GOP Address: Sen-elect Marco Rubio!

How fitting to end a great week with a rising star of the party giving the Republican weekly address. Sen.-elect Marco Rubio (like the sound of that). The wonderful thing about Rubio's election is that it puts the lie to the notion of the Tea Party -- or the Republican Party generally -- as racist. He is also unapologetic about embracing the exceptionalism of America.

Here's the video.

And here is the transcript:

“With Election Day now behind us, it’s an honor to talk to you about the opportunity before us – an opportunity to put America back on track.

“For too long, Washington has taken our country in the wrong direction: bigger government, reckless spending, and run away debt. And though I’m a proud Republican, here’s the truth, both parties have been to blame.

“This election the American people said enough is enough. That message was loud and clear. We Republicans would be mistaken if we misread these results as simply an embrace of the Republican party. This Election is a second chance. A second chance for Republicans to be what we said we were going to be.

“America is the single greatest nation on earth, a place without equal in the history of all mankind. A place built on free enterprise, where the employee can become the employer. Where small businesses are started every day in a spare bedroom and where someone like me, the son of a bartender and a maid, can become a United States Senator.

“I know about the unique exceptionalism of our country. Not because I read about it in a book, I’ve seen it through my own eyes. You see, I was raised in a community of exiles, by people who lost their country, people who once had dreams like we do today, but had to come to a foreign shore to find them.

“For some their dreams were answered here in America, but many others found a new dream. To leave their children with the kinds of opportunities they themselves never had. And that is what we must do as a nation. To fulfill our sacred obligation to leave the next generation of Americans a better America than the one we inherited. And that is what this election was about.

“In the past two years, Republicans listened to the American people and what they said is that it was time for a course correction.

“The past two years provided a frightening glimpse at what could become of our great nation if we continue down the current path: wasteful spending, a growing debt and a government reaching ever further into our lives, even into our health care decisions.

“It is nothing short of a path to ruin, a path that threatens to diminish us as a nation and a people. One that makes America not exceptional, not unique, but more like the rest of the world.

“As Republicans, here is what our commitment should be to you. Our focus must not be simply winning elections. It must be to ensure the next generation inherits a strong, free and prosperous America.

“We will govern as public servants who understand that re-election is simply a byproduct of good public service and good ideas. And most importantly, we will stand up and offer an alternative to the policies coming out of Washington for the past two years.

“The challenges are too great, too generational in scope for us to be merely opponents of bad policies. Instead, we will put forward bold ideas and have the courage to fight for them. This means preventing a massive tax increase scheduled to hit every American taxpayer at the end of the year. It means repealing and replacing the disastrous health care bill. It means simplifying our tax code, and tackling a debt that is pushing us to the brink of our own Greece-like day of reckoning.

“For many of us coming to Washington for the first time and others returning to serve, it’s a long way from home. A long way from the people whose eyes we looked into at town halls, at diners or roundtables, and promised that this time it would be different. That if you elected Republicans to office again, we would not squander the chance you gave us, and we must not. Because nothing less than the identity of our country and what kind of future we will leave our children is at stake.

“That is our commitment and from you we ask this: hold us accountable to the ideas and principles we campaigned on.

“This is our second chance to get this right. To make the right decisions and the tough calls and to leave our children what they deserve – the freest and most exceptional society in all of human history.

“Thank you for listening, God bless you and your family, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.”

Let's Reelect the Messager!

President Barack Obama is taking the position that his self-described "shellacking" was due to poor messaging, not policy.

Obama told 60 Minutes,

I think that, over the course of two years we were so busy and so focused on getting a bunch of stuff done that, we stopped paying attention to the fact that leadership isn’t just legislation. That it’s a matter of persuading people. And giving them confidence and bringing them together. And setting a tone,” Mr. Obama told

“Making an argument that people can understand,” Mr. Obama continued, “I think that we haven’t always been successful at that. And I take personal responsibility for that. And it’s something that I’ve got to examine carefully … as I go forward.”

Wait a second: John Yarmuth was one of the Democrats in charge of "messaging." And yet he escaped the "shellacking." There must be about 62 Democrats wondering about the justice in that outcome.

Joe Biden is Literally Dangerous

Now this, from an administration that relies on a metaphor of Republicans driving the car into the ditch and wanting the keys back to go in reverse. It turns out that Vice President Joe Biden's motorcade has been in five (5) car accidents, according to Forbes.

One accident killed a pedestrian. Wonder how that decedent's family feels every time Team Obama trots out the car accident metaphor.

The other accidents are more along the lines of what one would expect from Biden. For example, 1960s figure skating gold medalist Peggy Flemming (and some bob sledder I've never heard of) were injured while riding with Biden in Vancouver. In another, Biden's motorcade hit a cab as Biden was en route to appear on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

Let's hope Biden isn't going to watch his alma mater play U of L this weekend. If he does go, at least it's an away game.

H/t: Instapundit

Hey, NRCC: What About KY-3 ?

Politico reports that the NRCC is already identifying what Democrats to target in 2012 for the second wave.

Here's a word of advice: you need to pay attention to John Yarmuth. To be sure, Democrats will always have a big registration advantage in Kentucky's 3rd Congressional district. Yarmuth's voting record is so far to the left, however, that he irks Republicans here in a way that words cannot convey.

At a fundraiser for Todd Lally, Yarmuth's most recent opponent, Republicans expressed dismay and then outrage upon learning that the NRCC had not given a single dime to the Lally campaign.

Republicans here get that the target-rich environment this election made the NRCC dizzy with possibilities. In sort of a reverse triage, low-hanging fruit needed to be picked first. Nonetheless, the NRCC's refusal to send a few bucks to defeat Yarmuth makes many donors in KY-3 wonder if it is best to give to individual candidates rather than the committees.

McConnell on Results

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell is addressing the Heritage Foundation today. Based on his remarks, it is clear that he understands exactly what the Tea Party voters meant to communicate on Election Day. He gets it, and as a result to supposed wedge that the media are trying to drive through the Republican caucus is vastly overstated.

This speech is a good overview on what has occurred under the Obama administration and McConnell's plans going forward -- to include "smart, aggressive oversight" of the administration.

Here are his remarks:

“Over the past two years, the American people looked at what was going on in Washington and they became increasingly worried. Not only were Democratic leaders ignoring our nation’s ongoing job crisis; their big-government policies and out-of-control spending was causing some to wonder about the future of the American dream itself.

“Americans worried about the consequences of a $14 trillion debt; about a health care bill that creates 159 new bureaucratic entities, including two massive new entitlement programs; they worried about all the bailouts, and they worried about every other piece of legislation that seemed like it was designed to kill jobs rather than create them.

“Most of all, they worried that what some have called the Europeanization of America would continue unchecked, and that, as a result, our children and grandchildren could no longer expect to have the same opportunities that we’ve had.

“Two days ago, those worries gave way to a new optimism. For the past two years, Democrat lawmakers chose to ignore the American people, so on Tuesday the American people chose new lawmakers. They held their elected representatives to account. And they demonstrated to all of us that Constitutional conservatism is alive and well.

“This isn’t a reason for Republicans to gloat; rather, it’s a time for both parties to realize who’s really in charge — the people — and to be grateful for the opportunity we now have to begin to turn this ship around. Tuesday was a referendum, not a choice. It was a report card on the administration and anyone who supported its agenda, plain and simple.

“It doesn’t take a roomful of political scientists to figure it out. Americans voted for change in the last two elections because of two long and difficult wars and because they hoped a changing of the guard would stabilize the economy and get America moving again. And then the people they elected set about dismantling the free market, handing out political favors at taxpayer expense, expanding government, and creating a more precarious future for our children. In other words, Democrat leaders used the crisis of the moment to advance an agenda Americans didn’t ask for and couldn’t afford. And then they ignored and dismissed anyone who dared to speak out against it.

“So the voters didn’t suddenly fall in love with Republicans; they fell out of love with Democrats. And while they may have voted to send more Republicans to Washington, they’re sending them here with clear marching orders: stop the big-government freight train and respect the will of the people who sent you there. As Churchill once observed, “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; [and] courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” And I can’t think of a better way to sum up Tuesday’s election than that.

“This morning, I would like to talk a little bit more about how we got here, and the task ahead. And I wanted to do it here at the Heritage Foundation, because for nearly 40 years Heritage has played a crucial role in promoting and defending the principles of free enterprise, limited government, freedom, and a strong defense — in other words, the very principles the American people voted to uphold in Tuesday’s historic election.

“First: how we got here. Let’s cast our minds back for a moment to early 2009. I think a “Newsweek” cover from early February sums up the conventional wisdom in Washington at the time, at least among a lot of Democrats. It read, “We’re All Socialists Now”. And I’ll just note parenthetically that “Newsweek” was recently sold for less than the cover price of a single copy of the magazine. Hopefully the Democrats don’t bail them out too.

“Anyway, while the media was still groping to define the 2008 election, Republicans were taking stock. We knew the principles that had made our party great were the same principles that had made America great, and that if we were going to solve the problems of the day, we would have to embrace and explain those principles, not discard or conceal them. So we renewed our commitment to our core principles — win, lose, or draw.

“If we had not done this, the administration would never suffer the consequences for pushing policies Americans opposed, and Americans wouldn’t have a clear alternative. And that is why this, in my view, was the single most important thing Republicans in Congress did to prepare the ground for Tuesday’s election. By sticking together in principled opposition to policies we viewed as harmful, we made it perfectly clear to the American people where we stood. And we gave voters a real choice on Election Day.

“At the same time, we made it perfectly clear from the beginning that if President Obama proposed policies that were consistent with our principles, we’d work with him. Just two days after the Inauguration, in fact, I made a public offer at the National Press Club to accept the President’s campaign promise of post-partisanship by proposing to work with him on a number of goals that he himself had suggested, such as reforming entitlements, reducing the debt, increasing our energy independence, and lowering taxes to create jobs.

“But it turned out the White House had different plans. Their strategy from the start, as I said, was to govern hard-left and use their big majorities to push through the most left-wing agenda possible, squeezing unpopular proposals through Congress by the slimmest majorities and hoping Americans would forget the details and the unseemly process over time. The Democrats’ idea of consensus was for Republicans to do whatever the administration wanted us to. And that’s why they plowed ahead from the very beginning with one piece of legislation after another written by liberals for liberals.

“And so by the spring of 2009, they had given us ample opportunity to stand up for the principles of limited government, lower taxes, and a strong defense. First, they called for closing Guantanamo without any plan for housing the terrorists who were held there; they had forced through their trillion dollar Stimulus; proposed a federal budget that would double the national debt in five years and triple it in 10; and bailed out automakers that should have been allowed to reorganize or fail. And it shouldn’t be lost on anybody, by the way, that the only one that refused a bailout, Ford, is the one that’s doing best today.

“As Democrats governed left, Republicans stood together time and again, making the case for conservative alternatives. And over the course of 19 months, Democrats added $3 trillion to the debt, more than 2.5 million Americans would lose their jobs … and Republicans would win races in states that had gone solidly for Democrats in 2008 —states like Virginia, New Jersey, and, of all places, Massachusetts. Clearly, the Democrat agenda was not the change Americans had hoped for. And Republicans were offering a clear alternative. That was the message of those races. And that was the message on Tuesday.

“The question now is whether Americans were wise to entrust Republicans with the task of reversing the damage. In answer, I would argue that Republicans can be entrusted with the task voters have given us — not because we say so, but because we’ve already been at it for two years. We have shown that we share the priorities the people have voiced. We have fought to defend them. Now we’re ready to get back to work on their behalf.

“Which raises a practical question: what can Americans expect from Republicans now?

“Let’s start with the big picture. Over the past week, some have said it was indelicate of me to suggest that our top political priority over the next two years should be to deny President Obama a second term in office. But the fact is, if our primary legislative goals are to repeal and replace the health spending bill; to end the bailouts; cut spending; and shrink the size and scope of government, the only way to do all these things it is to put someone in the White House who won’t veto any of these things. We can hope the President will start listening to the electorate after Tuesday’s election. But we can’t plan on it. And it would be foolish to expect that Republicans will be able to completely reverse the damage Democrats have done as long as a Democrat holds the veto pen.

“There’s just no getting around it.

“By their own admission, leaders of the Republican Revolution of 1994 think their greatest mistake was overlooking the power of the veto. They gave the impression they were somehow in charge when they weren’t. And after President Clinton vetoed their bills, making it impossible for them to accomplish all their goals, they ended up being viewed as failures, sellouts, or both. Today, Democrats not only have the White House. They have the Senate too. So we have to be realistic about what we can and cannot achieve, while at the same recognizing that realism should never be confused with capitulation.

“On health care, that means we can — and should — propose and vote on straight repeal, repeatedly. But we can’t expect the president to sign it. So we’ll also have to work, in the House, on denying funds for implementation, and, in the Senate, on votes against its most egregious provisions. At the same time, we’ll need to continue educating the public about the ill-effects of this bill on individuals young and old, families, and small businesses.

“And this is why oversight will play a crucial role in Republican efforts going forward.

“We may not be able to bring about straight repeal in the next two years, and we may not win every vote against targeted provisions, even though we should have bipartisan support for some. But we can compel administration officials to attempt to defend this indefensible health spending bill and other costly, government-driven measures, like the Stimulus and financial reform. We also need groups like Heritage to continue studying the ill-effects of the health care bill, and to show how its implementation is hurting families, seniors, and small businesses, limiting choices and making us less competitive. We welcome any help we can get in reversing the damage this bill has done and will do.

“Through oversight we’ll also keep a spotlight on the various agencies the administration will now use to advance through regulation what it can’t through legislation. Potential backdoor efforts in this area could include imposing a new national energy tax through the EPA now that cap-and-trade is dead, additional health care provisions through HHS, Card Check through the National Labor Relations Board, and some form of immigration change through the use of administrative amnesty and the selective enforcement of our laws.

“Good oversight can also make more accountable all the policy czars the administration has installed without any accountability to Congress or the American people.

“Another obstacle is the temptation to over-read our task. It’s my view that Americans are no more interested in a Republican plan for using government to reengineer society than they were in the Democrats’ plan to do so. Government has limits, thank heavens, and voters want us to respect them. That’s why Republicans will focus on doing a few things well.

“We will stop the liberal onslaught. We will make the case for repeal of the health spending bill even as we vote to eliminate its worst parts. We will vote to freeze and cut discretionary spending. We will fight to make sure that any spending bill that reaches the Senate floor is amendable, so members can vote for the spending cuts Americans are asking for. We will push to bring up and vote for House passed spending rescission bills.

“On the economy, we will work hard to ensure Democrats don’t raise taxes on anybody, especially in the middle of a recession. We will loudly oppose future stimulus bills that only stimulate the deficit and fight any further job-killing regulations. We will fight tooth and nail on behalf of Americans struggling to find and create jobs.

“And when it comes to educating the public about the effects of Democrat legislation, we will fulfill our constitutional duty to oversee the Executive Branch through smart, aggressive oversight.

“We will scrutinize Democrat legislation and force them to defend it. And we will continue to make the case that the Democrats’ big-government vision hinders freedom, prosperity, and opportunity — and that while it may benefit some in the short-term, it exposes everyone to calamity down the road.

“If we do these things well over the next two years, I believe the voters will be pleased with what they did on Tuesday, and Republicans will be in a much better position to reverse the worst excesses of the past two years and lay the groundwork for the kind of change we want and need. Meanwhile, Republican governors will help by showing at the state level that the kind of change we want is not only possible but also effective in cutting waste, creating jobs, and showing that government can work for people, not against them. Think tanks like Heritage will help too by arming us with ideas and tools like this week’s Checklist for getting America back on track. And Tea Party activists will continue to energize our party and challenge us to follow through on our commitments.

“None of this is to say that Republicans have given up cooperating with the President. The American people reminded us this week that we work for them, and we owe it to them and future generations to work together to find solutions to present troubles and to help guide our nation to better days. But, as I see it, the White House has a choice: they can change course, or they can double down on a vision of government that the American people have roundly rejected. If they choose the former, they’ll find a partner in Republicans. If they don’t, we will have more disagreements ahead.

“The formula is simple, really: when the administration agrees with the American people, we will agree with the administration. When it disagrees with the American people, we won’t. This has been our posture from the beginning of this administration. And we intend to stick with it. If the administration wants cooperation, it will have to begin to move in our direction.

“There is no reason we can’t work together to prevent a tax hike on small businesses. There’s no reason we can’t work together on energy independence, cutting spending, or increasing American exports by completing free trade agreements. And we can continue to work together to give our armed forces in Afghanistan, Iraq and around the world whatever they need to accomplish their mission.

“So this morning I re-extend an offer that’s been on the table for two years to cooperate on shared goals — because ultimately this isn’t about an election; it’s about doing what’s best for our country. The American people want us to put aside the left-wing wish list and work together on helping to create jobs and restore the economy to health and prosperity. There is no reason the two parties can’t work together on achieving these goals.

“But whether or not the administration has a mid-course correction, Republicans have a plan for following through on the wishes of the American people. It starts with gratitude and a certain humility for the task we’ve been handed. It means sticking ever more closely to the conservative principles that got us here. It means learning the lessons of history. And, above all, it means listening to the people who sent us here. If we do all this, we will finish the job.”

McConnell and Paul: The Odd Power Couple

Oscar and Felix they are not. But Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and Senator-Elect Rand Paul will be incongruous housemates, so to speak, in the U.S. Senate Chamber come next year.

And as for there being another State with more consequential U.S. Senators, forget New York, California and the other mammoth states. Next session it will be Kentucky that packs the punch.

We thought we were fortunate just to have the Senate Republican Leader from our Commonwealth. But with yesterday's election, the national media have anointed Kentucky's junior Senator-elect as the de-facto leader of the national Tea Party movement. Witness Paul's gracing the cover of the latest issue of Time Magazine, his victory as the subject of prominent coverage by national newspapers such as the Washington Post and New York Times, and his recent ascendancy as the go-to Tea Party guy for national television and radio talk shows -- though I suspect the real reason that Laura Ingraham had him on her show so many times was simply because listeners found her chant of "Aqua Buddha, Aqua Buddha" to be so hilarious.

Given Rand Paul's meteoric rise, does it seem so far-fetched to speculate that he might just end up as part of the equation for the Republican ticket against Obama (or Hillary?) in 2012. Of course, Paul as a presidential candidate is a way long-shot, though his experience in the U.S. Senate in 2012 would be only two years less than Obama's was when he ran. More likely, though, Paul is a potential running mate for Sarah Palin were she to win the GOP nomination.

This is not to say I'm advocating for a Palin-Paul, Paul-Palin, or Paul-anybody ticket. But it is quite remarkably how this eye doctor from Bowling Green who scarcely was seen by any media in 2008, even when his father ran for president, is suddenly the most prominent elected official in the Tea Party movement. That should count for much in the newly transformed balance of power in the nation's capital.

Paul's new found role as national Tea Party spokesman, added to Senator McConnell's position as the leading voice of Senate Republicans, should bode well for Kentucky's status in national politics even if it makes for some odd moments between a most unlikely pair of politicians.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.

McConnell on Rand Paul's Victory

Here's Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell's statement on Rand Paul's election:

For nearly two years, Kentuckians have said they want their government to focus on jobs and the economy. And at every turn, President Obama and Washington Democrats have ignored the people, and pursued their own left-wing agenda. Tonight, Kentucky voters sent a strong message to Washington by electing Dr. Rand Paul to the United States Senate. His message of reining in outrageous Washington spending and the overreaching policies of the Obama Administration resonated throughout the state. Senator-elect Paul ran a great campaign, and I am excited to have him as my colleague in the Senate next year to help us stop this crippling agenda.

My Wish For the GOP

You've been given a second chance. Don't blow it.

Turnout Looks Great

I voted right after lunch and my precinct was at the 40 percent mark. The poll worker anticipates that they will top 50 percent by the end of the day. That's extraordinary for a midterm election. This will give Hal Heiner a nice pad for his victory.

Let's See How Accurate Our Kids Were at Calling This

As the results come in tonight, watch to see how accurate the school mock elections were. My bet is that most children voted right, so to speak.

Here's the link. By the way, let's hope that this generation remains conservative. That will only happen if Republicans deliver on campaign promises: the gravy train is over. Time to get serious about the size of government

Yarmuth Wants to Give Health Care to Illegals

At yesterday's Bill Clinton rally at U of L, John Yarmuth let slip that he supports giving health care to illegal aliens.

According to the daily rag that passes for a newspaper in Louisville, Yarmuth said "Jack Conway is running against a doctor . . .who says it's not important to insure 50 million more people, that it's not a high priority."

Those who followed the health care debate -- and particularly those who attended a Town Hall -- know that the "50 million uninsured" number includes 9.7 million illegal aliens. Those numbers are not made up by Fox news; those are Census Bureau numbers.

Apparently Yarmuth feels so confident about his reelection that he is not engaging in the liberal ruse that Obamacare should only cover U.S. citizens. Either that, or he thinks that we are too ignorant to actually catch the import of his numbers.

The Ugliest Robo-Call of 2010

A robo-call that went out yesterday claims that Rand Paul is not a Christian and hates Christianity, according to the Daily Caller. A Republican pastor in Marion, the Rev. Lucy Tedrick, said the call indicated that it was from the Kentucky Leadership Council.. That's the new group that Andrew Horne leads.

Jack Conway's campaign denies that it had anything to do with the call. And given how the Aqua Buddha ad back-fired for similarly attacking Paul's Christianity, this robo-call is the last thing that Conway needed. Is the Kentucky Leadership Council that clueless, or is it trying to finish off Jack Conway altogether, so he can't run for anything down the road?

The Kentucky Leadership Council has spent $132,000 against Rand Paul so far. It is one of those independent expenditure groups with secret donors that Democrats claim to hate, at least when Karl Rove is running 'em. This group is led by Andrew Horne. Horne, remember, tried to run for the Democratic nomination for Senate in 2008, but dropped out when national Democrats backed self-funder Bruce Lunsford. Horne also ran for Kentucky's 3rd Congressional District; he lost to John Yarmuth in the Democratic primary in 2006.

Slate: KY Senators Are So Vain

Slate has ranked the vainest U.S. Senators, based on to what extent their office waiting rooms look like shrines to themselves.

Both of Kentucky's Senators make the list. Sen. Jim Bunning comes in at number 3, primarily because he has a picture of himself bestowing a signed baseball upon the Pope. (Now if Bunning had let the Pope bless him, maybe he wouldn't have been forced to retire.)

Sen. Republican Leader Mitch McConnell ranks number 7. McConnell has lots of pictures from the Reagan revolution. Slate takes that as vanity, whereas Kentuckians just view it as the good ole days. And McConnell has a picture of himself with some baseball player named Tommy Lasorda who, like McConnell, supports the first amendment right to burn a flag, even at a Dodger's game.

Will Rand Paul carry on this great tradition of supposed vanity? Will there be any pictures of the NoZe brothers or Aqua Buddha? We will find out in January; he is measuring the drapes now.

KY-3 Race Makes Bill Bennett Show

Sen. Rick Santorum, who is subbing for Bill Bennett this morning, mentioned the race for Kentucky's 3rd Congressional District. In particular, Santorum noted the recent SUSA poll and the prospect of sending John Yarmuth home.

Wonder if anyone from the NRCC was listening.

Rally For Lally

Saturday at 9:00 at Jefferson County Republican Headquarters. Come help the final 72 hour push to get out the vote for Todd Lally, Hal Heiner and all the other great Republican candidates on the ticket this year.

So What Has Made the Difference for Heiner?

How to explain the 13 point swing in Hal Heiner's favor over last month? There are many factors at play. Here are just a few.

First, Greg Fischer made the mistake of calling Heiner a "liar" and a "hypocrite." Both campaigns had refrained from ad hominem attacks up to this point. The fact that Fischer chose to change strategies suggests that his internal polling told him that victory was slipping away from him. Regardless of why he changed strategy, it compounded Fischer's problem by making Fischer look like a jerk, given that he lacked the facts to back up his accusation.

Second, Louisville -- even as configured as Metro Louisville -- is still a small town. We may market ourselves as the 16th largest city or whatever, but we are still a small town. Consequently, our paths cross frequently. We know many of the candidates, from both parties, personally. And if we don't know them personally, we have a good friend or relative who does.

Third, Heiner is known as a man of integrity. Even people who dislike his politics or his place of worship (Southeast Christian) know this. When Fischer accused Heiner of lying about endorsements, therefore, the accusation did not stick. Instead, Fischer appeared to be the one who was lying, given the internal emails in the Jackie Green campaign.

Fourth, Heiner's personal story gives people hope in an economy with 10 percent unemployment -- not counting those who have given up looking or who have taken jobs for which they are over-qualified out of desperation. Heiner is a self-made man. As a teenager, he worked as a janitor. He personifies the American dream with his success. Fischer, in contrast, was lucky enough to be born into a rich family. There is nothing wrong with that, per se; but it does not inspire, the way Heiner's biography does.

At a time when people are looking for someone to lead our city out of an economic abyss, Heiner seems like the better bet, because he has done so in his own life.

Jack Conway's Union Buddies

Big Labor likes Jack Conway. The government worker's union, AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees), gave Conway $5,000 bucks.

AFSCME can well afford a large donation like it gave to Conway. According to Rich Lowery, AFSCME is spending $90 million on this election. It makes the efforts of Karl Rove, and likewise the Chamber of Commerce, look like chump-change.

Government workers have a big stake in this election: at issue, as Lowry notes, is whether the government workers work for we the people, or whether we work for them -- to pay their bloated salaries, benefits and pensions.

These local bureaucrats, moreover, have been the recipients of millions of dollars in stimulus money to save their jobs, while workers in the private sector confront layoffs and 10 percent unemployment.

AFSCME gave to Jack Conway because he would be a reliable vote not just for big labor, but for big government.

A Word From the GOP Campaigns

• Hal Heiner Countdown to Victory Rally at Bowman Field Friday, October 29 5:30-7:30. Conservatives need to support this remarkable opportunity of a Republican mayor for Louisville.
• Call 895-55-99 to sign up to canvass for Hal.
• Rand Paul Election Night Victory Party will be at the Sloan Convention Center, Bowling Green. (Please r.s.v.p. to the campaign.)
• A block of discounted rooms is available at the Holiday Inn University Plaza
• Rand Paul events for this afternoon -- note the New Albany event (1st stop in the presidential campaign???)

• 12:30 PM Glasgow Lunch Stop

  George J Ellis Restaurant - 144 East Public Square, Glasgow

  1:45 PM Columbia Event

  Adair County Courthouse Annex Building (Basement) - 424 Public Sq # 3, Columbia

  2:45 PM Russell Springs Event

  Mitchell's Family Restaurant - 2475 S Highway 127, Russell Springs

  5:00 PM Somerset Event

  Honey Baked Ham - 1813 S Highway 27 - Somerset

  6:00 PM Albany Event

  Albany Fair Ground - Closest Address: 107 East Water St - Albany

Obama Comments on the Neck Stomping

President Barack Obama met with a group of Demo-bloggers today, and commented on the assault of a Moveon.org member by a Rand Paul supporter. From Huffington Post:

Well, look, I think that one of the things that I've always tried to promote is civility in politics. I think we can disagree vigorously without being disagreeable. And what we saw on the video was an example of people's passions just getting out of hand in ways that are disturbing.

In fairness, I don't expect every candidate to be responsible for every single supporter's actions, but I do think that all of us have an obligation to set a tone where we say the other side is -- may be wrong but it's not evil, because when you start going down that path of demonizing folks, then these kinds of incidents are more likely to occur. And my expectation in the remainder of this campaign is that all candidates out there are a little more careful about making sure that they're framing the debate around issues and sending a clear message to their supporters that our democracy works when we disagree, we debate, we argue, it gets contentious, but that there are certain lines we don't cross.

Yarmuth Beware: It's Not Just Fischer Who Should Be Worried By This Poll

Hal Heiner has dramatically jumped into a commanding leading over Greg Fischer in a SurveyUSA poll released earlier today. He is up by 7 points, leading Fischer 51% to 44%. That represents a 13-point swing in Heiner's favor from a poll taken only a few weeks ago. Great news for Heiner, and also very encouraging for Congressional hopeful Todd Lally. In traditionally Democratic Louisville, if a majority of survey respondents say they are voting for the Republican nominee for mayor, that suggests they may be more likely to pull the lever for the Republican running for Congress as well.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.

Jack Conway's Truthiness Problem

Ouch: this new ad from the NRSC punctures holes in Jack Conway's much-touted accomplishment of suing 47 pharmaceutical companies. Check it out.

Rahm Emanuel Hearts John Yarmuth

In case conservatives needed yet another reason to vote for Todd Lally and against John Yarmuth, consider that Yarmuth took money from a PAC called the "Friends of Rahm Emanuel."

Emanuel came up with the political maxim that "you never want a serious crisis to go to waste." (Economy tanks, let's nationalize the auto, banking and healthcare industries!)

Emanuel shows that sometimes the difference between a thug and a pol is just the cut of the suit. He is one nasty piece of work.

Good to know that Yarmuth, who has slid by with his reputation as a nice guy, has the financial backing of Rahmbo's pac.

Get Your Tickets to Hear Scott Brown

Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) will speak at the University of Louisville's McConnell Center November 8, 2010 at 1:30 (Bigelow Hall). He will no doubt have an interesting take on the election results, given that his special election to the seat formerly held by Teddy Kennedy propelled the conservative surge.

Tickets are available, while supplies last, at www.mcconnellcenter.org

Which Circuit Judges to Vote For?

Here are the recommendations from the Citizens for Better Judges. They have a very methodical (nonpartisan) process for vetting these candidates, including interviews from lawyers from a variety of litigation practice areas as well as lay citizens to monitor the integrity of the process.

• Circuit Judge, Div. 6: Hon. Olu Stevens
• Circuit Judge, Div. 11: Hon. Brian Edwards
• Circuit Judge, Div. 3: Hon. Claude Prather
• Circuit Judge, Div. 7: Hon. Jennifer Wilcox
• Circuit Judge, Div. 10: Hon. Sheila Collins
• Circuit Judge, Div. 11: Hon. Sadiq Reynolds
• Circuit Judge, Div. 13: Deana McDonald
• Circuit Judge, Div. 14: Stephanie P. Burke

A Word About John Yarmuth's Buddies at SEIU

We've noted recently that SEIU, the nation's largest union, is giving roughly $44 million to Democrats this year, and that John Yarmuth is one of their recipients. SEIU reps met with Yarmuth in the run-up to the Obamacare vote. Their donation suggests they were well-pleased with his vote.

For those who don't follow SEIU, here is a synopsis from RedState on what the union's been up to lately. Consider the implications for a tight race, like we have in Kentucky's 3rd Congressional District:

• In Milwaukee, a SEIU lobbyist brags about a hatchet job the union is planning on Republican Scott Walker on behalf of Democrat Tom Barrett, with media cooperation.
• In Washington state, an SEIU member was arrested for allegedly forging signatures on petitions
• In Harris County, TX a group run by a former SEIU staffer allegedly turned in over 23,000 fraudulent voter registrations [Video of said former SEIU staffer here.]
  • Note: The situation seems to have deteriorated further as actual voting has begun.
• In Arizona, the SEIU (and affiliated groups) allegedly signed up 20,000 voters and was involved in get out the vote early rallies where it is possible that ballots from undocumented immigrants were sent in.
• Ironically, on Tuesday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals threw out Arizona’s requirement that citizen’s show proof of citizenship in order to vote. . . .
• • In Colorado, 6,000 voter registrations were canceled under Colorado’s 20-day rule. TheSEIU and SEIU-affiliated groups sought a preliminary injunction to reactivate the cancelled registrations.
  • In Yuma, Arizona, Mi Familia Vota (a group connected to the SEIU and whose national treasurer is SEIU’s Eliseo Medina) and One Vote Arizona turned in more than 3,000 voter registrations, of which 65% were invalid. Yuma County [AZ-7] is where Democrat (socialist) Raúl M. Grijalva is in a tight race against Republican Ruth McClung [h/t Jim Hoft].
  • On Tuesday, the Washington Examiner’s Mark Hemingway reported Nevada’s Clark County had voting machines that had Democrat Harry Reid’s name already checked. To make matters worse, the voting machine technicians are represented by the SEIU.

SUSA Poll: Great News for Todd Lally

The Survey USA poll conducted by WHAS 11 and the Courier-Journal shows that the race for the 3rd Congressional District is a statistical dead heat.

John Yarmuth leads Todd Lally 50-46. But the margin of error is + or - 4/1 percent. (Ed Martin and Michael Hansen each have one percent.)

Interestingly, the undecideds only constitute one percent, which is much lower than the national average.

Lally leads by six among voters who describe themselves as "very likely" to vote in a midterm election.

That means Yarmuth will be looking to his labor friends -- including SEIU, which gave $2500 last quarter -- to bus in the union voters.

Kentucky conservatives can score a two-fer by working to get out the vote for Todd Lally and Hal Heiner. (Rand Paul won his race when Jack Conway aired his infamous Aqua Buddha ad.)

It is time to walk the precincts and work the phone banks. Time to show the NRCC that conservatives in KY-3 are hoping for change. We're not waiting around for the pros from D.C. to rescue us from John Yarmuth.

National Pundits Agree: Paul Won Debate

Note that the common theme in assessing last night's debate is that Rand Paul appeared more intelligent than Jack Conway. Conway is not dim, by any means. The problem for Conway, as Paul helpfully suggested, is that Conway oversimplified the issues -- repeatedly. For example, when Conway insisted that Paul wanted to raise taxes by imposing a 23 percent national sales tax, Paul called Conway out for his intellectual dishonesty: Conway failed to mention that a national sales tax would replace the federal income tax.

Here's a summary of national reactions to the debate -- and note that much of it comes from Conway's favorite network, MSNBC:

MARK HALPERIN: "I Thought Rand Paul In That Debate Was Calm And Cool, Even When There Was A Heated Exchange. He Stayed Looking Senatorial." (MSNBC's Morning Joe, 10/26/10)

MIKA BRZEZINSKI: "Rand Paul Was The Clear Visual Winner Here... This Guy Looked Centered, Focused..." (MSNBC's Morning Joe, 10/26/10)

EUGENE ROBINSON: "Rand Paul Is The One Who Has Managed To Come Across Sounding The Most Reasonable, Smartest. You Know, That Was A Very Reasoned Performance In The Debate." (MSNBC's Morning Joe, 10/26/10)

JOE SCARBOUROUGH: "I'm not comparing Rand Paul to Ronald Reagan here, but he's got a similar dynamic... people saw him debating Jimmy Carter, he looked... quite effective. And he ran away with it." (MSNBC's Morning Joe, 10/26/10)

JOE SCARBOUROUGH: "I Suspect In Kentucky They're Thinking, That Guy Actually Looked More Senatorial Than Conway." (MSNBC's Morning Joe, 10/26/10)

PAT BUCHANNAN: "Makes Rand Paul Look Like A Very Intelligent Thoughtful Guy" "He looked like a tutor. He's very professorial he's giving instructions basically on a complex issue sales tax, income tax. And he's sitting there with what looks like sort of a wiseacre pupil who's throwing smart aleck cracks and comments. There's nothing that Conway did in this segment that makes him look good and there's an awful lot in there that makes Rand Paul look like a very intelligent thoughtful guy who's trying to get across a point to a pretty slow student." (MSNBC's Morning Joe, 10/26/10)

Good for Chris Thieneman

Chris Thieneman lost to Hal Heiner in the Republican primary back in May, but he chose to endorse him only yesterday -- to refute Greg Fischer's charge that Heiner is trading endorsements for influence. Moreover, Thieneman revealed details about past discussions with Heiner that don't make Thieneman look so great, but for the fact that he is coming clean now.

From Joe Arnold

Thieneman said he knows that Heiner hasn't bargained for endorsements because Heiner rejected Thieneman's initial endorsement offer when it had strings attached

Amid questions of whether Democrat Greg Fischer traded influence over a Metro agency in exchange for the endorsement of former independent candidate Jackie Green, Fischer subsequently has called Heiner a liar and hypocrite and accused him of doing the same thing to procure the endorsement of former Democratic primary mayoral candidate Tyler Allen.

Thieneman described his discussions with Heiner after the primary, in which Heiner rejected Thieneman's offer of an endorsement:

"So I asked Hal, I said 'Hal - do you think you could find a position for me to where I could represent the South End in the areas that they've always been neglected?' And when I talked to Hal about that, he said - 'Chris I understand where you're coming from,

I appreciate what you are standing for in the South End,' but he said, 'I can't do that."I would love to have your endorsement," Thieneman recalled Heiner saying shortly after the primary, "but if it means that I have to give you anything, then it's best that i don't."

Conway Throws Obama Under Bus

I'm sure it was a green bus, fueled by old waste or something. From last night's debate between Jack Conway and Rand Paul, via Politico:

But Paul responded then – as he did repeatedly through Monday’s forum – by linking Conway with his party’s leadership, including Obama, and its economic policies.

Later in the debate, Conway said that Kentucky can’t “afford” Paul’s policy prescriptions, giving Paul an opening to attack Conway for backing Obama’s policies.

“Perhaps they can’t afford President Obama’s trillion dollars spending – President Obama’s $2 trillion debt,” Paul said. “The leader of your party – the guy you supported in the primary, your kind of Democrat, you wanted President Obama – is a disaster for our country.

Conway said he didn’t back Obama his primary, saying, “He just made something up.”

Conway, the state attorney general, clearly senses a need to keep his distance from Obama, calling himself a “different kind of Democrat,” criticizing the White House for cutting a “sweetheart deal” with drug companies to pass the health care law, although he supported the plan. And he pointed out the White House should take a more forceful approach with Pakistan in its Afghanistan strategy.

But when the debate turned to whether to install a cap-and-trade proposal, Conway found himself explaining comments he’d made in the past saying he supported the plan by saying he opposes the idea.

Rand Paul Schools Jack Conway

Rand Paul and Jack Conway just finished their last debate, and the verdict is that Paul gave far more thoughtful and original answers that did not simply regurgitate campaign ads.

To be sure, Conway, as always, played like JFK while Paul was a Nixon on camera. Conway was better coiffed and suited -- and sported an American flag lapel pin with a blue tie, in contrast to Paul's red tie and a curious, matching red circular button on Paul's suit lapel that he never explained. Also, Paul's feet, unlike Conway's, were awkwardly crossed under his chair, while Paul's left hand seemed to be constantly reaching for his coffee mug, while Conway didn't appear to take a single drink from his (or was better at sipping off camera).

But Paul's disheveled and misfit look didn't detract from his central themes, which he articulated well: that (1) President Obama's new regulations and spending are out of control and undermine real economic recovery; (2) the Democrats have refused to confront the demographic issues that create long-term funding problems for Social Security and other entitlement programs; and (3) Conway's campaign has misleadingly taken snippets from Paul's statements out of context.

Paul also got in a couple of good zingers, such as when Conway claimed that Paul's appearance on MSNBC early in the campaign was the most "painful" television to watch, which prompted Paul to respond that, no, Conway got the award for the most "painful" MSNBC moment with his recent interview with Chris Matthews regarding the Aqua Buddha ad. And speaking of Aqua Buddha, when Conway feigned great offense after Paul alluded to Conway owning a race horse and Conway said that "in Kentucky, no one attacks another man's dog or horse," Paul was quick to respond to Conway, "but attacking another man's religion is ok, right?"

Indeed, quicker is the best way to describe Paul's performance tonight, in contrast to Conway's flat-footed pace. Yes, we know about the $2,000 Medicare deductible and the 20-something percent national sales tax, Jack, so you don't have to keep repeating those talking points, and we all know they were taken out of context. And we know about the $200 billion you think will be saved when you tweak Obamacare to allow for group pharmaceutical purchasing, again thanks to your repeating your talking point over and over tonight. We also know, thanks to your repeating it constantly, that "Moodys.com" -- whatever that means -- has supposedly verified your claims. (By the way, while $200 billion seems like a lot of money, it really is a drop in the bucket compared to the multi-trillion dollar problems of future Social Security funding that you failed to address.)

Paul, in contrast, seemed ready to take on the tough issues and suggest solutions that may not be the most popular, but reflected a willingness to take risk and exercise courage. That was one of the two thoughts I had at the end of the debate. My other thought was, "thank God, the camera was on the moderator at the end" so we were spared the painful view of whether Paul would or would not shake Conway's hand. The handshaking decision was a Catch-22 for Paul: shaking would have been seen as Paul's backing down from his righteous outrage at the end of the last debate, whereas not shaking would have made Paul seem mean-spirited and even petty.

So, all in all, the night went well for Rand Paul, to whom the cameraman, in the end, was kind. We, Aqua Buddhists were pleased.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.

New Poll Results For Lally, Yarmuth

The Lally campaign has released new poll results for Kentucky's 3rd Congressional District.

• Todd Lally: 37 percent
• John Yarmuth: 41
• undecided: 22
• margin of error: + or - 4.5

The poll was conducted by Rivercity using automated phone calls. The Lally campaign maintains that this poll is particularly accurate because it uses the RNC's voter vault methodology. However, I question whether 22 percent of KY-3 voters are undecided; that number seems way off.

Two other points to note: First, the poll shows that Lally has cut Yarmuth's lead in half . Second, Yarmuth is "upside-down." meaning he is below 50 percent. That is bad news for an incumbent, especially this close to the election.

Recall how late in the campaign Scott Brown surged. This is not over. Conservatives in Kentucky's 3rd Congressional District need to make a donation, work a phone bank and walk a precinct.

While Jack Conway was at Duke

All that talk about Rand Paul's Aqua Buddha escapade has finally turned attention on whether Jack Conway ever did anything wild or crazy at Duke. He did not.

Daily Caller reports that Conway's fraternity, SAE, was for pretty boys with family money and Polo shirts. Again, this is what we have come to expect from Jack Conway.

The only tid-bit: SAE's 1988 pledge class included Jack Conway -- and a bogus French Baron.The dude claimed to be a Rothschild, as in the premier cru wine Rothschilds. In fact, he wasn't even French, or college-aged: he was a 37-year old from Houston, named Maruo Cortez.

Conway in particular was close to Cortez, classmates said. One went as far as to say Conway “kissed up” to the Baron because of his nobility.

In that sense, Conway was the opposite of Paul in college. The NoZe Brotherhood were outsiders, mocking their own campus culture with bizarre, incomprehensible antics. The SAEs were the ultimate insiders — southern, wealthy, almost entirely white. They had the best location on campus and looked down on others as “not SAE material."

Jack Conway and his SAE brother failed to use their vaunted Duke intellects. No one wondered why the supposed French Baron knew so little French that he had to take French 101.

McConnell: Let's Defund NPR

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell supports moves to defund National Public Radio. He has voted to defund it in the past and will do so again --now, perhaps with more company.

Many conservatives have longquestioned why the government sponsors a radio network, given the multiplicity of privately-owned programs from which listeners can choose. NPR geve the movement to defund it a big boost last week when it fired Juan Williams for stating that his subjective opinion that he is afraid of Muslims on air planes since 9/11.

Ed Morrisey writes:

McConnell frames this the proper way. The real issue with funding the CPB and NPR with tax dollars has nothing to do with Juan Williams. It has everything to do with the fact that we don’t have the money to waste on non-essentials, and that government has no business subsidizing broadcasters in a robust market with hundreds of choices for consumers. . . .

the question of CPB/NPR funding is a canary in the coal mine for whether Republicans have the nerve to defund ObamaCare, but it’s more than that. The GOP will have to find a way to cut spending by nearly 40% to return to FY2007 levels (which were too high) even apart from ObamaCare. If they can’t pull the trigger on CPB and NPR, don’t expect them to deliver on much else.

Enquirer Endorses Paul

It always startles me when a member of the Dinosaur Media endorses a conservative. Here are some excerpts from the Enquirer's endorsement of Rand Paul:

"The world would be a poorer place if we did not make room for people with the courage to question conventional wisdom and the smarts to make a cogent case for their own vision. The race for Kentucky's U.S. Senate seat this fall has such a candidate - Republican standard-bearer Rand Paul."

"Few candidates we've talked to in recent years have displayed such refreshing intelligence, inquisitiveness and candor. And few candidates have had their words and ideas so frequently vilified and taken out of context."

"The real point: Paul is saying things that need to be said. He is raising issues that at least ought to be addressed thoughtfully. He is asking questions that don't-rock-the-boat politicians dare not ask."

"We need that kind of voice in the Senate, where too many members indulge in the kind of go-along, get-along group-think that has allowed government to grow fatter, more inefficient and more intrusive."

C-J Endorses Conway (Yawn)

This endorsement is about as unexpected as LiLo going back to rehab.

Is it too late for someone to start a paper to compete with the Courier-Journal? Sure, newspapers are dying. But that old watch-dog role that the media like to claim functions best with actual competition. The C-J has been reduced to an apologist for the Democratic Party; it provides no accountability.

Where is Sun Myung Moon when you need him? The Washington Post became a much better paper with a little competition from the Moonies. Maybe it's not too late to turn the C-J around -- but only if someone will make it fight for the scarce time of its (dwindling) readership.

RedState on Jack Conway

No comment on this other than to link it: RedState speculates that Jack Conway may be involved in an investigation regarding his brother.

About That $2K Deductible

Sometimes political ads come with unintended consequences. That may be the case with Jack Conway's Medi-scare ads. Conway keeps pounding Rand Paul with ads containing sound-bites, in which Paul suggests that a $2,000 deductible for Medicare might be a good idea.

Notwithstanding Conway's attempt to scare seniors, Paul has made clear that his comments would not apply to current Medicare recipients. Rather, Paul has endeavored to start an adult conversation about how to reform entitlements going forward. Most seniors who are paying attention will grasp that distinction. So the ad will not convince seniors to vote for Conway unless they were already predisposed

Here's the unintended consequence: seniors are not the only people listening to the ad, and it is back-firing young voters.

It turns out that some -- maybe many -- young people think the $2,000 deductible is good idea. I sat with an 18-year old, first-time voter as Conway's Medi-scare ad came on for the billionth time. And the 18-year old commented that he thought a $2,000 deductible made sense.

He gets that the only way that he and his generation will ever see a penny of Medicare benefits is if the entire system is overhauled. And he looks at the hypothetical amount of $2,000 and notices that it is fraction of the $5,000 deductible his family pays for healthcare. So that $2,000 amount with which Conway tries to frighten voters, it actually sounds reasonable to many.

Thune Gives GOP Weekly Address (Must See)

Sen. John Thune (R-SD) gives the Republican Weekly Address, and it is outstanding -- conservative content that is well-written and well delivered. Note that he acknowledges that Republicans blew it on spending the last time they controlled the Congress: he gets it.

Recall that Thune won election by taking out then-Sen Majority Leader Tom Daschle in 2004. The man is a fierce campaigner. And his campaign was at the forefront of conservatives taking to the blogosphere. So watch this week's address not just for its synopsis of the decision voters face in nine days, but because it gives Republicans some ideas about the decision we face for 2012

Kimmel's Aqua Buddha Take

In case you can't get enough of Aqua Buddha, here's Jimmy Kimmel's take (h/t Page One).

Kelley Paul Responds to Conways Aqua Buddha Ad

Rand Paul's wife, Kelley, responded to Jack Conway's Aqua Buddha ad. It is the Paul's 20th anniversary. Here's the text of her remarks:

Rand's opponent has made a desperate, shameful attack on our family.The New Republic called it despicable and the ugliest political ad of the year. Today's Courier Journal calls it odious. Democrats and Republicans across the country and here in Kentucky have condemned it.

I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw it, and neither could our three sons, who are 11, 14 and 17.

Rand and I were married in my hometown of Russellville on October 20th of 1990, surrounded by our family and friends. Yes, today is our 20th wedding anniversary, and I can honestly say I never thought this is how we would be celebrating it!

I am truly shocked by Conway's ads questioning Rand's faith based on nothing more than anonymous accusations from nearly three decades ago.

Rand and I are both Christians and our faith is very important to us.As the granddaughter of a Baptist minister, faith has always been a part of my life, and I'd never have fallen in love with or married a man who didn't share my values.

Jack Conway has a family too, and while I'm sure he isn't thinking about it right now, these personal attacks hurt people's families. I'd have thought someone with a beautiful baby daughter would take that into account, no matter how desperate he may be to win.

There are less than 2 weeks left in this campaign. Rand is hoping we can get back to discussing the real issues. Kentucky and our nation face huge problems like a 13 trillion dollar debt that threatens to destroy our children's futures.Washington tries to pile more and more on each day through cap and trade, obamacare, and bailouts.

Rand got into this race to stand up against the Washington machine - not be part of it. He'll be a Senator we can be proud of Rand would never try to smear an opponent with baseless, anonymous gossip from their teenage years.

At the end of the day, we all have to look ourselves in the mirror. I'm proud to say that my husband will have no trouble doing that when this race is over.

About Conway's Aqua Buddha Soundtrack

Sometimes politicians appropriate music to brand themselves. For Bill Clinton, it was Fleetwood Mac. For Ronald Reagan, it was Frank Sinatra.

For Jack Conway, it is an anonymous artist playing the ney, sometimes spelled nay. Listen to the soundtrack from Jack's Aqua Buddha ad. It is a vaguely third-worldish sound somewhat similar to a flute. At first, I thought I'd heard it in a yoga class or maybe a pita restaurant. Then I realized: this is the music that networks use during sweeps to promote specials about the "Hunt for Osama bin Laden" or "Terrorists Living Among Us."

The ney, according to a website that sells them,

is a simple, long, end-blown flute that is the main wind instrument of Middle Eastern music and the only wind instrument in classical Arabic music. It is very ancient instrument. The nay is literally as old as the pyramids. Ney players are seen in wall paintings in the Egyptian pyramids and neys have been found in the excavations at Ur in Iraq. Thus, the ney has been played continuously for 4,500-5,000 years. It is one of the oldest musical instruments still in use.

The instrument seems to come in versions that play different musical ranges. Here's the song from Jack Conway's Aqua Buddha ad, played in a lower octave.

Before 9/11, one would describe this sort of music as that which is used to charm snakes. If Jack Conway is trying to charm us, this ad did not seal the deal. Maybe he's calling Rand Paul a snake.

Given that the Aqua Buddha escapade took place in Texas 30 years ago, Middle-Eastern ney music is an odd choice; Lynyrd Skynyrd would have been a more likely bet for the time and place, although the only NoZe Brother we know liked Elvis Costello, the Beach Boys and some jazz back then.

So why does Jack Conway use a ney soundtrack for his ad? Well, it could be that he wants us to know how worldly and cosmopolitan he is; the guy did go to Duke. Democrats like to present themselves as Citizens of the World, who upon election, then go on World Appeasement Tours to apologize for how bad America is.

And now the ney is actually making its way into hip hop mixes -- there may be an opportunity for Conway to get some street cred out of his ghastly ad.

Yarmuth Throws Conway Under Bus

John Yarmuth could have stayed mum on the issue of Jack Conway's Aqua Buddha ad, but he did not. Yarmuth took the somewhat surprising step of noting that (1) he would not have run such an ad and (2) it appears to be backfiring. Yarmuth made his comments to the Huffington Post (H/T: Joe Arnold).

It wouldn't have been that hard or that unusual for Yarmuth to deflect the question on the grounds that he has his own campaign to run and is not going to advise the Conway campaign.

But instead, Yarmuth took the opportunity to criticize Conway. Perhaps Yarmuth felt the need to distance himself from Conway, given that as Chris Matthews ripped Conway a new one, a fan waved a big Yarmuth sign immediately behind them for the duration of the interview.