Finally, fighting for four years to keep the bonuses secret from The Salt Lake Tribune was a sure loser. This is public money, and public employee salaries have always been public information. The cover-up always becomes a bigger story than the original mistake.

Is the recent focus on Utah County political intrigue having any impact on the convention results?

Webb: Utah County Republicans, especially, have taken hit after hit from newspaper reporters, columnists and editorial writers. But we won't see much change in Utah County politics. In an April 28 Wall Street Journal essay, Joseph Epstein compared news reporters to dogs barking as the caravan passes. While in Utah we don't have anything approaching the fabled Daley political machine in Chicago, Republicans have a pretty strong and stable caravan in Utah County, and a pack of barking dogs isn't going to make it change course.

Pignanelli: There have been multiple discussions at proverbial water coolers regarding Republican politics in Utah County, generated by reports in the major newspapers. It is interesting for political discourse. But most incumbents packed off any challenges at the recent county convention. Much of the hullabaloo is insider baseball that bores voters. They know shenanigans surround the nuances of delegate selection — they just don't care.

Will any of this stick during the during the election season?

Pignanelli: Voters are practical and decide what is important to them. No candidate has won or lost because of legal lobbyist gifts, campaign contributions or internal party machinations. Success for candidates depends on a willingness to engage in retail politics (door-to-door campaigning, effective messaging on issues) and not some silver bullet.

Webb: With all the Republican woes, especially at the national level, this should be the Democrats' best chance in decades to make a big dent in Utah politics. But don't hold your breath. Republicans have done a terrific job managing Utah's government, properly balancing tax levels with government services, keeping Utah's economy strong.

Despite all the hand-wringing over ethics, coziness with lobbyists, gifts, playing rough with opponents and so forth, Utah has a pretty clean political industry compared to a lot of states. Does anyone have clear evidence of down-and-dirty graft, corruption and vote-selling?

Chicago humorist Finley Peter Dunne coined the phrase "Politics ain't beanbag," meaning it is no harmless children's game. Some Utah politicians can play a little rough, and anyone who wants to run for public office ought to be prepared for some battles.

The nice thing about our system is that politicians are answerable to voters, not to do-gooders or editorial writers (or opinionated columnists like Pig-Webb). It's up to the citizens to judge. If they don't like their politicians, they can grab 'em by the ear and give them the heave-ho.

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Republican LaVarr Webb is a political consultant and lobbyist. Previously he was policy deputy to Gov. Mike Leavitt and a Deseret News managing editor. E-mail: lwebb@exoro.com. Democrat Frank Pignanelli is Salt Lake attorney, lobbyist and political adviser. Pignanelli served 10 years in the Utah House of Representatives, six years as House minority leader. E-mail: frankp@xmission.com.