Greg Fischer Democratic Primary Senatorial Candidate in Kentucky holds press conference in response to opponents new TV ad which he, Greg Fischer, claims is negative campaigning. I shot the video in Louisville, Kentucky May 15, 2008 at 10:00am.
Which is worse for a political candidate... ... refusing to rule out raising taxes as a last resort? ... or saying "Read my lips, no new taxes"... then raising taxes once elected?
Which is worse... ... refusing to sign a "unity pledge" not to tell unpleasant truths about other Democrats? ... or signing a so-called "Oath of Honorable Campaigning" and breaking every one of its provisions 5 weeks later when polls look different? (See here and here and here and here)
(I was going to say, "a Beshear endorsement of Obama now, while doing little for his chances on Tuesday, would show great leadership and courage." But, really, there's nothing to lose by endorsing him and everything to gain, as he is the de facto nominee. For something to be courageous, it has to be dangerous. This is not dangerous, only obvious. - promoted by Ben Carter)
Given the recent primary results from our neighbors in West Virginia, this primary season can only become bitterer and more divisive as we continue toward our Denver convention.Many of us have come to have reservations about the superdelegate system itself—whether it is in the spirit of our party to have a mechanism by which elected officials overrule the vote of average Democrats.However, the superdelegates are an element of this primary and we must deal as best we can with that fact.
Senator Obama is the de facto nominee of our party.He has the most delegates (“super” and otherwise), the greater number of popular votes, and just as importantly, the money to continue his campaign. Obama represents the future: a new kind of post-partisan politics that could be revolutionary for Kentucky. After yet another gridlocked legislative session, this is exactly the kind of change in tone that Kentucky must emulate.
Even as Senator Clinton’s campaign loses viability, Democrats are becoming more and more divided over this election. She has consistently resorted to negative attacks on his campaign in an effort to keep hers afloat, which has only served to help the Republicans.Regardless of personal leanings to one candidate or another, it can only fracture our party further to allow Hillary Clinton’s failed campaign to continue.
If we are to have superdelegates, it is their responsibility to use their influence to unify the party.All of our Kentucky superdelegates have a duty to endorse Senator Obama in this historic primary while their endorsements may still influence Kentucky voters in a positive way.Several of our superdelegates have already made this decision.
I call upon Governor Beshear, Jennifer Moore and the rest of our uncommitted superdelegates to come out of Jerry Lundergan’s shadowand prove themselves true leaders of the Kentucky Democratic Party.
If Beshear wishes to lead Kentucky to a progressive future, then he must take a stand and stop this inward firing squad, uniting our Democratic party under a common banner.Let our Kentucky motto become our rallying cry: United We Stand, Divided We Fall.
(Holy Moly! Is it just me or have the diaries been off-the-hook recently? This one is awesome!
And, we've been writing not just high-quality diaries, but a bunch of them, too. Soon, we're going to have start doing diary rescues like a real blog or something... - promoted by Ben Carter)
The family I grew up in, with a Republican mother and a Democrat for a father was interesting. They never argued politics, at least not in front of us; but they always joked about canceling out one another's vote. There was also a notable love for one another, not in the mushy way, but in something that nothing could crush.
Alright, alright! We're really cooking on the Membership Drive! Bolstered by some Facebook messages, an appearance on XM radio, and the good press from BGR's membership in the State Bloggers Corps for the convention in August, we're only 13 members away from our goal of 300. As soon as we hit that number, we'll start releasing the schwag! (And never attempt another sixty-person Membership Drive again...)
(Hunter Palmer, a newcomer here, has moved past the primary--satisfied with either Hillary or Barack--and begins framing the debate for this fall. Welcome Hunter! This post is simply great. Such a satisfying read. - promoted by Ben Carter)
So I'm sure you're asking yourself, as I am a new user of this form, the burning political question that is on everyone's lips in the liberal and progressive community: Clinton or Obama?
First let me lay all my cards out on the table and admit, with full candor, that I support Senator Obama and plan to vote for him in next Tuesday's primary election. But in recent days, I've grown increasingly concerned that those within our community are now afflicted with the same addiction to horserace statistics and daily polling numbers that cripples the general, less politically astute public.
Kentucky's not West Virginia, but it might be Indiana.
Meaning that Senator Clinton's not getting any 40-point win here, but Senator Obama's highly unlikely to win, either.
The Herald-Leader's Kentucky poll has Clinton up 58 to 31, but fails to mention that 27-point lead is down from a 36-point lead a month ago. The poll also has McCain easily winning Kentucky in November, which is probably but not guaranteed. None of McCain's poll numbers mean anything until the Democrats start campaigning against him in earnest.
Statewide Obama canvassing started last night from 48 locations across the Commonwealth, including my own not-very-significant county. Obama has also launched two television and two radio adds to air statewide before the 20th.
The ads, which include two TV spots - "President" and "Service" - as a well as two new radio ads - one featuring Congressman Ben Chandler and the second featuring Kentucky Lt. Gov. Dan Mongiardo - highlight Sen. Obama's uniquely American story, his upbringing by a single mother and his grandparents from Kansas, and his commitment to family, our nation, and his Christian faith.
Yes, the primary is over and we have our nominee, but the long primary season has allowed Obama to campaign in every state in the union - a huge advantage for the general election in November. And even though we know our votes don't really matter this time, we've got actual presidential candidates campaigning here as if they did. And that's huge.
I have a confession to make. Despite being a political junkie, I was never quite sure exactly what a caucus is. That is because I have lived my life in Kentucky, a state that always uses closed primaries, where only a person registered in a particular party can decide the party's nominee. A state that uses secret ballots to choose their nominee.
Congratulations to the growing BlueGrassRoots community! Your hard work has created a vibrant, fun, thoughtful, and respectful place where forward-thinking Kentuckians of all stripes feel welcome congregate. That work has garnered national attention, and the honchos running the convention this year have rewarded your efforts by awarding the State Blogger credential for Kentucky to BlueGrassRoots! This is, obviously, a big day.
From the DNCC:
In about an hour, we’ll announce the blogs selected for the State Blogger Corps at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Congratulations. I’m writing to let you know that BlueGrassRoots will be the credentialed blog from Kentucky.
The DNCC staff is ready to welcome you to Denver in August. We know that you’ll be the eyes and ears of a large audience back home. As we’ve said, members of the State Blogger Corps will be seated alongside their delegations at the Convention. You’ll literally have one of the best seats in the house. And we expect that you’ll share that up-front view with your online community of readers and other bloggers. Together, we’ll make sure this Democratic Convention is seen and experienced online in more ways than ever before.
In the words of Howard Dean, "YEEEEEEAAAAAAAOOOOGGGGHHHH!!!"
Now, we have the happy problem of deciding what fool gets to use the credential in Denver this August. Kind of like a giddy team of actors, directors, editors, and producers that just won Best Picture, we’re all crowded back stage pouring champagne on one another. But, we have to answer the question, “Great, but who takes the Oscar home?” Truly, the BGR effort is, and must be, larger than one person. That’s the whole point, isn’t it? So, as this credential is recognition that we, as a community, are building a great, worthwhile, and valuable thing here in Kentucky, I hope we, as a community, can decide who uses the credential.
While I understand that any number of our frequent contributors could argue persuasively for why they should be the one to use the credential, I hope we can arrive at a general agreement that I will be the fool to blog for us at the convention this summer. After founding BlueGrassRoots in 2004, I applied for blogging credentials to the national convention that summer, but it was not to be. In 2004, the conventioneers did not offer the state blogger program, and BGR held little flame to the big national blogs. So, I have been dreaming of this opportunity for over four years. I think I would do us proud, though I can certainly guarantee some of you would be far funnier than I, and many more would display more political acumen. And, I’m confident every single one of you would be better able to take advantage of what I’m sure will be a veritable Boozapalooza.
What do you say, BlueGrassRoots, can I go a-conventioning for you? Thoughts in the comment box. I'm also curious: I feel like my transcription of the Dean Scream is a little stilted. Do you have an alternative rendering?
Finally, we're 18 people away from being done with our Membership Drive. Please, join today so I can stop blathering about our Membership Drive. Howard Dean loves us, so should you.
UPDATE: I'll be talking with XM's Rebecca Roberts today at around 5:40 p.m EST on her show, "1600" on channel 130. Subjects will include: the upcoming primary in the Commonwealth, the literal "cred(ential)" BGR now has, and, hopefully, the intersection between politics and technology. If you're an XM subscriber, tune in. I'm sure to make an ass of myself.
In last night's U.S. Senate candidates' debate, Bruce Lunsford continued his 5-year tradition of showing KET audiences righteous indignation with statements that a 10-year-old could know are untrue.
Lunsford, a CPA and an attorney, used Enron-esque accounting and Alberto Gonzales-esque memory to launch an attack on Greg Fischer about political contributions. Untrue statements are emphasized:
LUNSFORD: I'd given a hundred and twenty thousand dollars to Democrats over the years. Mr. Fischer, do you know how much you'd given before you entered the Senate race? I happen to know. He gave $4000. I've given thirty times more to Democratic candidates over the years. And let me ask another question. Mr. Fischer is a wealthy man. Now Greg in his choice didn't even support John Yarmuth or Jack Conway the last two times they ran against Anne Northup. I did.
* * *
FISCHER: I've given a total of $800 to Republicans throughout my lifetime versus approximately $25,000 for Democrats. Now Bruce has give tens of thousands of dollars to Republicans including... Mitch McConnell. So I find his criticism a little disengenuous.
***
LUNSFORD: I haven't given tens of thousands to Republicans and in fact has been just the opposite. And Mr. Fischer has memory of convenience here, that he'd only given $4000 before he decided to be...to run for Senate. I have given all of my money that I've talked about long before I decided to run for Senate.
The full explanation of these easily provable lies is on the jump page. In brief:
Lunsford HAS given far more in Democratic political contributions, but 30 times more is an enormous exaggeration.
By "support", Lunsford means financial donation, and he insinuates that not donating to a candidate equals support for the other candidate. Fischer did not donate money to Conway or Yarmuth, but he did not donate to Northup in those races, either.
Lunsford DID contribute to Jack Conway, and only Jack Conway, in the 2002 3rd CD race. In the 2006 election, however, Lunsford contributed more to Northup than he did to Yarmuth. Don't know whom he "supported" in the voting booth.
Lunsford has contributed at least $60,000 to Republican candidates and party committees. I can't begin to fathom the lie, "I haven't given tens of thousands to Republicans."
Lunsford truthfully says that he has contributed $120,000 to Democrats -- but not even close to "all... long before I decided to run for Senate." More than half of Lunsford's lifetime contributions to Democrats have been since March 2007 -- not much more than a year ago -- when he was in the middle of his gubernatorial campaign. At least $20,000 of that $120,000 has been since Lunsford started talking with reporters about considering this Senate race, less than 6 months ago.
(I've been trying to "recommend" diaries more often rather than promoting them (the front page gets full quick!), but that's difficult to do when you all keep writing such excellent, necessary posts. - promoted by Ben Carter)
(This post is my opinion of a story I read on the KFTC blog, and therefore should not be considered the opinion of UK College Democrats, though I hope y'all agree with me. Hat-tip to Erik.)
When I was eleven years old I learned that officials would not always make the right call, and I am not referring to the 1997 UK versus Arizona National Championship Game of the NCAA tournament. When I was eleven years old I attempted to break up a fight. After doing so, a friend of mine and I went to each of the participants to cool them down. When I went to talk to one, he pulled a pair of scissors, and (barely) stabbed me just above my eyebrow. Soon after, the kid who stabbed me, the kid he was fighting, and myself were all suspended for a week.
However, that's nothing compared to the decisions that the-powers-that-be make regarding coal companies. For years coal companies have run rough-shod over workers and surface owners rights. It's an old story out in Eastern Kentucky, and one we all know too well.
Yesterday my daughter and I went to the Obama event in Louisville. We were there as part of the press, the campaigns are trying to reach out to the bloggers. So they give press credentials to anyone that asks for them.
The media email on the event said the doors opened at 5:00 pm, so being part of the official media for once we arrived about 4:45. The line to get in was strung around three sides of the Louisville convention center and the police had on street blocked off. Of course there was no warning the street was blocked thus causing the mandatory traffic screw up such an event demands.
After paying five bucks to park the car across the street we found the first person wearing an official “CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN” helper badge and asked where the press check-in was located. The wanted to know if we were “special guests.”
“No ma’am we’re the press”, so we were told to go to the end of the building and take a right to the press entrance. After hiking around the building we ended up as the same place without finding a press entrance.
We asked a second helper the same question and got the same answer. They looked confused when we told them they were wrong, so they went for backup with helper number three. Number three actually didn’t know where the entrance was either but he had seen the TV station vans on the street so he guessed the entrance was near them.
(Video of last night's Obama rally, for all who missed it or for any who just want to relive its glory . Also, don't miss Yellow Dog's rundown of the event -- including insight on how to get behind the candidate onto the boob tube. - promoted by David M. F. Schankula)
While 8,000 people showed up to see Barack Obama in Louisville tonight, I would not be surprised if fewer people watched the Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate in a debate aired live statewide on KET. I hope many more tuned in.
Candidates' supporters traditionally await their arrival outside the KET studios in Lexington, hoping to give them an emotional lift on the way in.
On the jump page, you can see some of my photos from outside the O. Leonard Press building, on Monday, May 12th.
I am sorry to disappoint everyone, but due to a moving of several votes up to tomorrow Senator Obama will not be in Lexington. I first heard from campaign staff at the rally yesterday, which I know I had a great time at, and it was confirmed to me via e-mail from the people working on the University side of the event. Unfortunately, the Senator has a job to do. And I think we can all agree he does it well.
I was cool, man. Jaded Political Observer. No screaming, just observing. Cool. Right up until about one minute into Obama's speech, when he asked who in the crowd had seen him at the rally he headlined at Slugger Field* in 2006.
"I was there, Barack! I was there! I knew then that you'd be President!"
Who is that silly nut screaming? Oh, shit, it's me.
And not just me. Page One started out hitting the campaign hard for abusing local press, but in the end couldn't maintain the snark for which it is so famous. Listen, if Obama can reach Page One's idealistic heart (it has one?), he can do anything.
Also, please accept my apologies for lack of snark. The energy of the crowd was just too great to be too bitchy and funny.
Ben speculated about the buses brought in from Pike County to fill the riser behind the stage, but I was in that section, and here's how it got filled:
Kentucky's Democrats are turning the corner. Although we only picked up one Congressional seat in 06, we did win back the Governor's mansion last year. The truth of the matter is that Kentuckians everywhere are fed up with the policies of the Republican Party, and we stand to make huge gains this year in the Bluegrass State.
For the last several election cycles, KFTC has made an effort to contact the candidates in areas where we have a strong membership and ask them questions about the issues that are important to us. We want to move the debate about candidates beyond their superficial
differences and instead focus on the issues that affect us in our daily
lives. We've asked questions about mountaintop removal mining, energy issues, immigration, poverty, health care, and more. Hopefully these surveys will educate and empower our members to make informed choices at the polls.
With this year's primary election coming up next Tuesday, May 20th, we've been working hard to compile responses from a variety of candidates in federal, state, and local races. Last week we mailed our Voter Guides to all of our members and have begun to hand them out at tabling events around the state, but we've also put them online for anyone to read. You can find it at www.KentuckyElection.org.
So please take some time to familiarize yourself with the candidates, and then spread the word about the website with your friends and family.
Hi gang--sorry for the extended absence. It's probably going to get worse before it gets better. Nevertheless, here's an item from the HuffPo that I thought you might want to see:
The Presidency of Al Gore, 2001-2009
On January 20, 2001, Al Gore, the candidate who won the most votes, becomes the 43rd president of the United States.
President Gore follows up on the many urgent warnings from the intelligence agencies that Osama Bin Laden is determined to strike in the United States. The 9/11 planners are caught, and their plots are aborted.
In Afghanistan, the Taliban warns that it will destroy the two giant 1,500-year-old statues of the Buddha in the Bamiyan Valley. Much of the world sees these serene figures as symbols of wisdom beyond time, but they offend conservative Muslims. Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke talks with the Pakistani foreign minister, who reminds him that Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world and suggests that if aid to the poor there is increased, the Buddhas will be spared. Gore calls the American Buddhist actor Richard Gere, who immediately raises $50 million for the Afghani poor, and the Gore administration promises $5 billion in direct aid over the next five years. The Taliban agrees to preserve the statues.
For the last several election cycles, KFTC has made an effort to contact the candidates in areas where we have a strong membership and ask them questions about the issues that are important to us. We want to move the debate about candidates beyond their superficial
differences and instead focus on the issues that affect us in our daily
lives. We've asked questions about mountaintop removal mining, energy issues, immigration, poverty, health care, and more. Hopefully these surveys will educate and empower our members to make informed choices at the polls. 
