Mitch McConnell

Monday’s Obfuscation Report

Will Kentucky’s senators support the HIV Prevention Act? [FGA]

Jim Bunning (R-Afraid of Fancy Farm and Osama) freaks out over former Fed Chair Alan Greenspan’s new book. The book is critical of Bush economic policies and Bunning just can’t handle a financial big dog telling the truth about, well, the economy. Says he’ll be thumbing through it while on the throne. [Enquirer, Jim Welp]

From the Dept of Senatorial Foot Tapping. Mitch McConnell is afraid of Larry Craig. He “stood still as a statue” when Craig approached him. Jim Bunning, on the other hand, patted him on the back. Does this mean one senator approves of foot tapping and one senator doesn’t? [C-J]

Head of the Alcoholic Beverage Control arrested on DUI charges. Chris Lilly, the ABC’s executive director, plans to be an a adult and resign. Imagine that– someone in the Fletcher administration doing the right thing. [WLEX]

Delaying what everyone wants to see so the story will die. Thomas Wingate, Franklin Circuit Judge, has postponed the release of a report of the secret ethics investigation into Kentucky Central and Steve Beshear’s law firm. Looks like we’ll all eventually be able to pour over the details. Won’t be the case for Ernie’s secret defense fund donors, though. [PolWatchers]

Mitch McConnell. The Republicans. A betrayal of trust.

MoveOn has released another anti-McConnell commercial that will air nationwide on CNN.

The ad, beginning today, criticizes Sen. Mitch McConnell and other Republicans for voting against an extension of leave time for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. The video will be up here soon.

What was it Jim Bunning said? Giving our dying men and women a break is bad business for commanders? Riiiight.

Still high on the Kentucky win?

Do they matter? Running mates aren’t really a factor in the race for governor. But Mongiardo’s more popular and has more positives than Rudolph. [H-L]

They want to vote. Some 82% of Kentuckians want the chance to to vote on (against) casino gaming. Ernie’s strategy of ‘casinos = the gays will eat your children’ has sorely backfired. [PolWatchers]

In case you missed it. Kentucky is the talk of the Nation. Namely, everyone’s drive to rid Mitch McConnell of his elected position. The piece about bluegrass grassroots activism opens with the story of Carol Trainer (an activist friend of ours in Louisville) being arrested on Memorial day for protesting the war. We still think Democratic Sheriff John Aubrey owes her an apology for that one. [Nation]

(Lex) VA fails on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Only VA medical center in the country to fail on four points. Things could be changing for the better in 2007. It’s about time the VA and military begin to recognize PTSD and treat it. Better late than never. [H-L]

Rep. John Yarmuth afraid of strippers. Or porn stars. For real– we would be, too! 21C hosted an event with Annie Sprinkle a week ago. She moved her breasts in time to classical music while wearing black opera gloves and folks could get into bed with her. John didn’t attend. [C-J]

Is Jim Bunning delusional? Kentuckians aren’t opposed to the Iraq war? Is he for real? He says very little communication from constituents is about Iraq. We’re beginning to believe the insanity rumors. [Enquirer]

We still need your help.

Owsley Brown II to face McConnell?

David Hawpe shares this rumor with readers of the Courier-Journal today.

One scary rumor, if you’re a McConnell supporter: Soon-to-retire Brown-Forman chairman Owsley Brown II, a widely respected and very successful business leader, not to mention a zillionaire, is thinking about making the race. Some say he could be attacked as a liquor baron, but then McConnell has taken loads of contributions from the Brown family over the years.

This is certain: Brown has been making the rounds lately. He could self-finance. He’s spent lots of time working with the anti-war crowd and has been meeting with anti-McConnell big dogs pretty regularly. One such meeting took place earlier this week in Louisville.

So Crit Luallen isn’t the only one making rumblings. And for all the Luallen supporters out there calling for our heads: we merely reported the worst-kept secret in senatorial politics. If we’ve burned bridges for reporting what everyone is talking about– and in a positive light? Then color us surprised. Must’ve been one of those bridges Ernest Lee hired his brother to repair.

We think it’s time for everyone running for office next year to jump into their respective races. We’re all ready and waiting to talk about it. And we already have a taste of what’s to come.

Crit for Senate?

Looks that way.

Sure, these rumors have flown heavily for a few months but the dynamic is beginning to change. With increasing focus on Mitch McConnell and the approaching November election– the 2008 Senate race is hot on political minds.

Two credible and highly placed sources with the DSCC and KDP tell Page One that Auditor Crit Luallen (who is running for re-election) has been to D.C. to meet with Sen. Chuck Schumer in recent weeks and he has guaranteed money and support for her Senate bid against McConnell. This isn’t exactly unexpected as many believed it would happen after Schumer’s courting of Rep. Ben Chandler fizzled.

This begs the question: Will Luallen discuss whether or not she plans to run for federal office in 2008?

We spoke with an official from Luallen’s office about that (after working hours, of course) who would confirm only that she is running for Auditor. The individual wouldn’t confirm or deny plans for 2008 or whether or not she had met with Schumer, only admitting that the Auditor was in Washington, D.C. recently for a fundraiser with Reps. Chandler and Yarmuth.

Voters do need to know what Auditor Luallen’s intentions are because she’s running for a constitutional term that will begin around the same time she’d need to jump into the Senate race. That’s no reason to fault anyone, though, considering it’s probably necessary for those looking at the Senate race to start planning now. We just think it’s a good idea to be as up front as possible with the electorate.

The unofficial non-denial denial we got is good enough for the time being. In our opinion it means she’s considering the race against McConnell and also means she’s met with Schumer to discuss it. Otherwise we’d hear a flat “no” in response to the inquiry. (As far as we know the only people who meet with Chuck Schumer this time of year are those he wants to run for the United States Senate. Take Claire McCaskill of Missouri, for instance. He recruited her in a similar manner last cycle.)

Big Money Mitch ad to air…

During tonight’s ESPN’s broadcast of Monday Night Football. We call that kind of a big deal.

Click here to see the ad critical of Sen. Mitch McConnell’s financial dealings.

Patience really is a virtue. Okay, okay. We’re told it’s a virtue. Appears to be true in this circumstance.

Will the RSCC again release a statement about the evils of Public Campaign Action Fund? Or will they forget that they’ve been told to bow before Master Mitch’s about-face on campaign finance reform?