Stay Classy, Sen. Bunning

Sen. Jim Bunning is going to embarrass Kentucky up until the very end of his term. Check out what he did this week: He kept a bill that would have extended unemployment benefits -- this had huge bipartisan support -- from getting a vote because he didn't want to miss the UK- South Carolina game. Then he swore when colleagues complained.

Talking Points Memo explains:

Ninety-nine of the Senate's 100 members have agreed that people whose benefits are set to run out should be allowed to continue receiving them past the February 28 deadline. One senator--Bunning--disagrees. He says the benefits should only be extended if they're paid for with stimulus dollars. Democrats disagree.

If he were to relent, the extensions would be granted automatically. But, per the Senate rules, any single member can throw a wrench into an otherwise universal agreement.Bunning's concerns lay elsewhere: "I have missed the Kentucky-South Carolina game that started at 9:00 and it's the only redeeming chance we had to beat South Carolina since they're the only team that has beat Kentucky this year," he said on the Senate floor.

At one point in the discussion, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), asked Bunning to drop his objection. Bunning, according to Politico, had a two word answer for his colleague: "Tough shit."