Snubgate

Gatewood hits Beshear on Snubgate

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May 25, 2011
By Joe Sonka

Well, it’s almost three weeks late, but the Gatewood Galbraith campaign finally released a statement on Governor Steve Beshear snubbing President Obama and the folks that got bin Laden (fyi, Osama bin Laden is dead, and the AP has called the race for Alison Lundergan Grimes):

An Apology to All Military Families

On this Memorial Day, on behalf of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Gatewood Galbraith and Dea Riley would like to apologize to all members of the military, veterans and their families for the recent actions of Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear.

Gov. Steve Beshear recently snubbed of the President, the Vice President and those special forces operatives at Fort Campbell who were responsible for the demise of Osama Bin Laden. Governor Beshear was too busy attending social events at Churchill Downs to honor the sacrifice of those wearing the uniform of this country.

Simply put, Beshear was afraid to be photographed standing next to the President because he thought it might cost him votes in Kentucky. His behavior was totally unacceptable for a Governor of Kentucky.

Once again, Beshear’s actions show he puts partisan political gain ahead of doing the right thing. Shame on you Governor, for putting your self-interest above men and women who risk their lives to defend this country.

A former Marine, Gatewood Galbraith promises that when it comes to supporting our troops and their families he will always stand with them and their Commander and Chief.

Some things are bigger than getting elected Governor of Kentucky.

Can’t argue with that. Still dumb, after all these years..

This release is kind of interesting, though. Gatewood’s going to be dancing and weaving from the left to the right over the next 6 months, hoping to suck up as many votes from each as he can. Personally, I think he has the potential to take the most votes from David Williams. We’ll have to wait and see if Gatewood agrees, but this might raise some eyebrows.

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H-L Editorial Board Hits Beshear for Snubgate

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May 10, 2011
By David M. F. Schankula

Get off his back!

[We'd] hate to think politics played a part in Gov. Steve Beshear’s snubbing of the president and vice president as they honored soldiers and special forces operatives at Fort Campbell Friday. (Beshear cited obligations at Churchill Downs.)

Maybe an incumbent Democrat, up for re-election in a red state didn’t want to remind Kentuckians that his is indeed the party of Obama. Maybe he feared that any appearance beside the president was potential attack-ad fodder come fall.

And by hit, we mean sort of smacked him with kid gloves. Though their suggestion to Williams (or whomever wins the GOP primary) to attack Steve for hating the troops is something to keep an eye on.

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Beshear Admits He Snubbed Obama, SEALs for Political Reasons

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May 9, 2011
By David M. F. Schankula

Well that only took a weekend.

Joe Gerth at the big newspaper in Louisville got the goods on Steve Beshear. (There’s also an awesome video at that link.)

Mr. Gerth begins:

The problem with an unpopular president coming to your state when you’re a governor running for re-election is that you are bound to tick off somebody.

Gov. Steve Beshear did that on Friday when President Barack Obama came to Fort Campbell to honor the men who killed Osama bin Laden, and other troops, and Beshear chose not to attend the event.

Instead, Beshear said he had previously planned events surrounding the Kentucky Oaks in Louisville that he just couldn’t miss.

….Beshear said Saturday that nowhere in the calculation was the popularity — or lack of it — of Obama in Kentucky.

Then there’s a bunch of words and stuff, including some pretty sad Beshear excuses, some interesting history, and a redux of Stumbo’s criticism of the Governor, which all leads us to the kickass ending:

The snub is sure to anger the folks who used to make up Beshear’s base, blacks and liberals in Louisville and Lexington. Some already are ticked off at the governor for what they consider pandering to the religious right on the issue of Ark Encounter, the Noah’s Ark theme park planned in Northern Kentucky.

Stumbo said, however, he doesn’t think any of it will hurt Beshear in the fall.

Beshear agrees, saying he expects the GOP to try to tie him to Obama.

“Certainly last year, that’s what they tried to do in Kentucky,” he said. “It’s not going to work this year.”

So, Guvner, nowhere in your decision to snub weak on terror President Obama were “political calculations” involved but obviously you’re terrified that people might associate you with Barack Obama. So it was just convenient that you decided to snub Barack Obama… not political?

Next you’re going to tell us there were dinosaurs on the Ark.

Or that the EPA should get off our backs.

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Monday morning catch-up

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May 9, 2011
By Joe Sonka

I decided to spend Sunday making a flurry of posts, despite the fact that y’all are busy doing fun things on the weekend, not sitting at work procrastinating by reading this blog, like you’re doing this morning. We’re 8 days away from the primary, no time for days off, people.

So here’s just a roundup of what you missed here on Sunday.

- Beshear hears from his supporters via the Facebook Machine about snubbing Obama and the troops on Friday.

- Tea Party hero and GOP Auditor candidate Addia Wuchner was living off of disability for years, until her insurance company sent out a private investigator to track her for a week and found out that she’s just a grifter. Taking their government back!

- Even Greg Stumbo is calling out Beshear over Snubgate.

- Oh to be a fly on the wall when the Herald Leader editorial team was writing this endorsement of David Williams.

- We were able to get the actual cast of Seinfeld to act out this dramatic interpretation of Snubgate. So accurate it’s eerie.

- Ken Ham wished you a Happy Mother’s Day. Now get back in the kitchen.

- Alison Lundergan Grimes’ first ad was all over the teevee this weekend, in a campaign that is looking pretty impressive.

That’s all, folks. Stay tuned for some Ben Chandler fun coming up later.

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Cast of Seinfeld acts out Beshear’s Snubgate

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May 8, 2011
By Joe Sonka

Here’s a fascinating and realistic reenactment of Steve Beshear’s snubbing of Barack Obama on Friday. The cast of characters is:

  • Kramer as Governor Steve Beshear
  • Jerry Seinfeld as King Coal
  • George Castanza as Racist KY Democrat
  • Gale Cunningham as President Barack Obama

YouTube won’t let it embed, so watch it here.

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Even Stumbo criticizing Beshear over Snubgate

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May 8, 2011
By Joe Sonka

Yes, even the man who refused to criticize the colossal embarrassment known as Jim Gooch decided to criticize Governor Steve Beshear over snubbing President Obama and the troops returning home from Afghanistan:

Beshear, who is running for a second term this year, said he didn’t have enough time to alter his Kentucky Oaks schedule, which included hobnobbing with CEOs to promote Kentucky as a place to do business.

Kentucky House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, saw it differently. He said the governor should have adjusted his Friday schedule to be at Fort Campbell, where Obama honored the U.S. commandos he sent after terror mastermind Osama bin Laden.


“That wasn’t a political event,” Stumbo said. “That was an event to honor the bravery of those men, and I believe he should have gone down there probably and been with the president. He could have helicoptered back up here for the Oaks presentation if he wanted to do that.”

Strategery.

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Beshear gets constituent feedback on Snubgate (UPDATE)

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May 8, 2011
By Joe Sonka

From the Beshear/Abramson Facebook page:

Those people must hate all of the fantastic jobs that the governor was creating on millionaires row at the horsie track Friday.

UPDATE: More for his page:

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Obama’s Fort Campbell speech (VIDEO)

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May 6, 2011
By Joe Sonka

While Steve Beshear was glad-handing the suits and big shots at the Kentucky Oaks, the President of the United States of America was in Kentucky doing this:

Yeah, what a waste of time that would have been.

If you’re playing catch up on Gov. Steve Beshear’s Snubgate, read here, here, here, here, here and here.

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Prominent KY Democrats unload on Beshear for snubbing Obama

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May 6, 2011
By Joe Sonka

Beshear’s Snubgate (Oaksgate? Is gate overused?) continues, as the Courier Journal talks to a bunch of prominent Kentucky Democrats and leaders that are Grade A pissed at the governor for passing on meeting Obama and the troops for the Horsey Games.

State Senator Georgia Powers?

“I think it’s an affront to the president and vice president,” said former state Sen. Georgia Powers of Louisville. “I know that in Kentucky horses are everything. But there come times when we have to weigh what’s most important.”

Raoul Cunningham, president of the Louisville branch of the NAACP?

“I think it’s an insult to the presidency. … I’m offended.”

Louisville Rep. Darryl Owens?

“This is the president. I don’t know if you can come up with a good reason for not making that”

And last but WHOA not least, Louisville Rep. Jim Wayne?

“I think what we’re talking about here is the governor is running for re-election and this president is not well-respected in this state. We have a lot of narrow-minded, racist people in this state who do not like the fact that we have a black man in the White House.”

I believe this is what’s called “going medieval on someone’s ass”.

Still think this was a clever move, Beshear campaign? Oh, that’s right, you were creating jobs at the track, nevermind.

My favorite part of the story? The only person that came to his defense is someone that currently works for a Lundergan.

Strange days in Snub-gate…

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PHOTOS: President Obama thanks the troops; Governor Beshear bets on horses…

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May 6, 2011
By David M. F. Schankula

President Obama is at this moment addressing the soldiers and Navy SEALs at Fort Campbell…

Soldiers arrive to hear the President’s remarks
Obama arrives at Fort Campbell

Unfortunately, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear wasn’t able to make the trip because he had a pre-scheduled obligation to attend the Kentucky Oaks horse race at Churchill Downs.

Thomas McAdam caught up with Beshear at the track and reports:

A couple of minutes ago, we bumpped into Steve Beshear; the incumbent Governor of our fine Commonwealth.  Naturally, we asked him for his advice concerning which filly to bet the rent money on in this afternoon’s 137th  running of the Kentucky Oaks.  You figure the governor of a state like Kentucky knows more about horses than the average guy.
Like the schrewd politician he is, Gov. Beshear told us he will be hedging his bet, between Joyful Victory and Kathmanblu.  His ability to spread his support around with aplomb is why he is governor and you aren’t.
In a more serious vein, we asked the governor a question that’s probably on a lot of folks’ minds today:  Why didn’t he join with President Obama to visit with and show support for the troops down at Fort Campbell today?
The governor began with a sincere statement of how proud of and greatful for our men and women in uniform he is, “Especially our wonderful Navy SEALS.”  He went on to explain that his office only received notice of the president’s itinerary in the last few hours, and the governor’s Oaks Day schedule had been in the planning for months.

The President’s trip was announced on Wednesday afternoon, and, for what its worth, we at least got Steve Beshear’s Oaks wager half right (and a commenter got the other half) when we guessed earlier he’d put his money on Joyful Victory.

*NOTE*
An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that Beshear was spending his day riding in a parade with Kate Gosselin and Chili from TLC. While all that did in fact happen, that event actually happened yesterday.

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