Finishing this paper...

Now if I could get my hands on the text of a speech that former Governor/Senator/Commissioner Chandler made, life would be better. Until then, I'll be searching the internet for much of the day for a manuscript.

The New York Times reviews Neil Young Nation. Neil Young was an on-and-off member of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.

enator Chuck Schumer is very different than Governor-elect Jon Corzine. Schumer has said the DSCC is not giving any funding to Senator Ted Kennedy or Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.

By all accounts, that relentlessness is serving Schumer well as the campaign chairman, where he will quarterback the 2006 effort to attack the GOP's 55-45 advantage in the Senate. He's no Tom DeLay, but the role seems to be bringing out the Boss Chuck in Schumer, the son of an exterminator.

The senator has replaced virtually every staff member hired by his predecessor, Sen. Jon Corzine (D-N.J.), terminated consultants favored by deposed Minority Leader Tom Daschle, and demanded the right to review hirings made by committee-backed candidates.

He also informed "safe" incumbents like Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) not to expect a penny from the committee in 2006.

"If we had 58 seats, OK, we could be nice," said Schumer from his D.C. office last week. "We got our backs against the wall. This ain't beanbag."

Schumer has targeted a half-dozen vulnerable GOP incumbents who have shown weakness in recent polls: Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), Jim Talent (R-Mo.), Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.), Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) and, to a lesser extent, Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.). The committee also believes Rep. Harold Ford (D-Tenn.) has a good shot at winning the seat vacated by retiring Majority Leader Bill Frist.

(Curiously, the committee is backing off Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.), a close friend of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, even though an October Zogby poll showed Ensign in a statistical dead heat with his top Democratic challenger.)

"I think we can pick up three," Schumer says. "And there's an outside, outside, outside chance we could get the majority back."

Jack Carter, the son of former President Jimmy Carter, will be facing Senator John Ensign.

Make no mistake about it, Senator Evan Bayh is ready for 2008 with regards to fundraising.

An update on Democratic candidates in Northern Kentucky:
Tom Calme will be running for re-election for Campbell County Circuit Court clerk
John Dunn is running for re-election as Campbell County Sheriff
Jack Porter will be running for re-election for Campbell County Commonwealth's Attorney
Jack Snodgrass will be running for Campbell County Clerk
Kenton County PVA Merrick Krey is running for re-election.

There is one candidate set to announce this Tuesday. Of course, even his name is not being released as of yet.

"We're not being secretive, just timing things carefully," Groob said. "...Because of recent losses and extremely negative campaign tactics by Republicans, our recruitment efforts are difficult. However, the Republicans are having a hard time recruiting 'qualified' individuals to run for office as well. The whole tone of negativism has weakened the candidate pool."

The mysterious challenger that Democrats are putting up against Rep. Jon David Reinhardt in the 69th House District will announce his candidacy Tuesday at a pubic forum. The district includes the following precincts in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties: Bracht, Independence 3 & 8, Morningview, Nicholson #1, Piner, Richardson 1-3, Elsmere 1-5, Erlanger 1-9, Richwood (Boone), Kensington (Boone), Grants Lick (Campbell) and Claryville (Campbell).

What about Geoff Davis? Will he have any opposition?

"As for Davis, it is looking more and more doubtful that we will have a candidate in that race," Groob said.

"Democrats will only run someone who is qualified and who has the ability to raise $4 million. As of now, we don't have that person."

So does that mean that the former Miss America, Heather French Henry, is not running?

Sheriff Brad Ellsworth is a candidate for Congress. His opponent did not even bother checking in with the tornado victims.

Ellsworth, by contrast, was often the first person reporters would talk to when they arrived at the demolished Eastbrook Mobile Home Park, and he was often still there when they wrapped up their reports at night.

Although Gov. Mitch Daniels, Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman and U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh took their turns talking to the gaggle of reporters covering the tornadoes, Ellsworth was the man reporters depended on for new information on the pair of tornadoes that killed 23 people in Vanderburgh and Warrick counties.[...]

On Iraq, Clinton said he wished weapons inspectors had been given more time to do their job before the president went to war. But, he added: "What's done is done...We can't just walk away."

If the United States withdrew now, he said, Iraq almost certainly would become the terrorist haven that Bush administration officials feared when they initiated the war.

At the outset of his speech last Sunday night, Clinton seemed taken aback at the crowd's reaction.

"You guys calm down," he said before starting his speech. "You'll have me thinking I'm president again."[...]

Mel and Bren Simon -- he co-owns the Indiana Pacers, and she ran briefly for lieutenant governor as a Democrat in 2003 -- are hosting a fundraiser Monday evening for Senate Democrats. Other hosts include Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson and state Sen. Vi Simpson, D-Ellettsville.

The theme of the fundraiser?

"The Road to the Majority 2010 Begins with Victory 2006.