Other news...

With all the events of this past weekend, I got backed up in emails, very backed up. The events this past were well worth backing up my email but you can read about those events below this post.

Speaking of the leadership summitt, Evan Bayh sponsored one this past weekend for service leaders.

Bayh's press secretary Meg Keck said more than 150 high school students took part in the second annual event last year, where they met with the senator and adults service leaders.

They learn the skills and tools needed to go back to their communities and help organize more service activities, Keck said.

She said Bayh not only holds the summit to recognize the young people, but he hopes the summit will encourage them to continue to make community service a part of their lives.

"A lot of high school students are recognized for academics or athletics, but you don't hear a lot about the local community efforts that some of these students are doing, whether it's raising money for cancer research, or volunteering in a senior citizens' home or donating or collecting cans for a food pantry," Keck said. "Hopefully (the summit) will encourage more students to take part in community service activities as well."

She added the summit could also serve as a springboard for young people to enter into national service.

Many high schools and colleges now require community service as a requirement for graduation.

The event took place in Indianpolis. Leadership training is good for anyone. As an alumnus of the BBYO Chapter Leadership Training Conference (CLTC), I highly recommend any conference or seminar on leadership training. From WTHR, I learned that the event that Bayh sponsors is always on Make-a-Difference Day.

"It was mind boggling how the state and federal officials were not working together. We have always done better than that here in Indiana. I am concerned given there past performance but hopeful they have learned from their past mistakes and can do better,"

In Washington D.C., there's a tremendous amount of attention focused on Supreme Court nominee Harriett Miers. Bayh says he hasn't made up his mind.

"We just don't know nearly enough to reach an informed decision so I am reserving judgment. I will hear what she has to say and let her speak for hers."

Apparently, Georgia had to close schools on Monday and Tuesday because of the gas prices. They say that they want to save money in order to lower gas prices. Read it at the USA Today.

"If Georgians stick together, work together and conserve together we can weather whatever problems Rita brings our way with the least possible inconvenience," Perdue said.

All but four of the state's 181 school districts said they would comply with the governor's request.

One of the four, Floyd County Schools, refused to join the effort because it already planned to close for a weeklong break starting next Friday. "Closing would give us two days of school next week," district spokesman Tim Hensley said.

R.J. Kirk supported Jerry Kilgore in 2001. He now sees the light and supports Lt. Governor Tim Kaine.

Tom Vilsack stopped short of calling for a complete pull out. The same has gone for Evan Bayh, Joe Biden, John Kerry, Russ Feingold, General Wesley Clark and Hillary Clinton. The same goes for me. We have to set a time-table to pull out. We have to have an exit plan to pull out of Iraq. I was against the war, but, by G-d, I support our troops and have great respect for them. I have military veterans in my family. I always attend Veteran's Day ceremonies on campus every November 11th. I don't know where Sen. Edwards stands on this. Anybody know?

Walt Jocketty has to decide whether the Cardinals want Matt Morris back. So far, many fans I've talked with want him back.

Right fielder Larry Walker stated after the Cardinals' Game 6 loss Wednesday that he had taken his last at-bat. Left fielder Reggie Sanders left with free agency waiting, as did starting pitcher Matt Morris, second baseman Mark Grudzielanek, third baseman Abraham Nunez and relievers Julian Tavarez, Cal Eldred and Al Reyes. Backup catcher Einar Diaz and super sub John Mabry also are expected to file within two weeks of the Series' conclusion. Lefthanded reliever Ray King packed his bags after Game 6 and said several times he wants to be traded.

Wait a minute, is Evan Bayh running next year for Senate? Nope, Dick Lugar is, but one would seem to think that Bayh is with how much money he has in the bank.

Bayh's re-election fund raised $729,188 from July through September, nearly twice what Lugar raised in those months.[...]

The $7.88 million -- and growing -- in Bayh's re-election fund at the end of September can be rolled over into a presidential campaign.

Bayh also is raising money through a political action committee, which collected $1.17 million from January through June. The next disclosure report on that account isn't due until early next year.

The reports already filed show Bayh is tapping some of the same sources for both funds.

For example, developer Herb Simon and other members of his family have given $15,000 to Bayh's PAC and at least $18,000 to his re-election campaign. Robert Kaplan, vice chairman of Goldman Sachs investment firm, gave $5,000 to Bayh's PAC and $4,200 to Bayh's re-election campaign.

Matt Wyatt is a candidate for State Treasurer.

Pat Crowley's article on the Biden event last night is now up.

Biden said that if he runs for president, he intends to aggressively defend his own values as well as those of the Democratic Party.

"If I'm the nominee, Republicans will be sorry," he said. "The next Republican that tells me I'm not religious I'm going to shove my rosary beads down their throat.

"I am so sick and tired of this pontificating about us not being the party of faith," said Biden, a Roman Catholic who has served in the Senate since the Nixon administration.

Biden said that in most cases, Democrats have themselves to blame for losing in so-called red states such as Kentucky and Ohio.

"We have put up too many candidates who can't connect with middle-class Americans," he said. "In the last two (presidential elections), the Democratic Party has lost its base, the middle-class votes. People who live in working-class neighborhoods ... people who make between $50,000 and $150,000 a year and couples trying to figure out how they are going to pay tuition for their kids.

"And we have played into the hands of the Republicans. We've allowed so-called social issues to be so divisive."

State Sen. Julian Carroll, a Frankfort Democrat and former governor, agreed and said the party has to seek out the voters it is losing to Republican candidates.

"If we define who we are, the middle class will vote Democratic again," Carroll said.

Biden senses an opportunity for Democrats to capitalize on the low approval ratings of President Bush, Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher and Ohio Gov. Bob Taft. All three administrations are embroiled in political scandals.

"I think it becomes a question in the voters' minds of competence and management, and we have to show we can do it better," he said.

Dennis Keene now has the office where James Carr used.

Keene, meanwhile, didn't get an office with windows either. But he got the next best thing: an office across the hall from one with windows.

Unfortunately, my Wildcats lost yet again.