Democratic President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, a Republican, are both underwater by 19 percentage points in their net favorability ratings, according to a Wall Street Journal poll conducted at the end of last month.

With widespread negative perceptions of the parties’ standard-bearers, maybe it’s no surprise that an NBC News survey conducted in April found 70% of respondents did not think Biden should run for president and 60% thought the same of Trump.

Enter renewed talk of third-party alternatives.

While the country’s history has not treated third-party bids kindly, one group, No Labels, claims public opinion is on their side when it comes to introducing a unity presidential ticket as an “insurance policy” to “reset” the country in the case of a Trump-Biden rematch.

And according to a new Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll, many Utahns seem open to the conversation.

A majority of respondents, 53%, said they would potentially cast their ballot for someone without an R or a D by their name in 2024, with 16% saying they would “definitely” consider voting for a third-party candidate in the next presidential election and 37% saying “maybe.”

But with nearly a quarter of respondents saying they would “definitely not” consider a third-party ticket, and a fifth saying “probably not,” for a total of 46%, the state is split down the middle on the issue.

More in Politics

• GOP senator teases openness to joining No Labels ticket in case of Biden-Trump rematch (Washington Examiner)
• Kristi Noem is suddenly front and center in the veepstakes (Politico)
• Ken Buck says House facing ‘perfect storm’ over spending, Biden impeachment (The Hill)

My grandson called me: ‘Can I interview you about 9/11?’

At 8:46 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001, in New York City, Flight 11 from Boston, originally bound for Los Angeles, slammed into the World Trade Center’s north tower. 

Across America — from east to west — people awakened to the terrorist attack in every way possible.

"But this isn’t a column about my remembrances of 9/11, more than two decades after the event," writes Doug Wilks, executive editor of the Deseret News. "This is about a phone call with my 11-year-old grandson."

In a rare turn of events, Wilks was the one being questioned — "Where were you when the 9/11 attack happened?" "How did Sept. 11 affect your patriotism or your overall view of the United States?" "“Do you think this type of attack could happen again?”

Wilks realized that when asked by those too young to remember, we can refer to official records documenting the events of 9/11, "But there is perhaps a greater responsibility to pass on the stories of 9/11 to each generation: What it meant at the time. Why we put flags and ribbons on our car antennas. What patriotism meant in the moment. What we felt about threat and war and our personal safety."

During the phone interview, Wilks was asked one final question: "Grandpa, why do you think it takes an attack to bring people together?"

Read more to see Wilks' response.  

FROM OUR SPONSOR RIRIE-WOODBURY DANCE COMPANY

GROUNDWORKS launches our 60th Anniversary performing season with a breathtaking concert.

Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company is launching its performing season with GROUNDWORKS, a tribute to co-founders Joan Woodbury and Shirley Ririe, featuring works by Alwin Nikolias. September 21-23, 7:30 PM at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center. Get tickets at saltlakecountyarts.org 801-355-ARTS (2787)

Health

• What research says about forgiveness and mental health, physical well-being (Church News)
• The shrinking number of primary care physicians is reaching a tipping point (KFF Health News)

Faith

• Elder Jeffrey R. Holland returns home to recuperate after extended hospital stay (Deseret News)
• 7 insights about Latter-day Saint women’s history from the Joseph Smith Papers (Deseret News)

Salt Lake County

• Utah charter school responds to accusations of improper restraint (KSL NewsRadio)
• Utah State Fair: Butter airplane sculpture, arts, farm animals and 'deep-fried anything' (KSL)

Utah County

• Utah communities kick off volunteer efforts for 9/11 Day of Service (KSL)
• Pleasant Grove citizens gathering signatures to put property tax increase on ballot (Daily Herald)

The West

• New Mexico governor suspends gun rights in Albuquerque (Deseret News)

• Why a Salt Lake company owns the ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’ sign (Deseret News)

The Nation

• For a new generation of Marines, 9/11 is history (NPR)
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The World

• US and Vietnam ink historic partnership in Biden visit, with eyes on China (Reuters)
• Morocco Races to Dig Out Survivors After Strongest Quake in 100 Years (New York Times 🔒)

Sports

• The promise shown by Utah State against Iowa? The Aggies made good on it against Idaho State with a record performance (Deseret News)
• Top-ranked BYU soccer easily handles Utah in rivalry match (Deseret News)
• BYU quarterback Kedon Slovis shines like the Cougars believed he would in 41-16 romp over SUU (Deseret News)
• What Coco Gauff prayed for before her big U.S. Open win (Deseret News)