Potential Slogan: Vote for Me, I’ll Never Applaud an Implicit Criticism of Sarah Palin

I had heard that Sen. Bob Bennett (R., Utah) stood and applauded President Obama’s dismissal of the claim that his bill would eventually establish “death panels” limiting care. I hadn’t known that Bennett has a primary rival in his reelection bid this year. Mark Shurtleff, Utah’s attorney general, is attempting to make hay of this, arguing that Bennett applauded “Obama’s attack on Sarah Palin.” (HT: Conservatives for Palin.)

By itself, an ill-timed ovation isn’t likely to persuade Utah Republicans to dump an incumbent. But if Shurtleff can build a case that Bennett is too close to Obama for his state, then maybe he’s got a shot.