Andrew Horne, a man I respect, has endorsed Bruce Lunsford. I know Andrew, I’ve been on the streets with him protesting the Iraq war and Senator Mitch McConnell’s policies, but I’m still going to do my best to remain neutral in this process to elect a candidate to defeat Senator Mitch McConnell.
Today, the Lunsford campaign invited bloggers to a conference call with Bruce Lunsford and Andrew Horne. I participated along with Joe Sonka of Barefoot And Progressive and Jacob Payne of Page One. Bruce Lunsford took a risk in doing this, and I respect him for doing so.
I asked him how he would combat the old Chandler ads and the endorsement he gave to Fletcher in 2003. He said that he’s apologized before and made amends last year by staying positive and helping Beshear out big afterwards. He said that it was an emotional response to the Chandler ads, and it was a bad mistake. He also said that beating Mitch would certainly heal all wounds. To view the videos I was speaking of click here, here, here, and here.
During the conference call Bruce took the time to explain why he didn’t attend the Ruby Laffoon event in Madisonville, Kentucky and I found his reason to be acceptable to me.
Much has been said about positive and negative campaigning during this race for the Senate, but I believe that tough and hard primaries are necessary to vet and prepare the candidates for the general election. I hope none of the candidates take any of their options off the table so that when we get to the general election the winner of the primary will be fully vetted and there will be no surprises in the general election. As in the past I will do my best to post as much video as possible of all the candidates, as objectively as possible, so that the voters can make their decision May 22, 2008, after all it will be the voters in Kentucky, not the bloggers or the media, who will decide the US senate Democratic primary and I have great confidence the voters will make the right choice.

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(cross posted at Hillbilly Report)
I’ve been all over Kentucky the last several years taking photos, shooting video of political events and rallies in the following Kentucky cities, Cecilia, Shepherdsville, Elizabethtown, Lexington, Louisville, Frankfort, Berea, Calvert City, Fancy Farm, Paducah, Buckner, West Point, Columbus and more. While in these cities I’ve watched as folks looked into the camcorder and told George Bush and Senator Mitch McConnell where to go. I’ve hugged these folks and been hugged back, listened to their stories, laughed and even cried with them.
Yes we have progressives here in Kentucky, I know because I’ve seen moms, dads, preachers, priest, sisters, college kids, blacks, whites, straights, gays, Hispanics, veterans, Muslims, Jews, Atheist, Christians and more protesting for a better America, against George W. Bush and Senator Mitch McConnell. The progressive protests throughout Kentucky, have been so effective and weaken Senator Mitch McConnell’s approval ratings so much that he, Senator Mitch McConnell, had to start spending his money and airing political ads early. The weakening of Senator Mitch McConnell’s approval ratings didn’t go unnoticed by those wanting to replace Senator Mitch McConnell, and all of our hard work produced some unexpected results, eight Democratic Primary Candidates.
A few days ago one of the most beloved men in all of Kentucky politics, Andrew Horne, dropped out of the Democratic Senate primary and many of us were devastated and some of us still are. Joe Sonka expressed how many of us feel with this post.
I don’t know who will win the Senatorial race here in Kentucky, but I know this the progressive movement is in full bloom here and the person that gets elected will be held accountable by the progressives and they don’t care if he is a Democrat or a Republican!!!
Most of us remember how bad we felt in 2004, when George W. Bush, Anne Northup and Ron Lewis got elected and how good we felt when John Yarmuth beat Anne Northup in 2006, I’ll take that 2006 feeling every time.
So where do we go from here? I don’t know, I’m not a Dr. Phil and I’m not giving advice, but a song from the movie “Swing Time” came to my mind as I pondered the dilemma we are in, here in Kentucky “Pick Yourself Up”, so this old hillbilly is going to pick his self up dust his self off and start all over again!!
ps The Daily Kos don’t know jack shit about Kentucky and the only time Markos Moulitsas comes to Kentucky is when he is on his way to someplace else or to hawk his book, but that’s OK, we’ll take the time to be hospitable and even videotape his arrogant ass.

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Dear Friend,

I'm writing you today with some disappointing news. This afternoon I informed Governor Steve Beshear of my decision to withdraw from the United States Senate race.

This decision was difficult for many reasons, not least because of the major challenges facing our Commonwealth and Country. Millions of Americans live without quality health care, we have shamefully disregarded the needs of our veterans, our education system is deeply flawed, and we remain embroiled in a mismanaged and ill-conceived war.  Through it all, Mitch McConnell is more interested in expanding the scope of his own power than using his office to benefit the hardworking families who make our country great.

I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am for everything you have done to support me in this campaign.  I won't be the Democrat challenging Mitch McConnell next November, but our work is far from done.  We must continue to fight for the values that brought us together.  I look forward to working with you for many years to come.

Again, thank you so much.

Sincerely,

Andrew Horne

Shocked.

(and (1) no, i had no idea, and (2) i don't know what's behind this)

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(crossposted at BlueGrassRoots)

The proprietor of THE best blog keeping track of the Senate races coming up this Fall takes an in depth look at Kentucky's race against Mitch McConnell this year. Worth a look.

The Democratic primary will likely be dominated by three candidates: former state Secretary of Commerce and two-time gubernatorial candidate Bruce Lunsford, businessman Greg Fischer, and Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Horne. Lunsford is best known for his two Democratic primary defeats for Governor; Fischer is best known for his company's invention of the ice & beverage dispenser used by many fast food and other restaurants; Horne is best known for his 2006 Congressional campaign in Kentucky's 3rd district.

****************

Both from their videos and their websites (Horne, Fischer), I get the distinct impression that Lt. Col. Horne has a much clearer vision for why he is running for Senate, compared to Fischer.

Horne’s website has an issues section that touches on the economy, education, health care, Iraq, etc. Fischer’s site has no issues section.

In his introductory video, Horne discusses his personal, civilian-professional, and military background. He discusses personal motivations, from his wife’s health care battles to a desire to keep jobs from being shipped overseas to Mitch McConnell’s failed leadership. Horne even seems ready right now to take on McConnell in a debate with such zingers as “Senator Mitch McConnell is more than part of the problem; he is the problem,” “Simply put, while Mitch McConnell carries George Bush’s water on Iraq, I carried a rifle in Iraq,” and “This campaign is about you, not the lobbyists and political insiders; Mitch McConnell has forgotten that.”

In Fischer’s video, he highlights his business background and “outsider” status, but I simply don’t get a sense of what he is passionate about.

While Fischer has only been in the race a month, Election Day is less than nine months away, and primary day is even sooner – Fischer needs to do a better job of explaining why he’s running. I’m left with the distinct impression that, since Fischer has the capability of self-funding a significant portion of his campaign, he expected that his checkbook would lead him to the Democratic nomination. That will likely not be the case, especially considering Bruce Lunsford (and his ostensibly even larger checkbook) entered the race just before the filing deadline.

In his two failed gubernatorial bids, Lunsford spent about $14 million, and failed to win the Democratic primary either time. Nevertheless, it appears that Lunsford has the inside track on insider support, reportedly receiving the tacit encouragement of Governor Steve Beshear as well as national Democratic leaders in Washington DC, ostensibly because Lunsford has the most money to put into the race. There are two major flaws in that logic though. First, if Lunsford’s money couldn’t win him a statewide primary in two tries, there’s no overwhelming reason to believe his money will put him over the top in both a primary and a general against an exceedingly well-funded McConnell this time around. Second, depending on how much McConnell’s eventual Democratic opponent loans his campaign, by virtue of the “Millionaire’s Amendment,” McConnell will be able to increase the limits on how much he can take in from his contributors, further increasing his campaign war chest.

Additional concerns exist with Lunsford’s commitment to Democratic Party ideals. Lunsford has a very long history of political campaign contributions to Republican candidates and committees, including $1,000 to Mitch McConnell in 1993 and another $250 to McConnell in 1999. On top of that, after his failed 2003 gubernatorial primary bid, Lunsford endorsed the Republican nominee over the Democratic nominee – that Republican was corrupt Ernie Fletcher. I don't readily see how Lunsford answers the question from Mitch McConnell, "How is it that you can contribute to my campaign on one day, support my Party and my candidates one day, and then turn on me and my Party the next day?"

At this stage, Fischer and Lunsford both have as their task at hand to explain how their campaigns represent more than just checkbooks – why they're running and how their campaigns promote Democratic ideals. Of course, McConnell will be well-funded, but that alone does not win campaigns. In 2006, we saw a number of Republican incumbents significantly outspend Democratic challengers in losing efforts. Democrats Claire McCaskill and Jon Tester saw Republicans Jim Talent and Conrad Burns spend twice as much as they did, respectively. George Allen’s spending tripled Jim Webb’s. And Rick Santorum outspent Bob Casey by over $10 million. Those four Republicans lost despite enormous financial advantages.

This is not an endorsement at this stage, by any means. But, right now, Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Horne appears to be the strongest Democratic challenger to take on Mitch McConnell and question McConnell’s shameful record before the voters of Kentucky. I encourage you to view his campaign introductory video again and visit his website.

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Democratic Senate candidate Andrew Horne will be liveblogging on the uber-popular blog Firedoglake today from 2-4. Go check it out and ask Horne some questions if you have some, should be fun.

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Democratic Senate candidate Andrew Horne wrote a great diary on DailyKos today. If you’re so inclined, head on over there and recommend it. Here is the transcript:

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So, WHAS’s Mark Hebert has posted that Louisville businessman Greg Fischer (D) will announce next week that he’s entering the Democratic primary for the opportunity to oppose Sen. Mitch McConnell (R).

If that’s the case, and Fischer does run, then I think the Democratic primary between Fischer and Lt. Col. Andrew Horne (D) [I’m assuming here that millionaire Bruce Lunsford (D) isn’t getting into the race] will tell us a lot about how strong a force the progressive grassroots in Kentucky really are.

The race between Horne and Fischer will be between passion and the pocketbook, respectively. I’m told Fischer can only plop down a few million of his own dollars into the race. That’s enough to get him through the primary. He’s wealthy, but not wealthy enough to match McConnell’s war chest. Now, you and I both know that a Democratic candidate doesn’t need to match Mitch McConnell dollar-for-dollar to take the bugger out. We saw that in contest after contest in the 2006 defeats of Republican incumbents.

The Democratic primary this May will tell us how closely Kentucky Democrats are listening, how engaged they are in taking on McConnell, how much they’re hungering for his defeat. If the pocketbook wins and there’s no accompanying passion behind Fischer, then Kentucky Democrats might well be disinterested in the process — content with McConnell and voting for a name made familiar by millions of dollars spent on advertising. I write that last sentence fully aware that passion may fire up around Fischer. I’m not discounting the possibility.

But I know there’s passion around Horne. His supporters are die-hard. And his supporters will be out telling their friends and neighbors about Horne, and they will be doing it around a candidate who’s built up an impressive network around the state. Horne may not be well known among the electorate outside of Louisville, but he’s not unknown within the Democratic activist networks.

A primary will be good for Kentucky Democrats and for the candidates. It will hone their messages, keep them in the eyes and minds of the voters, and make their campaigns stronger and make them stronger campaigners.

Fischer is Running, Announcing Next Week

Louisville businessman Greg Fischer has told several people that he’s running for the U.S. Senate. He will apparently make his candidacy official next week.

Fischer’s entry into the race will set up a tough democratic primary with the winner taking on Mitch McConnell in the fall. Fischer is a wealthy Louisville business CEO and the son of well-known Louisville businessman and former Brown administration cabinet secretary George Fischer. One would expect Fischer to personally fund most of his campaign.

His main competition is Andrew Horne, a Louisville attorney and Iraq war veteran. Horne has some political experience, having lost the democratic primary for 3rd district congress to John Yarmuth last year. This will be Fischer’s first run for public office. Neither Horne nor Fischer is well known outside Jefferson County and Fischer is hardly known inside the Louisville Metro limits.

Horne says, if Fischer runs, he’ll discover the same thing Bruce Lunsford has, that money can’t buy a win in a democratic primary race. Horne says, since he announced his campaign a couple of weeks ago, he’s gotten positive responses across Kentucky. His biggest problem will be fundraising and articulating his positions on issues other than Iraq. As you’ve seen in a posting earlier today, most Kentucky voters think the economy and health care are the top two issues in the presidential race, not Iraq. We look forward to finding out Fischer’s views.

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(crossposted at BlueGrassRoots and DailyKos, go recommend it!)

Why will Andrew Horne beat Mitch McConnell? Because he will not just win over people in Louisville and Lexington. He will win over rural voters. People like Tim Havrilek.

Havrilek (possible Czech brother?) commented yesterday about how he was going to hear Horne speak in Hopkinsville that night. He was quite skeptical of Horne, but eager to find out more about him. Havrilek, as you can tell from his blog, is probably a little right of center, though not a far right-winger.

Havrilek saw Horne, and was quite impressed.

I had the opportunity to meet and speak at length with Col. Andrew Horne tonight and was quite surprised at his candor and understanding of the issues important to Rural and Western Kentucky. Answering my questions for almost 30 minutes, Col. Horne addressed all eight issues that I selected as a sampling. Many of these issues have been a draw back for most Democrats seeking to go to Washington the last 15 years. I found Horne to be impressive in his delivery and appreciated his honesty. At no time did Col. Horne try to dodge a question or spin an answer. He was forthright and appeared eager to hear about some of the issues that affect the Pennyrile.

*************

Col. Horne made it pretty clear that he believes in the Constitution and that his political convictions were not the convictions of a Democrat or a Republican but were convictions derived by someone who believes in the United States Constitution.

I found Col. Horne to be unique in his positions and philosophy about issues. Whereas we in Rural Kentucky have always required a litmus test for our candidates, Col. Horne seemed to make his candidacy very simple in this regard, If the Constitution affords you the right to do something then he supports your right to do so as protected under the Constitution.

As a Conservative on most issues, I'm known for being a hard sell for Democrats trying to get elected down here but I will have to admit that I found Col. Andrew Horne very appealing. He has all the qualities of a good candidate. While not giving up his personal beliefs and support of issues like the enviorment, Col. Horne came across as someone who is practical in his approach to finding solutions to our Nations problems. It was obvious to me that Col. Horne was very sensitive to the prevailing view that Republicans and Democrats have failed the middle class and that Rural voters are looking for new leadership that will provide a no non-sense and common sense approach to government. While we don't always like what others do, I believe Col. Horne will fight to preserve our God given rights and the rights of others whom we may not always agree with. For Col. Horne it is not about left or right, liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican its about an oath he took to protect, defend and uphold the Constitution of the United States for all Americans.

It is still a little early but I think Col. Andrew Horne may have enough matches in his box to start a big fire down here in Western Kentucky.

A big fire, indeed.

McConnell will surely trot out the liberal boogeyman against Horne, the cut-and-runner, tax-and-spend label that appears to be the only campaign tactic that people like Mitch McConnell know. For Mitch, this usually works.

But not this year.

People are fed up with politics as usual in Washington. They are fed up with politicians that enable the incompetence of people like George W. Bush. They are fed up seeing their tax dollars go to fund "bridges to nowhere" in far away states because a Senator wanted to reward contributors while their collegues, like Mitch, look the other way while our deficit grows even larger. They are tired of seeing our soldiers put their lives on the line for a government that would prefer to sit back and do nothing while we do all of the work. They are fed up with politicians like Mitch McConnell who refuse to admit that there is a health care crisis in this country and that drastic measures are needed. They are fed up with career politicians like Mitch McConnell that would rather cynically obstruct popular legislation and blame the other side, than help move our country forward.

Lt. Col. Andrew Horne is the candidate that they will be looking for. Honesty, integrity, experience and straight-talk. That's what will cut into McConnell's support in Western Kentucky and other rural or "conservative" areas.

Enjoy D.C. while it lasts, Mitch. Your time is up.

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Jon Soltz, Chair of VoteVets, has a column up about how he thinks Andrew Horne is going to stomp all over our boy Mitchie next year. His post is also up on DailyKos, so go recommend it, if you’re so inclined)

As an Iraq war veteran, today is pretty exciting for me and all the other vets I talk with. Today, one of our own took the first step towards knocking off Senator Mitch McConnell in 2008. Iraq War Veteran Andrew Horne jumped into the race.

Andrew Horne, who had to step down as a Senior Advisor to VoteVets.org to run this race, not only has a good shot to beat McConnell, he has a tremendous shot. That’s got us Iraq veterans pumped because not only will we have a voice in the Senate that comes from our own ranks, but we’re also going to take down the guy who is the single most responsible person in Congress for the war in Iraq, as well as the defeat of pro-troop, pro-veteran legislation.

Let’s take just a small walk through the record of Mitch McConnell (Warning: Hold your nose):

• He led the filibuster of the Webb-Hagel “Dwell Time” amendment that would have given our exhausted troops as much time at home as in the field.

• He led the all-night filibuster of legislation that would have set us on a real change of course in Iraq, that would have allowed us to give Iraqis more responsibility, while freeing U.S. forces to take on the real threat to America — al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

• He consistently worked his side of the aisle against the same veterans he’s been fighting tooth and nail to keep in Iraq, beating back amendments to ensure a funding stream for veterans’ health care, increase Veterans’ medical services by closing corporate tax loopholes, and guarantee full-funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

• And, most recently, he callously quipped that we ought not feel too bad about those who died in Iraq, because, afterall, “remember, these are not draftees, these are full-time professional soldiers.”

Andrew Horne is going to serve Kentucky well. I’ve known Andrew for a couple of years now, and he’s one of the brightest, toughest guys I’ve ever encountered. But, more importantly, he’s fiercely loyal. At any point over the last couple of years, he could have broken away from the veterans movement and tried to make a name for himself. But, he didn’t. He felt a profound sense of responsibility to those he was fighting alongside, something that we all feel in the military. Kentucky can trust that he’s never going to abandon them and “go Washington” like Mitch McConnell.

But, more importantly for the readers on here, Andrew’s candidacy represents the best shot beat the largest obstruction to veterans care and responsible use of the military that Congress has ever seen.

For all McConnell has done to hurt troops and veterans, how sweetly ironic it is that it’s going to be an Iraq War Marine that sends him packing.

That’s why, today, I’m truly, truly excited.

Read more about Andrew and consider making at donation at www.AndrewHorne.org

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Lt. Col. Andrew Horne (D) makes it official and announces his candidacy for the U.S. Senate. The campaign’s website is at AndrewHorne.org , and there’s an excellent video there of Horne explaining to Kentuckians the need for change and the power of his candidacy to bring that change.

Here’s excerpts from the Horne camp’s press release:

ANDREW HORNE ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR U.S. SENATE IN KENTUCKY

“I’m running for the United States Senate because it’s time for change. Senator Mitch McConnell is more than part of the problem. He is the problem,” said Andrew Horne

Louisville, KY – Lt. Colonel Andrew Horne (Ret.) launched his campaign today to take back the U. S. Senate seat for the people of Kentucky, now held by Mitch McConnell. Horne, while a Marine and Reservist, served tours of duty in Desert Storm and recently in Iraq. Horne outlined his decision to run and what he plans to focus on as Senator in a video released on the internet this morning.

[…]

I’’m running for U.S. Senate because it’s time for a change and because Senator Mitch McConnell is more than part of the problem. He is THE problem. It is time for Kentuckians to take our government and country back. We should not be told to take a backseat to the wealthy and powerful. It’s time to tackle the challenges facing our country instead of passing them off to our kids. It’s time for leaders who’ll take the right stand,” Horne says in the video.

“Mitch McConnell, the Republican Leader, symbolizes everything wrong with Washington. He bows to big business, practices the worst kind of politics, and doesn’t take a stand when faced with tough issues. Simply put: Mitch McConnell carries George Bush’s water on Iraq; I carried a rifle in Iraq” he added.

Horne noted that under the Bush-McConnell regime, Washington politicians have:

* failed to fix our health care crisis;
* sent our jobs to China and Mexico;
* failed to lead on immigration reform;
* ran up a nine trillion dollar debt for our children, and
* led our country into an ill-conceived and mismanaged war in Iraq.
Horne also noted yesterday that the Bush-McConnell obstructionism has continued to hinder progress, pointing to the latest example, the President’s veto of S-Chip fully supported by McConnell.

In the coming weeks and months, Horne will lay out his proposals to benefit the people of the commonwealth.

[…]

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(crossposted at BlueGrassRoots and DailyKos)

In light of Mitch McConnell's despicable comments last week about our military deaths, its worth noting this story from the LA Times last Friday on how Republicans are hemorrhaging support from the military. Check out these numbers from the Bloomberg/LA Times poll conducted Nov. 30th to Dec. 3rd of active military, veterans and their family:

Was it worth going to war in Iraq?- only 36% yes, 57% no (was 64% yes in 2004)

Should we withdraw our troops now or within the next year? Or should we stay as long as it takes?- 58% withdraw, 35% stay

Do you approve of the way that Bush is handling the needs of active duty troops, veterans and military families?- 35% approve, 53% disapprove

What party do you trust to do a better job of handling issues relating to military families?- 39% Democrats, 35% Republicans

And military families in KY are quite aware of the fact that Mitch McConnell has rubber-stamped Bush's failed policies every step of the way. And let us not forget, it was Mitch McConnell that TWICE filibustered Sen Jim Webb's amendments to restore proper troop rotation and rest between tours, which both had broad bipartisan support and 58 votes. I noted back in July the LHL story on the shift in attitudes towards Bush/McConnell/Iraq in Ft. Campbell, where the strain on military families has reached the breaking point.  

A few days after the Sept. 11 attacks, Bo Ward put these words on the sign at his 12-chair barbershop near the main gate at Fort Campbell: "President Bush, show no mercy. Kick their ass!"

But almost six years later, and after more than four years of war in Iraq, Ward's no longer so sure.

"Soldiers are tired; wives are tired; families are getting worn down," Ward said. "I know these boys can't just pick up and come home from Iraq, but we need some kind of exit plan."

**************

Kentucky has given heavily to the war effort. Fort Campbell's latest round of deployments will push to 23,000 the number of soldiers from the post serving in the Middle East conflict.

At Fort Campbell, the place Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, once called home, feelings about ongoing efforts in the Middle East and Republican leadership during the war are mixed.

On any given weekday, Ward's barbershop, the fort's largest, is a place where privates and senior officers sit side by side waiting for a trim. Ward chats with these soldiers as he snips away. And he says he thinks many of them now would be happy to see Washington set a date for leaving Iraq.

"Right now, you've got first sergeants and sergeant majors and E-7s and E-8s that are getting out of the army right and left," Ward said. "They're saying 'I've been deployed three times, I'm pressing my luck, I'm not going to give up my life and my family for something where there's no end to it.'"

Karla Tucker works at a furniture store just down the street where many military families shop. She also says that many soldiers, exhausted by repeated deployments, are deciding not to "re-up" as their enlistments end.

"These young men and women are coming back with all kinds of problems; some of them are on anti-depressants; their marriages are in trouble," Tucker said. "There are families right and left that are deciding not to hang around; they're leaving here and going home. I personally have not heard anyone say they're going to re-enlist. It's sad."

It is sad, and this war's tragedy goes far beyond even the high number of deaths and serious injuries. The effects of the war have taken a deep psychological toll on many soldiers returning, breaking up families and even leading to a 26-year high in the suicide rate among the Army's active duty.  Below is the video of Lt. Col. Andrew Horne on MSNBC, explaining the strain on families from the extended tours that Mitch McConnell filibustered in order to maintain.

Military families know the role that Mitch McConnell has played in being Bush's lapdog in respects to Iraq, and what once helped him will now be an anchor around his neck as they turn on Bush. Just look at McConnell's recent poll numbers among those in Western KY (where Ft. Campbell is located). In just 2 months, McConnell's approval/disapproval rating went from 66/23% to 49/36%. Western KY is usually where Mitch pulls in his biggest amount of support, but if a candidate is able to significantly cut into this, Mitch could seriously be in trouble next year.

As I mentioned back in July:

Meanwhile, Marine vet Jim Webb shows how you deal with a repetitive talking point regurgitator and Bush enabler on Meet the Press.

Can you imagine Mitch McConnell having to debate a tough Marine veteran like this in his Senate race next year? Someone that actually has a distinguished military record and can speak for the veterans and their families that have paid such a heavy price for their sacrifice to their country in Iraq?

Perhaps we can make that happen, eh?

Perhaps we can, indeed.

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Senator Mitch McConnell’s (R) calculus of dying soldiers: some are more tragic than others.

Of course, what McConnell wants to distract people from is the fact that even if the soldiers were all draftees, the deaths would still be for a war built on the lies of Pres. George W. Bush (R) and McConnell himself to the American people.

All men and women who die in service to their country in whatever capacity do so in great honor. It’s simply a shame that a wicked commander-in-chief ordered them into harm’s way for a mission he knew to be a lie.

Here’s a powerful installment from Senate2008Guru:

Mitch McConnell Doesn’t Know Sacrifice

Kentucky: By now, we’ve all heard about Mitch McConnell’s abhorrent comment on courageous soldiers dying in Iraq:

Nobody is happy about losing lives but remember these are not draftees, these are full-time professional soldiers.

Well, somebody who knows something about military service and sacrifice, Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Horne, has responded to McConnell’s repugnant comment:

“I would say that Mitch McConnell owes every member of our service and the families of the fallen an apology, but no apology from him can take back the venom he has spewed at our troops, this time. For anyone to believe that casualties of war are somehow more acceptable because they were not draftees is disgusting. For the Republican leader in the United States Senate to say that is beyond repugnant.”

“This is just Mitch McConnell once again demonstrating that he has no idea of - and has no interest in learning - what our troops have sacrificed. Whether it is filibustering a bill that would give proper time at home for our overextended troops, or voting against increased funds to take care of veterans who have come home, Mitch McConnell has shown nothing more than complete ignorance about our military and those who serve our nation in it.”

“To my fellow service members and veterans, let me apologize on behalf of Kentucky for Senator McConnell’s putrid comments. He most certainly does not represent our views, nor the high regard in which we hold you and your families.”

The next time Mitch McConnell goes to Fort Campbell for a photo op, maybe he’ll think of some of these names.

# 9/10/07: Pfc. Sammie E. Phillips, 19, of Cecilia, Ky., died Sept. 10 in Rustamiyah, Iraq, of injuries suffered from a vehicle rollover. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery, Kentucky Army National Guard, Carlisle, Ky.

# 9/2/07: Staff Sgt. Delmar White, 37, of Wallins, Ky., died Sept. 2 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery, Kentucky Army National Guard, Carrollton, Ky.

# 7/24/07: Lance Cpl. Robert A. Lynch, 20, of Louisville, Ky., died July 24 while conducting combat operations in Diyala province, Iraq. Lynch was assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.

# 6/19/07: Sgt. 1st Class William A. Zapfe, 35, of Muldraugh, Ky., died June 19 in Muhammad al Ali, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. Zapfe was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.

# 5/30/07: Pfc. Joshua M. Moore, 20, of Russellville, Ky., died May 30 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when the vehicle he was in struck an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.

# 5/4/07: Staff Sgt. Christopher N. Hamlin, 24, of London, Ky., died May 4 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations May 4 in Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, F