Letter: Hatch reaches for the Dumb Statemen..

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Re-election candidate Sen. Orrin Hatch achieved something of a record by sticking his foot in his mouth twice in one week and offending two separate groups of potential supporters in the process.

First, he gives the Native Americans in southeastern Utah a lecture that sounded like it came from a black and white Western, a genre not shy about having government authorities telling the Indians: "The great white father in Washington will take care of you and protect you."

Then, he reaches for the Dumb Statement Hall of Fame when he speaks of Americans' use of health care dollars. Apparently channeling Mitt Romney and his "47 percent pay no taxes" gaffe, Hatch says that, "Americans on the dole will take every dime they can" while subliminally implying the same message, "the great white father in Washington knows best."

What do you call a seven-term senator who wants your vote to put him back in office until he is 91 years old? Answer: "Home ... a rest home."

Lew Baker

Cottonwood Heights

Letter: Hatch reaches for the Dumb Statement Hall of Fame