News roundup: Romney's transition team readies plans

Reid: Romney not the face of Mormonism. Lockhart's last term. 42 days until Nov. 6.

Happy Tuesday. While Mitt Romney may be a bit down in the polls, several people, including ex-Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt, are working in the background to make sure that Romney is ready to move in if elected. Romney's "Readiness Project" is moving full-steam ahead, Politico reports, with meetings on Capitol Hill to prepare legislation for a quick start for a Romney administration. [Politico]

Topping the news: Questions about congressional candidate Mia Love's family background are being raised with the liberal magazine Mother Jones asking whether she was an "anchor baby." [Trib] [MotherJones]

-> Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid insists that Romney is not the face of Mormonism, a remark contrary to prominent Mormon J.W. Marriott who says that Romney's campaign brings lots of positive attention to the church. [Trib]

-> House Speaker Becky Lockhart says she won't run for her position after this term. [UtahPolicy]

Tweet of the day: From @mckaycoppins: "How is it possible that Harry Reid can be such a fierce flamethrower and still be so boring?"

Happy birthday: To state Sen. Lyle Hillyard and J.J. Brown with Sen. Orrin Hatch's office.

In other news: Members of the Saratoga Springs City Council are upset by Rep. Jim Matheson's insinuation that Love would raise taxes if elected to Congress. Matheson says that's her record, though. [Trib] [DNews]

-> Wayne and Grand counties are now charging for rescue operations in their desolate areas, a move that a national group says is dangerous and life-threatening. [Trib]

-> A judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed against WVC Mayor Mike Winder over his "Richard Burwash" articles. [Trib]

-> Democratic attorney general candidate Dee Smith cites the state's effort to take over federal land and opposition to the Affordable Care Act as poor uses of taxpayer dollars, while Republican John Swallow says those fights are necessary. [Trib]

-> Utah Democratic Party Chairman Jim Dabakis says the key to helping Democratic candidates down ticket from Romney is to educate voters that each person deserves consideration individually. [UtahPolicy]

-> Provo Daily Herald editor Randy Wright compares Holly Richardson, newly appointed-but-not-yet-confirmed State Records Committee member, to Al Haig. [DailyHerald]

-> Mark Bouchard, chairman of Prosperity 2020, received the ASUU Advocate of Higher Education Award for his efforts to increase the rate of students who earn post-high school education. [UtahChronicle]

-> Today at 4 p.m., the Salt Lake City Council holds a public hearing on a $47 million park improvement bond proposal. Comments will be accepted. [Trib]

-> Rep. Rob Bishop and Kaysville Mayor Steve Hiatt say a western Davis County highway is key to the area's future. [DNews]

2012 watch: President Barack Obama has no bilateral meetings scheduled at this year's United Nations General Assembly. Last year he held over a dozen. [CBSNews] In fact, he spent the first day of the assembly with ABC's 'The View' talk show hosts. [LATimes] [NYTimes]

-> Among those voters who say they are intensely motivated to turn out, Romney leads by three points. The Wall Street Journal cites two other reasons why Romney shouldn't be ruled out. [WSJ]

-> Pat Bagley offers his take on Romney's comment about why airplane windows don't roll down. [Trib]

-> Both candidates could offer voters more specifics. [WaPost]

-> The Obama campaign hires more than twice as many paid employees as the Romney campaign at half the cost. [LATimes]

-> A majority of national polls conducted this month show Obama venturing into the 50 percent approval rate territory. [WaPost]

-> Obama doesn't "skip" his intelligence briefings; rather, he chose a briefing approach that differed from his predecessors. [WaPost]

-> Romney campaign officials say that the presidential candidate isn't able to spend as much time holding public campaign events because, put simply, they need more money. [BuzzFeed] [NYTimes]

-> Romney supporters are more likely to have made environmentally-conscious home renovations. [CNN]

-> Vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan compares the differences in foreign and military policy philosophies between the presidential candidates to the differences between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter. [NYTimes]

-> Recent polls conducted in swing states all show an Obama lead. [PoliticalWire]

Where are they?

Gov. Gary Herbert hosts the Governor's Health Summit.

SL Co. Mayor Peter Corroon attends SL Co.'s Public Works Employee Recognition event at the Wheeler Farm.

WVC Mayor Mike Winder cuts the ribbon at The Mattress Firm.

SLC Mayor Ralph Becker meets with Jerry Nabours, mayor of Flagstaff, Arizona, before making a presentation to the Flagstaff City Council on Salt Lake City's nondiscrimination ordinances.

President Barack Obama speaks to the U.N. General Assembly and also offers remarks at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual meeting.

Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com. If you haven't already, sign up for our weekday email and get this sent directly to your inbox. [Trib]

— Thomas Burr and Betsy BlanchardTwitter.com/thomaswburr and Twitter.com/betsyblanchard