Larry Forgy Accuses Mitch McConnell Of "Standing On [Jim Bunning's] Air Hose." I Just Can't Stop Laughing.
Read more here, or excerpts below:
Analysis: Power to push out Bunning is limited
MCCONNELL WORKING ON IT OUT OF PUBLIC EYE
By Jack Brammer
FRANKFORT — U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell may be the ranking member in his state and national party, but he has scant power to nudge U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning out of the 2010 Senate race.
McConnell can’t make Bunning balk because the Hall of Fame pitcher knows he will be the Republican nominee if he just stays in the game, said Larry Forgy, a Lexington attorney who was narrowly defeated by Democrat Paul Patton in the 1995 race for governor.
The only Republican who could beat Bunning is Agriculture Commissioner and former University of Kentucky basketball star Richie Farmer, “and he is not running,” said Forgy, a vocal critic of McConnell.
mcconnell and bunning
Sen. Mitch McConnell, left, and Sen. Jim Bunning
The other most likely contender for the spot, Secretary of State Trey Grayson, has vowed not to enter the race if Bunning remains committed to re-election. “Trey certainly would be disrespected by Republicans if he ran against his friend when he has said he would not,” Forgy said.
The story of the strained relationship between McConnell and Bunning — last week Bunning, 77, admitted that McConnell told him privately in December that he was “too old” and “couldn’t win” re-election — and their different political desires should ring familiar to Kentuckians.
In many ways, it’s a replay of the state’s 2007 race for governor.
“He walked away from his friend, Ernie Fletcher, in 2007, and now he is walking away from his friend, Jim Bunning,” Forgy said.
Fletcher, who was vulnerable because of political scars from a state hiring scandal, received competition in the GOP primary election from former U.S. Rep. Anne Northup of Louisville.
Forgy thinks McConnell, who had urged Fletcher to enter the 2003 governor’s race, was behind Northup’s candidacy, even though McConnell maintained public neutrality in the race.
Fletcher won the 2007 primary but lost the general election to Democrat Steve Beshear.
Now, Bunning, whom McConnell helped win a U.S. Senate seat in 1998, is considered to be the most vulnerable incumbent seeking re-election to the Senate in 2010.
McConnell again finds himself in the awkward position of maintaining public silence — he’s said nothing negative about Bunning to the media — while working behind the scenes to find a stronger candidate to face the Democratic Party’s candidate — probably either Attorney General Jack Conway or Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo.
McConnell has nothing to gain by commenting publicly about Bunning, said Joe Gershtenson, director of Eastern Kentucky University’s Center for Kentucky History and Politics.
“Why respond and get in a shouting match with his colleague?” asked Gershtenson. “McConnell simply is waiting to see how all this turns out.”
Behind the scenes, McConnell is applying pressure on Bunning by withholding financial help. As the leader of his party in the Senate, McConnell has tremendous influence in corporate America and could help Bunning raise funds, Forgy said.
“But he thinks he can starve Bunning into financial submission and force him out of the race,” Forgy said. “He may not be saying much about Bunning but he’s standing on his air hose.”
Louisville businessman Bill Stone, who is close to Bunning, said he takes Bunning at his word that “he is in the race.”
“This is a Hall of Fame pitcher who faced baseball greats, strong, tough men,” Stone said. “He’s not going to get out of the race simply because someone tells him to do so.
“If he gets out, it will be his decision.”
Bunning has said he will reassess his campaign efforts after seeing how much money he can raise in the second quarter of the year.
In the meantime, McConnell’s decision to remain silent in the face of weekly criticism from Bunning gives McConnell deniability, said Donald Gross, chair of the University of Kentucky’s political science department.
“It certainly appears that McConnell is concerned about Bunning’s ability to get re-elected but you can’t find where McConnell has publicly bad-mouthed Bunning and might have to answer to that someday, especially if Bunning turns out to be the party nominee,” Gross said.
Editor's comment: Jim Bunning finds himself in the Fix. "This race isn't complicated: if Bunning is the nominee, then Democrats win."
Analysis: Power to push out Bunning is limited
MCCONNELL WORKING ON IT OUT OF PUBLIC EYE
By Jack Brammer
FRANKFORT — U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell may be the ranking member in his state and national party, but he has scant power to nudge U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning out of the 2010 Senate race.
McConnell can’t make Bunning balk because the Hall of Fame pitcher knows he will be the Republican nominee if he just stays in the game, said Larry Forgy, a Lexington attorney who was narrowly defeated by Democrat Paul Patton in the 1995 race for governor.
The only Republican who could beat Bunning is Agriculture Commissioner and former University of Kentucky basketball star Richie Farmer, “and he is not running,” said Forgy, a vocal critic of McConnell.
mcconnell and bunning
Sen. Mitch McConnell, left, and Sen. Jim Bunning
The other most likely contender for the spot, Secretary of State Trey Grayson, has vowed not to enter the race if Bunning remains committed to re-election. “Trey certainly would be disrespected by Republicans if he ran against his friend when he has said he would not,” Forgy said.
The story of the strained relationship between McConnell and Bunning — last week Bunning, 77, admitted that McConnell told him privately in December that he was “too old” and “couldn’t win” re-election — and their different political desires should ring familiar to Kentuckians.
In many ways, it’s a replay of the state’s 2007 race for governor.
“He walked away from his friend, Ernie Fletcher, in 2007, and now he is walking away from his friend, Jim Bunning,” Forgy said.
Fletcher, who was vulnerable because of political scars from a state hiring scandal, received competition in the GOP primary election from former U.S. Rep. Anne Northup of Louisville.
Forgy thinks McConnell, who had urged Fletcher to enter the 2003 governor’s race, was behind Northup’s candidacy, even though McConnell maintained public neutrality in the race.
Fletcher won the 2007 primary but lost the general election to Democrat Steve Beshear.
Now, Bunning, whom McConnell helped win a U.S. Senate seat in 1998, is considered to be the most vulnerable incumbent seeking re-election to the Senate in 2010.
McConnell again finds himself in the awkward position of maintaining public silence — he’s said nothing negative about Bunning to the media — while working behind the scenes to find a stronger candidate to face the Democratic Party’s candidate — probably either Attorney General Jack Conway or Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo.
McConnell has nothing to gain by commenting publicly about Bunning, said Joe Gershtenson, director of Eastern Kentucky University’s Center for Kentucky History and Politics.
“Why respond and get in a shouting match with his colleague?” asked Gershtenson. “McConnell simply is waiting to see how all this turns out.”
Behind the scenes, McConnell is applying pressure on Bunning by withholding financial help. As the leader of his party in the Senate, McConnell has tremendous influence in corporate America and could help Bunning raise funds, Forgy said.
“But he thinks he can starve Bunning into financial submission and force him out of the race,” Forgy said. “He may not be saying much about Bunning but he’s standing on his air hose.”
Louisville businessman Bill Stone, who is close to Bunning, said he takes Bunning at his word that “he is in the race.”
“This is a Hall of Fame pitcher who faced baseball greats, strong, tough men,” Stone said. “He’s not going to get out of the race simply because someone tells him to do so.
“If he gets out, it will be his decision.”
Bunning has said he will reassess his campaign efforts after seeing how much money he can raise in the second quarter of the year.
In the meantime, McConnell’s decision to remain silent in the face of weekly criticism from Bunning gives McConnell deniability, said Donald Gross, chair of the University of Kentucky’s political science department.
“It certainly appears that McConnell is concerned about Bunning’s ability to get re-elected but you can’t find where McConnell has publicly bad-mouthed Bunning and might have to answer to that someday, especially if Bunning turns out to be the party nominee,” Gross said.
Editor's comment: Jim Bunning finds himself in the Fix. "This race isn't complicated: if Bunning is the nominee, then Democrats win."
Labels: Conservatism, GOP, Republicanism
posted by KYJurisDoctor at 5:35 PM
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