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Political BLOG |
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Joe Arnold
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May 2009 Archives
"My tenure with Congressman Yarmuth has been an amazing experience. He has set the bar for a leader extraordinarily high and shown me what it means to serve a community and country effectively and with integrity," Perelmuter said in a farew... With media attention continuing - mainly from WHAS11 - on Louisville arena construction since the concrete pour accident on April 27, the Arena Authority led by Jim Host took another unusual step on Wednesday (May 27) releasing to the media arenapdf.pdfa report from general contractor Mor... Count me among those who presumed that Churchill Downs built the $121 million expansion of the clubhouse so the structure could eventually house the racetrack's slot machines. But Churchill Downs Incorporated's Kevin Flanery dispelled that "myth" on Tuesday, saying there was never any plan to use the expansion for slot machines or casi... "Senate Republicans will treat Judge Sotomayor fairly. But we will thoroughly examine her record to ensure she understands that the role of a jurist in our democracy is to apply the law even-handedly, despite their own feelings or personal or political preferences. "Our Democratic colleagues have often remarked that the Senate is not a 'rubber stamp.' Accordingly, we trust they will ensure there is adequate time to prepare for this n... Two "new" radio shows are on the air. Long time 84WHAS talker Joe Elliott is hostingan internet based talk show that gives Joe a chance to converse with newsmakers, celebrities and experts. Check out his latest interview with retiring WAVE-TV meteorologist Tom Wills and an earlier conversation about the Rick Pitino extortion case with Shannon Ragland of the Kentucky Trial Court Rev... The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza says Jim Bunning has no chance of winning reelection. This race isn't complicated: if Bunning is the nominee, then Democrats win. If not, then this is a toss up race. And Cillizza finds Trey Grayson's deference to Bunning not a strong sign of Grayson's chances. ...
Tonight's Comment on Kentucky guests are: Tom Eblen - Lexington Herald-Leader Joe Gerth - Courier-Journal Tony McVeigh - Kentucky Public Radio On the Monday, May 25 edition of Kentucky Tonight at 8/7 p.m. CT on KET1, host Bill Goodman and guests will discuss the U.S. Supreme Court.
The New York Times is reporting that General Motors has reached a deal with the UAW to swap some equity in the company to reduce billions of dollars in obligations to the new retiree health fund.
This is another example of how Ford management better prepare...
The official release follows: Forbes online has an interesting look at how federal incentives are inspiring start-up auto manufacturers. ...Former Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendant Stephen Daeschner is back in Kentuckiana after a two year stint in depressing Aurora Illinois. I'm just looking over his contract from Greater Clark County schools. Here are the highlights:
... Metro Louisville Spokesman Chris Poynter on what to expect to see in the city's next budget... "You'll definitely see furloughs again for city employees. I think you will definitely see some cuts in service- not significant cuts that will really impact the public. And also, we're not going to be filling any vacant positions. We're basically getting through this like any businesses are getting through this." Law enforcement types are none too happy with Kentucky Homeland Security Executive Director Tomas Preston after he wrote in a monthly bulletin to them that the state was wasting its money on a futile war on drugs. "We're losing this battle. Caustic effects gobble up our tax dollars and deprive good citizens of what they deserve and a...
While Jim Bunning's sniping at Mitch McConnell is making some noise the real "drumbeat" by Mitch McConnell has been over Guatanamo Bay. Politico has a look at the GOP's traction on the issue. Republican have tried for months to keep up a drumbeat on Gitmo, and some Democrats have been frustrated that there has been a vacuum on their side. Senate Mi... I was on assignment working on a Ford story Tuesday during Sen. Jim Bunning's weekly conference call. But, I finally got to it Tuesday night. Bunning's disdain for fellow Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell is jaw dropping. If you haven't heard it, >> Continue reading: Another high hard one from Bunning
While former Kentucky House Speaker Jody Richards seeks an opinion from Attorney General Jack Conway, Governor Steve Beshear says he does not believe a constitutional amendment is necessary to allow "video lottery terminals" aka slot machines at racetracks. Beshear again said the Kentucky racing industry is in crisis, but unlike House Speaker Pro Tem Larry Clark's proposal to force a vote on gaming, and let the Senate take responsibility for ... With apologies to Derby winner Mine That Bird, House Speaker Pro Tem Larry Clark of Louisville is no gelding when it comes to the issue of putting slots at racetracks to an up or down vote. Now, Lexington Herald Leader columnist Larry Dale Keeling says Clark has taken the lead on the c... I was just talking with a colleague today about the status of Louisville's Muhammad Ali Center. When it opened a couple of years ago, its grand plan was for the Ali Center to offer a place of global significance, for peace talks and political summits, akin to the Carter Center in Georgia. At noon on Tuesday, Muhammad and wife Lonnie Ali are scheduled to appear with the President of Lexington based animal nutrition company Alltech to ... Just got this press release about a news conference on Wednesday that reporters will love because it brings many major players in Kentucky's horse racing industry to the same place at the same time. Should be good... Here's the release:
Arena Authority Chairman Jim Host and the general contractor Mortensen Construction both put on their game faces today as an internal investigation into the arena construction collapse was released. But, neither could fully hide their outrage at concrete subcontractor Wilhelm Construction's sloppiness which the report says led to t...
Pressed by Fox News' Chris Wallace, Sen. Mitch McConnell again refused to endorse Sen. Jim Bunning's reelection bid , despite Bunning's emphatic reaffirmation at last week's Lincoln Day dinner that he is, indeed seeking a third term. Fox News' bigger headline was McConnell >> Continue reading: McConnell snubs Bunning again: "It's not clear who the players are going to be yet" In one of the more disturbing stories in some time, the Herald-Leader investigated the use of cell phones, cameras and recording devices at a Lexington Nursing Home. Documents obtained by the newspaper "show that employees recorded patients screaming or asking to go to the bathroom and then played a guessing game to see which resident was involved." We heard all kinds of complaints about how the "Infield Club" at this year's Kentucky Derby had cut into the traditional, wilder infield partying. But an effort to clean up the Preakness infield appears to have cost Pimlico some 30,000 fans. the Sunday Washington Post reports, "Attendance dropped 7.5 percent last year, to 112,222, and it fel... An audit of Steve Henry's failed run for governor in 2007 depicts a campaign in no rush to pay its bills. The Courier-Journal reports that some unpaid loans and unpaid bills to vendors could equate to illegal in-kind corporate campaign donations. As Speaker Pro Tem Larry Clark tipped me off Tuesday, he and Speaker Greg Stumbo met with Governor Steve Beshear on Thursday to discuss the declining state of horse racing in Kentucky. The Courier-Journal's Tom Loftusfills us in. ...In the blog post yesterday on President Obama's "empathy" requirement for a Supreme Court justice, I mentioned Sen. Mitch McConnell's concern, but failed to mention McConnell elaborating on it during the convocation commencement address to the University of Louisville Law School on Saturday. When Justice David Souter announced he was retiring from the Supreme Court, President Obama declared that his choice to succeed Souter would have "empathy," adding he would ask, "What is in the justice's heart? What's their broader vision of what America should be?" To which Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell countered, "A Supreme Court nominee needs to be able to fulfill the judicial oath of applying the law without prejudice, and... Two weeks after the concrete collapse at the downtown arena project, demolition of the affected area is underway. But, we also noticed a separate area of concrete away from the accident site also being demolished. Is there a problem with the arena's concrete work? And, why was the laborer I interviewed about his safety and quality control concerns laid off today? Here are the responses to those questions from both the general contra... No word yet from Attorney General Jack Conway, but theAP's Roger Alford reports Lt. Gov. Dan Mongiardo collected more than $425,000 in campaign contributions in the first quarter of 2009. Mongiardo and Conway are the Democratic frontrunners for Republican Jim Bunning's Senate seat. ...General Fund receipts declined 12.1 percent
If anyone thought Churchill Downs was bluffing when it warned about how much it needed slot machines or video lottery terminals, the track is calling that bet, announcing it is cutting seven race days from the Spring Meet. Will Kentucky politicians do anything about it? Governor Steve Beshear's spokesman Jay Blanton sent me this statement:<... While we were busy Sunday night talking to the co-owner of Derby Winner Mine That Birdabout the behind the scenes effort to block Oaks winner Rachel Alexandra from racing in the Preakness (Mike Allen confides that he thought about it, but won't enter a second colt just to block the filly), >> Continue reading: Preakness Plot & Churchill Cuts I didn't expect any fireworks at the Kentucky GOP's Lincoln Day dinner Saturday night. Republicans generally avoid making a scene. But like many families whose formal portraits bear little resemblance to inner turmoil, the Republican gathering's facade of unity could not conceal its inner turmoil. For me, the moment came at what should have been the applause line of the night. When Sen. Jim Bunning barked that he was fighting for ... Contrary to rumblings earlier in the week, Ambassador Cathy Bailey tells me she will not be speaking at the Republican Lincoln Day Dinner at the Galt House Saturday night. No explanation was given. Senate President David Williams is expected to be the featured speaker, with each GOP member of Kentucky's Congressional delegation given a turn. Bailey is considering a run for U-S Senate even if Sen. Jim Bunning does not choose to retire. Bail... On Tuesday, I reported on a youth products trade show moving from Las Vegas to Louisville in 2011. I asked the ABC Kids President if he expected any backlash from conventioneers, and he told me no, that if people were upset about less entertainment in Louisville, they need to remember that trade shows are about business conducted on the trade show floor, not what you... With government bailouts and a recession weary nation focusing more attention on executive pay, Verizon shareholders will vote in Louisville on Thursday whether they approve of the company's executive pay package.
There have been rumblings for some time, but now Louisville Republican Cathy Bailey tells the Lexington Herald-Leader that she is considering a run for Jim Bunning's Senate seat, even if Bunning does not retire on his own. That's in marked contrast to Bunning's fellow Northern Kentuckian, Secretary of State Trey Grayson who says he will run only if Bunning chooses to retire. >> Continue reading: Bailey considering Bunning's seat, too The Wall Street Journal's Matthew Dolan is writing about Ford's Michigan Truck Plant transition to produce Ford's new global platform vehicle, and speculating that the Louisville Assembly Plant could also be called upon to manufacture the Focus. Dave Lewallen of WXYZ ... Check out my conversation with Greater Louisville & Convention Bureau President Jim Wood on the news that a major trade show is leaving Las Vegas for Louisville. Viva Las Louisville! Wood argues that Vegas offers too many distractions to get much work done at working trade shows. That's an interesting sales take on the "Entertainment ...
Mark Hebert's defection to the world of public relations is already being felt in the WHAS11 Newsroom,on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, and perhaps the most dramatically on this political blog. Though I chimed in here during the election season, this blog was Mark's baby and he fed and nurtured it incredibly well. One week after planned layoffs were disclosed to local Ford workers, I've learned of an aggressive effort by the United Auto Workers to save those 380 threatened jobs at the Fern Valley Road Plant. ...The Courier-Journal's James Carroll reports today on Sen. Jim Bunningblaming Sen. Mitch McConnell on GOP losses in the Senate. And, WHAS11.com incorporates our Survey USA numbers with the AP account of Bunning's fundraising ... Trey Grayson's exploratory committee for Jim Bunning's Senate seat is surely not helping Bunning's fundraising efforts. And now there's further buzz about Bunning not attending the Kentucky Derby, missing out on Millionaires' Row. ...What a challenge (and opportunity) for Trey Grayson this Saturday night at the Kentucky GOP's Lincoln Day Dinner in Louisville. Grayson will be Master of Ceremonies for a dinner that is expected to draw the Senator he's aiming to succeed (Bunning) and the Senator who hasn't exactly boosted Bunning's re-election hopes (McConnell). Grayson's political mettle will be tested. Also expected to attend are Congressman Hal Rogers, C... In attendance at a Derby night benefit at the Olmsted on Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, the top Republican in Congress Mitch McConnell and rising Democratic Senator Mark Warner of Virginia. Warner delivered the keynote address at the 2008 Democratic National Convention and has been named as a potential presidential candidate. Like McConnell, Warner is a prolific fundraiser. And, both w... A check of F.A. Wilhelm Construction's OSHA records turned up that Wilhelm was also the subcontractor for a concrete pour collapse at the Mall St. Matthews parking garage in 1998. However, the Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet tells me that the initial $10,000 fine levied against Wilhelm was deleted after the contractor blamed the v... This one involves a Ft. Knox daycare..... stay tuned. Here's the official release: Public Health Reports Probable H1N1 Swine Flu Case in Hardin County Resident Meanwhile, as Mark Hebert was winding down from his farewell to WHAS11 on the Derby morning broadcast, race 3 of Mark's last Derby Day as a journalist held special meaning. The winner of race 3 is named "Luv Gov,"the irreverent nickname for former Kentucky Governor Paul Patton after Mark exposed the governor's relationship with nursing home operator Tina Conno... Quite a fitting tribute at Churchill Downs to our late colleague Chuck Olmstead. In the paddock on Oaks Day, where Chuck held court every year, Churchill Downs Sr. V-P of Communications announced that Churchillwill host the "Chuck Olmstead Memorial Race" on Preakness Day, May 16. ...It's over. This is the last time you'll find Mark Hebert posting anything on the WHAS 11 political blog. it's probably the last time you'll see me writing anything for WHAS 11 News. ...Attorney General Jack Conway said today that if he wins the democratic primary for U.S. Senate, he'd prefer to face Jim Bunning in November 2010. Conway told me he was surprised that Trey Grayson had filed papers forming an exploratory committee to test the waters for next year's race. ...On Francene Cucinello's radio show on 84WHAS Friday morning, Trey Grayson made it clear that his U.S. Senate bid in 2010 is contingent on getting Sen. Jim Bunning's blessing. Grayson says he met with Bunning in Washington on Wednesday and did not intend on publicly announcing his exploratory committee just yet. ...If U.S. Senator Jim Bunning is indeed mulling retirement, a new Survey USA Poll for WHAS11 may send the MLB Hall of Fame pitcher to the showers. Bunning's approval rating among Kentuckians has dropped nine points from five months ago, and it was alreasy tepid, then. 34% of Kentucky adults surveyed approve of Bunnings job performance, compared to 43% in late November, 2008. ...In a statement (or lack thereof) to WHAS11 News, an Arena Authority spokesperson says neither the authority nor Chairman Jim Host will have any comment until after an investigation into an arena construction accident is complete. Three workers were injured when a concrete floor collapsed as the concrete was being poured, (the mother of one of them tells me a piece of rebar tore through his arm). And in exclusive interviews on WHAS11... Mitch McConnell says he'll make sure there's a "full and fair" debate on President Obama's pick to replace Justice David Souter. Here's the statement released Friday: ... |
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WHAS11.com Political Blog
WHAS11 Reporters blog the latest political news from the campaign trail and beyond. 
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