News roundup: Obama faces country of skeptics on Syria

Obama's hard sell on Syria. The end of electronic voting machines. The return of the dealmaking Sen. Orrin Hatch.

Happy Monday. The new CNN poll clearly sums up President Barack Obama's challenge. It finds that eight in 10 respondents buys his argument that the Syrian regime gassed its own people, but seven out of 10 still don't want the U.S. military to retaliate. [CNN]

Topping the news: Obama will give interviews to seven major news anchors and sit down with Senate Democrats as he gives it his all to get Congressional support for his plan to hit Syria. [WaPost] [Politico] [FoxNews]

-> Syrian President Bashar Assad gives an interview to CBS' Charlie Rose, in which, he denies any involvement in the chemical attack that started this international showdown and warns of retaliation of the U.S. strikes. [CBSNews]

-> It's looking possible that the Senate will vote for military intervention, while the House will stand opposed to it. [RollCall]

-> Electronic voting machines are getting old and breaking down and election officials are not sure what they will replace them with. It could be voting by mail. [Trib]

Tweets of the day: From @mikememoli: "The Spiderman Doctrine: Being superpower comes w/great responsibility."

From @MiriamElder: '"If intelligence were a fact it would be called a fact and not intelligence' - Rumsfeld on CNN being Rumsfeld."

Facebook post du jour: From Utah Auditor John Dougall: Worked shoulder to shoulder with Congressman Chaffetz this morning clearing a ditch. He was teased about all the "Congressional mudslinging" he was doing today.

Happy birthday: To Salt Lake County's Rob Jeppsen.

Congratulations: Meg Joseph, chief of staff for Rep. Jim Matheson, returns to the office today after having her first child — little Henry Palmer Joseph — on Aug. 1. Congrats to Meg and her husband Eli.

Opinion section: Paul Rolly says the grades on education are an attack on public schools. [Trib]

-> Pat Bagley gives his take on the Salt Lake Comic Con. [Trib]

->Contributors to Writers on the Range, Auden Schendler and Lukas Haynes, write that ski resorts have finally woken up to global warming. [Trib]

-> George Pyle gives his take on when politicians should take action. [Trib]

-> Former educator Stanley Holmes shares his view on the recent Canyons School District curriculum cutback. [Trib]

-> Frank Pignanelli & LaVarr Webb discuss who they think are potential candidates in the next couple of elections. [DNews]

-> Doug Tompkins, founder of The North Face, and Peter Metcalf, CEO of Black Diamond Equipment, discuss why the grey wolves still need protection. [Trib]

-> Former state senator Dan Liljenquist says we need to think of our fallen soldiers when deliberating about Syria. [DNews]

-> Lutheran Pastor Steve Klemz talks about immigration reform and its support within the Utah community. [Trib]

-> Blake Cozzins, chairman of Iron County Republican Party, says the caucus system is the best for Utah. [DNews]

-> Kristjan Morgan, president of the Utah Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, and Karl Yates, chairman of Save Steep Mountain, discuss why mountain removal is a toxic business. [Trib]

-> Former Sen. Bob Bennett explains the questions he would need answers to if he were to support the proposed military campaign against Syria's government. [DNews]

Weekend in review: There are a lot of questions surrounding the Affordable Care Act. The Tribune has the answers to how the big health law may impact you. [Trib]

-> Sen. Orrin Hatch say he hasn't changed, but a number of observers say he has returned to his more pragmatic self with his 2012 election behind him. [Trib]

-> Rep. Chris Stewart already has a Democratic challenger for his 2nd District seat and State Sen. Luz Robles promises to raise $1 million to make the contest interesting. [Trib]

-> Over the objections of Gov. Gary Herbert and Rep. Rob Bishop, the Utah State Board of Education signed off on an oil and gas lease in the Book Cliffs that could bring big money to schools at the cost of a broader public lands deal. [Trib]

-> Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, will appear at a Utah fundraiser on Friday in support of his pal Sen. Mike Lee. [DNews]

-> The Utah Bureau of Land Management removed the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry from an auction. [Trib]

-> Following the lead of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, about 100 Utahns marched for immigration rights in Salt Lake City. [Trib]

-> Utah farmers are saying they need more immigrants to come to the country to help out. [Trib]

-> Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams appoints an official to pursue grants and ensure agencies comply with their terms. [Trib]

Nationally: With all the attention on Syria and then on the budget fight, immigration reform may simply fall to the wayside. [NYTimes]

-> Sen. Jon McCain, R-Ariz., warned of impeachment for the president if boots hit the ground in Syria. [CNN]

-> A potential loss on Syria could have lasting effects during Obama's last years in office. [LATimes]

-> The Obama administration secretly won permission from courts in 2011 to allow the NSA to search a database containing info on Americans' phone calls and emails. [WaPost]

Where are they?

Rep. Jason Chaffetz returns to Washington and attends a classified briefing on Syria.

SL Co. Mayor Ben McAdams meets with staff and goes to the Wasatch Summit Executive Committee Meeting.

WVC Mayor Mike Winder hits the Utah State Fair with a class of 4th graders.

President Barack Obama meets with Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel.

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]

— Matt Canham and Jordan Bailey Twitter.com/mattcanham and Twitter.com/thejordanbailey