Thursday morning potpourri

• Madam Sehkutary. Heh. Oh, and isn't it funny how the KDP goes to Denver and all of a sudden Bluegrass Report shuts down entirely??? Weeeeeeird.


• I may be blasphemous, but at least I'm not responsible for this.


• What happens when a state votes for Republicans and conservative "Democrats" for an entire generation? This.


• The "Ministry of Truth". Most fitting name, evah.


• 50% of conservatives feel that the church should stay out of politics, up 20% from 4 years ago. That sound you heard was Frank Simon's head exploding.


• John Ensign can't raise any money for the NRSC, which is in BIG trouble in 10 races this November. And Mitch McConnell? He couldn't give a shit. He's like Walter Sobchack out in the bowling alley parking lot faced with sword-wielding German nihilists. What's mine is mine. And a proud vet, to boot.


• Bill O'Reilly's wife used to be Flava Flav's crack ho? We report, you decide.

Too easy

It's disappointing that those of us in the Bluegrass Blogtopia don't have a worthy foe on the right to butt heads with.

It's just way too easy.

Jefferson Toole on the RPK payroll

I made a joke in a post a while ago (that I can't seem to find, damnit), joking that the RPK should hire up the brilliant (snort!) child blogger Jefferson Toole and put him on the staff, so he could pass on his brilliant (snort!) strategy and analysis.

Well, I'm glad to report that they have done just that. Here's a McConnell email that just went out:

Grassroots Planning Continues

We are pleased to announce that the Republican Party of Kentucky has opened regional offices across the state. We have staff on the ground in those places and the phone banking, door knocking, and get-out-the-vote effort is underway. If you are near one of our offices, we encourage you to make contact and join the effort!

Victory 2008 offices and staff roster:

Northern Kentucky Jeremy Hughes: jhughes@kyvictory.com Michael O'Shea: moshea@kyvictory.com	Ashland/Lexington Justin May: jmay@kyvictory.com
Louisville Steph Spika: sspika@kyvictory.com Jeff Poole: jpoole@kyvictory.com	Elizabethtown Brian Smith: bsmith@kyvictory.com
Lexington Matthew Henderson: mhenderson@kyvictory.com	Owensboro Megan Spindel: mspindel@kyvictory.com
Bowling Green Tres Watson: twatson@kyvictory.com

Wooooooot!!!

Congrats to Jeff, and congrats (snort!) to the RPK! Hopefully he'll help the RPK smear the mothers of Iraq veterans as traitors, as that is his specialty (though actually serving over in Iraq to defeat the Islamofascists, appears to not be one of his priorities)
.

Juveniles

I'm not mad, per se, I'm just really in awe of how unprofessional these folks are.

On another level, it's actually quite funny, imo...

Exclusive!!!

Point of Fact #1: typing something up on the intertubes that everyone already knows does not constitute anything "exclusive".

Point of Fact #2: typing said "exclusive" on the internet does not mean that you are John Cheves, and pretending that you are doing work that he isn't doing makes you look incredibly stupid.

There's your intertubes lesson for the day.

I like the Ben Chandler of 2008

No one was tougher on Ben Chandler in 2007 than yours truly (perhaps with the exception of Yellow Dog). But as I've said several times this year, the Ben Chandler of 2008 has been a pleasant surprise. And today, he surprises me once again by finally seeing the light on Iraq.

After making his first whirlwind trip through Iraq over the weekend, Democratic U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler said the United States should begin to withdraw troops now and force the Iraqi government to stand on its own.

”As long as we continue to fund this thing and as long as we continue to provide security, there is less incentive for the Iraqi government to do the things they need to do to control the country,“ Chandler told the Herald-Leader. ”I think we need to leave them with as stable a situation as we can but we need to lift off from the country as soon as possible.

”I think it's time to start withdrawing,“ he added, although he acknowledged that any such shift in policy isn't likely to occur until the next president takes office in January.

He also said he's increasingly concerned with the mounting cost of U.S. occupation and reconstruction of Iraq, which works out to roughly $330 million per day.

”It's a shocking amount of money and at a time when we're concerned about our ability to compete in a global economy,“ he said.

Chandler, a member of the House appropriations committee's subcommittee for State Department and foreign operations funding, traveled to Ramadi and Baghdad on Saturday with four members of Arkansas' congressional delegation and Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Bishop of New York.

In addition to meeting with troops and surveying the region, the group met with Gen. David Petraeus and Lt. Gen. Lloyd Austin, who is commanding general of the multinational force in Iraq.

Chandler praised U.S. troops for being ”heroic“ in quelling sectarian violence that has flared up since U.S.-led forces invaded in 2003.

”It's unbelievable what they have had to deal with — wearing all this equipment in the heat and in dangerous circumstances where you don't know who is friend or foe,“ said Chandler, who was outfitted with a heavy flak jacket for protection in what he said was 120-degree heat during his trip.

Chandler said a surge of an additional 20,000 troops last year — which he spoke against on the House floor — clearly helped conditions.

”We've done a wonderful job really in bringing more security to the country,“ he said. ”You cannot dispute the fact that it is connected with putting more troops there.“

But he said U.S. efforts might have reached the ”point of diminishing returns.“

”We've given them breathing room to stabilize their situation, and I'm not sure for the money we're spending that we can accomplish a great deal more than that,“ he said. ”Essentially we're borrowing from the Chinese in order to pay for a war that, if you look at the final outcome, it's really questionable whether we gain a thing from it.“

Big kudos to Ben.

I feel it is the responsibility of all grassroots activists and KY bloggers to criticize our own when we let us down, and praise our own when they stand up for us. To do otherwise is not only dishonest, it greatly hurts our own cause. (ahem!)

PS- I'm personally taking time out of my day to call Ben's office and thank him for these words on Iraq and the way he's conducted himself this year. I strongly encourage you to do the same.

D.C.- Phone: (202)-225-4706
Lex- Phone: (859) 219-1366
.

Ben Ray is movin' on up

Yes, Bluegrass Blogtopia uber-blogger Ben Ray is moving on from What's Required to take up shop with the Lunsford campaign as their "Net Director", or something to that effect.

Though What's Required will be missed, I'm looking forward to all of the righteous mischief that Ben will be able to cause from the belly of the beast.

Heads up, Mitch!

(And everybody pour out a little for What's Required, damnit)

A pathetic excuse

Funny. Bluegrass Report has an explanation of why all "Dillweed Detectors'" posts were deleted, and it doesn't even pass the smell test.

I have had to delete a few comments in the last couple of days because of harsh language and ultra-personal attacks, both of which will not be tolerated here. Please feel free to share your strongest opinions on any subject, but please tone down the language.

Really? Well let's look at some of the "harsh language and ultra-personal attacks" that where deleted:

All I can say is THANK GOD. There's been no where to go for months. And maybe now that there's a real Dem blog now Lunsford will quit funding the "I heart Trey Grayson" blog that we're all so sick of.

And welcome back Marcus Carey, I mean, Speaking Truth, as well. I'd buy you a beer, but....

and...

So Marc, everyone in Frankfort is guessing on your replacement. Smart money's on Greg Fischer. Confirm or deny?

Jake, while I proudly support all legislation that would protect your rights, unlike your buddies Trey and Marcus, I have no interest in sucking you. Thanks for the offer, though.

and...

Yes, its Barzun. And I agree he's a force to be reckoned with. But don't see him as a blogger. Way too busy raising millions for Obama. Hear he might be up for DNC finance chair.

and...

Kenton is right on. These guys swoon over Williams and his wittiness. Its time to end his free ride and expose his corruption.

I hope Hawkins is to Williams what Nicholas was to Fletcher.

Gee. Those don't really seem like "harsh language and ultra-personal attacks", do they?

The only logical conclusion that one can come up with is that his/her comments alone were deleted because he/she was outed as being a KDP staffer.

Embarrassing.
.

A pathetic coverup by the KDP and BGR?

Here's a doozy for you.

After Jake Payne appeared to out the KDP's Communications Director Thom Karmik as "Dillweed Detector" and "Jake heart's Trey" on the comments at Bluegrass Report and Page One, now all of "DD's" comments on Bluegrass Report have been DELETED. Repeat, all of Dillweed Detector's comments on BGR (ripping Jake Payne as being "bought off" by Trey Grayson, and saying that I am "Quasimodo" and I DARE to criticize KY Democrats) have been SCRUBBED FROM THE RECORD.

This absolutely reeks.

This absolutely destroys the credibility of both Thom Karmik (or someone else in the KDP) and Bluegrass Report. This shows that the KDP was scared to death that Jake outed him as being a pathetic anonymous troll, and also that Bluegrass Report is now such a shameless shill for the KDP that they would agree to scrub the comments so that Thom's (or whoever did them at the KDP) would disappear from the public record.

This is pathetic, and it looks REALLY bad.

It's always the cover up that gets ya, isn't it?

(you can find the cached comments that were deleted here, here, here, here. and here)

Rich is back!

Hopefully Logical Negativism gets updated regularly, he's been missed in Bluegrass Blogtopia.

I have a stalker/fan

At the so far unfortunately-humorous Bluegrass Report 2.0, I appear to have some sort of stalker who is obsessed with me. Quite literally, as he/she is tracking what city I'm currently in. And saying that I dare criticize some Democrats sometimes. And that I'm ugly or something (Quasimodo?).

High comedy. At least it's serving some purpose.

Yawn

A day after indicting great investigative reporters like John Cheves as amateurs, Bluegrass Report comes up with the self-described earth-shattering expose that David Williams is corrupt and there are shenanigans in KY Transportation contracts.

Wow.

In other news, Jim Gooch is a tool of King Coal. And the sky is blue.

John Cheves could do this blindfolded with his right arm tied behind his back before breakfast.

(and what's up with the Houchens worship?)

(and to clarify, not saying this is a bad post at all, but what's with all that ridiculous hyperbole preceding it???)

My Hannah Montana

He's back. With the "Voice of Reason".

The Good Kentuckian

I've found my new favorite blog, and it is called The Good Kentuckian.

Go there and enjoy (and yes, you will)

Go read Tom Eblen. Right Now.

And not just his latest column in the Herald Leader, but every damned day over at his blog, Bluegrass and Beyond.

This morning he has another gem on the CentrePointe debacle, drawing a BIG contrast between Dudley Webb and the future developers of Lexington's "Distillery District". After laying out the secrecy, arrogance and stubbornness of Dudley and the boys that we know oh so well, he gives a quick profile of Barry McNees and Brooke Asbell of the Distillery project to show how someone who wants our tax dollars for development is supposed to act.

In stark contrast to Webb's style is the approach being taken by Barry McNees, Brooke Asbell and their partners in the proposed Lexington Distillery District. It would create a mixed-use neighborhood of restaurants, clubs, stores, loft homes, pedestrian areas and perhaps a farmer's market or even a small showcase distillery along Manchester Street.

A century ago, the neighborhood housed three of Kentucky's biggest bourbon distilleries, the last of which shut down a generation ago. Many of the old distillery buildings remain, and there is lots of vacant space for new development.

In a presentation to the council Tuesday, Asbell said his group wants to reuse the old buildings rather than bulldoze them, to create a unique area that will bring people downtown and pay homage to Lexington's history and culture. The developers are working to integrate their plans with other nearby projects such as the Town Branch Trail and the Newtown Pike Extension's signature bridge.

Like CenterPointe, planning for the Distillery District began more than two years ago.

During that time, the Distillery District's developers have held several workshops to gather design ideas from professional and student architects and have met frequently with local leaders, surrounding neighborhoods, arts groups and other interested parties. Open community forums will be scheduled soon, after studies help firm up more project details, Asbell said.

***********

After the council briefing, Asbell described the Distillery District developers' philosophy this way: ”It's not going to work without the support of everybody. Our approach is to say, "Here's what we're planning, and we want to work with you.'“

That's a lot better than the CentrePointe approach: We know best. We don't care what you think. Here's the deal; do you want in or not?

Ouch.

Eblen's able to show that Dudley Webb is an arrogant prick without resorting to foul language and name calling like me, which is why the Herald-Leader pays him more than $3.16 a month, I'd imagine...

Eblen on target with CentrePointe again.

What Tom Eblen says.

Eblen's Bluegrass and Beyond is the place to go for CentrePoint analysis. Without the naughty words.

Anarchy at Barefoot and Progressive

I regret to inform you, dear readers, that yours truly will be out of commission until Sunday night (with the possible exception of airport blogging if my flight's delayed)

But never fear! B & P will be graced by some wonderfully shrill guest bloggers in the meantime. I expect and demand that they stir up some trouble and feed you a good diet of snark.

Until we meet again, wish me luck.

Action! Help pay for the Hillbilly's gasoline!!!

Jim Pence is, quite simply, the best political video blogger in America. Hands down. Nobody else even comes close.

He drives all over the state of Kentucky shooting videos of protests, speeches and events. But what he loves shooting the most is your every day regular Kentuckian speaking to the camera about what they believe in, and the direction that they want our state and our country to go in. This is what truly makes him invaluable to the state of Kentucky.

And Jim does this for ZERO financial compensation, and at great personal financial expense. Not only does the film equipment cost a good deal, but with gas at $4 a gallon, this hurts Jim's ability that travel the state and shoot his great political videos.

So let's all join together and help Jim defray the ridiculous costs at the pump. Throw in $5, $10, $25, $100, whatever you can give.

To donate, go to Jim's site- Hillbilly Report , and click on the donate tab in the top left.

Let's keep Jim traveling and