This thrilling event unfolded as two SUVs, one gray and one white, plus two vans, rolled slowly to a stop on the vast plain of airport concrete. Romney emerged from the gray SUV and embraced Hatch. Then the two walked together for 100 yards or so, flanked at a distance by their bodyguards. Mitt’s storied hair was blowing sexily in the breeze; Hatch’s well-earned silver locks behaved better. Both wore dark suits and white shirts, but Hatch had the more interesting tie — dark blue with little orange, red and tan (?) figures that looked like something from Winnie the Pooh or maybe a fruit basket (hard to say from a distance).

The judges of the fashion show consisted of a handful of news reporters and photographers, dutifully clustered like sheep awaiting their so-called “photo opportunity” — a stage-managed encounter with posing politicians. It’s a psuedo-event, as opposed to a real event, in this case designed to deliver a single message: Mitt loves Orrin, and Orrin loves Mitt.

This sort of fakery was brilliantly condemned by American intellectual Daniel Boorstin in his influential 1961 book “The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-events in America.” He described how phony events blend with real ones, and how they serve no purpose other than to be reproduced through advertisements or other forms of publicity. So, even though you may see photographs of Mitt and Orrin published in the news, understand that you are being played. There’s nothing “real” happening. It’s all fake.

Real reporters should shun such tripe (as Billy Hesterman of the Daily Herald did, to his credit). Unfortunately, most can be counted on to take the bait. As the great men passed the little queue of hapless media dupes, cameras clacked and respiration levels rose. Then the gray SUV pulled up, collected the cargo it came with and drove away. That was it, but what a thrill it was! Yes, Mitt loves Orrin, and Orrin loves Mitt. Why else would they walk together for no good reason except to share a hug on a lonely runway at Salt Lake City International Airport? You, too, can share the moment on YouTube thanks to Robert Gehrke of the Salt Lake Tribune — mittlovesorrin.notlong.com.