Apology Accepted

Newer readers may be confused but you only have to turn time back to last Tuesday's David Hawpe column before reading his column today. I have the impression that he is apologizing.

Recently, I beat on Jack Conway for not volunteering to take on U.S. Rep. Anne Northup next year. I thought 3rd District voters deserved a real congressional race in which to hear issues debated and see personalities tested.

The basic criticism was justified, but I shouldn't have suggested that he had got the vapors and repaired to a fainting couch. If I had owned the Healing Drum Kit, with its "quality, environmentally friendly 10-inch REMO frame drum made from recycled materials," on which to unload my aggression, I might have avoided sounding like a jerk.

In a subsequent column, I beat on Daniel Solzman, publisher of a Democratic blog, for promoting Dan Borsch, president of Louisville-Jefferson County Young Democrats, as a potential Northup opponent.

In an effort to suggest, humorously, that Borsch is not widely known, I compared him to Rex the Wonder Donkey. That provoked complaints from youngish Democratic types like Solzman, Jason French and Chris Brady.

I accept his apology and it is nice to see others stepping up to the plate.

John McCain is in Louisville tomorrow.

I should probably be taking a conflict of interest on this race but I have yet to decide whether I should or shouldn't. In any case, read Pat Crowley's article today dealing with the Kenton County Fiscal Court primary. The big thing in this case is the email records. Considering that it's about the Dean of Students, I'd say that it's an issue with regards to what goes public. I wouldn't want any personal information relased about me without my knowledge or consent. This did strike me on a personal note since I know Gabe and Gabe is a state officer of the College Democrats.

Vesper said he originally filed the request because he was told that Kelso was "intimidating" members of NKU's College Democrats organization, including President Gabe Cronon. But Cronon said Friday he has never felt intimidated by Kelso.

"Kent and I work together on a very close basis," Cronon said.

"He has never pressured or intimidated me. He's very fair."

I have nothing currently to say about that though.

The usual Bayh Watch on Sunday by Maureen Groppe.

Rank among potential Democratic candidates in National Journal survey of Democratic insiders: 4.
Support from Democratic voters surveyed by Gallup: 1 percent.
Months until first 2008 primary or caucus: 25 months.
Months until the earliest day Bayh has said he will announce whether he's running: 11.

If it's in December, I will certainly be there! I'm in the 1 percent as well except Gallop never polled me.

Money, that's what they want. No it's not Pink Floyd or the Beatles.

Redbirds devotees feel as if the winter shopping spree is going on without them, and because of the home team's frustrating inactivity, they're never quite certain whether that means Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty is the most educated consumer in baseball or just the most tightfisted one. Patience just doesn't seem to be a virtue anyone in Cardinal Nation has much stock in anymore.

The trouble, it seems, is all in the perception that the Cardinals ownership group is run by a bunch of cheapskates, or worst yet, bait-and-switch con men who keep running games on a gullible public. First they tell us that they need the new stadium so that they can spend more money on players, but just as soon as they build the new ballpark, we start hearing whispers that Bill DeWitt's ownership group is ready to cry poor mouth.

If B.B. King is ill, I didn't know about.

Some humor from Bang It Out:

Top Ten Signs you are at a Lame Chanukah Party
10. The Sfuganiot are filled with something, but it sure ain't jelly
9. You get there and it's just you, a plate of latkes, and a guy dressed up as Santa.
8. The music stops until Joe Lieberman rehits the Demo button on the Casio keyboard
7. Menorah looks alot like a bunch of flash lights duck-taped to a car bumper
6. Host generously offers his cigarette as a shamash
5. Party is dubbed 'Saddam Hussaine's Rockin' Eve'
4. Immediately after the candlelighting party breaks into a 2 hour awkward silence
3. Latkes are served in a soup bowl with a ladle
2. The guys in the room have enough grease in their hair to keep a menorah burning all year round. 1. Alas, there was not enough alcohol to last for even one night..

Another one that would offend Dobson and Falwell. Maybe O'Reilly as well?

Top Ten Signs You are Assimilating during the Holiday Season
10. You find yourself singing Shir Hamalos to the tune of Jingle Bells.
9. "Havdala on egg nog?' is a completely valid halachic question
8. Your kids ask the shul's fat yeshivish candyman for a brand new bike
7. Office christmas tree has at least one or two of your Succah decorations hanging on it
6. You call kugel, "Holiday Soufflé" and rugalach "Fruit Cake"
5. Mistletoe posted next to your Mezuzah
4. You call getting a date at Stern College, "Miracle on 34th St".
3. "B'nai Matisyahu HaKO-HO-HO-Hain"
2. You check the back of Artscroll siddur to see if you say tachnun on New Years
1. You pay retail

Rpbert Novak will join Fox News as a contributor next month.