fight against global warming pollution, introducing several "green" initiatives on the city level — such as requiring that all city buildings be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards — and nationally calling for Congress to take bold action on global warming and cut carbon dioxide emissions.