April 02, 2007
In My Shoes
It was late the night before my trip to Washington, D.C.. After a long day of reporting and a lot of walking, I was glad to get some rest. But something made me get out of bed to shine my shoes.
It had been 19 years since the last time I stepped foot in the White House. Then, I was a Congressional intern on a tour. This time, I was going as a guest of a friend who works in the West Wing. He had invited several of his fellow St. Louis Cardinal fans to the President's reception for the team to celebrate their World Series championship. I was to sign in at the Northwest gate and make my way up the driveway to his office.
It is past 11pm the night before, and I am looking for my shoeshine kit somewhere beneath the bathroom sink.
As a reporter and anchor, I meet many people, including many noteworthy people. It is very easy to become jaded when you are scrutinizing other people's actions everyday, especially politicians. So, I wondered why a trip to the White House was affecting me this way.
I fixed a few blemishes and ran the brush over my black shoes. I was ready.
I got there early, so I walked along Pennsylvania Avenue for the classic view of the mansion. When I was an intern, cars could still drive here. Terrorism concerns have changed all that. In fact, to make it to my entrance, I had to walk all the way around the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. As I approached the gate, I knew why I had shined my shoes. A tremendous feeling of patriotism and a sense of respect came over me. Politics were irrelevant in this moment. History was creaking from the trees that towered overhead. I thought of Lincoln.
The Eisenhower building doesn't ooze as much history. Lots of young people in suits and with ID badges, drinking coffee and eating frozen yogurt. The gift shop is here for employees. I buy my young sons magnets of Air Force One and a couple of baseballs with the Presidential seal.
Lunch at the Navy "Mess," was anything but. I envisioned a cafeteria, but I felt like a visiting head of state. Even this dining room in the West Wing, however, paled compared to our next stop.
I find myself in the original mansion, the first floor of the residence. Literally, right up the stairs is the master bedroom. I am standing under the 1869 George PA Healy portrait of Abraham Lincoln in the State Dining Room. Engraved in the mantle below are the words of John Adams:
"I pray Heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this House, and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof."
I am thankful I shined my shoes.
No velvet ropes to stand behind, I am joined by the Cardinals and by my nephew and brother in law, all of us taking measure of this rare opportunity. We have full run of the Red, Blue and Green Rooms. I admire a white marble top table with a vase of fresh cut white roses. I later learn that President Monroe bought that table for the mansion in 1817.
These are the rooms used for diplomacy and history. Grover Cleveland was married in the Blue Room. James Madison signed the nation's first declaration of war in the Green Room. Jackie Kennedy renovated the Red Room. And there on an antique sofa, I see third baseman Scott Speizio laughing with his teammates.
Finally, we walk down that red carpet you see behind the President in some speeches and we take our seats in the East Room. The bodies of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy once lay in state here. I felt honored just to breathe the air.
The President honors the Cardinals; they give him a jersey and ball. No matter who the President is, when you are only several feet from him, the energy is amazing.
He recognizes a young man two rows in front of me, Lance Corporal Chad Watson of the United States Marine Corps. Mr. Bush had met him at Walter Reed hospital. The Marine is recovering from injuries in Iraq. He is missing a leg.
I can't imagine walking a mile in his shoes, but I'm glad I shined mine before this memorable day.
Posted by joe.arnold at 10:23 PM | Comments (0)
March 13, 2006
Pence, planes and motorcycles
For the second time in less than a month, Lt. Gov. Steve Pence got caught in Florida, on vacation, while Governor Fletcher was headed to the hospital and had to hand his gubernatorial duties to the Lieutenant Governor.
Pence says his only two personal trips to Florida just happened to come at the same time he was needed to take the reins of state government. There's no reason to think Pence is telling anything but the truth. However, when political insiders and average Kentuckians heard Pence was in Florida when Fletcher when in the hospital for a blood clot, their collective question was "what's the Lt. Governor doing on vacation again?.....in the middle of a legislative session?"
The Lt. Governor says he works long, hard hours. Again, no reason to doubt him. But due to bad timing, bad luck or stupidity, he's set himself up for a hammering by any future political opponents. Imagine the TV commercials if Pence runs for Governor:
ANNOUNCER: "When Kentucky's Governor was in the hospital, not once, but twice, where was the man we elected to step in and run the state? Steve Pence was on a Florida beach, sunning himself and drinking Pina Coladas. Steve Pence...when Kentuckians needed him most, he cared the least".
Unfair? Absolutely. But I see this political hammering coming from a mile away (or a year away if Pence runs for Gov. in '07).
Just to set the record straight, Pence's kids were on winter break from school in February. He chose to spend the rest of the week vacationing in Florida with his family instead of returning to Frankfort when Fletcher's gall bladder went bad.
On March 9th, Pence was flying into Orlando when he found out Fletcher was back in the hospital with a blood clot. The Lieutenant Governor says he got off the plane and immediately found a flight back to Kentucky. Pence believed the blood clot situation sounded more serious.
So where was Pence headed the second time? To Daytona. For Bike Week. Yep, straight laced Steve Pence was headed to the annual motorcycle convention in Daytona. Your Lt. Gov. is a biker. Rides a Harley. Always wears a helmet. He'll need it when a future political opponent starts bombing him with charges of being the absentee Lt. Governor.
Posted by mark.hebert at 06:14 PM | Comments (0)
February 25, 2006
U of L's Queasy, Abramson's Fumble, Fletcher
Why the University of Louisville won't play at the Water Company site.
Did Jerry Abramson hurt his own air pollution program?
Fletcher says "Here come the Judge(s)."
Let's start with U of L. The most asked question among Louisville sports fans is "Why doesn't U of L want the arena at the old Water Company site?" Here are the reasons. Tom Jurich and Jerry Abramson hate each other. Their spokesmen say "hate" is too strong of a word, that the two men respect each other, but aren't friends. But that unhealthy relationship is one of the behind-the-scenes roadblocks to U of L agreeing to play in a new arena at the Water Company site. That site was Abramson's idea, good enough reason for Jurich not to like it. The Water Company site was where the mayor talked about building an arena for an NBA team. The mayor apparently said some things that ticked off Jurich when the city was hunting for an NBA team and Jurich hasn't forgotten. The two men got into a heated argument last April. It was behind closed doors but I could hear the raised voices outside.
There's another factor that may be a hindrance to U of L playing at the Water Company site. It's right across the street from the private Pendennis Club. Jurich and Rick Pitino reportedly raised concerns about showing an arena to black recruits that's located next to a historically all-white club. U of L sports information director Kenny Klein says he hasn't heard that but several other sources say it might be a factor.
Of course, there are the public reasons for U of L's dislike of the Water Company site....it doesn't have the visibility, naming rights, and WOW potential of a site along the interstate. By the time you read this, a decision on arena location may be made.
Senate Bill 39 is on its way to passing the Kentucky Senate, maybe the entire legislature. That's Sen. Dan Seum's bill to effectively eliminate the STAR program, Mayor Abramson's push for tougher air standards on Louisville biggest polluters.
Abramson may have hurt the effort to find a compromise or kill the bill when he failed to personally show up for a meeting with Ford and UAW officials on Feb. 20. Some State Senators who attended the meeting, including those who oppose the bill and support Abramson, said the Mayor's failure to make the meeting "certainly didn't help".
Abramson's political director, Jim McGovern and other city officials did attend that meeting and didn't believe Abramson needed to be there.
How about Governor Fletcher appointing two of his campaign contributors to hear his own case before the Supreme Court? Rockcastle Circuit Judge Jeffrey Burdette gave $1500 to Fletcher's 2003 campaign for Governor. Lexington attorney Ron Green gave at least $1800 to Fletcher's campaigns for Congress. Burdette and Green were appointed to hear Fletcher's challenge to the Franklin County Grand Jury continuing to issue indictments even after he'd issued blanket pardons. Fletcher claims there work is legally done. Burdette and Green replace Justices Joseph Lambert and John Roach who recused themselves. Attorney General Greg Stumbo says Kentuckians will question the fairness of a high court that has two Fletcher supporters on it. Couldn't Fletcher find two good Republican lawyers or judges who hadn't contributed to his campaigns, at least giving the appearance of impartiality?
Posted by mark.hebert at 02:25 PM | Comments (0)
February 16, 2006
Lambert, Henry and Conway
Here's an update on behind-the-scenes politicking and investigations:
It appears the federal grand jury investigation of Ross Harris' contributions to Debra Lambert's campaign has stalled. But it's not over, according to my sources.
Harris is the eastern Kentucky businessman who funneled illegal contributions to the judicial campaign of Pulaski County judge Debra Lambert and others.
The question is whether Harris was trying to curry favor with Lambert's husband, Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice Joseph Lambert. Joe Lambert's former chief of staff, Jim Deckard took the fifth in front on the federal grand jury in Lexington, according to my sources. But that was more than two months ago. There's been very little movement on the investigation since then. Harris is undergoing treatment for some form of cancer so the feds may be hoping for a post-cancer conversion or death bed confession from Harris to jump start the probe. But again, I'm told, it's not over.
What happens if Chief Justice Lambert does get tied up in the Ross Harris mess? Who becomes Chief Justice if he steps aside?
Steve Henry is busy traveling the state of Kentucky with his wife, Heather French Henry, who's talking about her pet project....veteran's issues. Folks across Kentucky say the Henrys' pitches always include a note from Steve to "remember me in 2007", a clear reference to his desire to run for Governor. Henry tells me he's not telling folks he's running for Governor because then he would have to set up a formal campaign committee. He's running, if he can find a way to get the Medicaid fraud cloud away from his doorstep. Henry could get some help with that soon. I can't divulge how that might happen but stay tuned.
Jack Conway had lunch with Former Democratic Party Chairman and continuing powerbroker Terry McBrayer a few weeks ago. The two men apparently talked about the 2007 Governor's race. McBrayer is trying to convince Conway to run for Lt. Governor on a ticket with Ben Chandler. That would be an unbeatable ticket if Congressman Chandler backs off his plan to go back to Washington and that's it. The ticket would bring together the handsome young lawyer from Louisville (who's getting married this year), and the Woodford County Democrat who lost the 2003 Governor's race to Ernie Fletcher only because he's a Democrat.
Louisville businessman Charlie Owen is telling friends that he plans to run for Governor. Owen denies being that definitive.
Wouldn't it be funny if former Louisville Alderman Beverly "Bebe" Melton wins the Democratic primary and faces Dana Seum Stephenson for the House seat currently held by retiring Rep. Denver Butler? What's so funny? Seum-Stephenson might consider challenging the residency of Melton who has "resided" in and out of her district over the past few years. She and husband George Melton have spent time living in Shelby County while both of them recuperated from various health problems. Seum-Stephenson challenging the residency of anyone would be fun political theatre. For those of you who don't follow Kentucky politics, Seum-Stephenson won a State Senate seat, then lost it in court because she hadn't lived in Kentucky for the required six years before the election. Melton is facing Tim Firkins in the Dem. primary
Posted by mark.hebert at 08:04 PM | Comments (2)
January 26, 2006
Political Notes
Yarmuth, Lucas and Jefferson County's disgruntled Democrats.
Former LEO Publisher John Yarmuth said he would likely announce his candidacy for Congress the week of January 15th. He even wrote a "farewell" column in LEO. As of the date of this posting (Jan. 26), Yarmuth hasn't announced his intentions. Wonder if he's getting cold feet? Andrew Horne is already seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Anne Northup in the fall.
Rumors were hot and heavy in Frankfort that former Congressman Ken Lucas would announce his candidacy for the 4th District seat today (Jan. 26). But Lucas told me he hasn't made a final decision and there definitely wouldn't be any announcement today. He's out of state with his family. Democrats are desperately trying to persuade Lucas to come out of retirement and challenge Republican Geoff Davis, who replaced him in Congress after Lucas decided not to seek another term.
Democrat Perry Clark is probably a better candidate than Virginia Woodward would have been for the open 37th District State Senate. Woodward probably deserved the nomination for the time and money she spent forcing Republican Dana Seum Stephenson out and embarrassing the Republican Party. But Clark has a libertarian streak that fits the South Louisville district. That said, what if all the liberal Democrats and Democratic women are so ticked off at their party leaders for rejecting Woodward that they stay home on Special Election Day? Voter turnout will be super low, perhaps in the 10% range. And Republicans do a better job of turning out voters than the Dems. So not only might Clark lose to Debbie Peden, Ron Weston might be hurt as well. He's the Democrat who's been nominated to try and win Clark's vacated seat in the House of Representatives.
Posted by mark.hebert at 01:18 PM | Comments (1)
January 08, 2006
More Money, Wrong Priorities?
Kentucky's Legislature and Governor appear ready to pump millions of dollars into teachers salaries, to bring Kentucky teachers' pay in line with surrounding states. But will that give Kentucky students the biggest bang for their parents' bucks? Even some teachers aren't so sure.
Here's the deal. The National Edcuation Association says the average salary for Kentucky teachers is about $40,500. That's $4,500 less than the average salaries of teachers in the seven states surrounding Kentucky. Governor Fletcher has already talked about getting teacher pay up to the surrounding states and now the Democratic leaders in the House are saying the same thing. Their plan would increase spending on teacher salaries by more than $400 million dollars over the next four years. Few people will argue with that plan. Kentucky's public school teachers are overworked, underappreciated and underpaid.
But when talking to some of Kentucky teachers, they say they'd gladly give up the pay raise if the money would be used on reducing class sizes. That would require construction of more new schools and hiring hundreds more teachers. It wouldn't be cheap. But the teachers I talk to believe that's the quickest way to improve education in Kentucky. More one-on-one instruction. More time with students who are struggling.
And it makes sense to this parent. Here's why. My 10-year-old son attends a Jefferson County Public School.
There are 30 students and one teacher in his fourth grade class. My son is bright. He's a self starter and he gets plenty of support at home. But you'll never convince me that the kids in his class who aren't as gifted or lucky are getting the attention they need and deserve from a single teacher in a class of 30. She could be Superwoman and be doing well just to get through the day's lessons and homework grading.
And there are many other needs facing Kentucky schools that we must face and deal with....NOW! Kentucky's 175 day school year is one of the shortest in the country and nowhere close to the 200+ day school years in Japan and China. Our school computers are old and many teachers don't or won't integrate technology into their daily lessons. Twenty five percent of Kentucky's school districts don't offer any all-day kindergarten classes.
In other words, our public education system is falling behind. I know what you teachers are saying: "This guy wants us to give up our shot at our first big pay raise in years so there's money for all of these other programs".
Not true. I'm saying Kentucky lawmakers and Governor Fletcher need to find the courage to raise teachers salaries AND agree on a 5 year plan for financing smaller class sizes, new technology, lengthening the school year and doing other improvements that aren't mentioned here. Put it in writing. So five years from now taxpayers can look back and say "They really were serious about improving education" or "Those legislators and that Governor didn't keep the campaign promises they made to Kentucky's children." It's not too much to ask.
Posted by mark.hebert at 04:27 PM | Comments (1)
November 18, 2005
Will Fletcher Be Indicted?
The most frequently asked question in Frankfort these days is not "Who's running for governor?". It's "do you think Governor Fletcher will be indicted?" Here's my answer. Sort of.
The Special Franklin County Grand Jury that's investigating the Fletcher Administration's hiring, firing and promotion practices has heard and seen plenty of evidence that there were violations of Kentucky's merit laws. So far, sources tell me, the Grand Jury has also heard and seen plenty of evidence that Governor Fletcher knew his appointees were doing their damnedest to get his supporters into state jobs, both merit and non-merit. But what the Grand Jury hasn't seen is anything to directly link Ernie Fletcher to any specific merit personnel moves. And without that "smoking gun", there won't be any indictment of the Governor.
That doesn't mean it won't happen. The Grand Jury still hasn't seen all of the e-mails from Fletcher's not-so-secret e-mail account, sadie@ky.gov. Those e-mails are locked up in legal limbo while Fletcher's attornies get a chance to decide which e-mails are "priveleged" and not required to be turned over to Greg Stumbo's investigators. Until those e-mails are seen by the Attorney General's Office and grand jurors, the investigation won't end, and a future courtroom appearance by Kentucky's sitting Republican Governor is still a possibility.
Governor Fletcher has left himself open to a criminal indictment by failing to cover himself with his blanket pardon. He has repeatedly said he never "knowingly" violated Kentucky's merit law. Earlier this week he told reporters he didn't regret that decision because the "buck stops here" and said he wasn't worried about the Grand Jury investigation. Fletcher may be hoping the grand jurors, who have been meeting since June, will grow frustrated and run out of gas to continue if the courts rule in Fletcher's favor on his motion to stop the panel from indicting anyone that's already been pardoned.
If the grand jury quits, the simple answer to the question above is...."no, I don't think Governor Fletcher will be indicted".
Posted by mark.hebert at 02:58 PM | Comments (0)
