Archive for the 'Jonathan Miller' Category

Quoted (in muddled fashion) in my favorite paper

Matt Gunterman October 30th, 2007

When I lived in Glasgow in 2001-02, one of my favorite morning pleasures was picking up a copy of The Guardian on my way to the coffee shop before heading into the dark recesses of the library for a good day’s work. (Of course, since it’s Scotland, for much of the year anyway, everywhere is a dark recess.) I loved this time with that paper; it was like nothing I’d ever seen before (this was, of course, before the rise of the blogosphere).

So, you can imagine I was tickled to find in my email inbox this morning a Google Alert that had a quote from me [albeit a little muddled in the online edition]. Lots of people get quoted in The Guardian everyday, but it’s nice to be a small part of a narrative that you’re proud of and that you feel will make a difference — that difference being the defeat of the American conservative bile and bigotry that not only infects our nation’s politics and culture, but adversely affects the lives of so many millions around the world.

One of the biggest players in this election cycle in Kentucky towards the defeat of the conservative machine has been organized labor. Their level of commitment and, appropriately, organization, is amazing; they are not sitting down as Republicans rip apart the shared American prosperity that’s taken generations to build.

The humiliating defeat of candidates like Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) and Rep. Stan Lee (R) for attorney general next week will send a strong — and encouraging — message to the rest of the nation and world that a healthy majority of Kentuckians are ready to fight the intellectual filth, churlish bigotry, and general idiocy of the Kentucky GOP and its conservative ranks.

We are beginning the process of pushing social conservatives to the margins of our society, where there delusions can no longer harm the middle class, workers, children, students, ethnic and sexual minorities, or the elderly.

Fancy Farm Roundup

Shawn Dixon August 5th, 2007

I’ve been going to the Fancy Farm Picnic for a long time, I only live 15 minutes down the road in Columbus, but this year was my favorite — the political energy and excitement were palpable. I hope you had the good fortune of being there, but incase you didn’t here are some of the highlights.

BIG WINNERS:

Democratic Party

Without any exaggeration, Dems outnumbered Republicans by at least a 4-to-1 margin and that is probably an understatement. I’ve never seen the crowd so heavily Democratic. And, incredibly fired up, I might add. Even the heat (about 120 degrees in the shade) couldn’t stifle the rowdiness of the crowd.

The favorable political environment for Dems on the state and national level certainly helped to turn out the crowd. But, hats off to the leadership of KDP Chairman Johnathan Miller and the Beshear-Mongiardo ticket who have been able to capitalize and organize around that momentum and turn it into a base of support that will hopefully serve as a strong foundation for several years to come.

Crit Luallen, State Auditor

Crit Luallen set the kind of tone and message that all Democrats should be using in their races this fall. I heard her speak at the Graves County Democratic breakfast and at Fancy Farm. Both of her speeches were fiery and hammered home a values based message centered on the simple beliefs that everyone deserves quality healthcare and a quality education. As she told the crowd, these are the social issues we should be talking about.

This kind of message speaks to working class families. Also, it helps Dems set the agenda so the Republicans can’t perpetually drag us into useless debates about the scare tactic issue de jour. With a substantive message based on strengthening the middle class through access to healthcare, education and high quality jobs, we will beat Republicans at the ballot box every time.

Hopefully more Dems will adopt her strategy because it resonates with Kentucky voters and I believe it’s how Dems will start to win back rural American voters.

BIG LOSER:

The Demoralized Republican Party

The most obvious thing everyone took away from Fancy Farm is that the Republican Party in Kentucky is totally deflated and fractured. If they weren’t so tactless you would almost have felt sorry for them.

Mitch McConnell and Ernie Fletcher owe Secretary of State Trey Grayson big time. He is the only Repub who turned out any volunteers for Fancy Farm. However, one little Repub on the right did give McConnell credit in a sign that read “Welcome to the House that Mitch Built.” Too bad for him it was built on cards.

Also worth noting, Grayson tries to brand himself as a new Repub who doesn’t share the same visceral disdain for Dems or bipartisanship as some his colleagues on the right. However, you certainly couldn’t tell it from the crowd he brought with him. As Daniel Mongiardo spoke the Grayson crew all dangled their hands out in front of their bodies in an attempt to look as though they had “limp wrists” and gay-bait.

Shame on you, Trey. If your minions are going to be so blatantly offensive, at least have them attempt to be clever.

Elizabeth Edwards Rocks Lexington (and chats with Jim and Joe!)

Joe Sonka July 2nd, 2007

I’m not really sure how many supporters John Edwards had in Lexington on Friday morning, but I know that he has a lot more now. The line on John Edwards that is making the rounds is that his best asset in the campaign to win the presidency is not his humble Southern background, health-care platform or charm, but his wife, Elizabeth Edwards. After watching her performance during Friday’s Small Change for Big Change event in Lexington, I think that statement isn’t too far off base.

Elizabeth Edwards performed a rather spectacular hour+ Q & A session with over 200 contributors, fans, and potential voters. And due to the online outreach efforts of the Edwards campaign (thanks to Tracy and Amy, via DMKY’s Shawn Dixon) and the southern charm of DMKY’s own Jim Pence, Jim and I were able speak with Elizabeth face to face for roughly 10 minutes before her public Q & A session.

Though the Edwards staff thought we had a decent chance of chatting with her for a couple of minutes, shortly after we entered the venue and set up our cameras (Jim and fellow film guru Erica), we were told that there was no time for an interview. After Jim disappeared for a few minutes to chat up the Edwards folks, he came back saying that she might be doing a short “meet and greet” with some people.

“What’s a meet and greet?”

“I’m not sure”

“I’ve never been to a meet and greet”

“Yea, me neither”

Ten minutes later, Jim pulled me backstage and one of the staff stopped us and asked if we were the guys from DitchMitchKY and told us that we could speak with Mrs. Edwards in a few minutes, but not on camera or on tape. So while all of the slick, dolled up TV reporters waited for Elizabeth to come out for the Q & A, the blogger in ratty Chuck Taylors and ripped pants, and the hillbilly with the Acapulco shirt were whisked upstairs to meet her.

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Steve Beshear nominates Jonathan Miller & Jennifer Moore to head the Kentucky Democratic Party (VIDEO)

Jim Pence May 24th, 2007

Scenes from Beshear/Mongiardo Headquarters on Tuesday night

Jim Pence May 24th, 2007

The Steve Beshear team won a resounding victory on Tuesday night, but the big winners are the people of Kentucky, who will have an outstanding candidate on the ballot in November and an outstanding governor come 2008.

Here are some videos from the Tuesday evening victory celebration at Beshear/Mongiardo headquarters.

Also see:

Click here to see Jonathan Miller at the victory celebration.


Click here to see Beshear running mate Daniel Mongiardo at the victory celebration.