Bayh Media Alert

Indiana Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) will be appearing on ABC News' This Week with George Stephanopoulos on Sunday, December 3, 2006. The following blurb is from the website of the show:

SUNDAY EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., discusses the increasing violence in Iraq and his 2008 presidential ambitions.

Consult your local TV listings for the time that it airs.

Ben Chandler: A Statesman in my book

It's not just this:

Top Democrats encouraged Chandler to run for governor, he said, but after further consideration he decided it wasn't the best option.

In his view, the office of governor has been cheapened by gubernatorial pardons and cronyism during the last two administrations, Chandler said.

"I wouldn't think it would make it anymore attractive for anybody," Chandler said. "You've had a whole lot of carping down there in Frankfort, partisan bickering in one way or another."

But this:

"And let me make another thing clear: if you violate the trust of the people of Kentucky, do not expect a pardon from Ben Chandler. I pledge right here, right now never to pardon any member of my Administration or my political campaign who is convicted of violating the ethics and corruption laws of our state."

Can we get a similar pledge from all potential candidates in 2007?

Sen. Julie Denton proposes longer term

State Senator Julie Denton (R-Louisville) has prefiled Senate Bill 12, a bill to extend terms of legislators in both chambers of the General Assembly.

Introduced by Sen. Julie Denton on January 2, 2007, to place on the ballot an amendment to Sections 30 and 31 of the Kentucky Constitution to extend the terms of State Representatives from two to four years and State Senators from four to six years beginning in 2008.

Here's the web version of the actual bill itself.

I am in agreement with both David Adams and Mark Nickolas of what is needed.

Jonathan Miller-Jack Conway 2007?

Mark Hebert reports that Jonathan Miller and Jack Conway are still in talks. This is good news. I have said before that next to Abramson/Luallen ticket, the best one we have is a Miller/Conway ticket. Both have a proven fundraising record and Miller has won in two previous statewide elections while Conway lost in a very close congressional election. I stand to the fact that if the Patton affair never broke, we would have just elected Jack Conway back to Washington for a third term.

put together an alternative ticket. No deal has been struck so Chandler finally decided to jump out of the fray, make his official announcement, and let fellow democrats figure out who's running.

This is what Jack Conway told me Thursday afternoon about his chances of running: He's still weighing his options, one of which involves Jonathan Miller. Conway says he expects to talk to Miller in the next few days about a possible Conway-Miller or Miller-Conway ticket. The problem is figuring out who would run at the top of the ticket. Neither man wants to be No. 2. As Conway accurately assesses it "he's won statewide races but I've been in an $8 million dollar campaign." Conway says there's a good argument for either man heading the ticket and he thinks Kentuckians could get excited about he and Miller running together. Conway says "we're very close on most issues," but he wonders how their personalities might mesh. That's why Conway is hoping he and Miller will get together over the weekend. He wouldn't comment on other potential running mates, saying the situation is still "fluid."

2007: Peppy Martin to run as Democrat

Peppy Martin, the 1999 Republican candidate for governor, will file to run as a Democrat in the 2007 gubernatorial primary.

No word yet on her running mate.

Jonathan Miller seriously considers Governor's race

This was posted at the campaign blog of The Forward:

Jewish Pol Has Name in Hat for Governor’s Race
Kentucky State Treasurer Jonathan Miller told the Forward yesterday that he is “seriously” considering a run for Governor.

Miller, 38, is one of several young-gun candidates that have emerged since the state’s more prominent Dems – including former Gov. Brereton Jones and U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler – have said they plan to sit out next year’s race.

According to Miller, who spoke to the Forward before an address at the National Arts Club yesterday, Kentucky Democrats are currently negotiating in an attempt to unite behind a consensus candidate and avoid a divisive primary race. He expected the decision to come in the next few days.

The eventual Democratic candidate will take on Governor Ernie Fletcher, who in 2003 was elected as the Kentucky’s first Republican governor in 32 years, but has since been plagued by a hiring scandal and low approval ratings.

Miller was in New York to promote his new book, “The Compassionate Community: Ten Values to United America,” and said that the trip was cut down from two days to a quick fly-in-fly-out due to the governor’s race negotiations.

2007: Ben Chandler makes official decision

This deserved a post of it's own.

Chandler Makes Announcement Regarding Political Future

LEXINGTON, KY (November 30, 2006) Congressman Ben Chandler will stay in Congress and will not run for Governor in 2007. Long and careful consideration with his family and friends across Kentucky led to this decision.

"On November 7th, more than 158,000 voters in the Sixth Congressional District elected me for the third time to represent them in Washington. I am humbled by the support of the voters of Central Kentucky, and I intend to honor their support by giving my full commitment to the job I was elected to do.

"I am proud of what I have accomplished in just a few short years in Congress. I don't believe I should leave after only three years in Congress, at a time when I am just beginning to gain some experience in this job. Now, with rising seniority and a Democratic majority, I have the opportunity to do so much more for my constituents and for the people of Kentucky.

"Kentucky needs progressive leadership in Washington. Leaders willing to be forward-thinking on matters such as the environment and alternative energy. Leaders willing to make investments in education and in promising new technology in areas such as stem cell research. That's the kind of leader I want to be for Kentucky in Washington.

"The Governor's office will always have a special appeal to me. I feel an incredible sense of duty and respect for that office; however, now is not the right time for me to run for Governor.

"There is no question that there is a critical need for a change of leadership in Frankfort next year. I am eagerly committed to electing a Democratic ticket that will provide real hope and leadership for all Kentuckians. Kentucky deserves and demands better, and I will do everything I can to help bring needed change.

"I love our Commonwealth and feel so fortunate that the voters in the Sixth Congressional District trust me to serve them in Congress at such an important juncture in our nation's history. I look forward to continuing my work in Congress under new leadership that will bring a new direction for our state and our country."

Taking issue with President Jimmy Carter

As I glanced online this morning at the Courier-Journal's website, I cannot help but think how much my opinion of former President Jimmy Carter has changed iver the years. First and foremost, I will not read his new book at all nor will I be at the book signing at Sam's Club in Jeffersontown tonight.

The Zionist Organization of America has condemned the new book as being "inaccurate, shallow, and vicious."

Carter: “The overriding problem is that for more than a quarter of a century, the actions of some Israeli leaders have been in direct conflict the official positions of the United States, the international community, and their own negotiated agreements. ... Israel’s continued control and colonization of Palestinian land have been the primary obstacles to a comprehensive peace agreement in the Holy Land.”
Fact: Judea and Samaria are historically, legally and religiously Jewish land and form part of territory originally earmarked for a Jewish state by the League of Nations. There has never been a Palestinian Arab state in these areas, despite offers to establish one in 1937, 1948 and 2000 and Israel won Judea and Samaria in the 1967 war of self-defense. This land was no-one’s sovereign territory and had been illegally occupied and annexed by Jordan in 1948. When under Arab control, no Palestinian state was set up there. Jews have more right to live in Judea and Samaria than any other people.

Carter: Palestinian Arabs have long supported a two-state solution and the Israelis have always opposed it.
Fact: The 1937 Peel Commission partition plan, the 1947 UN partition plan and the 2000 peace plan all proposed a Palestinian state alongside a Jewish state. Palestinians rejected all three.

Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz had a piece in the New York Sun where he was strongly critical of the Carter book.

Sometimes you really can tell a book by its cover. President Jimmy Carter's decision to title his new anti-Israel screed "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid" (Simon & Schuster, 288 pages, $27) tells it all. His use of the loaded word "apartheid," suggesting an analogy to the hated policies of South Africa, is especially outrageous, considering his acknowledgment buried near the end of his shallow and superficial book that what is going on in Israel today "is unlike that in South Africa—not racism, but the acquisition of land." Nor does he explain that Israel's motivation for holding on to land it captured in a defensive war is the prevention of terrorism. Israel has tried, on several occasions, to exchange land for peace, and what it got instead was terrorism, rockets, and kidnappings launched from the returned land.

In fact, Palestinian-Arab terrorism is virtually missing from Mr. Carter's entire historical account, which blames nearly everything on Israel and almost nothing on the Palestinians. Incredibly, he asserts that the initial violence in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict occurred when "Jewish militants" attacked Arabs in 1939. The long history of Palestinian terrorism against Jews — which began in 1929, when the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem ordered the slaughter of more than 100 rabbis, students, and non-Zionist Sephardim whose families had lived in Hebron and other ancient Jewish cities for millennia — was motivated by religious bigotry. The Jews responded to this racist violence by establishing a defense force. There is no mention of the long history of Palestinian terrorism before the occupation, or of the Munich massacre and others inspired byYasser Arafat. There is not even a reference to the Karine A, the boatful of terrorist weapons ordered by Arafat in January 2002.

Mr. Carter's book is so filled with simple mistakes of fact and deliberate omissions that were it a brief filed in a court of law, it would be struck and its author sanctioned for misleading the court. Mr. Carter too is guilty of misleading the court of public opinion. A mere listing of all of Mr. Carter's mistakes and omissions would fill a volume the size of his book. Here are just a few of the most egregious:

Mr. Carter emphasizes that "Christian and Muslim Arabs had continued to live in this same land since Roman times," but he ignores the fact that Jews have lived in Hebron, Tzfat, Jerusalem, and other cities for even longer. Nor does he discuss the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Jews from Arab countries since 1948.[...]

"Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid" is so biased that it inevitably raises the question of what would motivate a decent man like Jimmy Carter to write such an indecent book. Whatever Mr. Carter's motives may be, his authorship of this ahistorical, one-sided, and simplistic brief against Israel forever disqualifies him from playing any positive role in fairly resolving the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. That is a tragedy because the Carter Center, which has done much good in the world, could have been a force for peace if Jimmy Carter were as generous in spirit to the Israelis as he is to the Palestinians.

I agree with the point of view of Prof. Dershowitz and I have yet to read the book. I can tell by the title that it's not one I would agree with.

In other news, Congressman Duncan Hunter plans to formalize his presidential candidacy soon.

Outgoing Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack is announcing his presidential candidacy today.

I'm watching the ADC conference on C-SPAN2 and they are talking with media strategists representing potential 2008 candidates. Doug Sosnik suggested the biggest endorsements are those of the local community leaders. Jim Jordan said that Dean had widespread online support but his campaign still crashed and burned--he said John Sweeney's endorsement of a candidate would be huge. Steve Murphy agrees, though he would advise his candidate to go after the netroots.

The Democratic members of Congress have rejected a key issue of the 9/11 commission recommendations.

It was a solemn pledge, repeated by Democratic leaders and candidates over and over: If elected to the majority in Congress, Democrats would implement all of the recommendations of the bipartisan commission that examined the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

But with control of Congress now secured, Democratic leaders have decided for now against implementing the one measure that would affect them most directly: a wholesale reorganization of Congress to improve oversight and funding of the nation's intelligence agencies. Instead, Democratic leaders may create a panel to look at the issue and produce recommendations, according to congressional aides and lawmakers.

Al Gore on The Tonight Show

Former Vice President Al Gore is on so I'll likely be blogging about important comments.

In the monologue: "It was so cold Al Gore asked me to turn up the heat."

Gore is promoting An Inconvenient Truth. Some notes:
The GQ photo was from a portfolio made for the the Ten Sexiest Men on C-SPAN.
He is in the Rin Tin Tin category
Did play a disembodied head in Futurama.
In slow motion, global warming is not as scary
"Global Warming Gone Wild" - glacier on glacier action, might be called Global Warming Uncensored
Best slide show presentation
Focusing on getting the message out as quickly as possible
He tried to call his former roommate, Tommy Lee Jones, at the Oscars but the guy backstage laughed off the comments
Skeptical it could be made into a movie.
Trying to maximize the number of folks that see it.
A producer told the Science Teachers Association about the DVDs but the corporate board had someone object (Exxon Mobile) to it. Someone made "It Can't be cool without fuel."
The evidence takes a while to sink in because of a financed effort by those wanting to confuse the people.
Other side claims it hurts the economy.
Cleaning up pollution leads to efficient products.
Utility bills lower.
Solar heating - a more serious step
#1 thing is to learn about it
Misses direct influence on policies.
Doesn't miss a lot of things about politics.
He's met good people in both professions.
Influence of money has grown to unhealthy degree.
Has had a wonderful Hollywood experience.
Leno calls politics "show business for ugly people."
Excited that Democrats are back in power.
Old environment chair was a skeptic.
Talking about Arnold getting rid of his hummer (he did an impression of Arnold)
California passed a significant state law to reduce CO2.
330 cities have embraced the Kyoto treaty.
Wal-Mart, General Electric are helping.

No direct comments on running in 2008.

Gubernatorial talk...

Here's some of the talk that's been featured on some of the prominent news blogs.

Pat Crowley blogs about a possible Owen-Miller ticket.

Louisville businessman Charlie Owen, a wealthy Dem who can finance his own campaign, has had discussions with state Treasurer Jonathan Miller about an Owen-Miller gubernatorial ticket. But Miller wants the top of the ticket. There were some dicussions about Owen possibly serving just one term, and then stepping aside for Miller to run. But no agreements have been reached. Would an Owen-Miller ticket be formidable?

Miller-Owen sounds better to me.

Here's the take from WHAS-11 political reporter Mark Hebert, and there is a running theme of nobody returning his phone calls:

Speaking of Chandler: His attempt to play kingmaker and find an alternative candidate/ticket for governor that he could endorse appears to be backfiring. We know Chandler decided over the weekend not to run for governor. His behind-the-scenes attempt to pull together a Charlie Owen-Jonathan Miller ticket has confused his fellow high ranking democrats. As one high profile elected democrat told me today "I can't believe Chandler is getting himself involved in all of this......he's just going to piss people off". And I haven't talked to a single democrat in the past two days who is jumping up and down about the prospect of an Owen-Miller ticket. Both men are generally well liked and respected by their party faithful, they're just incapable of generating the excitement that a Chandler-Luallen or Luallen-Conway ticket might have generated.

Miller-Owen sounds better than Owen-Miller, and Miller-Conway, which I doubt will even happen at this point, sounds even better than that.

It's all a waiting game at this point.

ETA: I just ran across this article published in the Kentucky Post.

Even Alice Sparks, a Northern Kentucky philanthropist and Democratic Party fundraiser, has had her name tossed around as a possible lieutenant governor candidate.

"Only the Democrats can make something so simple such an event," said state Rep. Dennis Keene, D-Wilder, with a chuckle.[...]

Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson and state Auditor Crit Luallen announced they wouldn't run, Attorney General Greg Stumbo and House Speaker Jodi Richards are mum and increasingly it appears that Chandler, widely considered the favorite, will stay in Washington.

"I suspect as generally accepted that he will not run, but he has yet to make that public," said former Gov. Julian Carroll, now a Democratic state senator.

He said Chandler, who came close to beating Fletcher in 2003, would likely make an announcement in the next 48 hours. Chandler spokeswoman Jennifer Spalding could not be reached for comment, but earlier this week said Chandler is likely to remain in Congress.

As a result of some of the party's heaviest hitters stepping aside, a whole new list of names is emerging. State Treasurer Jonathan Miller, former Gov. Brereton Jones, former Lt. Gov. Steve Henry, former lieutenant governor candidate Charlie Owen and Louisville attorney Jack Conway - to name a few.

The buzz only gets wilder when the topic shifts to lieutenant governor candidates. Names are seemingly being pulled out of thin air as party leaders try to dream up a person who can bring regional balance and money to the ticket.

That has led to even a few Northern Kentucky names. In addition to Sparks, former Kenton County Democratic Party Chairman Nathan Smith, Keene and state Rep. Arnold Simpson of Covington have been mentioned for the post.

In other news...

Attorney General Greg Stumbo will likely send findings from the grand jury's merit probe to Washington.

Sen.-elect Jim Webb has hired Paul J. Reagan as his chief of staff.

in Washington, where he worked for different members of Virginia's congressional delegation.

The 46-year-old Reagan is a Norfolk native.

He's a 1982 graduate of the College of William and Mary and a 1991 George Mason University School of Law graduate.

He currently serves as a senior vice president at McGuireWoods Consulting, the law firm's public affairs arm.

Here is the latest press release from California Congresswoman Sherrie Davis.

Lawrence, Indiana, can expect a primary for the mayor's race as Dean Jessup has announced his intentions to run against the current mayor, Deborah Cantwell.

2008: Barack Obama running for President?

While he is giving it serious consideration, Marc Ambinder at Hotline on Call lists the following with regards whether talk of a potential run is just means to promote his book [plugs Obama's appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno this evening].

There's a question as to whether or not his wife is fully on board.

Here's what we don't know: Is Obama's wife Michelle fully on board? She has expressed to friends her fears about her husband's safety. At the same time, it's impossible to imagine that Barack Obama would be testing the waters as deeply as he is without Michelle Obama's consent.

Daschle on MSNBC

Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Dashcle was just on MSNBC right now and had nothing but praise for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. He also said that Clinton could win in November if she were the nominee. I don't see that happening at all.

Also, Sen. Daschle said that he will make an announcement in the next couple of months as to whether or not he decides to run for president.

2008: Senator Bill Frist NOT running

Tennessee Senator Bill Frist has decided against a run in 2008 for the presidency.

The Bridge reports on Gov. Brereton Jones' comments on potential gubernatorial candidate Jack Conway.

Governor Jones came away from that meeting (with Conway) with a very favorable impression of Jack Conway. He commented that he was highly impressed by Jack's intelligence, deep understanding of the critical issues the state faces, and his compassion.

Should Attorney General Greg Stumbo run for governor as well, I think State Treasurer Jonathan Miller may want to think about looking at the Attorney General's race so as to not make the gubernatorial primary so divisive.

Both Miller and Conway are rising stars in the party, I don't refute that fact and while I like both of them, I would have a hard time voting for one while voting against the other.

Gotta go, peace out.

President Bush angers Sen.-elect Jim Webb....

The Hill reports:

At a private reception held at the White House with newly elected lawmakers shortly after the election, Bush asked Webb how his son, a Marine lance corporal serving in Iraq, was doing.

Webb responded that he really wanted to see his son brought back home, said a person who heard about the exchange from Webb.

“I didn’t ask you that, I asked how he’s doing,” Bush retorted, according to the source.

Webb confessed that he was so angered by this that he was tempted to slug the commander-in-chief, reported the source, but of course didn’t. It’s safe to say, however, that Bush and Webb won’t be taking any overseas trips together anytime soon.

“Jim did have a conversation with Bush at that dinner,” said Webb’s spokeswoman Kristian Denny Todd. “Basically, he asked about Jim’s son, Jim expressed the fact that he wanted to have him home.” Todd did not want to escalate matters by commenting on Bush’s response, saying, “It was a private conversation.”

A White House spokeswoman declined to give Bush’s version of the conversation.

In other news:

Rep. Sherri Davis, a Republican from California, has a plucky resume, fabulous fashion sense, and a mission to eradicate yoga mat-borne illnesses. She’s colorful, quotable and, unfortunately, totally fake.

Those who aren’t up on their members of Congress, or who don’t have a congressional directory handy, might be fooled by Rep. Davis’s Internet footprints, which include a smattering of press releases, mentions on various blogs, and video clips posted on YouTube.com. She even has recommended items on Amazon.com[...]

We tried to get to the bottom of the bottom of the ruse, but her “staffer,” who identifies himself as Jake Barnes (oddly, that’s the name of the lead character from Ernest Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises”) refuses to give up his “boss.” “The idea that Congresswoman Sherri Davis, R-CA [sic] is a fictional character and not a real congresswoman is one that was planted in the media by Sherri's Democratic opponent in the congressional election this fall,” he wrote us in an e-mail.

He said he hoped to have the congresswoman, who was traveling in Vienna, give us a call. We’re holding our breath.

Davis is not listed in the Capitol directory and could not be reached for comment for this blog posting.

How early is too early?

This was in the ABC News' The Note Futures Calendar:

May 15, 2007: South Carolina Republican Party and Fox News host the first 2008 presidential debate, Columbia, SC

Kind of early in my opinion.

Bayh has serious netroots support

You might recall that in the previous straw poll, Senator Bayh was running in second until Chris Bowers accused us Bayh supporters of poll-stuffing--and his belief that Bayh did not have serious support. However, this poll validates that Senator Evan Bayh has support among the netroots--and this was after former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner pulled out of the race.

In the newest, late night straw poll, Bayh is running in fourth place in round 11 as of the last time I checked.

Draft Jonathan Miller movement...

While I will not be starting up an additional blog for this one, please check out this piece by former State Rep. candidate Amy Shir, which was posted at The Bridge.

Pleasant Valley Blogging

Raw Story reports that several Democratic staffers are upset with the hiring of Marshall Wittman has Sen. Lieberman's communication director.

A likability poll shows some bad news for Senator John Kerry, the 2004 presidential candidate.

Sen. Evan Bayh recently took some time to speak about Iraq.

Because Baghdad wasn't considered safe enough, the President will meet with Iraq's Prime Minister in Jordan. Over the weekend he pleaded for an end to the sectarian conflict, and Bush is expected to step up the pressure on the Iraqi government itself to do more.

Indiana Democrat Evan Bayh has been saying that's exactly what the President should do.

"We are never going to stabilize Iraq, no matter how long we stay, no matter now much we spend, no matter how many of our brave soldiers die, until the Iraqis get their act together," said Bayh.

Concern about the war swept Democrats to power in Congress, and more lawmakers now want a withdrawal of troops to begin. Even backers of the war acknowledge the political reality for the President.

The Kentucky State Board of Elections has certified the results from the November 7th elections.

All buildings at the University of Kentucky are now completely smoke-free. This is in light of a state mandate requiring all public universities in the state to set a policy.

Governor Ernie Fletcher has officially filed for re-election.

Senator Bayh is doing all the right things to win.

U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., has done all the right things to get the nomination," Pierce said, while U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., faces a "bedrock of opposition," and not just from Republicans.

A number of Democrats "really don't like her," Pierce said of Clinton.

In a lot of cases, Pierce said, the candidate's appeal "is to not be the guy in office.

For example, Pierce said, Ronald Reagan's mandate in 1980 was simply to not be former president Jimmy Carter.

I knew it! Michael Richards is the only cast member of the main four on Seinfeld not born a Jew. That said, read this:

Amid all the hoopla, bloggers and others labeled the former “Seinfeld” star Jewish but others reported he was not.

Howard Rubenstein, who was hired as Richards’ publicist, told JTA that Richards has not formally converted to Judaism but that some of his mentors were Jewish and he “adheres to Jewish philosophy.”

This is a good sign.

It's been said for the past few weeks that Bill Cox has all but announced that he is running for treasurer.

That is why I am intrigued by the potential candidacy of Bill Cox for State Treasurer. Bill is one of Kentucky’s brightest and most experienced leaders.

I met Bill in 1979 when I was a sophomore in college. One of my college instructors, Bob Babbage, introduced us. Babbage, who later became Kentucky’s Secretary of State and Auditor, said that Cox would definitely be governor and probably be President of the United States.

I was impressed with Cox’s quick mind and no nonsense attitude. I signed on for his campaign for Lt. Governor.

Bill wasn’t an old hand in 1979, he was a young lion. He had been one of the youngest people ever elected to the Kentucky legislature and was one of the highest ranking Kentuckians in Jimmy Carter’s administration.

Bill was head of the Federal Highway Administration, an important position to Kentuckians, where many federal highways intersect and trucks come rumbling through.[...]

Now he is looking at the treasurer’s race. Twenty-eight years later, remnants of Cox’s army are still around. Cox will do well in Western Kentucky and his son Will followed in Bill’s footsteps as Madisonville mayor.

Cox will be tough to beat.

Jonathan Miller has made the treasurer’s office an office worth seeking. When Miller took the office eight years ago, it was a resting spot for old hacks, not old hands, like Cox.

Miller’s predecessor was elected because his name was similar to a former U.S. President. He made news only when he got into trouble with the law.

Miller makes news in other formats. I’ve seen him on CNBC, discussing high-powered financial issues.

Jonathan used his office as a forum on issues where the state treasurer makes a difference. He ventured into new areas, like pre-paid college tuition and also wrote a book called the Compassionate Community, that is doing well.

Jonathan is being touted for offices like governor, congress or attorney general. You never saw a previous treasurer mentioned for higher office. The office has changed.

Which is why a guy like Bill Cox makes sense. There are serious issues on the horizon as to how the state deals with its finances, the lottery and its employee pension fund. The treasurer will have a big say so in what happens and why.

What happens will not just affect thousands of state employees, it will affect every Kentuckian.

When those issues come up, I’d like a slow and experienced hand at the table. Cox is one of the brightest and most experienced hands I know.

In other news, State Senate Minority Leader Ed Worley is looking at a run for Lt. Governor.

Poll alert

Please vote for Bayh in this MSNBC poll.

2007: Charlie Owen enters the picture

Louisville businessman Charlie Owen has now entered the picture but it is not known at this time as to whether or not it is with regards to him being on a ticket or his support of a ticket.

After laying low for months, sources tell me that Owen made a flurry of phone calls over the Thanksgiving weekend, trying to drum up support for his candidacy. Today (Monday, Nov. 27) he's busy trying to find a running mate. He had a meeting with State Treasurer Jonathan Miller today to talk about an Owen-Miller ticket.

And Chandler could be in the middle of trying to help Owen put together a ticket. Remember, Owen was Chandler's running mate in 2003. Chandler may feel some allegiance to a guy who threw thousands of dollars of his own money into a race that was lost.

Additionally, there is this comment from someone wishing to remain anonymous:

If Jonathan Miller did meet with Charlie Owen, it does not indicate he is considering running on an Owen-Miller ticket, or even a Miller-Owen ticket.

Miller and Jack Conway also met to talk about the governor's race, but neither one would consider running as the other's #2. I would guess neither would want the other as his #2 either.

If I were a betting man, I would put my money on Owen supporting Miller for governor, with someone from western or eastern KY as #2 on the ticket.

Hebert also reported that Bruce Lunsford will not be a candidate for governor in 2007.

Ernie Fletcher officially filed for the governor's race with Robbie Rudolph as his Lt. Governor.

I heard from a highly reliable source that Miller-Conway will likely not happen. I still think that that is our best ticket next to Abramson-Luallen. It's a shame too because I would have a VERY HARD time with having to choose between Jonathan Miller and Jack Conway.

Bayh on Draft

The Tribune Star in Terre Haute, IN reports the following with regards to reinstating a draft.

In a statement to the Tribune-Star last week, Ellsworth opposed Rangel’s plan and instead favored increased support for the current all-volunteer forces.

“I do not support re-implementing the draft,” Ellsworth stated. “Congress has a duty to provide our military with resources it needs to protect us, and that includes additional soldiers if necessary. To the extent we need to expand our military, as some have suggested, I believe we can do so without resorting to a draft.”

Sen. Evan Bayh stood on similar ground. His press secretary, Meghan Keck said Bayh “believes we need to do more to help the men and women currently serving in the military, especially those in the Guard and Reserves, who have shouldered so much of the burden in Iraq.” Bayh, she added, has focused on alleviating financial hardships that force some to choose “between supporting their families and serving their country.”

A reinstitution of the draft, as Keck pointed out, is highly unlikely. And indeed, a draft is not the answer to the problem.

2008: Al Gore is NOT running

TIME magazine has his comments re-iterating that he will not run for President in 2008.

You have stated repeatedly that you are not currently planning to run for President in 2008. Do you have a more creative denial?

I don't have any plans to run. Nor do I have any creative denials. I'm using the same ones. They'll soon be out on DVD.

2007: Ben Chandler not running

Tom Loftus at the C-J reports:

U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler is “unlikely” to run for governor and will announce his decision either Monday or Tuesday, his spokeswoman said.

“He could announce his decision today, but I think it would be tomorrow at the latest,” said Jennifer Spalding, spokeswoman for Chandler’s office.

Chandler, a Democrat who was re-elected to the Kentucky’s 6th District Congressional seat Nov. 7, is considered by many Democrats to be their party’s strongest potential candidate for governor in 2007.

But Chandler said last month that he would not be inclined to run for governor in 2007 if the Democrats took control of the U.S. House as a result of this year’s elections — which they did.

So that paves the way for Treasurer Jonathan Miller to become the next Governor of Kentucky if he decides to run.

Catching up with news....

It's catch-up time since I was mostly offline during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Is Sen. Max Baucus the one that will allow Vice President Dick Cheney take a break from hunting in order to vote for a key bill in the Senate with a tie.

Kenton County Clerk Bill Aylor seems to be glad to retire after 16 years in office.

Aylor, 57, said that because of changes to the state retirement system formula, it would cost him more money down the road to keep working beyond the 33 years he currently has logged.

Prior to getting elected to the county clerk position in 1990, Aylor worked for the Kenton County Sheriff's Department.

Aylor said he views political campaigns as increasingly nasty. For someone who ran opposed only once in 16 years, dirty mudslinging contests lack appeal, he said.

"I was never a politician to begin with," he said.

Aylor said that although he has no concrete plans after the new clerk takes office in January, another political office isn't in his future.

"I'm getting away from politics," he said. "I'll probably go out and do some menial job somewhere, nothing earth shattering."

Expect former CIA Director Robert Gates to be confirmed as the next Secretary of Defense.

Senator Evan Bayh's stance on Iraq:

The Indiana senator voted in 2002 to authorize the use of military force to oust Saddam Hussein. Since then, he has become a critic of the war. He supported the unsuccessful Levin-Reed amendment, which urged President Bush to transfer greater responsibility to the Iraqis and begin a phased redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq by the end of the year. "If people don't trust us with their lives, they're unlikely to trust us with much else," Bayh said.

Washington has been turned upside down, well, at least for K Street, that is.

Labor and environmental representatives, once also-rans in congressional influence, are meeting frequently with Capitol Hill's incoming Democratic leaders. Corporations that once boasted about their Republican ties are busily hiring Democratic lobbyists. And industries worried about reprisals from the new Democrats-in-charge, especially the pharmaceutical industry, are sending out woe-is-me memos and hoping their GOP connections will protect them in the crunch.

Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack is only polling at 1% in his bid for the presidency. Here is even more on the challenges to Vilsack's candidacy, especially in Iowa.

Check out NewsTrust when you can.

What can politicians be thankful for?

Middle-of-the-road Democrats U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana and former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina can be thankful for ex-Virginia Gov. Mark Warner officially withdrawing his consideration to run in the 2008 presidential race.

Richard Padova says voters should keep an eye on Bayh.

As the 2008 contest gets closer, Padova said he's already keeping close tabs on potential candidates. Padova believes voters should keep an eye on New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Indiana Senator Evan Bayh for the Democrats and Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani for the Republicans.

Here is another key factor to any presidential candidacy.

But Bayh -- who has traveled to 30 states in the past two years, including 11 trips to Iowa and five to New Hampshire -- will face a tougher balancing act next year. His travel demands will increase at the same time the Democrats' majority in the Senate will make it imperative he be available for close votes.

Bayh at least won't be the only presidential aspirant in that position. At least nine senators are considering a 2008 bid.

Check out Ronnie Ellis' article on whether or not Congressman Ben Chandler will run.

Race stuck in neutral?

This was in the Herald-Leader this morning. It's a great read.

The official deadline to get in the fray is only 64 days away. And the primary election for both parties is just 25 weeks from Tuesday.

So it seems the approach prospective candidates have taken to this race -- particularly on the Democrats' side -- is the equivalent of a NASCAR team waiting until the flag is about to drop to check the tires and pick a driver.

It's as if Kentucky's signature political event is being put off, like taking out the trash or eating Brussels sprouts.

"If I were going to run for governor, I would have announced by now," said State Sen. Ray Jones, a Pikeville Democrat.

"Because I think whoever gets out first is going to have to be considered the front-runner -- if Congressman Chandler doesn't run," he said. Chandler's on-again, off-again flirtation with the race has helped keep the Democratic field in a state of suspended animation.

In the past, candidates began laying the groundwork months or even years before their party's primary. Businessman Wallace Wilkinson, for instance, travelled the state for two years before winning the Democratic nomination and governorship in 1987. He used that prep time to set up a network of supporters and stoke frustration among Western Kentucky voters, who felt they had been ignored by the powers in Frankfort.

This time, the field remains so uncertain and wide open that 37-year-old Louisville lawyer Jack Conway and 39-year-old state Treasurer Jonathan Miller -- who were being mentioned as possible running mates for a gubernatorial candidate a couple months ago -- are now talking about taking the leap themselves because, well, why not?

Chandler, who lost to Fletcher by 10 percentage points in 2003 as the Democrats' nominee, is at the center of this waiting game.

Long considered the party's front-runner if he made the race, Chandler was thought to be out after the Democrats took control of the U.S. House on Nov. 7. But in a surprise development last week, Chandler acknowledged that he was still seriously mulling the governor's race.

"I, for one, would like to see Congressman Chandler announce his position," said Jones, the state senator. "But on the other hand, I understand that it's a tremendous, tremendous decision to make."

Former Gov. Brereton Jones, another big-name Democrat thought to be a favorite for the party's nomination, had said for months that Democrats needed to get into the governor's race "immediately" after the 2006 election.

Nearly three weeks after that passed, Jones, who was governor from 1991 to 1995, said he's somewhat concerned about losing valuable time. Still, he said, it's important to give Chandler first crack at the race.

"I think certainly we should do it sooner rather than later," Jones said in an interview. "But these are difficult decisions to make. Congressman Chandler is trying to do what's right."

I hope we know something very soon. I also hope that Jack Conway is smart enough to know that he would be unable to beat State Treasurer Jonathan Miller in a primary race.

2007: Is Brereton Jones running?

This was posted at Pat Crowley's blog the other day.

source tells me former governor Brereton Jones will not run for governor, but he - along with state Auditor Crit Luallen and Congressman Ben Chandler - recently huddled at his Woodford County horse farm to try and anoint one candidate with the hope that Dems can mostly avoid a bloody primary. This being KY, good luck. If Chandler runs look for Treasurer Jonathan Miller to run for his Congressional seat; if Chandler backs away, then Miller runs.

Avoiding a bloody primary works best for the party at all costs.

I think that if Chandler does run for Governor, there's no doubt that Jonathan Miller will win the special election. If Chandler doesn't run, I'll endorse Miller right away.

Yarmuth picks out office

Rep.-elect John Yarmuth has picked out an office on the third floor of the Cannon building.

A newcomer to Capitol Hill doesn't get the kind of office that McConnell is going to occupy.

In fact, in the House, newcomers can end up in some windowless pit below ground or near the storage bins in the attic.

But Rep.-elect John Yarmuth, D-3rd District, did fine. He drew No. 12 in the office lottery, ahead of 37 other fellow House members looking for office space.

His staff chose a third-floor suite in the Cannon House Office Building, with a view looking south into the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

"It's about 1,000 square feet and is on a good floor," Yarmuth said.

That done, the Louisville Democrat has to return to Washington soon for another big decision before taking office in January.

"I still need to figure out someplace to live," Yarmuth said.

Congressman Baron Hill did not need to worry about that problem at all.

Back on campus...

Blogging will return to normal within the next few days...

In the meantime, I encourage all of my readers to see Bobby, a movie directed by Emilio Estevez and is now in theatres everywhere.

Support this site

The best way to support this site, other than donations via Paypal, is purchasing items via Amazon.com such as the ones listed on the sidebar.

As a sidenote, the revenue made off of The Compassionate Community will be donated to charity.

Blogging will continue to be light over the course of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend...

2008: Al Franken for Senate (Minnesota)

The Star-Tribune reports the following on the 2008 Senate race in Minnesota.

Actually, this weekend will be just the beginning of the deciding process about a Senate run and about the future of his syndicated radio show, Franken clarified Wednesday.

"My son is just home from college, so we'll talk about it over Thanksgiving and probably over Christmas, too," said Franken, who plans to travel again on a USO tour to Iraq. He added that he "probably won't have any announcement until January."

In other Senate races, you can tune into the Hotline on Call.

The possible candidates to take on Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) include ex-Comptroller John Sharp, Houston Mayor Bill White, former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, Rep. Henry Cueller, and ex-Rep. Jim Turner.

In Oregon, potential candidates include State Sen. Ben Westlund, former Governor John Kitzhaber, along with Clatsop Co. District Attorney Josh Maquis, Education Superintendant Susan Castillo, and Treasurer Randall Edwards.

Finally, in Maine, Rep. Tom Allen is the best bet to defeat Senator Susan Collins. If Allen does not run, expect a candidate like Senate Majority Leader Michael Brennan, Attorney Gen. Steve Rowe, or Chellie Pingree.

In Colorado, there's no doubt that it will be Mark Udall.

A Thanksgiving Message

May you have a safe, healthy, and happy Thanksgiving.

On this Thanksgiving, I am thankful for my family and friends.

I am thankful for promising Democratic leaders in Jonathan Miller, Ben Chandler, Crit Luallen, Jack Conway, Steve Gold, John Yarmuth, Howard Dean, etc.

I am thankful for a party that works for the working class.

I am thankful for my great-grandparents getting out of Europe and Russia before the war started.

I am thankful for my public school education, although the state has a lot of work to do.

I am thankful to those of you who have forgiven me for doing that which will not be mentioned.

I am thankful for our troops serving us overseas even if I disagree with why we went over there in the first except for Afghanistan which was justified.

I am thankful to be living in a free country which allows the freedom of religion.

A Tribute to JFK

John F. Kennedy, Sr.: A Life Remembered

Is Chandler in the race?

See Mark Hebert's blog for more.

Obviously, if Ben Chandler is running, then yes, I would support him. That means that Jonathan Miller would be more likely to run for Congress in a special election.

It's kind of like 2002 where I did not make an official endorsement for the presidential election until Vice President Gore made his decision.

Time will tell...

When will Evan Bayh announce for President?

As controversial as FOX News may be, I'm quoting it anyway.

Bayh plans to declare his exploratory committee by the end of this year, and is planning a full presidential announcement tour of the early primary and caucus states in January. Details are being worked out and should be finalized in the coming weeks, sources say.

You can rest assured that if and when it does happen, I will drop what I am doing to be there.

Hawpe on 2007

David Hawpe wrote about the governor's race in today's column:

In the Kentucky governor's race, several have declared themselves out of the running, including the presumptive favorite, U. S. Rep. Ben Chandler, D-6th District. This despite incumbent Ernie Fletcher's poll numbers, which by last summer already were below freezing. And that was before the Franklin County grand jury further frosted Fletcher with a chilling description of the merit system scandal and his role in it.

What Kentucky needs is a generational change in its politics, and Chandler, especially when paired with a talented young person like Jack Conway or Jonathan Miller, could provide that. So could former Cabinet secretary Crit Luallen. So could Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson. On the Republican side, so could Secretary of State Trey Grayson. But that would require a change of mind by one of them.

Yes, serving as county judge of the entire state (that's what being Kentucky's governor amounts to) is difficult. It's risky, politically and personally. But surely there's someone out there who cares more about solving Kentucky's problems than about taking it easy. Surely there's somebody who could promote change and progress, and in the process help Kentucky avoid another century of delusional self-satisfaction.

Bull Moose joins Lieberman staff

My congratulations goes out to Marshall Wittman, author of The Bull Moose blog.

former communications director for Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, will head Sen. Joe Lieberman's press shop, the Connecticut senator announced Tuesday.

Marshall Wittmann, formerly a senior fellow at the Democratic Leadership Council, will become Lieberman's new communications director. He held the same position with McCain before joining the DLC and previously held leadership posts with the Christian Coalition and Heritage Foundation.

"There is no better person to take the helm during this new time in my Senate career than Marshall," said Lieberman, who was reelected to a fourth term this month without the blessing of the state Democratic Party. "Marshall has been a trusted outside advisor to me for some time now and I'm glad he will be bring his experience and wisdom to my staff."

Harry Reid on Impeachment

Sen. Harry Reid, like Dean and Pelosi, agrees. Although he does to a certain extent:

The degree to which the new Democratic leadership on Capitol Hill despises Vice President Dick Cheney is a big plus for President Bush. Consider why incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid scrapped an idea to impeach Bush: "Two words: Dick Cheney," he says, joking that it would vault the veep into the Oval Office.

Other newsworthy items...

A crowded primary in Kentucky for the gubernatorial race will trigger a runoff if no candidates get over 40% of the vote.

Could former Senator John Edwards still decide to run for president? He's on a book tour right now.

A click of the television remote this week should have erased any doubt -- small as it would have to be -- that former U.S. Sen. John Edwards is running for president again.

He chatted with Martha Stewart, Jon Stewart, Tim Russert, Hannity & Colmes, Charlie Rose, Robin Roberts on "Good Morning America" and David Letterman on Friday night.[...]

One bump for Edwards' publicity train: a report this week that a volunteer threw around Edwards' name in hopes of securing a Playstation 3 video game system from a Raleigh Wal-Mart. The conversation took place the same day Edwards criticized the company in a conference call with union-affiliated activists.

Edwards said the volunteer made a mistake but was trying to help after hearing secondhand that Edwards' wife, Elizabeth, was searching for a system. Edwards said neither he nor his wife knew of the effort.

The only downside of getting elected to Congress is finding a place to sleep in Washington.

Joe Donnelly, the newly elected congressman from north-central Indiana, is planning on bunking with a relative in Virginia until he is able to figure out a more permanent solution.

Both Ellsworth and Donnelly plan to keep their families and homes in their districts but stay in Washington during the days Congress is in session.

That's what Baron Hill did when he was first elected in 1998, and he's glad that after losing his seat in 2004, he didn't sell the efficiency apartment he purchased on Capitol Hill in 1999. Not only does Hill have a place to sleep after winning back his seat, but the apartment also has quadrupled in value in Washington's hot housing market.

Hill said it was the right decision to keep his family in Indiana. But he said he would continue his practice of calling his wife first thing in the morning, at noon, and right before retiring for the night.

Here is an article on Ohio's incoming first lady, who was born in the Bluegrass State.

Outgoing Minnesota Senator Mark Dayton believes he would have run re-election anyway but he has no regrets.

Former Sen. Dave Durenberger, a Minnesota Republican who defeated Dayton in the 1982 Senate race, said that Dayton would have done better in a more bipartisan era.

"It was a lot more political than he was prepared for," Durenberger said. "He's the kind of person who probably would have fit in another time. Most of the time he was in the minority. There was always the challenge of President Bush and the Republican agenda."

Former Vice President and Minnesota Sen. Walter Mondale, a Democrat, called Dayton a good senator who had the disadvantage of being in the minority through most of his term.

"And that is hard," Mondale said, "particularly during these times when politics is so belligerent. If you're in the minority, you're like a bug on the road."

Dayton said he has no regrets leaving the Senate even though he would have been in the majority next year.

A Daily Show for conservatives?

Is The Daily Show the new ticket to the White House? Why has Sen. Bayh not appeared on the show yet?

Does Sen. Clinton have any sort of advantage in 2008? She spent over $30 million for a re-election campaign against a nobody who had no chance.

Mrs. Clinton’s cash on hand is certainly less than the $20 million to $30 million some of her advisers early this year predicted she would have in the bank as she moved from her Senate re-election toward a decision about a presidential campaign. She is now in the same ballpark as two fellow Democrats, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, who had $13.8 million in his account as of Sept. 30, according to election commission records, and Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, who had $10.6 million. The law allows money left in a Senate campaign fund to be transferred to a presidential campaign.

Clinton still leads in the 2008 polls.

This is a good move by part leaders in Congress.

The new Democratic-controlled Congress will not seriously consider reinstating the draft, even if concerns about the military's strength and resiliency grow, party leaders said yesterday.

Key Democrats, including the incoming House speaker, House majority leader and chairmen of the House and Senate armed services committees, said they do not support a resumption of the draft. They predicted that the idea will gather little momentum in the 110th Congress, which convenes in January. Pentagon officials also restated their opposition to a draft.

More on 2007...

Blogging will be light this week.

Anyway, I just caught Pol Watchers. Pretty much, here's the gist of it:

SUNDAY -- State Treasurer Jonathan Miller and Louisville attorney Jack Conway, a former aide to former Gov. Paul Patton and a congressional candidate in 2002, met to discuss their political futures, which appear to be on more of a crash course than a parrallel track. Each decided that he should be at the top of the ticket, Miller and Mark Riddle, one of Conway's advisers said.

MONDAY -- Former Gov. Brereton Jones and state Auditor Crit Luallen sat down with Congressman Ben Chandler to talk over the current state of the Democratic field of potential gubernatorial candidates, which officially is empty right now. Chandler will now take until next week to decide whether he will run for governor again or not.

Today, former Gov. Jones and Jack Conway are meeting again.

If Conway is on the ticket, it needs to be in the #2 slot. The last thing, and this is said with the utmost respect for Jack Conway, that we need is for Conway to become the new Charlie Owen. If Conway were to run in a primary and lose, his political career, for the most part, would be effectively screwed. I, myself, don't want to see that happen. Conway should run as Lt. Governor to Jonathan Miller, assuming Congressman Chandler does not run.

Name recognition will play a key role in the race. Jonathan Miller has won two statewide races, and recieved the most votes of any Democratic candidate for office in 2003. That said, I admire both Miller and Conway. I would hate to have to choose between the both of them in a primary.

Then we find out that Congressman Chandler still has yet to make his decision.

Now, assuming Chandler seeks the mansion again, what does Jonathan do? Run for Congress? Run for Attorney General in a primary against the current Attorney General Greg Stumbo?

What Chandler decides to do will pretty much affect all the races down ticket.

Is Ben Chandler running in 2007?

That's the million dollar question that everyone seems to be waiting for with regards to the answer.

LEX 18 reports that Congressman Chandler has yet to make up his mind with regards to the race. Originally, Rep. Chandler had said we would know before the Thanksgiving holiday. Now, we'll likely know after.

Kentucky congressman Ben Chandler has told leading state Democrats he probably won't decide until next week whether to run for governor.[...]

Chandler had said for months he planned to announce one way or the other about a race for governor by Thanksgiving. Chandler's spokeswoman, Jennifer Spalding, says that time frame had been bumped back beyond this coming weekend.

Here's the story from the C-J.

Chandler is working with some other leading Democrats to come up with a consensus candidate for the party, said Jennifer Spalding, communications director for Chandler's office.

"He could say something before Thanksgiving or he might not," she said.

Most candidates have already said they will not run if Congressman Chandler decides to run again.

Here's the take from the H-L.

It definitely puts Treasurer Jonathan Miller's decision in limbo as he is term-limited and I don't know if he's up to running against Attorney General Greg Stumbo in a primary.

Chandler has told several prominent Democrats that he will probably take until next week to decide, said state Treasurer Jonathan Miller. Chandler had said for months that he planned to announce one way or the other by Thanksgiving.

Chandler's spokeswoman, Jennifer Spalding, also confirmed that that time frame had been bumped back beyond this coming weekend.

For now, Chandler's indecision continues to freeze the field of Democratic candidates, which includes Miller and Louisville attorney Jack Conway.

The prevailing assumption among political observers was that Chandler would be the party's strongest candidate but wouldn't run if the Democrats won control of the U.S. House. The Democrats did gain a majority, giving Chandler a better shot at getting a seat on a key committee, such as the appropriations panel that doles out federal dollars.

But in the two weeks since Election Day, no big-name Democrat has stepped up to run for governor, which has prompted Chandler's supporters to keep the pressure on.

"I think it is a good sign that Ben is taking this so seriously," said Mark Riddle, a Democratic campaign consultant who ran Chandler's campaign in the 2003 primary for governor. "The one thing about Ben Chandler that people who are close to him know is that he loves his family and he loves the commonwealth. This cannot be an easy decision for him."

Riddle, who also is advising Conway in his exploration of a run, said Chandler has the most powerful name and ability to unite the party. But other "party leaders" are encouraging Conway -- a former congressional candidate who served as an aide to Gov. Paul Patton -- to run if Chandler doesn't, Riddle added.

And Miller, the two-term state treasurer, said "there is a very real chance that I will run" if Chandler doesn't.

Conway and Miller, in fact, met Sunday to discuss their political ambitions.

"Jack is very much looking at the top slot on the ticket," Riddle said on Conway's behalf. "And a lot of senior party leaders are encouraging him."

Riddle said Conway has been urged to consider Miller, former state Sen. Bob Jackson of Murray and state Sen. Daniel Mongiardo of Hazard, among others, as possible running mates.

Miller said he, too, is eyeing the top spot.

"I've never been in this to be a lieutenant governor," he said. "That's not a reflection on Jack at all."

He said he would rather seek a position that has a "definite policy" effect.

From a political standpoint, I just don't see Jack Conway running against Jonathan Miller in a primary. I see them both on the same ticket with Jonathan Miller at the top.

If Congressman Chandler does not run, our best ticket would be Miller-Conway, not vice-versa.

Impeachment?!?

I keep getting a lot of emails saying that we have to impeach the president. I don't like the guy either but we just won both chambers back and I don't see impeaching of the president doing anything but causing work to not get done at all.

Howard Dean said it was off the table. Nancy Pelosi said it was off the table. I even think it should be off the table. It would hurt Democratic incumbents in the next election if we were to impeach the president.

By all means, investigate officials all you want by ways of congressional hearings but as for me, impeachment is the last likely resort.

Reinstating the draft?

I'm the grandchild of two veterans.

After 9/11, I would have enlisted but then the President started calling for a war with Iraq and those feelings of wanting to enlist decreased.

Anyway, it looks as if Congressman Charlie Rangel is at it again with plans to propose a bill to re-instate the draft.

Americans would have to sign up for a new military draft after turning 18 under a bill the incoming chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee says he will introduce next year.

Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., said Sunday he sees his idea as a way to deter politicians from launching wars.

"There's no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft and members of Congress and the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm's way," Rangel said.

Rangel, a veteran of the Korean War who has unsuccessfully sponsored legislation on conscription in the past, has said the all-volunteer military disproportionately puts the burden of war on minorities and lower-income families.

Rangel said he will propose a measure early next year. While he said he is serious about the proposal, there is little evident support among the public or lawmakers for it.

In 2003, Rangel proposed a measure covering people age 18 to 26. It was defeated 402-2 the following year. This year, he offered a plan to mandate military service for men and women between age 18 and 42; it went nowhere in the Republican-led Congress.

I am thankful for the troops serving our country out of their own free will.

For Congress to reinstate the draft, it would be political suicide.

Bayh news of the day

This was in James Carroll's notes from Washington.

Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., sympathized with all the newcomers to Congress looking around for decent office digs last week. As you may know, offices are parceled out by seniority, and when you are just starting out, you generally get the least-desirable spaces.

Bayh recalled that when he first came to Washington after being elected to the Senate in 1998, it was a bit of a comedown after two terms as Indiana's governor.

His temporary offices for six months were in the basement of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, next to where the trash was left for collection.

One day, a group of CEOs from major Indiana companies was visiting him.

"One guy finally got up his courage and said, 'Evan, who did you piss off?' " Bayh said.

How will John Mellencamp vote in the 2008 primaries? He's a Hoosier native with ties to both Senators Evan Bayh and John Edwards.

Edwards isn't the only potential 2008 presidential candidate Mellencamp is close to. The rocker also is friends with Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana. Mellencamp has performed at Bayh fundraisers and asked Bayh to introduce him at a Farm Aid concert.

Bayh arranged for Mellencamp's wife to be a delegate to the 2004 Democratic National Convention, where Mellencamp performed "Small Town" for the crowd.

Bayh demurred when asked recently whom he thought Mellencamp would back if both Bayh and Edwards run in 2008.

"That will be up to John," Bayh said. "He'll probably stay out of it, is my guess. He's a good guy."

While the Senator did not get a seat on the Senate Finance Committee, he did get one relating to his caring of energy independence.

One of Bayh's key topics on the exploratory presidential campaign trail is the need for the country to become less dependent on foreign energy sources.

Bayh will have a chance to work on that issue in the next Congress with his new seat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

For that assignment, he traded his old one on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.

Bayh did not, however, get a long-sought seat on the Senate Finance Committee. Not only does the committee have the meaty jurisdictions of health care, international trade, Social Security and taxes, it's also a good magnet for campaign contributions from businesses.

Ludacris hosts Saturday Night Live

I honestly have no expectations going into this episode, especially after last week's marathon of cameos.

Cold Open - A Message From the President - NBC decided to delay SNL in favor of a message from President George W. Bush (Jason Sudeikis). He talked about his trip to Asia, where apparently "we are now at war with Vietnam," and he blames himself for that. Bush says he thinks it will lead to a withdrawal of troops from Iraq. This war with Vietnam is against both North and South, which he hopes to get done while cutting taxes. There will be no cutting and running, only staying the course. What's that? No strategy on how to fight Vietnam! Suds does a better Bush than Will Forte but nowhere close to that of Will Ferrell. Live from New York, it's Jason Sudeikis!

Monologue - Ludacris says it is an honor to finally host the show while plugging Crash and Therapy. He then goes on to talk about what name (Chris Bridges or Ludacris) to use and when he uses it. Rick Barnes (Kenan Thompson) comes on stage saying how un original it is and how his stage name is Ricdiculous.

Young Douglas: Hypin' the Classics - We have a promo for the latest CD by Young Douglas. Some tracks follow:
Harry Connick, Jr. (Jason Sudeikis) - It Had to Be You
Barbra Streisand (Maya Rudolph) - The Way We Were
James Blunt (Andy Samberg) - You're Beautiful)
Dolly Parton (Amy Poehler) - I Will Always Love You
Louis Armstrong (Kenan Thompson) - Let's Call the Whole Thing Off

Bitc*slap Method - Samantha Hawkins (Maya Rudolph) hosts this informercial with Dr. Archibald Bitc*slap (Host) about his method of helping troubled marriages. The two families are Pete and Donna Longhorne (Jason Sudeikis and Kristen Wiig) and Jody and Deborah Preston (Bill Hader and Amy Poehler). Both families praised the method.

The O'Reilly Factor - Bill O'Reilly (Darrell Hammond) blasts Pepsi for it's past hiring Ludacris as their spokesperson. He then blasts Def Jam Records for doing the same and invites Michael Dantley (Kenan Thompson) on the show. Dantley questions O'Reilly, especially when Bill threatens a boycott which could have an uncertainty regarding sales going up or down. The next guess is the Fox legal correspondent, Anthony Brooks (Host). Again, Bill has his facts wrong questioning why a judge would name a lawyer who beat a defended as the man of the year. Brooks defends the judge saying that the lawyer didn't beat anyone but gave them a scholarship. Brooks said he backed the boycott. In the viewer's mailbag, the Mississippi River was named the longest river, when everyone knows it's the Nile in Africa. Finally, Bill plugs his book.

Booty Bidness Workwear - The host plugs this new l9ine of clothing, mainly being worn by Amy, Kristen, and I think Maya. It's available at J.C. Penny.

Superhits Studios - This sketch involves Maya, Jason, and Kenan being upset with the host's selection of a rapper and the song. Blizzard Man (Andy Samberg) lays a single down and everyone but Ludacris looks dumbfounded and believe it to be really bad. Eventually, after they feel threatened by the lyrics, they decide to give in and agree to hit. The song is no hit and the #1 least bought album is "Rap Song" by Ludacris and Blizzard Man.

Ludacris sings "Money Maker"

Weekend Update with Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers - Bush examining Iraq, only open to ideas from those in agreement with him. FDA's ban on silicone breast implants end. Trent Lott is the new Minority Whip. In Kentucky, four people were shot at a Best Buy in a case of nerd on nerd violence. John Abizaid is optimistic, he has high hopes on Brad and Jennifer. OJ's new book. John Mark Karr (Bill Hader) finds it to be an exploitation of a tragedy and then confesses to the actual murder, along with hitting Naomi Campbell's maid, shooting 50 Cent 11 times, and killing Bambi's mother. MLK Jr. memorial, why is Tommy Hilfiger there? TomKat wedding and shows where the guests were sitting. dancing with the Stars, Emmitt Smith won and went on to spike his partner. Delta airlines complaint. NBC laid off even more people. The Vatican announced that their priests must remain celibate. Tobey Maguire and his girlfriend had a kid out of wed lock. Seth must have lost confidence in his joke as Bobby Knight (Jason Sudeikis) stormed out to the studio to shout at and hit him. Google's search listings have 1% for sexually explicit websites...Seth comments that "it's plenty." Thanksgiving Message from Sixteen and a half editor Anoosa Rosenfield (Maya Rudolph) telling the audience that there are hungry people out there and that people should donate their food. Microsoft has a new item out there called Zune. Carnival cruise line had a ship with 700 people getting sick, blamed oysters. Manatees are smarter than they appear. Muslim backlash with holidays. Women are having allergic reaction to their partners after sex.

CW's Pool Watch - This is a life guard drama set in Atlanta. Jalen Summers is played by the host and Terrence Wilkins by Kenan Thompson. Maya plays an elderly woman asking for help. The host then has to remove all of his jewelry as a result and asks his friend, Terrence, to watch all his gear because he does not trust the elder lady. Because he takes too long, the lady dies and the life guard admits that he can't swim.

Hair Transplantation - Dr. Schultz is played by the host and Jason is Nurse Hamilton. The patient is Will Forte. Forte got a hair transplant and had to sign confidentiality agreements. The host puts on his running shoes, forgets the cost, and has Will write a blank check, yep, he's getting out of the country. It is revealed that the doctor wants to be like Elton John.

Olivia Cruise Lines - Arizona (Amy Poehler) welcomes everyone to the lesbian cruise and invites Captain Ronald Huggins to speak. He assures them that nothing will go wrong before hitting on them. He approaches Maya and Kristen, who have been partners for five years. As a result of a toast, he is thrown overboard.

Ludacris sings "Runaway Love," featuring Mary J. Blige.

Old Friends - Darrell Hammond plays an old man and the host plays an actor from the Bonnie Miller show, which was cancelled 25 years ago. They talk about the old times and Darrell's mustache starts falling off to the point that he breaks character.

On November 25, 2006, a rerun of Hugh Laurie/Beck will air. On December 2, 2006, the show is live again with Matthew Fox hosting and musical guest Tenacious D.

Thanksgiving Hiatus

I really hate to do this, but seeing as how my laptop has started to go on the fritz this weekend, and I do not like the idea of blogging from a public computer, this blog is now on a Thanksgiving Week hiatus, or at least until I go home for break.

It's unfortunate but any SNL related posts will have to be backdated and typed as early as possible.

State Treasurer Jonathan Miller urges Divestment from Sudan

In today's CJ:

State Treasurer Jonathan Miller is urging state retirement systems to sell off investments in some companies that are supporting the government of Sudan, which the U.S. State Department says is waging a campaign of genocide against residents of its Darfur region.

Miller asked the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System and the Kentucky Retirement Systems to consider the action in letters sent Wednesday.

He said the teachers' system, of which he is a trustee, has already sold one such investment, and he's asking staffs of both systems to investigate their holdings further and consider similar actions.

"These holdings are a small percentage of the system's investments, but washing our hands of these companies sends a big statement," Miller said. "The actions of the Sudanese government in Darfur are morally outrageous and I do not want to play any part in supporting them."

I highly agree with State Treasurer Jonathan Miller on this move. What's going on in the Darfur region is wrong and someone needs to step in with regards to stopping the mass genocide.

You can read his letter to Gary L. Hardin, the executive director of the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System here. On this site, you can find some additional links to get more information.

Finally, this excerpt from State Treasurer Jonathan Miller's email:

On Monday, November 20 from 12:30 to 2:00 PM EST, CSPAN will be covering LIVE a panel discussion hosted by the Center for American Progress featuring me and my book, THE COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY: TEN VALUES TO UNITE AMERICA, along with David Kuo, former Deputy Director of the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives under President Bush, and author of Tempting Faith: A Inside Story of Political Seduction. The event is entitled: The REAL Values Voter: What Voters Valued in the 2006 Election.

If you live or work in the DC area, join us at the Center for American Progress
1333 H St. NW
Washington, DC 20005

For specific information on where and when the program will air on CSPAN, go to
http://www.c-span.org/

In Bayh-related news, outgoing Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack expects other candidates to campaign in Iowa.

Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, who is preparing to formally launch his 2008 presidential campaign in less than two weeks, said during an appearance Friday on CNN that he will welcome other presidential candidates competing during Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses.

“We need to make sure that the field is wide-open,” Vilsack said during an interview on The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.

In 1992, some Democratic candidates, including Bill Clinton, did not campaign ahead of the Iowa caucuses because U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, was running for president.

But this time around, potential contenders such as U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., have signaled their intent to compete in Iowa, even with Vilsack running.

Vilsack said he has spoken to other politicians considering a presidential run and invited them to come to Iowa.

Hilarious!

Former Senate candidate names himself as chair of Connecticutt for Lieberman!

2007: Jonathan Miller for Governor

Pol Watchers reports on what may very well be the strongest ticket out there by far: Jonathan Miller for Governor and Jack Conway for Lt. Governor. With Mayor Abramson and Auditor Luallen out, with Chandler staying put, this is by far the strongest ticket of the Good Government wing.

Conway said yesterday he and Jones talked Thursday in “general terms” about Jones’ political plans.

“He came in and told me he was considering it (running for governor) and asked if I would consider being a running mate. He didn’t offer anything.”

Conway, 37, said the two agreed to “keep talking.”

In the meantime, Conway reiterated that he is seriously considering his own run for governor. He said he only began giving serious consideration to the idea when Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson and state Auditor Crit Luallen announced on Tuesday that they would not seek the Democratic nomination.

“I would offer a drastically different vision and agenda,” he said. “It would certainly be a changing of the guard.”

Conway said he would make a final decision “in a matter of a few weeks,” if not “faster than that.”

Meanwhile, state Treasurer Jonathan Miller said yesterday through spokesman Kenneth Mansfield that he is “seriously considering” running for governor, especially since this week’s announcements by Luallen and Abramson.

Miller, a Democrat who is in his second and final four-year term as treasurer, said he is not considering running for lieutenant governor. If “a strong consensus candidate” for governor emerges for the Democratic Party, Miller said, he will consider running for attorney general.

Greg Stumbo, the current attorney general and a Democrat, said this week that he has no plans to run for governor at this time, but he did not rule it out.

Former Lt. Gov. Steve Henry and Lexington attorney Gatewood Galbraith have both said they intend to seek the Democratic nomination for governor. A number of other potential candidates have stated publicly that they are considering a run for governor, including state Sen. David Boswell, D-Owensboro, state Sen. Daniel Mongiardo, D-Hazard, and Lexington attorney Terry McBrayer.

Tom Loftus at the Courier-Journal also has an article on the race.

Former Gov. Brereton Jones and Louisville lawyer Jack Conway met Thursday to discuss the 2007 governor’s election, but each said later he had made no decision about whether to enter the race.

In a related development, another Democrat, state Treasurer Jonathan Miller, said Friday he’s seriously considering the governor’s race, but has no interest in running for lieutenant governor.

Many leading Democrats have said it was important for their party’s candidates for governor to announce candidacies soon after this year’s election. But so far the only announcements since Election Day have been decisions by Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson and state Auditor Crit Luallen not to run for governor.

All Democrats considering the race are awaiting a decision by Ben Chandler, who was re-elected on Nov. 7 to the 6th District seat in the U.S. House.

Chandler has said he would probably not run for governor in 2007 if the Democrats took control of the U.S. House -- which they did. But he has yet to make a firm announcement on whether he’s in or out of the governor’s race.[...]

with Jones, but gave few details of the discussion. He said the meeting produced no major decision.

“We had a cordial meeting. Nothing was offered. He mentioned to me he was considering a run for governor but that no firm decisions had been made,” Conway said. “He also mentioned he’d be talking to other people as well about supporting his candidacy or whether or not he could support someone else.”

Conway said he’s receiving a lot of encouragement to run for governor. And he said he could agree to be a lieutenant governor candidate under the right circumstances.

Miller made clear he is not considering lieutenant governor. “Right now I am seriously considering the governor’s race,” Miller said. “I’ve never really considered the lieutenant governor’s race. Frankly, I’m just not interested in that position.”

Of all the tickets being rumored right now, this is the ONLY one that I could enthusiastically support and endorse.

IDP Chair Dan Parker on Bayh

Dan Parker, chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party, has been busy pushing Bayh for President in 2008.

State Democratic Chairman Dan Parker said he hopes U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., decides to run for president.

Parker carried with him an “Evan” button in his suit coat during his appearance Thursday at the annual Morgan County Jefferson-Jackson Dinner.

As part of his trip today to a Democratic Party gathering in Jackson Hole, Wyo., Parker will be there for Bayh, the state chairman said. Bayh is a moderate who could draw support from a wide spectrum of people, Parker said

“I hope he runs,” Parker said. “He could bring us together instead of dividing us like the current administration.”

Bayh might not be as well-known as some potential candidates, but neither was U.S. Sen. John Edwards who was the Democrats’ vice presidential candidate in 2004.

Even though he hasn’t declared himself a presidential candidate, Bayh has already been stumping in Iowa and Maine, sites of early caucuses in the 2008 presidential election year.

President Bill Clinton wasn't that well-known when he ran in 1992 either.

Boswell considers gubernatorial run

State Senator David Boswell is considering a run for governor. Sen. Boswell is from western Kentucky and wants someone from western Kentucky on the ticket. However, his plans are dependent on what State Sen. Daniel Mongiardo, MD, and Attorney General Greg Stumbo decide to do.

Boswell, a former Kentucky agricultural commissioner who campaigned unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in 1987, said his plans are dependent in part upon those of Sen. Daniel Mongiardo, a Hazard Democrat, and Attorney General Greg Stumbo, both of whom are being talked about as potential candidates.

Here's an update on Governor Brereton Jones and current Lt. Governor Steve Pence.

Jones, a Democrat, said he doesn't know when he will make a decision about running for governor.

Pence, who announced this year that he will not run again with Republican Gov. Ernie Fletcher, said he hasn't changed his position on possibly running for governor. "I've not ruled anything out. I'm leaving all my options open."

Pence said he has set no deadline to decide what, if any, political office to seek next year. "I'm under no pressure."

New Hampshire Governor John Lynch will not be running for the Senate race in 2008.

Back to Attorney Gen. Greg Stumbo, he would have loved to prosecute Ernie Fletcher. Check out this quote here towards the end of the article:

Stumbo maintained his involvement in the probe was based not on politics, but on evidence a state employee brought to prosecutors. Stumbo said the investigation would not affect his political future, and said he had no plans to run for governor. However, Stumbo has said he'll wait until December to make a final decision.

"I really don't have any plans to run for governor at this time and I never did. This investigation was not about me running for governor," Stumbo said.

Afternoon blogging...

Please consider helping retire the campaign debt of Indiana congressional candidate Barry Welsh.

Here's yet another look at the races in 2007.

Another high-profile potential candidate, Attorney General Greg Stumbo, said yesterday he won't seek the Democratic nomination if Chandler gets into the race. He noted that he and Jones share a similar philosophy on the key issue of expanded gambling.

"Jones is telling people he probably won't run, but is interested, like me, in expanded gambling," Stumbo said.[...]

Chandler, widely seen as the Democrats' front-runner should he decide to make the race, had said he was more likely to remain in Congress if the Democrats take control of the U.S. House, as they did last week. He said he plans to think over his options between now and Thanksgiving. Jones and he have agreed not to run against each other, he said.

State Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Lundergan said his party "still has a strong bench of potential candidates," including these "five major players": Jones, Stumbo, Henry, House Speaker Jody Richards of Bowling Green and Louisville businessman Charlie Owen.

"I'd like to get all these people together and try to work something out," Lundergan said.

Lexington attorney Gatewood Galbraith and Otis Hensley Jr. of Harlan have also said they expect to run as Democratic candidates.

Stumbo said he hopes to make a decision by early December.

Henry said he will officially announce his candidacy soon, and that his wife, former Miss America Heather French Henry, will serve in his administration for only $1 a year.

McBrayer, who ran for governor in 1979, said he has been working for months to get people such as Luallen, Abramson, Chandler or Jones to run. "With Crit and Jerry out of the picture, this compels me to give a more serious look at whether I should run," he said. "I have not ruled it out."

Louisville's Conway, who narrowly lost a race for Congress in 2002 to Republican Anne Northup, said he will now "step up and look at the race." Conway said he would support a run by Chandler and would be "happy to talk about supporting" Jones.

Conway was candid about his own hurdles, saying he would need the support of party leaders and would have to work quickly to have any chance of raising enough money to run a viable campaign.

If you take out the baggage with Stumbo, he would look like a good candidate but you have to factor in his being close to Jerry Lundergan. I am in favor of expanded gambling in Kentucky and my support will not decrease no matter who is in office.

Senator Chuck Schumer did get a leadership position in the new Democratic caucus.

Congressman-elect Brad Ellsworth placed his vote for Congressman Steny Hoyer.

Ellsworth announced his choice for Hoyer in a press release sent Wednesday after he and two other incoming Democratic congressman held a news conference with Sen. Evan Bayh.

Bayh embraced Indiana's three new Democratic congressmen and wished aloud that in 2008, the Democrats would win the White House.

"As Indiana goes, so goes the nation," he said.

Brad Ellsworth, Baron Hill and Joe Donnelly praised Bayh, too, with Ellsworth saying Bayh called and encouraged him "when I was at my lowest in a campaign."

They mostly stood in the background, however, as Bayh faced question after question about the war in Iraq.

Bayh said he thinks the idea of carving up Iraq into three countries will lead to worse ethnic cleansing. That's a plan put forward by Sen. Joe Biden, who will replace Sen. Richard Lugar as head of the Foreign Relations Committee.

The power to save Iraq lies only with the factions in that country, not with American soldiers, Bayh said.

Steny Hoyer: House Majority Leader

Congressman Steny Hoyer was elected as the Democratic House Majority Leader with a 149-86 vote.

Open Thread

No classes today so I will be sleeping in til late and will catch you when I wake up.

In the meantime, can someone give me advice on what cell phone plan I should switch to?

What are your thoughts on the 2007 elections?

Discuss...

2008: Al Franken for Senate (Minnesota)

Air America Radio commentator and comedian Al Franken, formerly of Saturday Night Live, just announced on The Colbert Report (with Stephen Colbert) that he will announce his candidacy for Senate in Minnesota on The Colbert Report if Stephen Colbert brings the show to Minnesota for a studio taping.

Either way, it looks as if Al Franken is a candidate for the United States Senate in 2008.

Gather.com

Senator Evan Bayh has joined Gather.com. You can view his profile here.

Where all the candidates stand...for now

CJ:

Luallen and many Democrats still considering the race say they hope that 6th District Congressman Ben Chandler will run and become the unifying force.

But Chandler, re-elected last week, had said he would likely not run for governor if Democrats took control of the U.S. House -- which they did. Chandler released a statement yesterday expressing respect for Abramson and Luallen but giving no indication of his own intentions.

State Sen. Daniel Mongiardo of Hazard said he's considering the race but supports trying to have a unified ticket.

"I'd hate to see us have a bloodbath in the primary and lose momentum going in to the fall," Mongiardo said. "I think it's probable that we'll get a strong ticket that can win and lead the state, but I think there are several people that could win a Democratic primary that may not be able to win a general election."

He declined to be more specific.

But former Lt. Gov. Steve Henry, who says he is in the race, railed against Luallen's call for Democrats to choose a consensus candidate, saying such decisions shouldn't be made in a "smoke-filled backroom."

"That's unacceptable to me and I think it's unacceptable to the people of Kentucky," Henry said.

Henry said he expects to formally announce his candidacy within two weeks.

Terry McBrayer, a lobbyist and former state Democratic chairman who ran in the 1979 Democratic primary for governor, said he was disappointed with yesterday's announcements because either Abramson or Luallen would have been the kind of consensus candidate he's hoping for.

McBrayer, of Lexington, said he believes former Gov. Brereton Jones also could win broad support within the party. Jones did not return phone calls for the past week to his Midway horse farm.

With the field of major potential contenders thinning, McBrayer said he would have to take a closer look at getting into the race.

Jack Conway, a Louisville attorney who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2004, said he also is taking a closer look.

"I'll wait for the decision of Ben Chandler," Conway said. "I'm not ruling anything in or out. And I'll take a look at either governor or lieutenant governor as part of a ticket that makes sense for the state, for the party and for me personally."

State Treasurer Jonathan Miller said he's weighing family considerations as he considers entering the race. Miller said he'll wait for an announcement from Chandler before deciding what he will do.

Attorney General Greg Stumbo said he's still considering the governor's race, as well as the option of running for re-election. He said he expects to make a decision by early next month.

Stumbo said it would be "wonderful" if Democrats could settle on a consensus candidate. "But sometimes that's just not possible and you have to have elections," he said.

House Speaker Jody Richards of Bowling Green, who lost in the Democratic primary in 2003, said the only race he's considering right now is for re-election as speaker in January.

Other than Congressman Ben Chandler, there are only two Democrats that could be potentially running that I could really support, not the reluctant support that Attorney General Greg Stumbo recieved from me in 2003 as I had supported former State Auditor Ed Hatchett in the primary. Those two are State Treasurer Jonathan Miller and Louisville attorney Jack Conway. If Chandler is indeed out of the race, then yes, my dream ticket would be a Miller/Conway ticket. You would have both candidates under 40. Of course, If I had my way, former Vice President Al Gore would have ran again in 2004!