Mitch Was For Him Before He Was Against Him Before He Was For Him

After orchestrating Ernie Fletcher's campaign in 2003, Mitch McConnell propped up Anne Northup to challenge him in a primary, but it now appears McConnell has changed his mind once again about his former friend.

Quite a contrast from McConnell's reply to the Associated Press in December 2006:

Most worrisome for the governor, of course, is McConnell, who still sits atop Kentucky Republicans’ pecking order.

Asked if his refusal to endorse Fletcher could be seen as a slap at the governor, McConnell told The Associated Press, “You can draw whatever conclusion you want to.”

Taking Kentucky’s senior senator at his word, I drew the conclusion that Fletcher should check his face in the mirror to see how red the hand print is.

When The Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Gets Back His Subpoena Powers...

Now we know why Mitch McConnell's cronies are being sent out to Kentucky over a year and a half before the election. One can only imagine what happens when Charlie Owen is elected to the United States Senate to oversee investigations into Dick Cheney and Halliburton's profiteering of millions of dollars of no-bid contracts during the Iraq War...

George W. Bush's Half-Truth At Mitch McConnell's Fundraiser

After Senate Democrats attempted to pass legislation expressing disapproval of Mitch McConnell and George W. Bush's plan to send 21,500 additional troops to Iraq, Mitch McConnell threatened a filibuster. To pay McConnell back for his support, George W. Bush came to Louisville to raise money for Mitch McConnell and said:

"And so the option that I chose was one that recognizes the realities of the world in which we live, which said, as opposed to leaving, we're going to send more people in there to reinforce the troops that are on the ground. (Applause.) I understand it's a controversial decision for some. But the citizens of this state must understand I made the decision after thoughtful consideration and after consultations with people like Mitch McConnell and those who don't agree. I listened carefully. But most importantly, I listened to the United States military about what it takes to help this democracy defeat the ideology of terror, help this democracy not become a safe haven for those who would do us harm, help this young democracy survive. And their recommendation was, Mr. President, we need more troops in the capital city."

We know George W. Bush was listening to his strongest supporter, Mitch McConnell. But were George W. Bush and Mitch McConnell listening "to the United States military?" That would certainly be news to General Batiste:

Charlie Owen's Response To George W. Bush's Louisville Fundraising Trip For Mitch McConnell

Charlie Owen sent this letter to many grassroots activists across Kentucky after learning that George W. Bush was coming to Kentucky to raise money for Mitch McConnell. It was a true act of desperation by McConnell, at a time when his preffered candidate for Governor, Anne Northup was struggling to raise money. McConnell asked George W. Bush, with his 36 percent approval ratings in the state, to come raise money for the Senate race, even though it was crunchtime for Northup, who had just been bounced from Congress because she was a blind follower to Mitch McConnell and George W. Bush:

“Senator McConnell recently described himself on CBS’ ‘Face the Nation’ as President Bush’s ‘strongest supporter in the Senate’. It therefore comes as no surprise that the President would visit Kentucky again to thank him for his unwavering loyalty and raise money for his re-election in 2008. They will together raise all the money they believe necessary to hold Kentucky’s U.S. Senate seat next year.

“Many Kentuckians believe the country is off course. They believe the policies of the President, backed faithfully by Kentucky’s senior Senator, do not represent the best interests of our state and nation. The President and Kentucky’s senior Senator have led us into an ill-conceived and mismanaged war. Together, they have failed to respond to the worldwide challenge to American leadership in science and education. They have failed to address the country’s healthcare crisis. They have refused to set the nation on a path toward energy independence and to seek solutions for the world’s most important environmental challenges. They have irresponsibly increased the nation’s debt at the expense of the next generation. And they have failed to support America’s middle class which has seen flat to falling wages at a time of record corporate profits and executive compensation.

“It is time for Kentucky voters to examine the Senator’s unswerving support of this President, his partisan record and his take-no-prisoners attitude. It is time to examine his support of special interests in the development of American public policy. It is time to examine whether his directions for the nation represent our own.

“This is a transforming time for America. It is not a time for partisanship or gamesmanship. It is a time for serious people who will put country above party and the common good above all else. This is a time for ordinary and dedicated citizens to retake and renew America.”

Ditch Mitch Singing Group Forms

There is no question that Charlie Owen will be able to rely on the most energized grassroots organization the Kentucky has probably ever seen if he decides to take on Mitch McConnell in 2008. Grassroots activist Jim Pence recently put together a Bluegrass group called the "Ditch Mitch Singers!"

National Groups Follow Lead From Kentucky Young Dems In Going After Mitch McConnell

While grassroots activists, particularly on several college campuses across Kentucky were energized enough by Charlie's speech to the Young Dems to start several Ditch Mitch efforts, national groups are clearly following their lead as well. One group called Americans United for Change recently aired this ad across the state:



After the ad was released, even Rupert Murdoch's conservative Faux News jumped on the Ditch Mitch bandwagon when Chris Wallace went after Mitch McConnell:

Charlie Owen Travels To Washington To Build Support For Kentucky

WHAS newsman Mark Hebert had a great story on Charlie Owen's recent trip to Washington, D.C. where he reportedly met with national leaders to build support for a U.S. Senate race against Mitch McConnell. Hebert reported:

"WHAS 11 news has learned Louisville businessman Charlie Owen is meeting Thursday with U.S. Senate leader Harry Reid and Senator Charles Schumer of New York. Owen's political advisor says that the three men will discuss the prospect of Owen running against Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell next year."

Mitch McConnell is clearly scared for his political life, as Hebert went on to say:

"One Republican source close to McConnell says background checkers from the Republican Senate Campaign Committee are already on the ground in Arizona and Kentucky, checking Owen's business dealings."

Mitch McConnell Declares He Is The Strongest Supporter Of George W. Bush

Ryan Alessi Reported Owen Gave Speech Blasting Mitch McConnell For Bringing George W. Bush To Kentucky

Charlie Owen appears to be ready to take on Mitch McConnell in 2008, especially after giving this energizing speech to the Kentucky Young Dems. For to long, Democratic activists have dreamed of the moment we would have a candidate that could stand up to McConnell and expose him for the fraud that he is:

While opting not to jump in the governor's race yesterday, Democrat Charlie Owen, a Louisville millionaire, instead began lobbing sharp criticism at Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, who is up for re-election next year.

"We need serious people," Owen said. "We should replace our senior senator."

When asked if he will enter the 2008 race against McConnell, Owen said only that "if people in this state want to get serious, they better take note of some of this."

Specifically, Owen said McConnell willingly participated in piling up of a record national debt, while "doing nothing to fix a broken-down health care system" and failing to help the country keep up with growing economies of China and India.

In addition, Owen called McConnell "the staunchest, steadiest, strongest supporter of the president." He noted that a majority of Americans think Bush erred in the handling of the Iraq war.

McConnell's representatives declined to comment on Owen's charges last night.

McConnell said Bush's latest strategy in Iraq --which includes deploying 21,500 additional troops --has six to nine months to show it's working or "we'll have to go in a different direction," in comments to Fox News on Monday.
[Lexington Herald Leader, 1/31/07]

Does Charlie Need Any More Reason To Run?

This picture says it all.

Why Kentucky's Activists Want Charlie To Run

The reason is simple. Besides electing a Democratic President of the United States, there is no more important election to to progressives in the United States, than removing Mitch McConnell from office in 2008. McConnell is the single most destructive force to everything progressive activists in this country wish to accomplish. For 23 years, McConnell has said one thing in Kentucky and done another in Washington. But now there is one man who can stop him: Charlie Owen.