Jim Bunning

BOWLING GREEN - The local Democratic ticket was pushed heavily in Bowling Green today on the occasion of former President Bill Clinton's visit. A handful of high-profile Democrats took the stage in addition to Clinton, talking up the candidacy of Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford (D-Louisville) and 2nd Congressional District candidate and state Sen. David Boswell (D-Owensboro) in particular to the hundreds of attendees in an airplane hanger at the Bowling Green-Warren County Airport.

In addition to Lunsford, Boswell, and Clinton, state Auditor Crit Luallen (D-Frankfort), Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo (D-Hazard), state House Speaker Jody Richards (D-Bowling Green) former Gov. Martha Layne Collins, former state party chair Jerry Lundergan and  current chair Jennifer Moore delivered remarks.

During his own brief speech, Boswell referenced the "change" mantra most of the Democrats on statge articulated.

The Owensboro Democrat targeted growth in the national debt during the Bush administration, and spoke of budget deficits as a primary problem.

"It's time for a change," said Boswell.

The 2nd District candidate also took an interesting tact in front of the crowd, differentiating himself from the keynote speaker on trade policy.

"While I agree with President Clinton about a lot of things, one of the great things about our wonderful dem that we live in is that we can agree to disagree," said Boswell. "I firmly believe that NAFTA was the wrong move for this country."

"Let's restore working America, ladies and gentleman," added Boswell.

With the U.S. Treasury proposing to invest at least hundreds of billions of dollars to prop up the nation's faltering financial system, U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Southgate) amped up his oppositional rhetoric to the latest in a string of government bailouts of failing financial institutions by today declaring the free market system was "dead."

"Instead of celebrating the Fourth of July next year Americans will be celebrating Bastille Day; the free market for all intensive purposes is dead in America," said Bunning in a statement, referencing the French day of independence. "The action proposed today by the Treasury Department will take away the free market and institute socialism in America. The American taxpayer has been mislead throughout this economic crisis. The government on all fronts has failed the American people miserably.

The proposed bailout announced today by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson comes amid heightening concern about the stability of the nation's financial infrastructure after high-profile collapses at firms such as Lehman Brothers, AIG, and mortgage financiers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning: Congressional PhotoU.S. Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Southgate) remains outspoken about the prospect of federal bailouts for collapsing American companies, today proposing a bill that would remove the Federal Reserve’s ability to take actions like today’s $85 billion seizure of the faltering American Insurance Group.

Earlier this week, federal officials – including Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke – declined to bailout the Lehman Brothers financial firm. Bunning praised that decision, but he today couched the AIG bailout in terms akin to those he used when the Federal Housing Finance agency seized mortgage financiers Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae just ten days ago by equating the move to those in other countries perceived as “socialist.”

“Once again the Fed has put the taxpayers on the hook for billions of dollars to bail out an institution that put greed ahead of responsibility and used their good name to take risky bets that did not pay off,” said Bunning in a statement. “The only difference between what the Fed did and what Hugo Chavez is doing in Venezuela is Chavez doesn’t put taxpayer dollars at risk when he takes over companies – he just takes them.”

U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Southgate) introduced a bill in the Senate today that would strip executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac of any severance pay after they were ousted in the recent government takeover of the two mortgage financiers.

"In the free market system you are rewarded for success and punished for failure," said Bunning in a statement. "I don't think we should be lining the pockets of those individuals who were responsible for driving Fannie and Freddie into the ground on the backs of the American taxpayers. Poor management does not deserve to be rewarded and my bill would make sure that it isn't."

The two firms were seized by federal agencies this weekend amid fears their potential failure would irredeemably shake the mortgage market. That seizure was permitted by earlier legislation that Bunning also vocally opposed, denoucning the provision used in the takeover as "socialism."

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A vocal critic of legislation that allowed the federal government to takeover mortgage financiers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) blasted the decision by the Federal Housing Finance Agency to do so as a “calamity for our free market system.” In July, Bunning criticized the legislation that permitted the takeover as hinting at “socialism.”

MINNEAPOLIS – Over the course of both parties’ national conventions, there has been a consistent buzz among Kentucky’s delegations about the open-seat 2nd Congressional District race between state Sen. David Boswell (D-Owensboro) and state Sen. Brett Guthrie (R-Bowling Green).

In Denver - at the Democratic National Convention – Kentucky delegates lobbied the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and even U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) to work on behalf of Boswell.

Here in the Twin Cities for the Republican National Convention, Kentucky Republicans were voicing their support of Guthrie as well, who was in town campaigning.

“I think everyone really wants to help Brett,” said Gail Russell, Kentucky’s RNC national committeewoman. “Brett’s been here this week working hard, getting morale up, and raising some money.”

ST. PAUL, Minn. – At last week’s Democratic National Convention in Denver, several prominent Kentucky Democrats discussed their interest in the 2010 U.S. Senate contest. Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo (D-Hazard) indicated he had a “natural interest” in the race as he was the last Democrat to challenge U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Southgate) for his seat. In addition, state Auditor Crit Luallen (D-Frankfort) noted it was possible she could jump in the race.

In an interview with PolitickerKY.com yesterday, Bunning himself addressed any doubts about his intentions for 2010. When asked if he would run for a third term, Bunning sounded confident.

“As sure as you’re sitting there,” said Bunning.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Kentucky-based colleague of presumptive Republican presidential nominee and U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Southgate) told PolitickerKY.com that Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) worked well as the vice-presidential candidate on the ticket.

Bunning said the VP pick by McCain “completely fit his personality.”

“No one else would have selected her, but he did, because she is a maverick just like she is,” Bunning.

Bunning made those comments during an interview yesterday, amid increased media investigation and speculation about Palin’s background.

Palin was tapped as the VP pick on Friday and she will speak tonight in front of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.

DENVER – A narrow loss to U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning in the 2004 election means Lt. Governor Daniel Mongiardo (D-Hazard) is keeping an eye on the 2010 race, when Bunning is next up for re-election.

“Obviously when the 2010 race comes up, that’s something that, because I ran for that seat 4 years ago, I have a natural interest in because of the competitor in me,” said Mongiardo.

However, Mongiardo qualified his interest by saying he wanted to pursue elected offices that allowed him to make the biggest impact on a key issue for him – health care.

“My focus has been mostly on that,” said Mongiardo. “I am going to stay focused on health care and I am going to work as hard as I can to fix and solve our health care problem in this country. If that path keeps me in the lieutenant governor’s office, and I can complete my job there, then I am done with that. If that path takes me to another position or I have to go to another position to move that issue forward, then I am going to do that as well.”

DENVER -- Political conventions are not only a place where presidential candidates are nominated, but also where future candidacies for candidates up and down the ballot may be formed.

Attorney General Jack Conway (D-Louisville) addressed speculation about his own future while in Denver for the Democratic National Convention as a delegate.

He is a rumored 2010 candidate for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Southgate).

When asked if he was thinking about seeking other offices, Conway said others were pushing him in that direction, though he sounded a note of commitment to his current position.

“My supporters encourage me to do that,” said Conway of seeking higher office. “One thing I have learned in this game is that it’s nice to have people talking about you, but I’ve been the attorney general now for 8 months and I’m loving the job.”