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Robert Bennett, Former Senator from Utah and Tea Party Casualty, Dies at 82 Robert Bennett, Former Senator from Utah and Tea Party Casualty, Dies at 82
(about 1 hour later)
Former Senator Robert F. Bennett, a conservative Republican from Utah who played a central role in shaping the bank bailout legislation during the 2008 financial crisis, an act of compromise that made him a stunning casualty of the Tea Party movement, died on Wednesday in Arlington, Va. He was 82.Former Senator Robert F. Bennett, a conservative Republican from Utah who played a central role in shaping the bank bailout legislation during the 2008 financial crisis, an act of compromise that made him a stunning casualty of the Tea Party movement, died on Wednesday in Arlington, Va. He was 82.
The cause was complications of a stroke, said a spokeswoman, Tara Tanner, who added that he also had pancreatic cancer.The cause was complications of a stroke, said a spokeswoman, Tara Tanner, who added that he also had pancreatic cancer.
In his three terms in the Senate, Mr. Bennett, though a strong conservative, sometimes sought compromises on major issues like immigration, health care and the 2008 economic downturn.In his three terms in the Senate, Mr. Bennett, though a strong conservative, sometimes sought compromises on major issues like immigration, health care and the 2008 economic downturn.
But those efforts, plus a long record for earmarking federal grants for his state, drove Tea Party Republicans to block his bid for a fourth term in May 2010. He finished third in state party convention votes in Salt Lake City, a result that under Utah law barred him from a primary election. But those efforts, plus a long record of earmarking federal grants for his state, drove Tea Party Republicans to block his bid for a fourth term in May 2010. He finished third in state party convention votes in Salt Lake City, a result that under Utah law barred him from a primary election.
Mr. Bennett, a scion of a prominent Utah family — a grandfather had been president of the Mormon church and his father had been a four-term United States senator from the state — left the convention in tears as delegates cheered and shouted, “He’s gone, he’s gone.” Mr. Bennett, a scion of a prominent Utah family — a grandfather had been president of the Mormon Church, and his father had been a four-term United States senator from the state — left the convention in tears as delegates cheered and shouted, “He’s gone, he’s gone.”
His defeat was the first major success of the Tea Party movement, and it influenced many conservative officeholders to move even further to the right to avoid or defeat intraparty challenges. His defeat was the first major success of the Tea Party movement, and it influenced many conservative officeholders to move even farther to the right to avoid or defeat intraparty challenges.
A successful businessman before entering politics, Mr. Bennett operated quietly in the Senate. He worked closely with Republican leaders like Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who praised him as a “staunch conservative with a track record of finding common ground on some of the toughest issues.”A successful businessman before entering politics, Mr. Bennett operated quietly in the Senate. He worked closely with Republican leaders like Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who praised him as a “staunch conservative with a track record of finding common ground on some of the toughest issues.”
Mr. Bennett compiled an 84 percent conservative voting record in his 18 years in the Senate, according to the American Conservative Union. But the biggest blow to his career was the fallout from his vote on the bank bailout, which was condemned by the A.C.U. and conservative broadcasters. Mr. Bennett compiled an 84 percent conservative voting record in his 18 years in the Senate, according to the American Conservative Union. But the biggest blow to his career was the fallout from his vote on the bank bailout, which was condemned by the union and by conservative broadcasters.
In shaping the bill, which was intended to preserve the country’s financial system, Mr. Bennett had worked closely with Senator Christopher J. Dodd, the liberal Connecticut Democrat. The legislation’s centerpiece was the Troubled Asset Relief Program, called TARP, created to shore up or bail out failing banks with an infusion of $700 billion in federal funds. In shaping the bill, which was intended to preserve the country’s financial system, Mr. Bennett had worked closely with Senator Christopher J. Dodd, the liberal Connecticut Democrat. The legislation’s centerpiece was the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, created to shore up or bail out failing banks with an infusion of $700 billion in federal funds.
Acknowledging widespread objections to the bill by conservatives, Mr. Bennett urged Republican colleagues to rise above the clamor, warning that if the economy collapsed, “Some will feel very virtuous about having voted against Wall Street and then turn around and find that their constituents, generally, paid a huge price for that vote.”Acknowledging widespread objections to the bill by conservatives, Mr. Bennett urged Republican colleagues to rise above the clamor, warning that if the economy collapsed, “Some will feel very virtuous about having voted against Wall Street and then turn around and find that their constituents, generally, paid a huge price for that vote.”
Backed by President George W. Bush, the bill passed with the support of 34 of 49 Republican senators.Backed by President George W. Bush, the bill passed with the support of 34 of 49 Republican senators.
“He paid the price for it,” said Mr. Dodd, who called Mr. Bennett “a kindred soul, very deliberative, easy to work with.”“He paid the price for it,” said Mr. Dodd, who called Mr. Bennett “a kindred soul, very deliberative, easy to work with.”
Mr. Bennett aroused anger on the right with two other stands, although neither became law. In 2007, he supported President Bush on comprehensive immigration legislation, leading one conservative radio host to urge Utahns to kill Mr. Bennett. The other was his collaboration with Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon, in 2009 on a compromise health care alternative to President Obama’s Affordable Care Act.Mr. Bennett aroused anger on the right with two other stands, although neither became law. In 2007, he supported President Bush on comprehensive immigration legislation, leading one conservative radio host to urge Utahns to kill Mr. Bennett. The other was his collaboration with Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon, in 2009 on a compromise health care alternative to President Obama’s Affordable Care Act.
Mr. Bennett said his willingness to compromise had been instilled in him by his father, Senator Wallace Foster Bennett. He taught him, he said, that “you have to be willing to reach out and not just say, ‘I alone am going to solve this problem.’ ”Mr. Bennett said his willingness to compromise had been instilled in him by his father, Senator Wallace Foster Bennett. He taught him, he said, that “you have to be willing to reach out and not just say, ‘I alone am going to solve this problem.’ ”
Robert Foster Bennett was born on Sept. 18, 1933, in Salt Lake City. His mother was the former Frances Marion Grant. His father operated several businesses, including Bennett Paint and Glass, and was first elected to the Senate in 1950. His mother’s father, Heber J. Grant, was the seventh president of the Mormon church. Robert Foster Bennett was born on Sept. 18, 1933, in Salt Lake City. His mother was the former Frances Marion Grant. His father operated several businesses, including Bennett Paint and Glass, and was first elected to the Senate in 1950. His mother’s father, Heber J. Grant, was the seventh president of the Mormon Church.
Robert Bennett attended local schools, graduated from the University of Utah and served as a chaplain in the Utah National Guard. In an interview for this obituary in 2014, he said he had always been a “political junkie” but had no political ambitions early on. “It was always understood that I would work at the family paint company,” he said.Robert Bennett attended local schools, graduated from the University of Utah and served as a chaplain in the Utah National Guard. In an interview for this obituary in 2014, he said he had always been a “political junkie” but had no political ambitions early on. “It was always understood that I would work at the family paint company,” he said.
It was his father who brought him into politics to help him in his Senate duties in Washington while he ran for re-election in 1962. (His father served in the Senate until December 1974.) After working on Capitol Hill, he became a lobbyist and, in 1969, congressional liaison for the Nixon administration’s Department of Transportation. It was his father who brought him into politics to help him in his Senate duties in Washington while he ran for re-election in 1962. (Wallace Bennett served in the Senate until December 1974.) After working on Capitol Hill, he became a lobbyist and, in 1969, congressional liaison for the Nixon administration’s Department of Transportation.
He left in 1971 and bought the Robert Mullen Company, a public relations firm that once employed E. Howard Hunt, a C.I.A. veteran and writer who led the Watergate burglars.He left in 1971 and bought the Robert Mullen Company, a public relations firm that once employed E. Howard Hunt, a C.I.A. veteran and writer who led the Watergate burglars.
Mr. Bennett said at the time and in the 2014 interview that he had known nothing about the break-in at the Democratic headquarters at the Watergate complex. He did say, however, that he had agreed to a White House request for Mr. Hunt to help the 1972 Nixon campaign “mostly on nights and weekends.” The request should have made him suspicious, he said, ruefully, in the interview. Mr. Bennett said at the time and in the 2014 interview that he had known nothing about the break-in at Democratic headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington. He did say, however, that he had agreed to a White House request for Mr. Hunt to help the 1972 Nixon campaign “mostly on nights and weekends.” The request should have made him suspicious, he said ruefully in the interview.
After the family company closed in 1974, Mr. Bennett moved to California to work for Howard Hughes and later other companies. His greatest success, he said, was as head of the Franklin Covey Company, which produced the Franklin Day Planner and conducted business-oriented time management seminars. He held the job from 1984 to 1990. After the family company closed in 1974, Mr. Bennett moved to California to work for Howard Hughes and later for other companies. His greatest success, he said, was as head of the Franklin Covey Company, which produced the Franklin Day Planner and conducted business-oriented time management seminars. He held that job from 1984 to 1990.
Mr. Bennett was, with others at Franklin, a co-author of “Gaining Control” (1987), which deals with time management, and the author of “Leap of Faith: Confronting the Origins of the Book of Mormon” (2009). “Leap of Faith” discusses how Mormons, through faith, can believe the church’s foundational account by Joseph Smith, a farmer with little formal education, who said he had translated the Book of Mormon from golden plates revealed to him by an angel. Mr. Bennett was, with others at Franklin, an author of “Gaining Control” (1987), which deals with time management, and the author of “Leap of Faith: Confronting the Origins of the Book of Mormon” (2009). “Leap of Faith” discusses how Mormons, through faith, can believe the church’s foundational account by Joseph Smith, a farmer with little formal education, who said he had translated the Book of Mormon from golden plates revealed to him by an angel.
Mr. Bennett is survived by his wife, the former Joyce McKay, a flutist and teacher at Washington’s Levine School of Music (and also a grandchild of a Mormon church president). They married in 1962. Mr. Bennett is also survived by a brother, Wallace G. Bennett; a sister, Frances Jeppson; four daughters, Julie Newton, Wendy Prawitt, Heather Oman and Heidi Knighton; two sons, Robert and James; and 20 grandchildren. Mr. Bennett is survived by his wife, the former Joyce McKay, a flutist and teacher at the Levine School of Music in Washington (and also a grandchild of a Mormon Church president). They married in 1962. He is also survived by a brother, Wallace G. Bennett; a sister, Frances Jeppson; four daughters, Julie Newton, Wendy Prawitt, Heather Oman and Heidi Knighton; two sons, Robert and James; and 20 grandchildren.