Beshear on the defensive at Fancy Farm

FANCY FARM, Kentucky --- Steve Beshear took Ernie Fletcher's bait and swallowed it, explaining himself on casino gambling and removing the 10 Commandments from Kentucky schools and courthouses.

Before some 10,000 spectators at the Fancy Farm picnic in far western Kentucky, Beshear spent well over half his speech trying to repair damage inflicted by Fletcher.

It's a well-known maxim in politics that you have captured the advantage when your opponent starts explaining himself. Beshear chose to walk down that blind alley during an event that traditionally ramps up Kentucky's race for governor.

Herald-Leader columnist Larry Dale Keeling today admonished his candidate for eschewing the wisdom of focusing on your issues and not your candidate's. In his column, "Plotting campaign's course," Keeling advises Beshear to keep the campaign's focus off of casino gambling and onto Fletcher.

Trouble is, Beshear made casinos the issue several months ago in a bid to win the Democrat primary.  Immediately after the May 22 primary, Beshear boldly challenged Fletcher to declare himself on the casino issue.  Fletcher obliged, but perhaps in a more aggressive and sure posture than the Democrats anticipated.  Now, Beshear's in a hash of his own making.

As a result, the Democrats' great hope of winning back the governor's mansion finds himself on a sweltering hot August afternoon trying to wriggle his way out of an untenable situation.

What's instructive about yesterday's Fancy Farm speech-fest was that during much of Fletcher's 10 minutes as he attached Beshear the Democrats were relatively mute. That is to say, the Democrats listened to what Fletcher had to say, rather than shout him down.

Today's news coverage underscores the significance of this twist in the gubernatorial campaign as Beshear dances to Fletcher's tune.

Read Ryan Alessi's report in today's Herald-Leader, "Defining their battle lines." His lead paragraphs are priceless:

For a front-runner with hefty leads in the polls, Democrat Steve Beshear spent an unusual amount of time on the defensive this weekend.

Roughly two thirds of Beshear's 10-minute speech at yesterday's scorching hot Fancy Farm political picnic countered charges by Republican Gov. Ernie Fletcher.

Beshear's attack on Fletcher -- reliving the Greg Stumbo investigation of the governor that ended in dropping the charges -- only enthused Republicans in the crowd.  "We've heard all that before, a million times," said one long-time Fancy Farm goer.

As for Auditor Crit Luallen's attacks on the governor, Fletcher shot back, "But what do you expect, they have nothing to say about my policies." Bruce Schreiner of the Associated Press further quoted Fletcher, calling Luallen's comments "the most hypocritical thing I've ever heard," and said the criticism came from someone who ran the "entire patronage system" for former Democratic Gov. Paul Patton.

Luallen, according to one state investigator, apparently maintained an elaborate database of several thousand names of people, many of whom were given state jobs during the Patton administration.  She denies the charges.  Luallen has been adamant in wanting to keep out of the public eye another database of her phone messages. One wonders why.

See Schreiner's story, "Fletcher, Beshear spar at Fancy Farm," AP, August 4, 2007.

A host of other speakers, from U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, Atty. Gen. Greg Stumbo and all the down-ballot candidates were heard above the din of supporters and opposition.  Most partisans stayed until the bitter end, around 5 p.m. when the temperature had dipped to a cool 96 degrees F.

Comments

Hey Brett I thought your candidate (Melinda Wheeler) did a good job with her speech. Then again, when your opinion has as much public speaking personality as a side of drywall, you can usually do very well.

[gino]

Remember the poor military vet who fletcher fired at Burnside park for having a exposed tatoo on his arm. It was only 95 degrees and he was cutting weeds. Some Baptist preacher!!