Incapable Of Resisting The Urge To "Hit" David Williams As I Predicted Earlier, Louisville Courier Journal "Kicks" Him In New Piece.
Joseph Gerth | Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear skips west Louisville forum
Written by Joseph Gerth
Sunday, when millions of Americans spent the day honoring the heroes of Sept. 11, 2001, Gov. Steve Beshear spent part of the day the same way former Vice President Dick Cheney spent the original 9/11.
At an undisclosed location.
But while Cheney went into hiding for national security reasons, Beshear did it for campaign security. He wants to protect his lead in the polls against Republican Senate President David Williams and independent Gatewood Galbraith.
Beshear spent an earlier part of the day at a Sept. 11 commemoration in Louisville, but he skipped a forum he had earlier agreed to attend sponsored by western Louisville’s Yearlings Club and the University of Louisville’s College of Arts & Sciences.
Neither his campaign, nor his gubernatorial office, would say where he was while Galbraith and Williams spoke.
Beshear has tried to avoid debates with Williams throughout the campaign, but this was the first time that he agreed to an appearance and backed out only after Williams signaled that he would attend.
The Democratic governor still hasn’t given a reason for snubbing the groups. His campaign spokesman would say only: “We will not be able to attend the event.”
Williams, however, deserves credit for attending the event in a potentially hostile environment for him.
Many in the African-American community have criticized his efforts to end the Jefferson County Public Schools’ student-assignment plan, which is the legacy of the court-imposed busing plan that integrated schools in the 1970s.
The plan is seen by its supporters as the one thing preventing the system from going back to a separate-but-equal operation that was anything but equal.
But Williams and others contend the plan only harms students by keeping them on buses for too long each day and preventing their parents from being involved at their schools.
While Beshear has been loath to engage Williams in public, he’s been more than willing to take him on via television.
In fact, Beshear may be channeling his inner Mitch McConnell.
On Tuesday, Williams began his first negative ad of the campaign, with a 30-second spot that criticizes Beshear for the state’s economy and blames him for 100,000 lost jobs in the state.
Friday, Beshear went up with his own attack ad saying that Williams increased the legislative budget by 32 percent, spent millions of dollars on office renovations and perks, and that on budgetary matters, he has “failed to lead.”
You may ask, “Why does someone up by as many as 29 points in the most recent public poll run an attack ad?”
McConnell, the U.S. Senate minority leader and the state’s most skilled politician, may have the answer. His McConnell Doctrine states that “if someone flicks a pebble at you, hurl a boulder back.”
Beshear learned that all too well during his 1996 challenge to McConnell. With just three weeks left in the campaign and ahead by double digits, McConnell launched a scathing ad against Beshear.
With video of a bleating sheep being sheared, the ad listed numerous taxes and fees that Beshear had voted to increase during his time in the Kentucky House.
It ended with a narrator telling voters that if they didn’t re-elect McConnell, they might just get “Besheared.”
Williams’ small ad buy last week, largely in rural markets, was the pebble. Beshear’s response ad was the boulder.
Written by Joseph Gerth
Sunday, when millions of Americans spent the day honoring the heroes of Sept. 11, 2001, Gov. Steve Beshear spent part of the day the same way former Vice President Dick Cheney spent the original 9/11.
At an undisclosed location.
But while Cheney went into hiding for national security reasons, Beshear did it for campaign security. He wants to protect his lead in the polls against Republican Senate President David Williams and independent Gatewood Galbraith.
Beshear spent an earlier part of the day at a Sept. 11 commemoration in Louisville, but he skipped a forum he had earlier agreed to attend sponsored by western Louisville’s Yearlings Club and the University of Louisville’s College of Arts & Sciences.
Neither his campaign, nor his gubernatorial office, would say where he was while Galbraith and Williams spoke.
Beshear has tried to avoid debates with Williams throughout the campaign, but this was the first time that he agreed to an appearance and backed out only after Williams signaled that he would attend.
The Democratic governor still hasn’t given a reason for snubbing the groups. His campaign spokesman would say only: “We will not be able to attend the event.”
Williams, however, deserves credit for attending the event in a potentially hostile environment for him.
Many in the African-American community have criticized his efforts to end the Jefferson County Public Schools’ student-assignment plan, which is the legacy of the court-imposed busing plan that integrated schools in the 1970s.
The plan is seen by its supporters as the one thing preventing the system from going back to a separate-but-equal operation that was anything but equal.
But Williams and others contend the plan only harms students by keeping them on buses for too long each day and preventing their parents from being involved at their schools.
While Beshear has been loath to engage Williams in public, he’s been more than willing to take him on via television.
In fact, Beshear may be channeling his inner Mitch McConnell.
On Tuesday, Williams began his first negative ad of the campaign, with a 30-second spot that criticizes Beshear for the state’s economy and blames him for 100,000 lost jobs in the state.
Friday, Beshear went up with his own attack ad saying that Williams increased the legislative budget by 32 percent, spent millions of dollars on office renovations and perks, and that on budgetary matters, he has “failed to lead.”
You may ask, “Why does someone up by as many as 29 points in the most recent public poll run an attack ad?”
McConnell, the U.S. Senate minority leader and the state’s most skilled politician, may have the answer. His McConnell Doctrine states that “if someone flicks a pebble at you, hurl a boulder back.”
Beshear learned that all too well during his 1996 challenge to McConnell. With just three weeks left in the campaign and ahead by double digits, McConnell launched a scathing ad against Beshear.
With video of a bleating sheep being sheared, the ad listed numerous taxes and fees that Beshear had voted to increase during his time in the Kentucky House.
It ended with a narrator telling voters that if they didn’t re-elect McConnell, they might just get “Besheared.”
Williams’ small ad buy last week, largely in rural markets, was the pebble. Beshear’s response ad was the boulder.
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posted by KYJurisDoctor at 11:38 AM
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