Kentucky: Ben Chandler

November 13, 2009 - 03:21 pm

I wish Obama had more LBJ in him

And his handling of Ben Chandler on his health care vote is a perfect example of why:
He told the students that President Barack Obama urged him to vote in favor of a piece of legislation last week.

“I ended up not being able to vote the way he wanted me to, but he was OK with it because I had supported him on lots of other things,” he said.Can you imagine what LBJ would have done to Chandler? Especially since Chandler cowers at the slightest criticism or pressure?

Instead, President Obama, Mr. Nice Guy, just gives him a hug and says we're still buddies, don't worry about it. Not exactly how you handle the vote on the #1 issue that you campaigned on.

Nice guys finish last, and they don't pass health care reform, either. We'll see...

November 12, 2009 - 11:07 am

Call Ben Chandler Day

Do you think Ben Chandler realizes by now that his constituents are mad as hell at him?

Maybe not.

Well, let's make today "Call Ben Chandler and Let Him Know How You Feel Day".

Besides voting against the health care reform bill, make sure you let him know how you feel about him voting for Stupak Amendment, which will eliminate ALL PRIVATE COVERAGE of abortion in America, the biggest setback to women's rights in over 30 years.

Again, this was not about preventing public funding of abortions, this was about ELIMINATING PRIVATE COVERAGE of abortion.

Be sure to ask why he voted for this, since the Kentucky media hasn't bothered to do so, as of now.

November 11, 2009 - 09:14 am

Spineless Ben spins and spins and spins...

Ben Chandler finally talked to the media about his shameful votes on health care reform.

Or should I say "vote", because apparently neither Jim Carroll or Halimah Abdullah felt that it was called for to ask him about voting for the biggest setback to women's reproductive rights in over 30 years. Which is.... odd, no?

Anyway, here's Ben Chandler's spin about being stuck in SUCH a conservative district full of pitchfork wielding teabaggers who hate people having affordable health care.
“We’ve got an older district, and here in central Kentucky, particularly in rural areas of the district, there was an enormous amount of opposition to the health care bill,” Chandler said in the interview.

November 10, 2009 - 08:27 am

LHL and CJ unload on spineless Ben Chandler

From his hometown Herald-Leader's editorial:
Chandler's disappointing vote

We're not sure what Chandler hoped to accomplish politically with his vote. He endorsed Obama and voted for a cap-and-trade allowance system to reduce the heat-trapping gases that are causing climate change. The energy vote, opposed by coal interests, was probably more politically risky than this one. And he's not going to get right with the tea baggers no matter what he does.

This is no time to let the perfect become the enemy of the good. We would have rather seen Chandler stand up for positive change rather than hunker down with Kentucky's House Republicans who reflexively vote against anything Obama wants, even Rep.

November 8, 2009 - 11:23 am

Ben Chandler is on his own


Ben Chandler is all on his own versus the Teabaggers next year, because we're not apologizing for him anymore.

Not only did Ben Chandler vote for the Stupak amendment to end private insurance coverage of abortion in America last night, he voted against the entire health care reform bill.

This is the last straw, and we're done with him.

He honestly thinks that we'll actually care enough to vote for him. He honestly thinks that voting against health care and against women's rights will win him votes from teabaggers. Such are the delusional thoughts of the spineless. And here are the delusional words of the spineless:
“I voted against the bill because I do not believe it is the best course of action for the people of Central Kentucky, specifically our working families, small businesses, and seniors.

November 6, 2009 - 12:53 pm

Calling Ben Chandler...

The Democrats' health care reform bill is being voted on tomorrow (Saturday).

Ben Chandler is still publicly on the fence.

Call him, and tell your friends and family to do the same:

DC office: Phone: (202) 225-4706 | FAX: (202) 225-2122

Lexington office: Phone: (859) 219-1366 | FAX: (859) 219-3437

Ben can either have folks willing to volunteer for him, or he'll be on his own with himself and the insurance industry. His choice....

October 21, 2009 - 03:37 pm

KDP mingling and uncomfortable questions

OK, I'll pick up where I left off on the KDP rally liveblog on Saturday...

As for the speeches, there wasn't anything specifically noteworthy. What was of note was that each of the speakers didn't just praise Steve Beshear, but they gushed and gushed about him. A little obvious what was going on, and a little more glaring because Dan Mongiardo chose to split right beforehand so he didn't have to go through the awkwardness of this.

When Ben Chandler spoke, a guy standing right next to him at the podium held up a "Fix Healthcare, it's Broken" sign. Which Ben Chandler's free government healthcare probably didn't appreciate.

October 16, 2009 - 11:52 am

Hot/Awkward KDP livebloggin/tweeting tomorrow!

I'll be in Lexington tomorrow afternoon at the big KDP rally featuring Steve Beshear, Dan Mongiardo, Jack Conway, Ben Chandler and John Yarmuth.
It starts at 4:00, and should be awkward as hell, what with Dan Mongiardo touting the endorsement of the "SOB" "whore" "worst KY Governor ever" Steve Beshear.
If the wi-fi is working, come here for the live snark. If not, check out the B&P twitterfeed here.

October 7, 2009 - 11:48 am

Someone in Media Finally Speaks Truth about Public Option

Can someone make Ben Chandler watch this? I don't know if Ben's an idiot or just a hack, but if Shep can figure it out, it seems like Ben probably could, too.

August 18, 2009 - 09:58 pm

Blue Dog for sale on Craigslist

Wow. I really thought that Ben Chandler was more discrete.