McConnell's bacon

Today's Herald-Leader has a good editorial about the federal money that Mitch likes to brag about bringing to Kentucky:

McConnell claims that he brought $500 million to Kentucky last year. (The group Taxpayers for Common Sense says it was $126 million, but give McConnell the benefit of the doubt.)

That $500 million amounts to $120 per Kentuckian.

The Iraq war so far has cost $2,100 per person, and that's rising daily. Annual interest on the national debt is $1,400 per person.

Lunsford within 2 points of McConnell

A new poll from Garin Hart Yang was released today, and it shows that McConnell is leading Lunsford by only two points:

The findings of our most recent survey, conducted earlier this week among 502 likely voters, show that Senator McConnell continues to be highly vulnerable to defeat next Tuesday, with McConnell below the important 50% mark on key measurements.

The trial heat standings show McConnell ahead by 47% to 45%, which is well within the survey’s +/-4.5% margin of error. The findings of every survey we have conducted over the past month show Senator McConnell below the magic 50% mark, and even the latest Courier-Journal survey has McConnell at 47%. For an incumbent, especially one with Mitch McConnell’s long tenure, to not garner 50%+ with five days remaining should be troubling to his campaign.

New ad round-up

A bunch of new ads for Kentucky's Senate race have hit the airwaves the past few days. Here's a sampling, for your viewing pleasure:

Lunsford Unleashes The Hounds on McConnell


Hillary for Lunsford


Lunsford on Northern Kentucky


Mitch McConnell delivers for everyone but Kentucky


Kentucky Governors for Bruce Lunsford

Lunsford: Kentucky needs a new voice

Bruce Lunsford penned a guest column in yesterday's Enquirer. Here's an excerpt:

Under Bush-McConnell "leadership," we are stuck in a war that has already cost Kentuckians more than $2,100 each. And thanks to Bush-McConnell "leadership," each Kentuckian will pay more than $2,300 as part of the $700 billion Wall Street bailout.

For too long, we have allowed Washington politicians to mortgage America's future through economic policies that benefit their wealthy and corporate contributors, while we re-elect them after they tout a project or two that they got funding for. It's their job to bring our tax money back home. I will bring our tax dollars back, but I will also push for different economic priorities.

Instead of tax incentives for companies to ship American jobs to China, we should give tax incentives to small businesses. Instead of protecting tax cuts for millionaires, we should give tax cuts to middle-class families struggling in today's economy. I want to balance the budget, pay down the debt and get our economy back on track.

Click here to read the entire piece.

Mitch should demand Stevens' expulsion

Bruce Lunsford issued the following statement regarding the conviction of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK):

"Ted Stevens has been convicted of a felony and could be serving jail time by next year. He should be expelled from the Senate. Mitch McConnell is the Leader of his party and should take the lead on demanding his expulsion. At a time when Americans have lost faith in Washington, it is simply not acceptable for the Senate to embrace with open arms a Senator who has been convicted by a jury of his peers of seven felony counts. Ted Stevens is now barred by Alaska law from voting in elections because he is a felon - how could Mitch McConnell support letting him vote on matters of our economy and foreign policy?"

Stevens, the Senate's longest-serving Republican, was found guilty yesterday on seven counts of lying about gifts he received from wealthy oil contractors.

H-L endorses Lunsford

The Herald-Leader has endorsed Bruce Lunsford for US Senate:

Economic anxiety is running high. Voters need to hear McConnell's ideas for rebuilding the economy.

But the only message coming from his camp is more of the same: Maintain tax policies that redistribute wealth to the super rich. Stay in a war that's draining taxpayers and burying them in debt. Ignore global warming and drill for more oil. Continue to let health care and insurance costs strangle the economy.

Lunsford has better ideas. He would let the Bush tax cuts for the top income brackets expire and, instead, target tax cuts at working Americans and to spur job creation. He calls for developing a "blue plate special" health plan so all Americans, especially kids, can be insured. He says the government should pool its buying power to lower health care costs. He wants to make preschool available to all kids.

C-J profiles Bruce Lunsford

Today's Courier-Journal contains a profile on Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford. Here's an excerpt:

Lunsford is rich but says government has catered too much to his kind.

"Mitch McConnell believes that if you take care of the wealthy, they will take care of everybody else," Lunsford said. "I believe if you take care of everybody else, they will take care of the wealthy."

He blames the current economic crisis in part on the costs of the war in Iraq and on tax cuts for the "ultra-wealthy."

Jack Westwood: Sending KY Dollars to Indiana

Here's the new ad from Kathy Groob:

Kathy Groob exposes Jack Westwood's excess

Here's a press release just issued by Kathy Groob for State Senate:

Groob Calls on Westwood to Explain Excessive Travel on Taxpayer's Dime

While Kentucky continues to experience an economic downturn, Jack Westwood has continued to travel on junkets across the country at taxpayer expense. "While Jack Westwood calls himself a fiscal conservative, he's been spending an excessive amount of taxpayer dollars on trips to conferences," said Kathy Groob. "The average number of legislator trips is a couple or three per year and Jack Westwood took eight trips in 2007. It looks to me that Jack Westwood has taken every perk he can while Kentucky's economy is in decline."

Westwood's eight trips in 2007 were to places like Amelia Island, Boca Raton, Hilton Head and Orlando. Westwood has spent 156 days in out-of-state conferences and has taken 41 legislative trips during his tenure in the Senate. Taxpayers pay legislators salaries for attending conferences along with reimbursement for airfare, hotels and meals.

Westwood has received $48,577 in travel salary and expense reimbursement while serving in the Senate. This is in addition to the normal legislator salary received for serving in an official capacity.

18 of Westwood’s out-of-state trips were to ExxonMobil-funded American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) conferences.

Westwood’s most expensive trip was to Seattle in 2004 for the American Legislative Exchange Council’s seven-day conference. That trip cost taxpayers $3,302.44. The American Legislative Exchange Council is not part of the bi-partisan National Conference of State Legislators but rather is a right-wing conservative organization that pushes legislation that favors big business and rollbacks to environmental regulations. ALEC is one of the most well-funded industry front groups with annual revenues in excess of $5 million. Westwood has attended 18 ALEC conferences since 1999.

Campaign finance watchdog organizations have said that ALEC promotes legislation to benefit its corporate sponsors. Since 1998, ALEC has received over $1,245,700 from ExxonMobil to help weaken environmental regulation and stifle efforts to deal with climate change.

'We need change now more than ever'

Bruce Lunsford released a new ad today. Here it is for your viewing pleasure:

More endorsements

A couple more endorsements have been announced. First, CityBeat has endorsed Bruce Lunsford for US Senate:

A former member of the National Guard and Army Reserves, Lunsford stakes much of his campaign on redeploying the U.S. military from Iraq to Afghanistan to secure nuclear stockpiles there and in Pakistan and on supporting the troops with proper equipment and planning. His years in the health care business provide real-world experience that should benefit the Democrats’ push for better health care coverage under a President Obama. The same can be said for how his experience as an entrepreneur should benefit the new administration’s efforts to fix and grow the economy.

A Lunsford win in Kentucky not only removes the obstructionist McConnell but will go a long way to helping Obama and the Democratic Congress turn the country around on the economy, the Middle East, health care, alternative energy and other critical issues.

CityBeat also endorses Michael Kelley for Congress:

Given Kelley’s limited resources and experience, we were inclined to offer no endorsement in this race at first. But after learning that Davis launched an anti-Kelley Web site to ridicule his background and values and then refused to debate Kelley, thinking he was entitled to the 4th District seat without any questions asked, we changed our minds.

And today, the Enquirer endorsed Kathy Groob for State Senate:

Vision and leadership motivate us to endorse Democrat Kathy Groob for a hotly contested seat for the Kentucky State Senate in Kenton County.

Groob, vice president of marketing for the Paul Hemmer Companies in Fort Mitchell, is challenging incumbent Republican Jack Westwood in the 23rd District, which covers a large part of Kenton County from the riverfront south. When you look around the district, the region and the state, it's obvious that more ideas and more focus are needed in the Kentucky Legislature. Otherwise, the state budget will remain a mess, schools will not get to the next level and Kentucky will never drag itself out of the lower tier of states in economic development.

...It's all part of a bigger picture, and Groob seems like the better-qualified painter.

Kathy Groob to debate tomorrow

KYPost.com has the story:

The two candidates for the 23rd State Senate District will debate Thursday, Oct. 23, at 7:30 p.m. at the Elsmere Senior Citizens Center, 179 Dell St., Elsmere, Ky.

...The Center for Civic Engagement’s director Mark Neikirk, will moderate the 45-minute debate between incumbent Republican Jack Westwood and Democrat Kathy Groob.

Please attend if you can, and show Kathy that she can count on your support. Here's a map to the event:


View Larger Map

Also, if you haven't volunteered for Kathy, please do so now. Election Day will be here before you know it, and we need everybody to help out as much as possible in these final days of the campaign. To volunteer, please contact Sarah Bailey at (859) 250-7932 (or at sarah@KathyGroob.com).

Democrats storm the airwaves

A slew of new ads were released today, making the case for voting Mitch McConnell out of office. Check them out!

Lunsford catches Mitch

The latest Survey USA poll shows that Bruce Lunsford has caught up with Mitch McConnell:

In an election for US Senator from Kentucky today, 10/21/08, two weeks until votes are counted, incumbent Republican Mitch McConnell and Democrat Bruce Lunsford are tied, 48% each, according to a SurveyUSA poll conducted for WHAS-TV Louisville and WLEX-TV Lexington. In a SurveyUSA poll released in August, McConnell led by 12. Today he leads by zero. Women have rallied to Lunsford, who once trailed by 11 but now leads by 11. Among seniors, Lunsford had trailed by 14, now leads by 6. In Western KY, McConnell had led by 20, now by 4. In North Central KY, McConnell had led by 14, now by 1. In Eastern KY, McConnell had led by 26, now trails by 5.

This is great news. Please help put Bruce over the top. Contact Nick Lepham at (859) 261-2078 (or at NLepham@KyDemocrat.com) to volunteer for Bruce Lunsford!

Lunsford on Northern Kentucky

Bruce Lunsford just released this ad on Northern Kentucky:

KDP Election Protection Hotline Goes Live

Today, the KDP issued this press release:

This year more than ever Democrats need to stay vigilant to protect every Kentuckian's right to vote. A record turnout is likely here in Kentucky and across the country, with more new voters casting a ballot than ever before; and the media is filled with stories about Republican efforts to block new voters and discard Democratic ballots. There have also been questions raised about Kentucky's preparedness for the large turnout.

In order to guarantee that the voting process is accessible to and inclusive of all eligible voters on November 4, the Kentucky Democratic Party will once again provide an Election Protection Hotline staffed by attorneys and volunteers. Voters can call 1-888-4KYVOTE (1-888-459-8683) to learn more about their rights, report problems and get answers on Election Day.

The fundamental right to vote needs to be protected. This hotline, and the attorneys and citizens who staff it, will ensure that every Kentuckian has their rights protected at the polls.

The Election Protection staff will work to ensure that ballots are available to all registered voters, that polls open and close on time, and will serve to reassure voters that they cannot be intimidated when they exercise their right.

If you are an Attorney interested in serving as a member of the Election Protection team please contact the Kentucky Democratic Party.

C-J endorses Lunsford

The Courier-Journal has endorsed Bruce Lunsford for US Senate:

An old political adage holds that a member of the U.S. House is a local official who happens to work in Washington, but a senator is a national figure who is chosen in one state.

It is through this lens, focused on the troubled state of the nation, that we hope voters will view this year's Senate race in Kentucky.

And it is with the country's best interests as the top objective that we endorse Bruce Lunsford, the Democratic challenger, to be Kentucky's next senator.

Senate race round-up

Kentucky's Senate race is really heating up. Here's a round-up of recent stories...

The Wall Street Journal ran an article highlighting Mitch's increasing vulnerability:

One sign of how bad things are for Republicans this year is the suddenly tough re-election campaign of Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Senate's top Republican, running in a state that is usually a GOP stronghold.

A few weeks ago, Sen. McConnell seemed a shoo-in for a fifth term, with polls giving him a double-digit lead over an unpopular challenger. But two weeks of worsening economic news -- and the unpopularity of the $700 billion rescue package he helped push through Congress -- are unsettling races where Republican incumbents once were thought to be safe.

...What's especially telling is that Sen. McConnell is attempting to run from the party he helps lead, even while bragging about his clout.

CityBeat also wrote up an article on the campaign:

Being in touch with what people need and want is a key message for Lunsford. Concerns about fuel costs — recently joined by concerns about the economy, rapidly shrinking retirement savings, the undue influence of corporate interests and the current economic meltdown — have turned voters into victims, he says.

“We have a country today that 25 years ago had usury laws,” Lunsford says. “The reason we had usury laws was to keep stuff like this from happening. Today you have an open sea that says, ‘Do as you wish.’ We have taken all of the regulation out of the financial industry, whether it’s pay-day lending, whether it’s credit cards, whether it’s banking.”

...“My children and my grandchildren are going to have to pay for my generation because we’ve been selfish. No one is more of a poster boy of that than Mitch McConnell. He and (President) Bush, for the last eight years, have created irreparable damage to our country from a world-view standpoint and an economic standpoint.”

The Courier-Journal published an editorial on Mitch's latest outrageous attack on Lunsford:

The new Mitch McConnell ad disparages Valor, but with no documentation, on screen or off, and provides no details about the case in question. If there is documentation, the McConnell campaign had a responsibility to share it with voters and not withhold it for use as a gotcha once the issue of verification was raised. All that's been offered so far is a statement from the widow -- unsigned. The ad's creators knew that Valor is barred by federal privacy laws from defending itself against a smear by discussing an individual case.

Unfortunately, this is only the latest example of McConnell TV spots that have been false and/or deceptive, including clearly untrue claims that Mr. Lunsford was responsible for the run-up in gasoline prices and that he doesn't live in Kentucky. Then came the repudiation of the first Valor Healthcare spot, which tried to suggest that 83-year-old Navy veteran Adolfo Piña was dissatisfied with the care the company provided him.

Unhappy about being misrepresented, Mr. Piña explained, "Valor clinic is doing very good for me here in Texas City. They're doing a good job by taking care of our needs. They're taking very good care of my needs, and I'm just one of thousands of veterans of World War II. The McConnell people interviewed me and took my words out of context. And I don't appreciate that. They did exactly what I told them not to do."

Lunsford's new ad addresses McConnell's false attacks:



Mitch is obviously feeling the heat. Please help Bruce Lunsford win in November!

Only 3 weekends left before Election Day!

There are only three more weekends to go before the elections, and several of our Democratic candidates are ramping up their efforts to turn out voters. If you haven't volunteered to help yet, please do so now -- we need everybody's help in these last few weeks.

Here are some folks to contact if you'd like to volunteer your time:

Bruce Lunsford for US Senate
Contact Nick Lepham
(859) 261-2078
NLepham@KyDemocrat.com

Kathy Groob for State Senate
Contact Sarah Bailey
(859) 250-7932
sarah@KathyGroob.com

Merrick Krey for State Representative
Contact Jenny Jameson
(859) 391-9395
jenny.lynn.jameson@gmail.com

Lunsford: Middle class being squeezed

Today, Bruce Lunsford issued this press release:

Lunsford Ad Calls For Middle Class Solutions
Says Key to Improving Economy is Cutting Taxes for Families, Small Businesses not Millionaires and Special Interests

LOUISVILLE – Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Bruce Lunsford talks straight to the camera in his latest TV ad, saying “there’s a problem in Washington” and calling for policies that strengthen the middle class.

“While the middle class is being squeezed,” Lunsford says in the spot, “Mitch McConnell has been giving tax breaks to big oil companies and the wealthiest Americans. I have a different idea. Instead of cutting taxes for Big Oil and millionaires, I want to cut taxes for middle class families and small businesses. That’s what people need.”

24 year incumbent Mitch McConnell, who has taken more than $4.3 million from Wall Street and raised $3 million from Big Oil, is widely seen as President Bush’s enabler on everything from energy policy to financial deregulation. The Bush-McConnell economic policies, which favor the wealthy and special interests over middle class Americans, are viewed as the major causes of the current economic crisis.

“This ad highlights the key difference between Bruce Lunsford and Mitch McConnell,” said Lunsford spokesman Cary Stemle. “Lunsford grew up on a working farm in Northern Kentucky and paid his own way through college. He knows how tough it is to make ends meet these days and wants to provide hardworking Kentucky families and small businesses with the tax cuts they need. Mitch McConnell on the other hand has taken millions of dollars from the special interests and fights for their agenda. After 24 years in Washington, Mitch McConnell is not on our side. We need change now more than ever.”

The ad begins airing statewide today on broadcast and cable television.

Pol Watchers upgrades Kathy Groob's race

Pol Watchers, the Herald-Leader's political blog, has updated their "Top 10 interesting races with 3 weeks to go." Kathy Groob, running for the 23rd Senate District, has been upgraded one spot to #4:

4. 23rd State Senate District: Democratic challenger Kathy Groob is the only Senate challenger to out-raise an incumbent opponent, giving some Democrats hope for an upset in this race. She pulled in $194,000 in the election, compared to $162,000 Sen. Jack Westwood of Crescent Springs raised.

Kathy is also on the air with a TV ad. Here's the ad, via YouTube:



The Democrats can take back the State Senate this year. Let's do everything we can to help elect Kathy Groob!

Democrats holding party for Krey

Courtesy of the Enquirer:

ALEXANDRIA -- Campbell County Democrats are hosting a Monday night gathering for statehouse candidate Merrick Krey.

The event is 5-9 p.m. at VFW Post 3025 on U.S. 27. Food and drinks will be provided.

Obama in the Tri-State

Barack Obama made an appearance at Ault Park in Cincinnati today. Channel 9 reports:

Democratic presidential candidate, Senator Barack Obama was in Cincinnati Thursday afternoon speaking to a crowd of thousands in Mount Lookout.

...Senator Obama spent much of his 30 minute talk addressing how to improve the floundering economy, with tax cuts for the middle class, energy independence and fixing the broken health care system.

Senator Obama says, "My opponent talks about giving every family a tax credit for everyone to buy health care. What he doesn't say is that he'll also tax your benefits for the first time in history. Come on! That's a bait and switch. He'll give you a tax credit with one hand but he raises your taxes with the other."

Courtesy of the Obama campaign, here's an excerpt of Barack's speech:



You can view Obama's entire speech at Channel 5's website.

Veterans Object to McConnell’s Campaign Tactics

Yesterday, the KDP issued this press release:

Kentucky Veterans Object to McConnell’s Campaign Tactics
Call on McConnell to Pull His Deceptive Television Ads

LOUISVILLE, October 8, 2008 - Military veterans gathered in Louisville earlier today to denounce campaign tactics employed by Mitch McConnell, who has repeatedly used veterans to slander his opponent, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford. One veteran who appeared in a McConnell ad already spoke out against McConnell, saying his words were taken out of context; he has since appeared in an ad for Lunsford saying that "McConnell has used veterans in a very bad way."

Retired Army Officer Mike Weaver of Elizabethtown led today's press conference and expressed outrage over the politicizing of veterans. Beyond misusing veterans for political gain, McConnell has also drawn criticism from the Military Order of the Purple Heart, which has called for him to stop using the name of the organization his ads saying that the ad "violates the spirit of our bylaws."

"I'm always appalled when I see veterans used as political props," said Retired Army Officer Mike Weaver. "I'm even more appalled when the politician who uses the veterans has never shared the foxhole."

In addition to using America's veterans for his political gain, McConnell has a poor record on veterans' issues in the Senate, repeatedly voting against additional funding for veterans programs. McConnell cast the deciding vote to slash TRICARE, a program that provides healthcare to vets, and was one of only 25 senators to oppose expanding healthcare benefits for our National Guard and Reserves. Further, McConnell voted against funding to treat post-traumatic stress disorder; was one of 22 senators to vote against education benefits for America's fighting men and women; and voted against providing more downtime between deployments.

Retired Marine Abe Pena also spoke today and expressed a similar sentiment as Weaver. "Mitch McConnell has turned his back on Kentucky's veterans for too long," said Abe Pena. "Whether it's opposing a new GI Bill to expand educational opportunities for our returning troops or voting against increased funding for veterans health care, Mitch McConnell has proven that he is not on our side. Kentucky's veterans need change."

McConnell is uniquely unqualified to speak about veterans' issues considering that his own active duty lasted all of six weeks before he used political connections to expedite a medical discharge for a temporary medical condition during the Vietnam War.

For the full story, visit KentuckyTruth.com.

Wanted: Mitch McConnell

The DSCC just put out a new ad on Mitch McConnell. Check it out!

Kathy Groob's race named 'one to watch'

Pol Watchers, the Herald-Leader's political blog, yesterday released their list of "10 Kentucky races to watch." Kenton County's own Kathy Groob made the #5 slot:

5. 23rd State Senate District: Republican state Sen. Jack Westwood of Crescent Spring faces a rematch from 2004 with Kathy Groob, a Democratic activist with a public relations background. Gov. Steve Beshear has been in Northern Kentucky to campaign with Groob, but the area remains conservative.

Let's show the rest of Kentucky that Kenton County is no conservative bastion. Help elect Kathy Groob to the State Senate!

Merrick Krey, Kathy Groob on TV tomorrow

Democratic candidate for State Representative Merrick Krey will be attending a forum tomorrow night from 7:30 till 8:00. The forum, which will feature Krey debating his opponent Adam Koenig, will be moderated by the Enquirer's Pat Crowley and will air on Insight Channel 15.

Immediately following at 8:00, Democratic candidate for State Senate Kathy Groob will be facing off against her Republican opponent, Jack Westwood.

For those who don't have Insight cable, NKY.com plans to stream the event as well. Please tune in!

McConnell declines to debate Lunsford

From the Bruce Lunsford campaign:

McConnell Turns Down Centre College Debate
Decision Comes Shortly After He Rejected Offers From KET, League of Women Voters

LOUISVILLE - Just a few days after telling the League of Women Voters that Mitch McConnell "just isn't interested" in its debate and saying essentially the same thing to Kentucky Educational Television, the McConnell campaign has now said he won't accept a debate offer from Centre College. Centre College had proposed a debate between McConnell and his Democratic challenger, Bruce Lunsford, on October 26th. McConnell has cited scheduling conflicts as the reason for refusing to debate Bruce Lunsford. Which begs the question: What is on Mitch McConnell's schedule that prevents him from debating Bruce Lunsford before the voters of Kentucky?

"After we heard he turned down the League of Women Voters and KET debates, we challenged Mitch McConnell to come out from behind the curtain and let a broad audience of Kentuckians judge his record for themselves," Lunsford spokesman Cary Stemle said. "You'd think someone who's been in Washington for 24 years would have the courage to defend his record, but with each successive rejection, it appears he is determined to keep hiding behind false, negative attacks."

McConnell’s Ties to Wall Street Crisis

Bruce Lunsford issued this press release today:

New Lunsford Ad Exposes McConnell’s Ties to Wall Street Crisis
McConnell, Who Has Taken More Than $4 Million From Wall Street, Shares Responsibility for Financial Mess

LOUISVILLE – The latest ad from Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford pins the need for the recent Wall Street bailout to career politicians like Mitch McConnell who are beholden to special interests.

“A $700 billion bailout for Wall Street. How did we get into this mess?” a female narrator asks before answering the question. “Career politicians like Mitch McConnell.” The ad notes that McConnell took more than $4 million in campaign cash from the Wall Street financial industry, “got rid of the government regulations they didn’t like and let the billionaires and CEOs stuff their pockets with cash” while taxpayers are left to pay the bill.

“The financial meltdown is the direct result of eight years of Bush-McConnell economics,” Lunsford spokesman Cary Stemle said. “McConnell’s fingerprints are all over this crisis, which is nowhere near its conclusion, and he must be held accountable. After 24 years, it’s time to elect leaders who won’t pander to the Wall Street special interests. Kentucky needs change.”

The ad will air on television statewide starting today.

Lunsford hits back at McConnell

Bruce Lunsford's new ad takes Mitch to task over his exploitation of a WWII veteran. Check it out:

C-J: Mitch should debate

Today's Courier-Journal says that Mitch McConnell should be willing to debate Bruce Lunsford:

Mitch McConnell wraps himself in the mantle of an illustrious predecessor in the U.S. Senate -- Henry Clay. In the Senate chamber he has been assigned Mr. Clay's desk. In Mr. McConnell's office, a National Gallery portrait of his hero, the Great Compromiser, stares down.

Like Mr. Clay, Mitch McConnell is wily and tough and powerful. But in this year's re-election campaign, he has missed an opportunity to show some of the Clay courage. He turned down not only a debate with Democratic challenger Bruce Lunsford that would have been broadcast statewide by Kentucky Educational Television but also a televised debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters.

This eliminated the best opportunities for a broad public airing of the issues in the Senate race.

The Courier-Journal's Al Cross adds this:

[Voters] deserve a chance to hear McConnell and Lunsford debate the real issues, but the senator has rejected KET's longstanding invitation for the only statewide debate on television, which would be held Oct. 27, eight days before the election. He says he has a scheduling conflict, but won't say what it is. That doesn't wash.

Mud and Mitch

Yesterday's Courier-Journal called out Mitch McConnell over his dishonest campaign tactics:

A very angry 83-year-old Navy veteran says Mitch McConnell took his comments about Valor Healthcare out of context and misused them.

Adolfo Pina explains that "McConnell used us veterans in a very wrong way" in political commercial attacking Democratic challenger Bruce Lunsford, who invested in Valor and remains on its board after a term as chairman and CEO.

Mr. Pina, who served in the Pacific, says, "Valor clinic is doing very good for me here in Texas City. They're doing a good job by taking care of our needs. They're taking very good care of my needs, and I'm just one of thousands of veterans of World War II. The McConnell people interviewed me and took my words out of context. And I don't appreciate that. They did exactly what I told them not to do."

Click here to read the entire editorial.

McConnell Campaign Admits Deception

Bruce Lunsford issued this press release today:

McConnell Campaign Admits Deception of WWII Veteran
McConnell campaign quietly reworks advertisement

LOUISVILLE – Today Mitch McConnell’s campaign silently acknowledged it wrongly used the words of Adolfo Piña, a WWII Navy veteran, for use in its political advertisement. Last week, McConnell released an ad trying to smear Valor Healthcare and Bruce Lunsford by using Adolfo Piña’s comments out of context. After Piña said McConnell’s campaign deceived him by misusing his statements in McConnell’s ad, McConnell released a new version of the ad, this time without Piña.

“Mitch McConnell is back on the attack again, telling more lies,” said Lunsford campaign spokesman Cary Stemle. “At a time when our country faces a real crisis, McConnell confirms how desperate he is to hold onto power. Kentuckians deserve better.”

To check out the real story on Valor Healthcare and Bruce Lunsford, visit www.valortruth.com

Valor, which serves more than 57,000 veterans at 15 clinics in nine states, was started by veterans for veterans and has received widespread praise for its services since it opened four years ago.

McConnell's 4th entry into Hall of Shame

This came out today from the DSCC:

When Republican Mitch McConnell approved his latest campaign ad, he sank to a new low.

We’re awarding McConnell an unprecedented fourth spot in our Hall of Shame for his disgusting decision to rip a World War II veteran’s comments out of context and twist them into a false political attack.

Adolfo Piña, a Navy veteran who served his country in World War II, says his words were wrongly used by Mitch McConnell’s campaign in ads attacking the care at Valor Healthcare clinics. Piña appears in McConnell ads that criticize Valor Healthcare, a company that contracts with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide cutting edge medical care to nearly 60,000 veterans across the country.

But Piña, who fought with the Navy in the Pacific, including several major battles in the Philippines, has high praise for Valor.

“Valor clinic is doing very good for me here in Texas City,” Piña says. “They’re doing a good job by taking care of our needs, they’re taking very good care of my needs and I’m just one of the thousands of veterans of World War II. The McConnell people interviewed me and took my words out of context. And I don’t appreciate that. They did exactly what I told them not to do.”

And it’s not even the first time McConnell has been busted for tricking the people who appear in his campaign ads:

Two of three University of Louisville physicians who made videotaped statements of support for U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell last year say they didn't realize their comments would be part of a television ad for the senator's re-election campaign.

And the third says that he wouldn't have agreed to the taping had he known it would appear on McConnell's campaign Web site.

The Louisville Courier-Journal described this kind of campaign philosophy as: "Say anything you like. By the time the truth catches up with you, who cares?” And it’s clear that McConnell doesn’t care about anything except getting re-elected. This latest episode is especially shameful, even by the low standard McConnell has set for himself.

WWII Vet Responds to McConnell’s Valor Deception

Today, Bruce Lunsford issued this press release:

WWII Vet Responds to McConnell’s Valor Deception in New Lunsford Ad
Adolfo Piña ‘Very Disappointed’ After McConnell Campaign Lies About His Beliefs

LOUISVILLE – Adolfo Piña, a Navy veteran who served his country in World War II, says his words were wrongly used by Mitch McConnell’s campaign in ads attacking the care at Valor Healthcare clinics. Piña appears in McConnell ads that criticize Valor Healthcare, a company that contracts with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide cutting edge medical care to nearly 60,000 veterans across the country.

But Piña, who fought with the Navy in the Pacific, including several major battles in the Philippines, has high praise for Valor.

“Valor clinic is doing very good for me here in Texas City,” Piña says. “They’re doing a good job by taking care of our needs, they’re taking very good care of my needs and I’m just one of the thousands of veterans of World War II. The McConnell people interviewed me and took my words out of context. And I don’t appreciate that. They did exactly what I told them not to do.”

Piña echoes those comments in the new ad from Bruce Lunsford, which begins airing statewide today.

“McConnell has stooped to a new low,” said Lunsford spokesman Cary Stemle. “This is the mother of all McCON jobs: He exploited our veterans for political gain, conning Adolfo Piña into appearing in an ad attacking Valor Healthcare, even though Piña is happy with his care at Valor. What kind of senator exploits our veterans for political gain? McConnell’s desire to hold onto power knows no bounds. 24 years of this is enough.”

Check out the new ad by visiting www.Bruce2008.com

To check out the real story on Valor Healthcare and Bruce Lunsford, visit www.valortruth.com

Access backup documents here.

Valor, which serves more than 57,000 veterans at 15 clinics in nine states, was started by veterans for veterans and has received widespread praise for its services since it opened nearly four years ago.

Bruce Lunsford, a successful entrepreneur, business leader and health care executive, exemplifies the American Dream. After growing up cutting tobacco on his family’s Northern Kentucky farm, Bruce went on to college at the University of Kentucky, laying blacktop as a way to help pay for his education. He then served in the U.S. Army Reserves and as Kentucky’s Commerce Secretary before starting a business with 3 people and growing it to employ over 62,000 people. As Kentucky’s next U.S. Senator, Bruce will fight to make the American Dream more accessible to Kentuckians from all walks of life.

H-L: Mitch has 'political laryngitis'

Today's Herald-Leader editorializes on Mitch McConnell's sudden reluctance to debate Bruce Lunsford:

Students of politics have swooned over Republicans for years for their ability to stay on message.

So, what happens when they don't have a message, or the message ("Yeah, we pushed deregulating financial markets for years and this is where we are and, by the way, our party has one of the most unpopular presidents in history in the White House.") is too dreadful to discuss?

...our own Sen. Mitch McConnell has declined to participate in an Oct. 7 League of Women Voters debate against his opponent, businessman Bruce Lunsford. Two recent polls show McConnell and Lunsford essentially tied for voter support.

Click here to read the entire editorial.