Steve Robertson

MINNEAPOLIS – Delegates from the Bluegrass state are expected to trickle in to Minneapolis throughout this, the first day of the Republican National Convention, as the day’s schedule stands altered in the midst of the landfall of Gustav, a category 3 hurricane currently pounding the Gulf Coast of the United States.

Republican Party of Kentucky chair Steve Robertson said his delegates were taking the schedule changes in stride.

“Everyone has been extremely understanding,” said Robertson.

Robertson added that the delegation was “very concerned” about the situation in the gulf coast.

As delegates arrive under the pending weather emergency in the South, their day in Minneapolis may be a little less full than they expected. The campaign of presumptive Republican presidential nominee and U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) requested that today’s official convention events be consolidated in light of Gustav’s potential impact, while President Bush and Vice President Cheney cancelled their visits to the convention.

The impact of the hurricane on the events for the rest of the convention is still unknown. The schedule for the Kentucky delegation remains in question as well.

“A lot of things are in flux,” said Robertson. “We are taking things on a day-by-day basis.”

Republican Party of Kentucky chairman Steve Robertson expressed little concern that the addition of U.S. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) to the ticket of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama (D-Ill.) will hurt Republican chances in the state.

"The pick will reinforce the fact that Barack Obama is not right for this state," Robertson told PolitickerKY.com.

"I think this is Barack Obama choosing to add another liberal element to his campaign," Robertson added.

Biden was added to Obama's ticket last night, with the campaign announcing the selection of the Delaware Senator via a text message to supporters after some word leaked out to the media.

Secretary of State Trey Grayson (R-Richwood): Politicker photo

With fellow party members visiting from around the state in advance of Saturday's festivities, Republicans in Marshall County hosted a Fancy Farm-eve rally Friday night where several elected officials practiced their chops and hinted at what may lie ahead.

Consider it a mere sharpening of the tongues in advance of the real rhetorical contest.

About seventy were in attendance at the ampitheatre at Kenlake State Resort Park in Hardin to hear a brief program of speeches keynoted by Secretary of State Trey Grayson (R-Richwood).

Scott Jennings, political strategist and former special assistant to President Bush, introduced Grayson as "the future of the Republican Party," noting he would play a central role in the party's Fancy Farm appearance.

"He's going carry the banner for us tomorrow at Fancy Farm," said Jennings.

Technically a bar-b-que cookout, Fancy Farm has evolved into a unique political tradition in Kentucky. At an afternoon political forum, prominent politicians deliver fiery speeches usually targeting the opposing party in front of a crowd historically known for heckling and political theatrics.

Grayson got things started early with an assessment of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's chances in Kentucky. Obama lost the Commonwealth's May 20 presidential primary by about 35 points to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.). Clinton ran an active and competitive campaign in the state, though many analysts argued Obama had already essentially locked up the Democratic nomination by the time Kentucky voted.

"We had a record turnout in the primary. A record number of voters came out to vote against their nominee for president," said Grayson. "It was so clear that Barack Obama was the nominee. And they had to have known how embarrassing it would be for their nominee to lose so badly on election night."

"So tomorrow when they start talking about Barack Obama and how excited they are that he is their nominee, they're faking it," added Grayson."

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Supporters of presidential candidate and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) saw all of their efforts to influence the outcome of the Kentucky Republican convention thwarted during a noisy procedural stand-off with party leadership on the floor of Saturday's event. Amid shouting and unrestrained debate, Republican Party of Kentucky Chairman Steve Robertson pushed through votes on convention rules, resolutions, and delegate slates while dissenting Paul supporters vocally argued parliamentary procedure was being bypassed.

Copies of the FEC complaints filed by Republican Party of Kentucky (RPK) Chairman Steve Robertson against Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford were released today.

The full complaint, with attachments, is viewable here (in .pdf form).

As reported yesterday, the RPK contends Lunsford's April 21 appearance on the CW program "Louisville Live this Morning" violated FEC rules requiring the display of a disclaimer and image of the candidate at the close of the broadcast, as Lunsford paid $200 to the station in conjunction with his appearance.

The campaign of Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford responded this evening to charges it violated FEC disclaimer requirements when Lunsford appeared in a local tv segment paid for by the campaign.

"It was acknowledged on the air that the interview segment was paid for by the campaign. The campaign was not at all involved in the production of the television show," said campaign spokesperson Allison Haley in a statement sent via e-mail to PolitickerKY.com. "If there was a written disclaimer required in that instance and the campaign was responsible for making sure the television producers put that on the air, it was an oversight and we will take responsibility."