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By: admin
Guest Column: Derek Combs
Lexington, Kentucky
Today I join Senator Bunning, Steve Pence and many others around the
Commonwealth! I proudly and enthusiastically announce that I am endorsing Anne
Northup for the Republican Nomination for Governor.
Over the last several years I have watched the current administration
bumble, stumble and fall. I watched the Governor make numerous puzzling
decisions in politics, taxes, and policy. In the early days of this
administration, I have observed this Governor go after the teachers health care. In a Commonwealth that proclaims “Education Pays”, I couldn’t help but wonder why the current Governor would go back on his campaign promise and attack hard working teachers’ health care. There are teachers in the Governor’s home county of Montgomery, that have cried out to me about the hardships of those original policies. Fortunately, the teachers brought enough pressure to make the Governor change his mind and position.
Kentucky Deserves Better!
I was dumbfounded that the first Republican Governor in 30 years, would raise taxes on small business. This Tax was a Mill Stone tied around the necks of small businesses of Kentucky. This tax had the effect of strangling the Entrepreunerial Spirit, which is the backbone of the Republican Party. This TAX caused Kentucky to fall behind it’s surrounding states. Kentucky’s job growth and business friendliness have been adversely compromised.
Kentucky Deserves Better!
Governor Fletcher announced continually and proudly that over 61% of his political appointees are registered Democrats. Many of these appointees are still involved with the leadership of the democrat party. Many of these appointees are holdovers from past Democrat administrations. This is ridiculous for a Republican Governor! For those who support Governor Fletcher and believe that he has appointed bad people, remember . . . The Governor is the man that made these judgments.
Kentucky Deserves Better!
Governor Anne Northup is Kentucky’s best choice!
Derek L. Combs
Chairman
Emeritus
Montgomery County Republican Party
State Chairman
Emeritus
Kentucky Young Republican Federation
Chairman
Emeritus
6th District KY Young Republican Federation
By: admin
New Polling Data
After hearing obviously bogus reports of a poll that shows Fletcher up 22 points on Anne Northup, I decided to go another source of information, a Northup campaign insider.
This is what I found out:
They did do internal polling.
They will not release the poll because it would give the Fletcher campaign too much information.
They are not being beaten by anyone by 22 points.
They are down by about 5 points.
That paints quite a different picture than the one that other guy did for you last week, doesn’t it? Well, this one is true. It makes much more sense, considering Northup’s television blitz. So, keep on keeping on Northup supporters! She can definitely gain 5 points in three weeks if we keep working!
That other poll was probably a survey of one county or something.
By: admin
Abuse Of Taxpayer Money - Ernie Fletcher
Here, here! All ye interested in reading about the abuse of taxpayer dollars, of which Kentucky does not have many, and Ernie Fletcher’s attempts to purchase reelection with those dollars, and Ernie Fletcher’s previous statements on Scotty Baesler’s abuse of taxpayer dollars, go to The Enemy of My Enemy and read pearls like these:
“. . . liberal Democrat Scotty Baesler is wasting our tax dollars” by spending thousands of dollars for meals in Lexington, Florida and New Orleans and billing them to taxpayers.”
“Fletcher told a crowd of about 200 in the Student Center Ballroom that Baesler, in his final days as Lexington mayor, used city workers on government time to load furniture at his private residence in Lexington for his move to Washington.”
. . .
“That’s not the kind of individual we want representing us,” Fletcher said. “Character does matter.”
“It actually shows a pattern of, I think, questionable propriety and abuse of taxpayer money,” Fletcher said.
By: admin
Domain Games
I can’t believe those guys at the Fletcher campaign, that one guy, or immature colleagues of mine, or whoever registered http://bluegrassredstate.com and pointed it to the Fletcher campaign site. That’s really stupid. It’s just more evidence of how the Fletcher people like to stifle and frustrate free speech. Clearly, it doesn’t actually stop me from speaking, but it does interfere with search results, therefore pulling traffic away from this site which is not supporting Fletcher in this primary election. It’s also just another reason why I will not vote for Ernie Fletcher in November of 2007 if he wins this primary election.
It doesn’t really matter all that much, though, because I’m shutting this site down anyway.
UPDATE: It is registered by Domains by Proxy, the same people who registered www.northuphoover.com for that one guy.
2:37 p.m. UPDATE: Now it points to some other crap. Real cute. I guess it shows that Anne owned some of a mutual fund in 2005.
By: admin
Summary: Northup/Hoover Economic Development Plan
On April 9th, 2007 Northup/Hoover released a position paper on Economic Development within Kentucky. This was more than 200 days before the November general election, while Governor Fletcher’s first substantive policy ideas were released just about 30 days before the November 2003 general election.
In the paper, Northup/Hoover state their goal, and then move on to explaining a plan to bring more jobs to Kentucky. Northup & Hoover plan to bring more jobs to Kentucky by repealing the Alternative Minimum Calculation first. They also plan to develop area-specific economic development plans, taking into account natural assets and comparative advantages within the various regions of Kentucky. As a practical matter, Northup & Hoover will eliminate income tax on military personnel. Northup & Hoover will also get a Right to Work law passed, because we are the only southern state without one and it is hurting us. They will work with unions, existing union sites, union families, and all of the legislators to devise a way to pass this legislation without hurting anyone, perhaps using a grandfather clause or other compromising means. Finally, Northup & Hoover will work for a No More Stringent law, to simplify compliance with environmental legislation for businesses in Kentucky and considering locating here.
In addition to bringing more jobs, though, Northup & Hoover also will bring better jobs to Kentucky. To do this, their plan to improve education needs to be implemented, especially bringing more students into the math and science pipeline. Secondly, Northup & Hoover will reinstate Bucks for Brains, to draw leading researchers to our universities - especially the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville. Northup & Hoover will attract investment capital to fund the development of scientific discoveries made by researchers at our universities. This will allow jobs created in the development and commercialization phase, after the discoveries are made, to stay in Kentucky, and the patents to maintain Kentucky-owned. If we do not do this, other states get the jobs and profits created by discoveries made in Kentucky. Northup & Hoover will also aggressively compete for research funding being offered by the National Institute of Health and the National Science Foundation. Northup/Hoover will get the universities more of the royalties and higher patent fees when they do sell the patents. Northup & Hoover also believe that universities should be allowed to issue their own revenue bonds, with oversight, as is permitted in 43 states. Double-digit tuition increases need to be halted. Finally, Northup & Hoover will build on Connect Kentucky and implement a strong plan to address the three goals of the Prescription for Innovation together.
Anne Northup is uniquely qualified to lead economic development in Kentucky. Northup & Hoover will not whitewash the current situation at any point in their administration. According to Northup, “We must acknowledge where we are, what we need to do about it, build a consensus across Kentucky and pass the legislation to accomplish those goals.”
Watch Anne speak about economic development in Kentucky.
By: admin
Video: Jim & Mary Bunning Northup Endorsement Ad
Jim and Mary Bunning endorse Northup/Hoover in this excellent ad which is sure to rock Northern Kentucky.
By: admin
Anne Northup is such a hard-working conservative! She and Jeff Hoover are definitely the right people to lead Kentucky for the next four years. We need to give them the chance they need to change this state for the better!.
The Northup I Know 3
Anne Northup is such a hard-working conservative! She and Jeff Hoover are definitely the right people to lead Kentucky for the next four years. We need to give them the chance they need to change this state for the better!.
By: admin
Appearance Of Impropriety Or Just Improper?
Thank you, Ryan Alessi, for keeping track of this. This is absolutely ridiculous. Fletcher can say they are two separate things all he wants, but he needs to understand how it looks to everyone around the state and, yes, the nation. People are watching. I’m not saying bow down to anyone who has instructions for you, but be responsible! He has never understood this and he never will. He is an absolute embarassment to the Republican Party because he embodies every ridiculous stereotype that we’ve faced for longer than I’ve been alive. He is a step backwards for the Republican Party! I don’t want to go backwards. I want to go forward, and the Fletcher campaign can say they’re moving Kentucky forward all they want, but that doesn’t make it true. Northup/Hoover is the way forward for Kentucky.
9:39 A.M. UPDATE: As a commenter points out: When they gave out 58 mil on April 19th in Williamsburg Ernie was confirmed to be at the Hardin Co. Chamber Luncheon. At least we know now why he had to suddenly cancel. Did the commenter mean the 12th?
Fletcher campaigns, bears gifts
GOVERNOR’S CAMP DISMISSES CRITICISM, SAYING ‘THEY ARE TWO SEPARATE THINGS’
By Ryan Alessi
RALESSI@HERALD-LEADER.COM
More
Public events and private fund-raisers Since March 1, the governor’s re-election campaign collected $876,883 at 16 fund-raisers. Eleven occurred the same day as an official appearance.
FRANKFORT –Of Gov. Ernie Fletcher’s 16 fund-raising events for his re-election bid this spring, 11 took place in or near cities where he made a speech or presented state funds for projects that same day.
In seven of those cities — ranging from Paducah to Williamsburg — Fletcher dished out a total of $71 million in state funds for road and building projects before attending those campaign fund-raisers, according to a Herald-Leader analysis.
The campaign events in those seven cities yielded Fletcher’s campaign roughly $320,000 of the nearly $3 million the re-election campaign has raised since summer, according to Fletcher’s campaign report filed with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance yesterday.
“It sort of gives the perception that he’s trying to purchase the election using taxpayer money,” said Richard Beliles, chairman of the campaign finance watchdog group Common Cause Kentucky. “I would think the governor would be embarrassed by this (CLUE: He should be!! I am!!) — the fact that he’s just so openly blatant about it.”
The pattern of holding check presentations and political fund-raisers in the same communities includes an April 17 situation in Barren County, as reported in Saturday’s Herald-Leader.
In that case, Fletcher delivered $1.3 million for a Glasgow road project before attending a fund-raiser in which road contractors involved in that project wrote checks to his campaign.
Marty Ryall, Fletcher’s campaign manager, dismissed the criticism as “ridiculous.”
“They are two separate things,” Ryall said. “He was going to those communities anyway. And while he was there, we were able to squeeze in a campaign event.”
Overall, the $3 million Fletcher has raised doubled the amount of campaign funds that Republican rival Anne Northup amassed. The third GOP candidate, Paducah businessman Billy Harper, has not yet submitted his finance report with the finance registry.
Fletcher has spent $2.1 million of his total funds so far, including $867,615 on television commercials compared with $544,000 that Northup has spent overall and $259,085 on TV ads.
As a result, Northup, has slightly more money heading into the last three weeks before the May 22 primary than Fletcher with $980,000 compared with the governor’s $935,000, according to their reports, which both were made public yesterday.
Northup, whose husband Woody founded a radio manufacturer, also put $500,000 of her own money into the campaign — the first time in her 20-year career she had made such a move.
“Woody and Anne are committed to this race and their financial commitment will only energize our supporters,” said campaign manager Michael Clingaman.
Ryall, Fletcher’s manager, said it shows Northup “is clearly getting desperate.”
Incumbency questions
Still, Fletcher’s campaign has raised broad questions about the powers of incumbency during re-election. Fletcher is Kentucky’s first incumbent to face a serious election challenge since voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing a governor to seek re-election.
“The incumbent is always going to have the advantage in fund-raising, but for whatever reason, I’ve never seen it so blatant and in-your-face like this,” said Rep. Steven Rudy, R-West Paducah
“I guess he’s trying to make the best use of his time but the perception is that it’s hanging over your head: If you want discretionary transportation funds for your community, set up a fund-raiser in your town.“
Rudy, who is supporting Northup, and Beliles said the legislature might consider setting boundaries for incumbent governors.
For instance, the law should require the governor’s re-election campaign to at least reimburse the state for half of the travel costs when going to a city for both public and political events, Beliles said.
State Sen. Damon Thayer, a Georgetown Republican who is supporting Fletcher, said he is unaware of any proposals to set up new guidelines for a governor’s re-election bid.
“I remember (former Democratic governor) Paul Patton going around the state giving out checks when he was considering running for United States Senate and I don’t remember people raising questions about it,” he said.
Spreading the money
Ryall said Fletcher has kept his word from the 2003 campaign by doling out money for roads and projects in areas that past Democratic governors ignored.
“The governor has done so much for so many communities,” he said.
The way he’s gone about it has also become a campaign issue. Northup has challenged Fletcher for approving a record $4 billion in bonded debt in order to dish out project spending, which she said was counter to fiscal conservative values.
That has prompted Fletcher to fire back.
“Yes, we’re here to make some investments in your community or recognize some investments that have already been made,” Fletcher said April 12 in Corbin while presenting transportation funds. “I just ask anyone who has criticized any one of these checks to come down … maybe you’d like to (take) the check back from them.”
Scott Lasley, assistant professor of political science at Western Kentucky University, said Fletcher’s pattern is a reminder of the power incumbents have.
“It’s one of those things that should make people uncomfortable,” Lasley said. “But I’m not sure how many people will be surprised.”
——————————————————————————–
Public events and private fund-raisers
Since March 1, the governor’s re-election campaign collected $876,883 at 16 fund-raisers. Eleven occurred the same day as an official appearance.
——————————————————————————–
Date City Fund-raiser host Fund-raising total
(public event accompanying the visit)
19-Apr Madisonville Jimmy Riddle $5,968
Spoke at Madisonville prayer breakfast
17-Apr Glasgow Robert Oliver $47,855
Presented $4 million in state funds for projects
16-Apr Albany Michael K. Taylor $21,300
Toured factory and addressed officials on Wolf Creek Dam
12-Apr Williamsburg Robert Brown $161,247
Presented $58 million for Ky. 92 construction
11-Apr Bardstown, David Haydon $19,650
No public event
10-Apr Mount Sterling David B. Rhodes $17,125
Presented $2.8 million for railroad crossing and sheriff in Clark County
5-Apr Louisville Ron Butt $162,770
No public event
4-Apr Louisville Tim Snyder $37,000
Presented $5.3 million for Hurstbourne Parkway and $1 million for U of L
29-Mar Hazard Emma Lee Davidson $17,504
Presented $500,000 for Perry County projects
28-Mar Versailles Robert L. Roark $39,365
Presented $700,000 for Woodford County road at the middle school
26-Mar Paducah Laxmaiah Manchikanti $45,655
Presented $425,000 for roads and $100,000 in community grants
20-Mar Lexington, Don Ball $160,337
Presented $1 million for U.S. 27 widening in nearby Garrard County
19-Mar Fort Mitchell Jim H. Huff $72,935
No public event
14-Mar Hagerhill John Finney $19,350
Presented $1 million for water, sewer, courthouse and senior center projects
1-Mar Nicholasville R.J. Corman $48,822
No public event
By: admin
Candidates for Lt. Governor in the Republican Primary debated last night on KET. By all accounts, press and otherwise, there was one clear winner– Jeff Hoover.
As reported by the Lexington Herald Leader this morning:
…Hoover kept him (Robbie Rudolph) on his heels for much of the one-hour debate.
Hoover called out Rudolph for saying Fletcher favored “strong support for gun-control.” Rudolph later said he “misspoke.”
Hoover countered Rudolph’s erroneous claim that the administration had turned a $1 billion deficit into a surplus. The actual shortfall was $262 million. And Hoover rebutted Rudolph’s description of the state hiring investigation that led a grand jury to indict 15 officials, including Fletcher, as a “political witch hunt.”
Hoover noted that Fletcher signed a court-approved agreement, which said the administration erred in some of its hirings and that the governor took responsibility for the mistakes.
The momentum is getting stronger as the Northup-Hoover campaign enters the final 28 days! To help out the campaign you can always sign up to volunteer or help by making a donation.
If you want a free yard sign feel free to sign up on our website.
www.Northup-Hoover2007.com
Click here to unsubscribe.
Paid for by Northup Hoover for Governor.
By: admin
Politics Preventing Truth From Getting To Voters
An undercover political operative for the Fletcher administration can say whatever he wants about the Governor’s race, but if you listen to him, you’re not getting the facts.
He can say, “Even Washington insider columnist Bob Novak (He of Valerie Plame fame.) has changed his outlook on the race from leaning for Anne Northup to leaning for Fletcher,” if he wants. However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that while doing previous political work for Fletcher, he considered Novak’s opinion worthy of the trash bin. On March 30th he said, “These same operatives tuned up conservative columnist Robert Novak, who reported recently that the race leans Northup. (Wonder who’s behind that?)” On April 24, he likes his opinion.
He can say Al Cross believes “Fletcher will win” if he wants, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that Al Cross never said that. Cross only said that Fletcher “now leads,” and spoke of “fear of what a governor can do to you.”
He can conveniently leave out the part about Jeff Hoover (R-Jamestown), who will play a meaningful and substantive role in the Northup/Hoover administration, completely dominating the competition in the LG debate last night.
He can say that “scores of Republican county officials and legislators” want their Governor reelected, but we know the Governor isn’t supposed to work for politicians like how Ernie Fletcher is doing. The Governor is supposed to work for the people, and that is exactly what Governor Anne Northup and Lieutenant Governor Jeff Hoover are going to do. They will work for Kentuckians, not Kentucky politicians.
As Hopkinsville’s Kentucky New Era reported, this past weekend Kentuckians were excited about the coming Northup/Hoover administration:
Though many people had already decided who to support for governor, some, such as E.G. Adams, were happy for the opportunity to hear from candidates for some of the lesser-known offices.“I didn’t know some of the gentlemen, and I thought they did a good job,” he said, specifically mentioning Stan Lee, running for attorney general, and Ken Upchurch, running for state treasurer. “I’m committed to Anne already.”
“Anne” is Anne Northup, candidate for governor, and many of those attending seemed to share Adams’s feelings. Hers was the only speech that ended with enthusiastic cheers instead of the polite applause received by most other candidates.
“I’m supporting Anne because I’m tired of the things going on and I want some change,” said Donna Thurman of Russellville.
By: admin
Ernie Fletcher For Gun Control
Everything happens for a reason. Lies and distortions from the Fletcher campaign and its supporters are hitting an all-time high, as the Fletcher campaign is starting to confuse itself about what it believes!
By: admin
From Army Sgt. Jim Wilt
Excellent Point Made By Serviceman in Afghanistan
Why don’t we honor our fallen servicemembers?
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — Following the deaths of 32 Virginia Tech students, the President of the United States ordered that all American flags be flown at half-staff for one week.
In accordance with the president’s order, the U.S. flag at Bagram Airfield was raised to half-staff.
The deaths of the 32 students are a tragedy that was felt throughout the world. Even Afghan President Hamid Karazi gave his condolences to the U.S. on the loss of so many young lives. The president of a country, which has seen more than its fair share of young deaths, tipped his proverbial hat to these young people.
But I find it ironic that the flags were flown at half-staff for the young men and women who were killed at VT yet it is never lowered for the death of a U.S. servicemember.
Is the life of Sgt. Alexander Van Aalten, a member of our very own task force, killed April 20 in Helmand province not valued the same as these 32 students? Surely his death was as violent as the students.
Aalten’s death lacked the shock factor of the Virginia massacre. It is a daily occurrence these days to see X number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq or Afghanistan scrolling across the ticker at the bottom of the TV screen. People have come to expect casualty counts in the nightly news; they don’t expect to see 32 students killed.
Also, more parents have children in school than children in the military. This makes the deaths hit closer to home for a lot people.
The deaths of our friends and family members in the military are not forgotten by the citizens of our great country. We see this as people line the streets to honor those who lost their lives fighting for the freedom of our country and the freedom of other countries.
Individual states have taken it upon themselves to raise their flags to half-mast when one of their children dies.
I think it is sad that we do not raise the bases’ flag to half-staff when a member of our own task force dies.
Department of Defense directives mandate we honor our fallen leaders from former presidents to the state governors, but there is no provision for the men and women who die preserving our way of life.
I can understand not lowering flags across the country for the death of a single servicemember. But shouldn’t the servicemember’s state lower the flag to show their respect to the fallen trooper, if only for one day? Some states do, but not all of them.
At the very minimum, the servicemember’s forward operating base and the installation of his or her parent unit should show their respect by lowering the flag for one day.
We line the sides of Disney Drive here when one of our brothers or sisters in the service dies, but we don’t lower the flag they fight under. A person can argue that we have Memorial Day for this but tell that to the people who knew the person.
We walk down Disney Drive everyday and salute the ranks above us, and those above us salute back. This is a sign of respect.
The U.S. flag is more than a piece of cloth. It is a symbol, a symbol which represents the people of America.
Hundreds of thousands of men and women have died under our flag, preserving its people.
When we honor the flag by saluting it, we are honoring what it stands for. We honor freedom, the people it represents and a way of life.
Isn’t it time our flag saluted back when a person makes the ultimate sacrifice? Shouldn’t the flag, which represents our society, tip its hat when someone dies to ensure it will fly another day?
If the flags on our FOBs were lowered for just one day after the death of a servicemember, it would show the people who knew the person that society cared, the American people care.
By: admin
I’ll Counter
Since the MSM likes to play footage of our soldiers getting killed, I’ve decided to play some footage of terrorists getting killed. Here you go. It’s not exactly pretty, but as long as everyone’s trying to understand the events in Iraq with video footage, this needs to be seen. From patdollard.com.
By: admin
Caperton For Judge?
I just wanted to put this out there. I don’t know anything about Judge Caperton, so I figured if I put this out there maybe some people would comment or something.
Candidate for Court of Appeals, 3rd Appellate District, Division 1
By: admin
Davis Serves The 4th
I thought I’d repost Geoff Davis’s Weekly E-Newsletter for people who don’t get it. It actually came out a couple days ago, but I just got around to reading it.
Serving the 4th Congressional District
Congress was out of session for the past two weeks, and it gave me an opportunity to travel the 4th Congressional District.
One of the highlights of last week was visiting with students at Grant County High School, Straub Elementary School, Mason County Intermediate School, Simons Middle School and East Carter High School. I also toured several other schools and met with officials from them. I very much enjoyed spending time with these students and their teachers. As a father of six, I am committed to working with our education leaders to make sure we’re doing all we can in Congress to make their jobs easier and to ensure our kids get a world-class education.
If you are an educator who is interested in a congressional visit to your school or classroom, please contact any of my offices to make that request. I enjoy meeting with students and arranging tours of the U.S. Capitol building for school groups and constituents visiting Washington, D.C., so please contact me at (202) 225-3465 if you are planning such a trip.
Last week we hosted five forums for elected officials in different locations around the district. It is important that we connect with local decision makers and coordinate our efforts to improve the quality of life for our shared constituents. These informal gatherings provided all elected officials the opportunity to discuss their priorities for their communities. The more we can coordinate federal, state, and local efforts, the better.
Since taking office in 2005, I have worked hard to increase the amount of federal grant funds that are awarded in the 4th District. As part of this ongoing effort, I recently launched a new Grants Information Section on my website, available by visiting: http://geoffdavis.house.gov/ConstituentServices.aspx?Section=23, and published a Grants Information Booklet that is available at any of my five District offices or from my field representatives.
These resources provide a guide for finding information on funding opportunities, including key federal funding sources as well as private and corporate grant sources. Please call us at (859) 426-0080 if you need information on grants.
Recently we’ve begun using a new technology that helps keep me in touch with what’s on the minds of my constituents while I’m in Washington. A few weeks ago, I hosted my first ever telephone town hall. This technology allows me to call thousands of constituents and conference them into a town hall-type forum that’s conducted via telephone. It was a great opportunity to answer questions and be able to speak to constituents without them having to attend a formal meeting. I will be hosting many more of these in the future, and I look forward to having the opportunity to speak with you.
Please sign up for my weekly e-newsletter to stay on top of all that is happening in Washington, D.C. and across the 4th District by visiting:
http://geoffdavis.house.gov/EmailSignup.aspx
By: admin
Entire Crowley Article With Analysis
Due to a request, I’ve posted the entire Crowley article from a few days ago. I’ve italicized my comments.
McConnell poll data help him, not governor
Crowley immediately leads readers with his title. He titled the article this way for some reason. Why? He almost certainly received McConnell’s press release and did some thinking before calling any of the candidates’ campaigns. Any forthcoming comments from the campaigns were almost undoubtedly responses to Crowley’s questions.
An internal poll released by U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky shows that less than a third of Kentucky voters believe the state is moving in the right direction.
The poll, done by McConnell’s pollster Jan van Lohuizen, also indicates McConnell should win re-election next year, though those findings were disputed by the camp of his presumptive opponent, Louisville Democrat Charlie Owen.
But why, with the Republicans trying to hold the governor’s mansion in Frankfort and the public’s support in Washington, would one of the most accomplished GOP politicians in the state’s history release a poll showing Kentucky is not on the right track in the mind of most voters?
This sounds to me like a reflection of Crowley’s contemplations upon reading the McConnell press release. The other option, of course, is that he was led to think this way by someone with McConnell. Forthcoming comments from McConnell staff makes me seriously doubt this is what happened.
Could it be a veiled shot at Gov. Ernie Fletcher, a Republican who has fallen out of McConnell’s graces in favor of former Louisville U.S. Rep. Anne Northup, who is challenging Fletcher in the GOP primary?
More Crowley speculation.
No way, McConnell Chief of Staff Billy Piper said Thursday.
“There were no gubernatorial questions asked,” Piper said. “It was truly not a veiled or otherwise shot at Ernie.”
The poll casting aspersions on the state of the state may not have been intentionally targeted at Fletcher, but his opponents were eager to talk about it.
Eager to talk about it after being asked.
“This poll is absolutely reflective of Ernie Fletcher’s leadership,” Northup Campaign Manager Michael Clingaman said in an e-mail.
This is the only sentence in the piece that can be attributed to the Northup/Hoover campaign, and it is very tame. If Kentuckians were proud of what has been accomplished over the last three years and excited about the years to come, more than 1/3 of those polled would have stated they thought Kentucky was moving in the right direction. From which direction the emails started, we don’t know for sure. As I stated before, I suspect Crowley got the press release, did some thinking, and then called the campaigns (or emailed). I highly doubt that McConnell’s office sent the release to the Northup campaign directly.
Paducah businessman Billy Harper used the opportunity to tout his call for the elimination of the Alternative Minimum Tax, a tax on small business and out-of-state business operators implemented during the Fletcher administration.
“The time has come to move this state from good to great,” Harper said in a statement e-mailed by his campaign.
Again, we don’t know who prompted this statement from the Harper campaign, but suspect that the statement is a response to questions from Crowley. I highly doubt that McConnell sent the press release to the Northup and Harper campaigns directly, and that both campaigns were eager to get their responses to the poll in the paper. Sure, they were probably eager to state their opinions on the matter once contacted by Crowley, but I don’t think either the Harper or Northup campaign said anything to spin the poll story. If people were excited about the near future, more than 1/3 of the poll’s respondents would have indicated that they though Kentucky was headed in the right direction.
Fletcher’s campaign manager said he does not believe McConnell was going after the governor by releasing the poll.
“Senator McConnell has said he is remaining neutral and we take him at his word,” Marty Ryall said in an e-mail. “Gov. Fletcher has Kentucky moving forward.”
Okay. Whatever. The Fletcher campaign can say Kentucky is moving forward if they want, but if only 1/3 of the poll’s respondent’s agree with them, Fletcher is in trouble.
The telephone poll of 602 voters was conducted April 9-11 and has a margin of error of 4 percent, according to a polling memo released by McConnell’s office.
It shows:
McConnell with a 55 percent approval rating.
70 percent of Kentucky voters are proud that McConnell is Senate GOP leader and believe in that position he can get more done for the state.
32 percent of voters have a somewhat negative and 21 percent have a very negative impression of Owen, who was described in the pollster’s question as inexperienced politically and 70 years old next year.
“While the survey results show we need to plan an active campaign, the results clearly show we will win in 2008,” the pollster says in the memo.
As far as the low numbers on how voters view the state, the pollster said that is a reflection of an “anti-Republican climate” that is pervasive across the country.
Democratic strategist Mark Riddle, who is advising Owen, said in an interview that McConnell is a “creature of Washington” who is clearly concerned about his re-election.
Senator McConnell will dominate in 2008.
By: admin
Louisville Native To Finish School At Virginia Tech
WAVE 3’s Maira Ansari spoke with Louisville native Julien Fenouil about his feelings in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech massacre.
I wish there were this much outrage every time terrorists in Iraq and elsewhere in the world go on shooting rampages executing groups of people. Just last week, 20 Iraqi policemen were executed, presumably over their role in trying to stabilize the nation, or perhaps for being the wrong religion. That same story relates that a professor at Baghdad University was also murdered last week.
We have invested a lot of effort, life, and money into Iraq and I feel like Iraq and the Iraqi people are part of us now. I wish people in the United States cared more about what happens there on a daily basis and in the long term. It hurts me to see the good in Iraq looked over and the death in Iraq used for political purposes. I think if everyone were genuinely interested in winning the war, reducing violence, and helping Iraq set itself up for success in the coming decades, we could.
Malaise, cynicism, and politics are hindrances to this success.
By: admin
C-J Publishes Several Correct Paragraphs
In the C-J Editorial that Kentucky Progress blasted this morning, there were actually and surprisingly several correct paragraphs. I will highlight them for you now.
{Fletcher} “This is quite an undertaking … probably one of the most important fiscal endeavors that we will have in … Kentucky in several decades.”
{C-J} Well, if it’s so important — and he’s right; it is — then why has he ignored it until his administration’s last months? For years, Dr. Fletcher has known about the huge, unfunded pension liability.
But in December, just before the General Assembly met, when he should have been in the Capitol working on a plan, he was touring the state, asking voters how to spend what he falsely told them was a $400 million “surplus.”
. . .
In March, the Governor was still mostly AWOL, as House Speaker Jody Richards put it, when the state Senate took the lead in voting to shore up the system and change the benefits for future employees.
Senate leaders could have used a governor then to help persuade the House and the public to go along, but he was too doggone busy campaigning — traveling the state to hand out checks for local projects.
The opportunity passed, and now the Governor is considering doing this work in a special session. That would cost taxpayers more than $50,000 a day. Also on the agenda, he says, could be incentives for energy companies to locate in Kentucky, and money to reimburse counties for a gubernatorial run-off — non-controversial issues that he also could and should have taken care of during the legislative session.
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