Don't Look For Chandler To Run For Governor (Ellis, CNHI)

Ronnie Ellis' weekly political column takes another look at the 2007 governor's race and concludes that U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler (D) is not going to run, despite the recent flurry of activity that suggested he is giving it one last look.

While I'm a big fan of Ronnie's work, he's flat wrong when he suggests in the fourth paragraph that Chandler never really considered a gubernatorial bid and this was more about buying time to find a suitable alternative.

It's been difficult for me to write much about the level of Chandler's interest in running for governor because of my close relationship with him. I'm not interested in misleading you as to his intentions and I'm equally not interested in leaking where he is at a particular moment, but I think I need to speak-up a little here.

First, Ben has never been particularly coy or evasive about running. He's consistently said for the past year that he loves his present job in Congress and wasn't seeking a change but wanted to wait until the midterm elections before making a final decision.

After the successful elections for the Democratic Party, Ben was effectively out of it, but has been spending a good deal of time talking with a number of possible candidates, particularly former Governor Brereton Jones (D). It was only in the past week, after Jones and Auditor Crit Luallen (D) made an appeal to Chandler to run, that Ben has been giving this a hard look. He's seriously torn about this and will make a decision shortly (even though I'm reminded that it wasn't until December 2002 that Fletcher and other entered the last gubernatorial race, so we're hardly into unchartered territory given that it's still November.).

I don't expect Ben will run, but I'm a lot less certain than I was a week ago. Ronnie is wrong when he suggests this is about buying time. That's not true and we're left with the implication that Ben is simply manipulating the process to find a suitable candidate, not struggling with a difficult decision, which is really the issue right now.

But the amusing thing is that all the potential candidates for governor, with the exception of former Lt. Governor Steve Henry (D), have been urging Ben over the past week to run and to take the time he needs to properly think it through. It's only been the media and the anonymous trolls here (whose IP addresses largely trace, unsurprisingly, to dozens and dozens of pro-Henry comments over the past few months) who suggest that Chandler should already have decided and must do so ASAP.

In any event, I think Ellis is mostly correct with his column but felt obliged to speak out over the mischaracterization that this is about buying time. Ben is genuinely conflicted over the decision and I'm certain we'll know his decision very shortly.

Don't Look For Chandler To Run For Governor
By Ronnie Ellis, CNHI News Service

FRANKFORT, Ky.— Ben Chandler should announce his intentions the first of the week.

It isn’t likely he’ll announce he’ll run for governor.

I don’t think Chandler ever really wanted to run for governor next year – he likes his life right now too much. He’s happier in Washington than he expected and the job and the Congressional schedule allow him more time with his children despite the distance. With Democrats now in control of the U.S. House, Chandler has a realistic chance at a seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee.

Chandler allowed speculation to grow that he might reconsider a run for governor after Crit Luallen and Jerry Abramson declined to run. But it probably never meant he was seriously reconsidering. Instead, it allowed him time to try to put together an alternative ticket behind which most of the party – and the entire wing that includes Chandler, Luallen, Abramson, former Gov. Brereton Jones and others – could rally.

But it doesn’t look like he’s succeeded. When Chandler announces his intentions – there remains a very slight possibility he could change his mind – it will probably signal a cavalry charge into the Democrat primary. Chandler’s candidacy would almost certainly have cleared the Democrat field with perhaps only former Lt. Gov. Steve Henry being willing to challenge him. But with Chandler out of the way, no one except maybe Jones can prevent a large field.

(click here to keep reading column)

Comments

[Kevin M]

Can't we just draft Chandler? Force him to run?

Why open the door to any possible light for Fletcher. Can Fletcher be beat? No, but I can give you a list of candidates who we should not venture to try:

Henry, Stumbo, and Jones.

Henry - Problem: Patton's corruption - it diffuses the Fletcher corruption argument

Stumbo - Problem: The high road - if Stumbo runs then the merit system investigation is all about politics.

Jones - Probably the best governor we've had since Collins or maybe even Brown. He's just too much the Mondale for Senate type candidate. I think that "rehashing" is too strong an argument for Fletcher, and it is even worse if Fletcher loses the primary. I can see the non-Fletcher R candidate's argument. "We want to move Kentucky forward and end the corruption that's gone on on both sides for so long. They keep re-using the same old, tired politicians that are part of the problem. Vote ----, Republican for Governor"

I obviously don't agree with the fake commercial, but the choice has to be someone who is un-connected enough (in people's minds) with all previous administrations as to garner support for the ending corruption argument. That's why Chandler, Miller, Conway are always on the lists.

[Daniel]

If Chandler does not run, the best bet would be Jonathan Miller.

As to Jack Conway, as of now, I just cannot see him at the top of the ticket.

Jack's great but has no record to run for Governor - of course some may argue that's a good thing.

A Miller/Conway ticket may be the best alternative.

[Matt Housh]

Miller Conway could beat Fletcher. I am just concerned about Fletcher dropping out and Miller running agaisnt someelse on the R side. i know that sounds like a worry wart but do not be suprised if Fletcher retires if Ben does not run. Then the whole game changes.

I'm sick of all these men.

Jennifer Moore for governor.

[Daniel]

Miller/Conway could definitely win but Pol Watchers reported that it was not quite a good meeting between the two with both saying that they want to be at the top of the ticket.

I hope Conway will change his mind though.

[JAS FRANKFORT]

Why is every single time we see Ben Chandler mentioned . . . sooner or later, more sooner than later, there is a post that mentions Brer Jones?

Brer Jones is shopping not only to, perhaps assist the Democratic Party, but he is shopping for an electable candidate under the Democratic Flag to support KEEP.

It is clear, in the last General Assembly, there was little support for Casino Gaming. The very fact that it did not make it to the floor is witness to its ??? popularity.
But remember is was Jones that said candidates for election will not get any of KEEP money. Seems a threat by a man with only the horses and the elite supporting him and that certainly is not the majority of the Kentucky voters, (at this time)

Somewhere on this blog is a force for Brer Jones that is apparently unable to read the Kings English. The post here time and time again, support in writing and in facts that Jones is not electable due to his previous public service as an inept governor that actually achieved very little of substance.

There have been many other substantiated facts concerning his possible candidacy and his record of public service.

Key to the issue and perhaps the underlying cause is the Republican Governor has left us in a hell of mess and that programs supported by the GOP in this state are not able to be funded.

Jones knows this, so does Stumbo, he even mentioned gaming in one of his press statement's. It would seem to me if Ben Chandler does not realize the "mess" he is entering and that mess will require some new form of generating revenue, then he is sleeping with his head in the sand.

What is the biggest prize on the table?

A prize that will bring more money to the elite and line their pockets with additional purse money for their brood?

That's a no brain er! CASINO GAMING.

Now the KEEP people know this and they know if they can get a candidate to run that will take a serious look at Casino Gaming, then their chances of bringing the CASINO issue to the ballot have improved, maybe even guaranteed.

At what point does the decision rest with Ben Chandler and the voters?

I think that time has already passed. Seems people are just annoyed as hell from hearing so much about N O T H I N G.

In the interim others are gearing up that might even give Ben Chandler a tight race.

Then he is not running or is that he is still thinking about running or he is going to stay in Congress or he will help Brer Jones all he can if Jones decides to drive the last nail in his political coffin.

And while only the voters will decide why waste a great opportunity by the stealh activity of those that see JONES as THE MAN.

What is the old saying?

"Those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it!"

Lets move on Kentucky. Lets move on.

Jonathan Miller with State Rep. Tommy Thompson will be announced next week. Good geographic ticket and both can bring loads of money to the table.

Honest to goodness, I do not see the appeal of Chandler. why is he your savior?

[Daniel]

1:11, do you have a source?

While a Miller/Thompson ticket would be a very formable one with good geographic balance with loads of money, there is no truth to it yet.

Miller is still waiting on Chandler like all the other reasonable candidates.

[Scooby]

Question: How do you know when your party is in trouble? Answer: When everybody is standing around waiting on the guy who got his hat handed to him last time out. Chandler may be a prince but that don't make him no king.

Question: How do you know when your party is in trouble?

Answer: When the sitting Governor of your party is indicated and pardons half his staff. His LG leaves the ticket and you just lost on of your congressional seats and six house seats.

Question: How do you know when your party is in trouble?

Answer: When the sitting Governor of your party is indicated and pardons half his staff. His LG leaves the ticket and you just lost on of your congressional seats and six house seats.

Why would Miller pick Tommy Thompson? Fundraising and geography wouldn't be Miller's top priorities in picking a running mate. What else can people here tell us about Thompson?

Scooby- Your attempt at wit is as weak as your political analysis.

[Scooby]

Then just scroll on to all the other gems fool. It's only a blog thang- ain't no money changing hands here FGS.

[davidunn]

I've heard that Chandler is considering running for governor and his running mate would be John Y. Brown III.

Jennifer, Jennifer, Jennifer!!!!!!!!

Chandler: If you want to crown him, then crown his ass! We had him, and we let him off the hook!!!!!!!!!

JAS Frankfort sounds like another of those lame-ass Henry supporters. Either that, or a Repug.

Jones ran a clean administration (sandwiched between a thoroughly corrupt Wilkinson administration and Patton's grab-ass tenure) and actually got quite a bit of substance done in just one term. Of those mentioned for the Dem nomination (assuming Ben doesn't run), he'd be able to raise the most money and would the most likely to put Ernest out to pasture.

We do need Ben to make a decision NOW though.

[Rich Miles]

DAMN, but I am sick sick sick of reading posts and articles and editorials and just pure blather about how the best candidate is the one who can raise the most money!

Doesn't the question of whether a candidate can actually do the freakin' job ever enter into these discussions? Doesn't competence, and intelligence, and innovation and genuine concern for the wellbeing of the people figure even a teeny tiny little bit into the calculus?

So many people complain that all politicians are bought and sold - without ever once looking at the fact that WE are the purchasers. We have created this system where money matters more than any other qualification, and then we bemoan the fact that politics is so controlled by the big dollars.

Ahhhh screw it. My bitchin' and moanin' won't change anything. This way of electing people is just too ingrained, and no one even pretends to have the courage to push hard for mandatory publicly-financed campaigns at every level of government, which is the only way to get the fat cats' dollar-based political power away from them.

It's just a shame, is all.

Actually Mark Nicholas and Ronnie Ellis are both wrong. Nicholas is wrong about the content of the meeting last Monday between Chandler, Luallen & Jones and Ellis is wrong about the reason Chandler froze the field until Monday of next week.

How tired. Same ol same ol

Name calling, one upsmanship, and flagrant bias

Blog host included

Nameless "troll"

Oh, for the days when articulation was the goal, and rational repartee was the result

[sdwn]

Yeah, however genuine Chandler's internal debate over whether to run, the whole tease has grown tiresome.

[Bill Adkins]

Over on ConservativeEdge, Goettl has posted "Is Chandler Afraid To Run?"

My response to him follows: "What is this, Brian - are you double dog daring Chandler to run? Why run Chandler when he's holding a fine seat in Congress in the majority? Chandler can do much for all of Kentucky, filling the void for those people represented by Geoff Davis and Ron Lewis - for those districts will indeed suffer a lack of representation in both quality and substance. We in N. Ky, for instance, will be calling Chandler for help in funding projects like Lake Williamstown - Geoff Davis couldn't get that done while he was in the majority, he certainly can't make it happen now. No, Brian - the next governor will be a Democrat, but Democrats will make the choice, thank you."

That said, Chandler is where he needs to be for Kentucky. Democrats have a number of winners in our stable. Let's not start tripping over ourselves and tripping ourselves up in a rush to push Ben Chandler to run. What we can take to the bank are two things - Fletcher won't be re-elected and no Republican will be elected.

[Jeff Noble]

I guess I am one of those Henry supporters Mark has been tracing the addresses of, although I usually sign my work. But I also said in another post that the "Jennifer Moore for Governor" idea might be a good thing if my candidate didn't get moving. Am I being tracked on two different ledgers? Mark wrote "It's only been . . . the anonymous trolls here (whose IP addresses largely trace, unsurprisingly, to dozens and dozens of pro-Henry comments over the past few months) who suggest that Chandler should already have decided and must do so ASAP."

Who would he expect to be calling Chandler out for not already having made a decision? The truth is, no one can blame the Congressman for waiting to see what committee assignments he might be in for. He can and would be very helpful to our entire Commonwealth based on those assignments, and the delay is perhaps justified on that reason alone. But a delay is still a delay, even if for perfectly legitimate reasons as Congressman Chandler's appear to be, and people, sooner or later, tire. Jack Conway created the same effect in his decisions not to run for the 3rd CD in both 2004 and 2006.

Aside from Mark's apparent displeasure that there are folks here for whom Chandler is not their first pick - Mark can document this too, if he chooses, by those polls he occasionally runs which ask for not just your first choice, but a second or third as well. The first comment posted here calls for a draft, rather than an election. We don't do that in Kentucky. We nominate from within, then elect. It's a time honored tradition as well as statutory law. But, you can effectively draft by means of a superior orgranization in the Primary election.

For those of you who want to effect change in your local and state Democratic parties - Mark can document who you are as well by that "satisfaction" poll he ran a few days ago, and I know, like those demons Jesus spoke of in the Gospel of Saint Mark, you are "legion" - primary elections offer the absolute best way of getting prepared for the 2008 Reorganization, the process by which all county and state Party officials (with the singular exception of the Party Chair) are elected. Rather than encourage a draft, I encourage the use of Primary elections as a tool. Get involved with whoever finally drops by Trey Grayson's office and files for any of the offices on next year's ballot. Keep close track of everyone who participates in any one's primary as those are the people most likely to become involved on those chilly April mornings in 2008 when we begin the process. The more people who participate two Aprils from now, the better off the Party will be as a whole. That's why a draft is bad and Primaries can be good.

But, for those of you who indeed are Chandlerites, it is okay. Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet. And so we wait.

To Rich Miles,
I posted at 9:56 before your 10:32. I never said that Jones was the best candidate because he could raise the most money. I said he ran a clean administration that accomplished quite a bit more than some of the pro-Henry trolls and Repug shills who frequently pollute BGR will ever admit. The fact that he can (also) raise more money than the rest hardly seems like the negative you want to make it out to be.

I am curious.

Some anonymous person responded to a real person, Rich Miles, at 10:18.

The anonymous person called anonymous Henry supporters "trolls" and anonymous Republicans "shills."

What word would he ascribe to persons like himself, who are anonymous "Jones" supporters? Kool-aid drinkers, perhaps?

This time, sign me "Anonymous"

[101/H2O]

10:18, please list former Governor Jones' accomplishments of which you seem to be so proud. I, along with I'm guessing lots of others, would be interested to hear them. BTW, your post time appears after the post, not before. And JAS is certainly no Repug, though I'm not sure where he stands on the gubernatorial race with the recent dropouts.

[Voice of Reason]

CHANDLER '07

You are certainly an idealist bunch. True liberals. Of course money and geography are huge reasons to select a running mate. Yes, qualifications matter once you get the job, but look at Fletcher. He wasn't qualified and everybody knew it. He never was in charge of an organization. He was a one man band for years. And will leave office lonely and still a one man band.

[JAS FRANKFORT]

101\h2o

Way to go, good post. The items you mentioned can not be posted, unless they are irrelevant matters regarding Jones.

You want to know where I am. Well, you tell me where you are, please. I can't tell, but I believe you to be a "D".

[Rich Miles]

Funny, ain't it, Anonymous at 10:29AM (Who I think I recognize from your writing style)? I mean that one anonymous person thinking that my entire rant about the "best fundraisers" was aimed at him, despite my saying pretty clearly that I was sick of a LOT of such assessments. Guess he's feeling a little sensitive on the topic, though I noticed he (or she, can't tell, such are the drawbacks of being ANONYMOUS) has so far failed to reply to 101/H2O's request for further info on Jones' long list of accomplishments.

Idealist? Yeah, you got a f**kin' problem wit' dat?

[JAS FRANKFORT]

Previous post:
"he ran a clean administration that accomplished quite a bit more than some of the pro-Henry trolls and Repug shills who frequently pollute BGR will ever admit."

Jeez, I assume you must be one of those that can not read the KINGS ENGLISH.

Clean Administration:

May I request you think again.

Not all trolls on here are the product of Repugs or Henry trolls. These are people, who make moral decisions, based on the public behaviour and actions by a public servant.

Colonel Weaver barely escaped a corupt practice of the Kentucky National Guard big shots shaking down the troops or troop or whatever. That is in print and no action resulted. And Weaver has said previously that he had nothing to do with it and was so close the tain almost brushed off on him.

JOnes doe not pass the test.

Who did you think you could convince with such an obvious, eronious post!

Surely, not this old man.

[JAS FRANKFORT]

JAS Frankfort sounds like another of those lame-ass Henry supporters. Either that, or a Repug.

See, the reason you don't know, at this point, is because I am trying to keep the debate open. You are apparently annoyed with my post about Jones but please . . . this is politics and not personal.

Unless Chandler announces in the early part of next week, expect to begin to see some some editorials that are perhaps also annoyed by all this; "Oh, lets wait for Ben."

If he is going to run OR NOT RUN.Then it would be good manners to annouce early next week so US OTHERS can get on with the debate about those that actually stop by Trey G. office.

Lets just keep it open and see what happens.

Some of Jones' accomplishments in just one term (given time to think and ability to research, I could probably come up with more):

He got gubernatorial succession passed -- by exempting himself, a selfless act that all prior governors who tried it refused to do.

He ran a clean administration, as in not having any of his top people indicted or implicated in serious wrongdoing, unlike his predecessors (Carroll, Brown, Collins, Wilkinson) or successors (Patton, Fletcher).

He cleaned up the State Lottery after Wilkinson's people had slimed it up real good.

He came into office with the largest deficit in the state history and left office with the largest surplus in state history.

Meanwhile, he cut state taxes, including the state income tax on private pensions and the state inheritance tax (which was driving lots of Kentucky senior citizens to other states, particularly Florida).

He enacted the first ever executive branch ethics code.

As far as the criticism of him for supporting expanded gaming, that's just common sense. Like it or not, we are surrounded by states that have legalized gaming, with hndreds of thousands of our citizens partaking in the pasttime, so we have all the social problems that can arise from it without any of the revenue. What about letting the people decide?

BTW, Steve Henry may be a good surgeon but as an elected official he's pretty much a joke. He's probably the only top tier Dem candidate who would make Ernie the favorite to win re-election. I'd rather have Heather run for statewide office than Steve.

Jones screwed up health care, terribly. State employees and teachers felt the pain before the rest of the people in the state did.

Jones failed to give the full 5 percent pay raise to merit system employees. I have read that the raises for the four years of his term were 0, 0, 2 and 3 percent. That is probably why state employees dislike him so.

And it's not widely known, but because of the fiasco that ensued when the state failed to keep the roads open after the 1994 blizzard, Toyota put the state on notice that if it happened again, they were packing up and leaving Georgetown.

The Wellman/DeZarn/Weaver (yes I said Weaver) scandal pretty much blows away any argument that can be made about a clean administration.

Jones was ineffective and incompetent. And you know who we can thank for him being governor? Larry Forgy. If Larry Hopkins hadn't had to run against Forgy in the primary, he might have beaten Jones in the general.

I am the poster who has said that I'd take Henry over Jones in a heartbeat, but would choose being Bobbitted over having to have either one of those two be governor.

[JAS FRANKFORT]

He got gubernatorial succession passed -- by exempting himself, a selfless act that all prior governors who tried it refused to do.

jstivers:
you are so naive. The ONLY WAY a succession amendment would pass is if the sitting governor would exempt himself. I believe WW wanted that, but it went nowhere.
Maybe Brer already knew that.

He ran a clean administration, as in not having any of his top people indicted or implicated in serious wrongdoing,

jstivers I have listed already the deal about the National Guard and that made the headlines. And, Jones was not touched, very much, by it. Best I remember- someone else- took the shot for him.

He cleaned up the State Lottery after Wilkinson's people had slim-ed it up real good.

jstivers, I will concede that point with you. However, the lottery was a campaign cartoon for WW and all it has ended up doing is take more money out of the pockets of those that can least afford. But, I guess you are for CASINO GAMING?

Meanwhile, he cut state taxes, including the state income tax on private pensions and the state inheritance tax (which was driving lots of Kentucky senior citizens to other states, particularly Florida).

jstivers.That's a no brainer. Thanks Santa.

[Bill Adkins]

FYI, I'm not impressed with the idea of Jones, the sequel, either.

[Voice of Reason]

CHANDLER '07

If Conway would swallow just a little bit of his pride and ego, we would have a perfect ticket in Miller/Conway. The is no reason for Conway to run for Governor. He has never held any elected office.

Miller has ran and won twice state wide, and is a proven fundraiser both in and out of state....for the party please Jack please swallow your pride and run with Miller.

CHANDLER '07 !!!!!

[Ky Tar Heel]

I have been reading this thread with great interest and would like to remain out of the debate regarding the gubernatorial race. I could not, however, let a post by JAS go unanswered. It is currently the QUEEN'S English.

Carry on. [ding]

CHANDLER '07

3:45, Conway thinks he is the second coming. He surrounds himself with people who assure him he is the smartest and best looking guy in the state, as if those qualities would even guarantee someone would be a good candidate or governor.

Sounds a lot like Bush and Fletcher, who are so convinced of their own moral superiority that they STILL refuse to believe they have made any mistakes in office. And they think anyone who disagrees with them must be un-American.

Conway is over-rated, especially in his own mind. Unless he actually learns some humility (as opposed to temporarily swallowing his pride for the good of the party), he will be no better a "public servant" than Fletcher.

The 350 people who fun the Gov's race each year will not put 10 mil in the hands of kids Miller or Conway, and it does not matter who is on top or bottom.

Fortunately, Miller knows 350 other well-connected people who would love to help him raise that much money. Sure, Jerry Lundergan would do everything he can to cut off Miller's funding, but that's a battle Lundy would lose.

It's one of the nice things about earning the respect of people who were never invited to the smoke-filled back rooms where political decisions used to be made. Miller is well-liked by people across the political spectrum who care about good government and serving all of the population(not just the wealthy).

Jesus, you people.

Jones got out front of the national trend on health-care, tried to do SOMETHING, and the insurance companies decided to crush it here before it got going anywhere else. They took their ball and went home as a lesson to anybody else that decided to take them on. The next year, they pulled out the ads with the suburban couple Harry and Louise to propagandize Clinton's health-care reform to death. Meanwhile, nothing has been done in the last 12 years, while the number of uninsured people has skyrocketed, and the costs of insurance to those of us who have it has grown exponentially. Oh yes, that evil genius Jones caused all the health insurance problems for us in Kentucky.

The only way a succession amendment would pass was if the governor exempted himself. So why should Jones have given a shit? Because he thought it was in the state's best interest. Until grab-ass Patton became the guy to take advantage of it. That evil genius Jones strikes again.

Entitlement-minded time-marking bureaucrats don't seem to favor Jones for governor because he didn't give them 5% merit raises automatically? You could get Ernie again, and have to change parties to save your job and still get a pay cut. Brilliant!

Blame Jones for the 94' blizzards? Toyota leaving their sweet-ass Georgetown deal over a 30 year snowstorm? Give me a freaking break.

Woo hoo, that incredibly huge state adjutant general scandal, that had to put millions in Jones' hands.

You long for the leadership of Hopkins or Forgy? What an unbelievable load of crap. Go get Bobbitted.

CHANDLER '07!!!!!!!!!!

[JAS FRANKFORT]

I want to apologize for my ignorance in referring to THE KINGS ENGLISH.

Perhaps, n the future I should use

THE ENGLISH LANUAGE.

But apparently, regardless of my improper grammar you got the message. And, actually isn't that the intent.

Jeez, do we ever live long enough to be able to keep THE TEACHER from calling us out for our obvious stupidity.

[JAS FRANKFORT]

After thinking more about my stupidity I came to the following conclusion.
THE BIBLE IS REFERRED TO AS "THE KING JAMES VERSION."

Perhaps, by knowing something about THE BIBLE, it has impaired my ability to adequately quote:

'THE QUEENS ENGLISH"

CHANDLER '07

I agree 100% with the poster at 10:25. Jones did his best to do something about the lack of health care for so many in the Commonwealth, and the insurance companies took vengeance for it. I no more blame him for losing his battle with the insurance industry than I blame the Clintons for their loss in the same arena.

Jones was a decent governor. I was in state government at the time, and from what I saw of it, it was clean.

CHANDLER '07 !!!!!!!!!!!

Brereton Jones '07!

B. Jones....asking for an ugly primary, ala Steve Henry. The only chance and maybe not a certainty to keep Henry out is for Chandler to run. Henry will have to spend all his own money in that primary race because nobody with any sense will give to Henry in a 2 man primary against Chandler.

I do think if Jones runs there is a reasonable chance Henry will be his only competition.

[sdwn]

Health Care Reform: Word is that the incoming Chairman of the American Hospital Association, sensing change on capitol hill as well as within the industry, will lead a paradigm shift favoring universal health care. With emergency rooms now filled to overflowing, spreading contagions in the bargain,and with tens of millions of working Americans now unable to afford coverage, it seems the situation FINALLY has reached and surpassed a "Tipping Point."

[yvonne]

Any democrat ticket with Jody Richards at the top is a sure fire winner. Jody has all the attributes the republicans campagin on. Richards almost pulled off the upset in last race on a shoestring budget. To me this is a no brainer Richards is the democrats best bet to dethrone the Republicans.

If Jody Richards was on fire, no Democrat in the state should or would pee on him to put him out. He's been outmaneuvered by David Williams and even by dim bulbs like Ernie Fletcher, and he's alienated all traditional Democratic suppprt groups except educators. To hell with Richards.