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In the Deseret News today, political reporter Bob Bernick Jr. parrots the Standard Utah Political Narrative — Utah is "red, red and more red," he says — but I think the article is accurate overall. Utah Democrats will make some gains this year, but it won't be the landslide we'll see in Washington. Of course, I'd be happy to be wrong.

A recent survey conducted for the Deseret News and KSL-TV by Dan Jones & Associates shows just what Utah Democrats are up against in 2008:

• Almost two-thirds of registered Utah voters say they plan to vote for the Republican candidate in their state House or Senate race this year. Only 24 percent of voters say they plan to vote for the Democratic Party's candidate in their legislative contests. Republicans hold two-thirds majorities now in the Legislature. [...]

• And while a number of Utahns say it is time to let someone new serve in their state House or Senate district, GOP challengers to incumbent Republican legislators have not fared well so far this year — by far most challengers were defeated in their county or state conventions. Only three legislative incumbents have so far been defeated: Sen. Fred Fife, D-Salt Lake; and Reps. Sylvia Andersen, R-Sandy; and Aaron Tilton, R-Springville.

The visibility of Bill Clinton in this year's presidential race has got Democrats thinking more critically about his political legacy (Ezra Klein):

[...] Clinton proved masterful in repelling the [Republican] onslaught when his back was to the wall, but the near-death experiences and unexpected comebacks that defined his career failed to provide him a solid base from which he could systematically build a movement or sell his beliefs. Clinton's political genius manifested itself not in the construction of a greater and grander Democratic Party, or a new and expanded progressive majority, but in the sheer fact of his survival, and his ability to govern competently, and at times brilliantly, against such odds.

Clinton's time in office had its successes and its failures. But politically speaking, Clinton enjoyed the successes and the party often endured the failures. The party makeup of Congress tells the story: At the start of Clinton's term, Democrats controlled 57 Senate seats to the 43 held by the Republicans. In the House, they held the chamber 258 to 176. By 2000, the final year of Clinton's term, Republicans controlled the Senate, holding 55 seats to the Democrats' 45. They also ran the House, with 223 seats to the Democrats' 211. Large Democratic majorities had given way to total Republican dominance. [...]

In light of this record, Clinton's behavior during the primary has not been out of the ordinary at all. His political talent has, historically, been for getting himself elected. He's just not that good at getting others elected.