From Deseret News archives:
Candidates show a lighter side
Ralph Becker is a Washington Redskins fan, and Dave Buhler thinks he would make a better police officer than a firefighter.
Issues facing Salt Lake City came up, too, during a debate among the four leading candidates for mayor Thursday in the auditorium of the Salt Lake City Library.
But the lighthearted start to the KCPW/Fox 13 debate was welcomed by the candidates, who answered questions about superheroes, movies and sandwiches as clearly and confidently as they did those on the downtown skybridge, revitalizing the city's west side and the funding shortfall for the Leonardo arts and science museum.
"That's the hardest question I've had all campaign," Buhler said after being asked whether he'd rather be a movie star, a rock star or an all-star athlete. (For the record, he chose movie star.)
Christensen got laughs with his response to a question about the last movie he watched at a theater. "I'm in a campaign. I haven't been to a theater in a year," he said.
A short exchange of jabs between Buhler and Christensen over Mayor Rocky Anderson's endorsement of Christensen brought the only less-than-friendly moments of the debate.
After Buhler criticized the outspoken mayor for championing national and global causes at the expense of local issues facing Salt Lake City, Christensen said, "Dave, you sound like you're running against Rocky. Rocky is not in this race."
Buhler argued that the mayor has inserted himself into the race with his endorsement of Christensen, "which I always thought was a little ironic because Rocky Anderson hates fossil fuels and Keith has made a fortune selling fossil fuels."
Christensen countered by defending his ownership of 31 Top Stop convenience stores/gas stations as an "honorable business." He then took a shot at Buhler, who he's labeled in advertising as a "career politician" who has spent most of his career "earning a living from taxpayer dollars."
"I wonder if Dave has ever bought a gallon of gasoline," Christensen said.
The exchange was brought on by a question about when it's appropriate for the mayor of Salt Lake City to take a stand on national issues.
Wilson praised Anderson for speaking out against the war in Iraq but said the focus of such action should be about the consequences the war has on Salt Lake City, such as a reduction in federal grant money.
"I will speak out when I can and when it's relevant to the citizens of Salt Lake City," she said.
Becker agreed, saying it's "critically important that the mayor of the city focus on (issues that have) a direct impact on the city."
He credited Anderson with helping to educate Salt Lake City residents — and Utahns statewide — about environmental concerns such as climate change.
"It's important for the mayor to serve as a spokesperson for our city," he said.
E-mail: jpage@desnews.com
