Daily Postscript: Shots taken at Lincoln Dinner

One final note from Saturday's Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner in Louisville:

Traditionally, the Lincoln Day Dinner has been about uniting the party and gearing up for the next election -- a kind of formal pep rally, if you will. Saturday night's statewide dinner, however, contained its share of tense moments that revealed fissures in the Kentucky GOP, which by the admission of its leaders is still coming to terms with its new-found powers.

Two of the biggest names in Kentucky Republican politics artfully dodged the controversy swirling around the increasingly competitive and contentious primary for governor between Gov. Ernie Fletcher, former congresswoman Anne Northup and Paducah businessman Billy Harper.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, who has remained publicly neutral, said he knew a lot of people wanted to hear which one he was supporting. "So ladies and gentlemen it’s going to be the Indianapolis Colts," he said, referring to the Super Bowl.

And at the start of the program, U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers of Somerset, remarked about the size of the crowd showing up because "there must be an election coming ... Like they say, when cats fight, you get a lot more kittens," he added. "Welcome kittens."

But it wasn't all pleasantries. U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning, Kentucky's junior senator, addressed the governor's race head on, saying that although Fletcher and Harper were both "good friends," he was supporting Northup. "I think Anne Northup is the best suited to lead our party," he said, sparking applause from Northup supporters, who mostly were congregated at tables in the back of the room. A visible tension fell over the large hall at Louisville's International Convention Center.

Still, Bunning ended his remarks on a unity note: "The next time someone suggests that the party is divided, remind them that the Democrats are two players short of fielding a baseball team," Bunning, the Hall of Fame pitcher, said of the seven Democratic candidates in that party's primary.

Later in the night, Fletcher took a jab at his lieutenant governor, Steve Pence, who dropped off the re-election ticket last summer, as well as Hunter Bates, who took himself off of Fletcher's 2003 slate after questions arose about whether he met the state's residency requirements to be lieutenant governor.

"Granted, I've gone through a few lieutenant governors, but I've got the right one now," Fletcher said in introducing his current running mate, Robbie Rudolph of Murray.

And ending the night's speeches was Northup, who was speaking in her hometown. While she spent most of her remarks on her own background, she did touch on the central argument so far in her campaign: that Fletcher's political baggage makes him a mortally-wounded candidate. "It will make little sense to choose a nominee who has virtually no chance to win in the fall," she said.

After the event, state Rep. Bill Farmer, a Lexington Republican who is backing Northup, said he was surprised by the number of shots taken throughout the night. "This should have been a positive event for everyone," he observed. "There shouldn't have been any negative statements made."

- Ryan Alessi

Comments

Notice the H-L has suspended comments being posted on the ridiculous editorial about the Governor appearing in tourism ads? Guess the couldn't handle the negative backlash on an article about nothing.

[Fletcherite]

Billy Harper, someone needs to tell you that you need to get another voice other than yours to be heard on this campaign. Also, if you are going to spend 5 million of your own dollars, then spend it on real change, not these same old ideas.

School Choice
Abolish CON
Repeal auto tax
Repeal AMT
Decrease Sales Tax
Decrease income Tax
Decrease free riders at the state government

This is what you should be talking about.

[anonymous]

Bill Farmer is exactly right! All the candidates, especially Northup and Fletcher, need to take a cue from Billy Harper who had people handing out stickers before the dinner promoting a positive campaign.

[JackRoss]

You have to ask yourself... why wouldnt Northup take a sticker?