What will politicians wish for in '08

A new year brings fresh hope and an opportunity to fulfill one's dreams. Many people adopt resolutions and valiantly struggle to ensure their completion throughout the year. Most politicians don't have the discipline to even think of self-betterment resolutions, but they expend tremendous energy detailing and achieving their dreams and desires, which are usually bigger and stranger than the aspirations of normal people. With some diligent research, we have uncovered the 2008 wish lists of our local politicos:

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr: For the benefit of the United States, its citizens and for the entire world, the governor hopes for the election of Arizona Sen. John McCain to the U.S. presidency in November. The governor also hopes to find a quality interior decorator in Washington, D.C., after his appointment to the McCain administration.

Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert: Funny, all the lieutenant governor wants is that the governor's aspirations are fulfilled this year. (He's loyal all the way!)

Sen. Orrin Hatch: Running for president gets in your blood. All Utah's senior legislator hopes for this year is a deadlocked national GOP convention and a huge "draft Hatch" campaign. Oh, and if that doesn't work out, he'd settle for further validation that his music is high art with another Grammy nomination this year. (Perhaps the Lifetime Achievement Award.)

Sen. Bob Bennett: As the Bush administration winds to a close, Utah's junior senator is awaiting word that Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt finds a plush job in the private sector (with a multiyear contract extending beyond 2010, when Bennett's seat is up).

Michael Leavitt: Open Senate seats and key presidential appointments are few and far between. But miracles do happen, and Leavitt is hoping that Hatch's dream comes true.

Utah Republicans: High on the wish list are dream tickets for both parties to save lower-ballot Republicans in Salt Lake County: Mitt Romney/John McCain versus Hillary Clinton/John Edwards.

Utah Democrats: The Democrats also have dream tickets to boost their chances nationally and locally: Mike Huckabee/Rudy Giuliani versus Barack Obama/Christopher Dodd (remember, Dodd's current wife is an Orem native).