The endorsement of Orrin Hatch stank ("Hatch for Senate: Give Utah's lion one more term," Our View, Sept. 23). Naming six-term Hatch "one of the lions of the U.S. Senate" is laughable.
It is ludicrous to suggest that at 78 Hatch is still "a vigorous man, and his long tenure should be viewed as an asset, not a liability." In 1976, Hatch claimed that the 66-year-old, three-term Sen. Frank Moss was old and out of touch. Hatch's campaign slogan was, "What do you call a senator who's served in office for 18 years? You call him home!"
The clincher of The Tribune's misguided endorsement is the wishful "if the GOP wins control" of the Senate then Hatch could "advance the interests of Utah." Given present polling, Hatch will once again be relegated to second-place posts. He'll end up like South Carolina's late Sen. Strom Thurmond doddering, batty and an embarrassment to Utah.
If Utah were wise, instead of merely partisan, we would elect the real "vigorous man," Scott Howell.
Mark E. Hurst
Sandy