Catching up...

It's been an interesting basketball news weekend, hasn't it? I can't remember the last time that there was a final four and it was overshadowed by something else of this caliber.

Another Hoosier resident has said they will run for Governor as a Democrat.

The IRL's switch to ethanol in their race cars has recieved praise by both Indiana senators.

Former President Bill Clinton is the latest person to go on the offensive against President Jimmy Carter.

Former President Bill Clinton, in a handwritten letter to AJC Executive Director David Harris, voiced appreciation for his efforts to expose the inaccuracies in President Jimmy Carter’s book on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “Thanks so much for your articles about President Carter’s book. I don’t know where his information (or conclusions) came from …” said Clinton. “I’m grateful.”

This is a pretty pathetic choice of words on Tom Delay's part.

I gotta give credit to Ronnie Ellis. The first paragraph in a recent column says it all.

Government and politics faded to the background of public consciousness Thursday with the news of Tubby Smith’s departure as the University of Kentucky’s men’s basketball coach. With 10 candidates running for governor and lawmakers wrangling over a financial crisis in state employee and teacher retirement systems, everything stopped when word spread Smith was leaving UK.

I couldn't agree more. Politics is taking a backseat until a new coach is named.

Gubernatorial candidates talked about health care recently.

"You can judge a society by looking at how it cares - or doesn't care - for its people," said state Treasurer Jonathan Miller, one of seven Democrats running for governor in the May 22 primary.

The proposals come amid efforts elsewhere to deal with high insurance costs and the plight of the uninsured. Massachusetts requires everyone to carry insurance, and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed extending health care coverage to most of his state's uninsured. Other states, including Kentucky, have taken incremental steps with laws and programs to reduce the cost of insurance for small employers.

In Kentucky, Miller vowed to make universal health-care coverage a priority, promising "common-sense steps" to phase it in. He would encourage small businesses to pool together to insure workers, expand Medicaid to cover more low-income families and broaden a children's health insurance program. Miller links the issue with another one - expanded gambling. He said he would push for a constitutional amendment to allow casino gambling and would devote a portion of gaming revenues to health care initiatives.

About Billy Donovan, he's going to continue to fuel rumors about him taking a job with the University of Kentucky because he has not exactly said no.

I would not be surprised if some of the behind-the-scenes action would be similar to this.

You've got to be kidding me, right? Bracketology for politics? I'm sorry, but where I come from, that's blasphemy!

Jonathan Miller's work on prepaid tuition has raised the treasurer's profile.

Bernie Manchen is wrong to think that Billy Donovan would never leave.

Nick Calethes would follow Billy Donovan to Kentucky.