15 responses so far ↓

• 1 Terri // May 20, 2008 at 11:31 am

  Nope. That sure doesn’t sound bitter to me.

• 2 East Ender // May 20, 2008 at 1:41 pm

  and it’s Richie Farmer’s home county…’nuff said!

• 3 BILked // May 20, 2008 at 2:17 pm

  I saw that this morning and wondered if outrage would come forth due to the portayal of Kentucky as a backwoods hillbilly state. I guess thats how it appears on the video.

  Then on Fox News (Fox and Friends) this morning, Brian Kilmeade said Kentucky would not vote for Obama because HE IS BLACK. In other words he just c alled Kentucky a racist state to the whole nation.

  Do you guys have the video from that?

• 4 jake // May 20, 2008 at 2:21 pm

  BILked: Fox News usually isn’t a network that I monitor (I know, shocking!) but I wish I’d monitored it this morning.

  Unfortunately, that’s not the first time Fox has portrayed Kentucky as racist central. And it certainly won’t be the last. Since we’ve got like, what, 9.5 hours left in the day??

  Wait. Ted Kennedy has a brain tumor so no real news will be reported. Nevermind.

• 5 Will // May 20, 2008 at 2:23 pm

  As a Clay County citizen, I can attest to the fact that we aren’t noted for our financial wealth. The CNN spot made it sound as if we are trapped in the area, however, and have no way out. This is simply not true! We stay here because the good outweighs the bad. As often happens in the media, CNN portrayed the entire Appalachian region as backwards and self-defeating. In doing so, they implicitly stated “it serves them right,” an attitude held by many people within our own state. Yes, we have problems, but what community doesn’t? Please, have the intelligence to determine your own opinions instead of allowing an absentee media source form your positions through stereotypical garbage.

• 6 jake // May 20, 2008 at 2:26 pm

  Will–

  No one reading this site would allow the media to form their opinions, thankfully.

  And I’m sure they’ve heard me spew love for Eastern Kentucky way too many times.

  Was just disappointing to see that on CNN.

• 7 Terri // May 20, 2008 at 2:45 pm

  Will - I for one don’t think it “serves them right.” Poverty doesn’t serve anyone except for the wealthy. And I think it’s fair to say that most readers here are tired of Kentucky being painted with one uncomplicated brush stroke.

• 8 Not My Real Name // May 20, 2008 at 7:56 pm

  Part of Clay County’s problem is that it is a Republican county in a state controlled by Democrats. Let Frankfort have to choose between doing something for, say, Marion County, or for Clay County, which county is going to get the favored status from the Democrats? The one with the Democrat voters.

  I shudder to think what life would be like in the Old 5th if not for people like Hal Rogers, Mitch McConnell and Tim Lee Carter.

• 9 Downtown // May 20, 2008 at 11:31 pm

  Richie Farmer is from Clay County and he has surrounded himself with people of the same caliber intellectually, that is. Sad, just plain sad and like Bilked has pointed out in other posts on this site…people just keep right on voting for these morons!

• 10 Christie // May 21, 2008 at 2:11 pm

  I am originally from Clay County, however I now live in St. Louis where I am attending graduate school. I find it appalling that CNN or any other station finds it to be appropriate to air this footage as if it represents the entire population. They went to the worst possible locale in Clay County to interview people who were not representative of the whole population. Yes Clay County is poor! That has been well established, however since that note has been played out, how about showing some footage of those of us who have accomplished something in our lives. Someone that does keep current on politcal issues, that has been educated, someone per say that is knowledgeable about the subject in question. I mean seriously what kind of validity does it lend to a news station when they select the worst possible candidates? I can tell you now that it is about the same kind of validity that I give a tabloid who’s cover story is the cover up of alien impregnated women! Not only is it offensive, its embarassing when people who know where you were reared ask you what you think of the CNN footage. What is it they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words”? After seeing the footage, there is nothing you can say to convince people that it is not representative of the area!!

• 11 Upset with CNN Coverage // May 21, 2008 at 6:09 pm

  I was upset this morning when a colleague asked me if I had watched CNN (oh, by the way I do have a career and I am a college graduate) back to the reason for this comment. I was upset and appalled when I watched the CNN video on the Internet this morning to find that they had overlooked flourishing businesses in our small community. CNN also seemed to overlook newly built buildings in our small town, as well as multi-million dollar homes within miles of the deserted areas of downtown that they chose to film. How did they overlook the new Municipal building that was only a few feet away from Pat’s Grill. Yes, I like to eat at Pats also, but remember we do have other nice places to eat! As far as the young man’s comments about not being able to find work…well that lies within the desire and the efforts of the person who is looking for a job. There are opportunities in Clay County, yes they may be limited compared to larger counties. I have worked my entire life in this county and earn a substantial income and live in a nice home because I choose to get up every day and make my life what I want it to be. Oh, by the way why didn’t CNN stop and film the construction of Eastern Kentucky University which is scheduled to be open for enrollment very soon, odd how they were able to pass by this large construction sight and not see it! Clay county is also the home of our Agricultural Commisioner, also the home of our state representative, and former state representative, as well as current state senater. Clay county is also the home of successful attorneys, doctors, nurses, bankers, business men and women, artists, published authors, sports figures, wildlife game reserves, beautiful parks, a very nice golf course, historical sites, hunting opportunities, excellent teachers, rich farmland, beautiful scenery (if only one makes the effort to look around) and inviting churches and worship centers. Clay county may be what many consider poverty stricken but Clay county is my home where I have chosen to live, work, and raise a family. Clay county is not perfect…but what town is?

• 12 I Agree with Upset With CNN Coverage // May 21, 2008 at 6:32 pm

  After watching the video clip and reading the comments that have been posted…I agree with Upset With CNN Coverage. I also live in Clay County and have raised my family here by choice. I also work in Clay County where there are available jobs for those without a higher education and those with a higher education jobs such as the Federal Correctional Center, Educational opportunities, doctors offices and the hospital just to name a few. I own my own home (not a mobile home) I’m not too good to live in a mobile home…but I have worked hard for my home and am proud of it. There are nice homes in this county, and one does not have to drive very far to see them! I find that those people that make such complaints as not being able to find work, haven’t looked very hard! McDonalds and Dairy Queen are always hiring! For myself I have never had any problems with job security in my adult years or even my teen years. Even though our county is small and does not have the opportunities that many larger counties have…there are those who choose to reside in Clay county and whom choose to drive twenty or even thirty minutes to a neighboring county to work while also bringing money back into our community. There are those people who do not mind a little hard work and are investing their time, money, and labor into our county bringing in opportunities such as RV parks, ATV riding, fish farms, game reserves, agricultural opportunities such as goat farming, cattle, and crops such as corn and tobacco. Clay county also has a large recycling program that has even been implemented within our public schools that’s what the PRIDE program is all about! So you see there are those of us who still take pride in our heritage, community, and people and those who don’t mind working for a better tomorrow instead complaining!

• 13 tom // May 21, 2008 at 6:58 pm

  proud of clay county
  I was highly upset with the title of cnn’s news article “clay county poor, dumb, jobless and smoking” I am not only proud to live in clay county I am not poor, I have an education, I have a job and I do not smoke. Oh and by the way I have teeth

• 14 Bravo for Tom! // May 21, 2008 at 7:06 pm

  Not only has Tom said what many of us have been thinking since the terrible CNN Coverage of Clay County…he is politically correct…I too am proud to live in Clay County, I am not poor, I also have an education, I do not smoke and I have a job, and oh yeah I also have teeth! For the record I’ve never read the passage in the bible that the lady quoted in the degrading CNN video!

• 15 Outraged at CNN // May 21, 2008 at 7:26 pm

  I currently reside in Clay County. I was born in Clay county, left when I was eighteen lived twelve years in Ohio and chose to come back to Clay County to raise my family. I have never had problems finding or maintaining a job, as a matter of fact I owned my own business for a number of years. A business that I enjoyed that was profitable, and fed and clothed my children. My hard work also allowed me to purchase land build a home that is now paid for. I am proud to say that I did not have to have government assistance, but a desire to work and support myself and family. I am now seventy years old, currently working full time by choice, and have no regrets of moving back to our small community of Clay County! I don’t smoke, I am not dumb, jobless, and I too have my teeth!

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