By RP Staff, on Mon Jul 8, 2013 at 12:30 PM ET If want to know first all of the day’s developments about the hottest 2014 campaign in the country, and you haven’t yet subscribed to The RP’s KY Political Brief – prepared every weekday morning by wunderkind Bradford Queen with links to all of the day’s Kentucky political news — WHAT’S A MATTA WIT YOU?!?! Click here to subscribe FOR FREE!
FRIENDS – “McConnell, Paul forge mutually beneficial alliance” by AP’s Roger Alford: “To cover his political flank, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has forged an alliance with tea party darling Rand Paul, picked up support from other national tea party leaders and brought in a campaign manager from the upper echelons of the tea party movement. The GOP’s fiscally conservative wing has proven particularly powerful in Kentucky, and elsewhere it has felled incumbents including McConnell’s longtime Republican colleague U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar of Indiana. But McConnell’s efforts to make inroads with the tea party movement have clearly paid off, virtually ensuring that no would-be challenger can get the kind of infusion of cash from tea party channels that allowed Paul to win here in 2010. Paul, who has presidential aspirations and is looking to run in 2016, needs McConnell’s connections to the wealthy donor base of the Republican establishment. Meanwhile, McConnell needs Paul’s tea party influence to keep potential primary challengers at bay and to energize his general election campaign against the likely Democratic nominee, Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes. …
“McConnell’s new allegiances go deep into the Paul family. Jesse Benton, who married the older Paul’s granddaughter, signed on last year to lead McConnell’s re-election campaign. Benton has previously served as campaign manager and political adviser to both Pauls, and his affiliation with McConnell sends a not-so-subtle signal to would-be tea party challengers to stand down and to potential donors to support McConnell or keep their wallets in their pockets.” [AP]
PARTY FOUL – “Senate Candidates Decry Kentucky Democratic Party E-mail Promoting Alison Lundergan Grimes” by WFPL’s Phillip Bailey: “The three other Democrats running for Kentucky’s U.S. Senate seat are criticizing their party for promoting Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes in a message to supporters. When Grimes announced earlier this week she intends to seek the Democratic nomination to run against Republican Mitch McConnell next year the state party quickly sought donations. … In a July 1 e-mail sent out by KDP finance director Jared Smith, the party says defeating McConnell “won’t be easy” and asks state Democrats to help them building a grassroots effort to “make sure Alison wins.” … But Owensboro contractor Ed Marksberry, Louisville music promoter Bennie J. Smith and U of L professor Greg Leitchy argue the message violates Democratic Party by-laws to stay out of primary elections, adding the party has effectively endorsed Grimes over them. … The party’s bylaws specifically forbid party officials from endorsing in a primary and also prohibit resources from being used unless they are made available to all candidates. … Marksberry is considering filing a lawsuit against the state party to prohibit any further action in the 2014 Senate race. ” [WFPL]
THE QUESTION – “What Role Would Coal Play in a Grimes-McConnell Senate Race?” by WFPL’s Erica Peterson: “[E]ven though both Grimes and McConnell have received support from the coal industry in the past, coal is still likely to be a major player in the campaign. Already, the National Republican Senatorial Committee has launched a website highlighting the role coal plays in Kentucky’s economy and steps Democrats have taken to reduce the country’s reliance on coal in favor of cleaner technologies. … Over the past few years, the coal industry has mobilized supporters and voters using the “War on Coal” rhetoric (though it didn’t end up panning out during the 2012 presidential election in some key states like Ohio). A poll by the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire showed that the percentage of Harlan and Letcher County residents that supported natural resource extraction grew between 2007 and 2011, and the Lexington Herald-Leader detailed the growing pro-coal sentiment in an article a few weeks ago. This means coal will likely be an issue in next year’s senate race, even if it’s between two candidates who both say they support the industry. Congressman Andy Barr managed to defeat the incumbent Ben Chandler last year, largely by tying the Blue Dog Democrat to President Obama, and McConnell’s campaign will try—and has already begun—to do the same to Grimes.” [WFPL]
WELCOME TO THE WEB : “Grimes launches website two days after GOP launches its own about her” by H-L’s Jack Brammer – “Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes launched a bare-bones campaign website Friday for the U.S. Senate — four days after she announced she would challenge U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell and two days after a Republican group posted its own website about Grimes. … The site Grimes launched Friday, Alisonforky.com, allows supporters to sign up for updates from the candidate and make a contribution. It trails the Grimesforsenate.org website launched Wednesday by the National Republican Senatorial Committee. The GOP site tries to link Grimes with President Barack Obama, who is unpopular in Kentucky, and convince voters that Grimes is inexperienced. It seeks donations for the NRSC. … Grimes spokesman Jonathan Hurst said the NRSC was “foolish” to post a website about Grimes.” [H-L] … SEE official Grimes for Senate website [AlisonforKy.com]
—“Grimes campaign: GOP’s fake website an attempt to deceive voters” [WHAS-TV] … SEE NRSC’s fake Grimes website [GrimesforSenate.org] … McConnell’s campaign has also developed its own fake Grimes site, www.grimesforsenate2014.com
DAYS UNTIL : Fancy Farm 2013: 26 … Next fundraising deadline: 84 … Primary Election filing deadline: 204 … Fancy Farm 2014: 390 … Ky. 2014 Primary Election day: 316 … 2014 General Election day: 484
By John Y. Brown III, on Mon Jul 8, 2013 at 12:00 PM ET How smart were our Founding Fathers really?
Were they just good with “big ideas” about freedom, liberty and all that. Or did they have practical intelligence too?
One way to find out is to look back on the original July 4th in 1787. If it was set on a Thursday like this year’s allowing for not only a great national political event (“big idea” part) but also picking a date that allowed for everyone to enjoy a long weekend and have an extra day to recover from over-indulging on food and drink the night before, I think we can confidently conclude the Founders had both high theoretical and practical intelligence.
But if they set our big celebration day on, say, a Tuesday, we can confidently conclude they were more like a bunch of absent minded professors. Brilliant with complex and philosophical ideas….but could not be trusted with practical matters like party planning.
===
 I remember hazily a rainy 4th of July with our family about 20 years ago. My half sis Pamela was having fun holding sparklers (and trying not to let sparks touch her arm) and laughing as we tried to light fireworks on the front porch in the damp and dank evening light.
I remember looking down at a disappointing and spent firecracker that had settled amid a sea of matches that it took to finally light it.
But tonight Pamela seemed to have a slightly brighter and more memorable 4th.
She was the CNN reporter covering the re-opening of the Statue of Liberty.
And avoided burning her arm with a sparkler.
And it didn’t rain. One of the blessings of liberty is freedom of speech….and that is especially valuable since we love the power of story.
===
Here is a powerful scene from a powerful story exemplifying the modern essence of what we as a young nation carved out for ourselves in an early defining moment on this day 226 years ago.
Happy 4th of July.
For all the original reasons for this nationally sacred holiday. For all the reasons that have developed over the years for celebrating this holiday. And for the fireworks, cookouts, friendship and fellowship too.
As we live freely in each of our individual communities tonight together as Americans.
By RP Staff, on Mon Jul 8, 2013 at 10:00 AM ET In case you missed his posts over the July 4th weekend — what could you have been doing that’s more important, The RP didn’t repeat as a World Series of Poker finalist this year.
(Read all of his daily reports– Part 1: Leaving for Las Vegas, Part 2: The WSOP Begins, Part 3: Next!, Part 4: Taking a Mulligan, Part 5: Beware of Three Jacks, Part 6: BadLuck Jonathan)
But in his inaugural piece as an official Contributor for Newsweek/The Daily Beast, The RP shares a story of a more halcyon time, a year ago this weekend, when he made an incredible run at the World Series of Poker. Here’s an excerpt:
 A year ago this week, the Jackson Five saved my life at a Las Vegas casino.
OK, unless you’re a fellow poker nerd, don’t take me too literally.
But my own impossible story, of a middle-aged amateur winning big on the green felt of Sin City, may help explain why thousands of my fellow wannabes are flocking to the 44th annual World Series of Poker this weekend for its globally celebrated main event.
It’s also why millions more will be tuning in to ESPN to watch the only “sport” in which an unpracticed, out-of-shape math geek can compete on the game’s biggest stage with the world’s preeminent professionals
Like many men my age, I’ve always been fascinated with poker. Never an exceptional athlete, poker presented me a unique opportunity to leverage my theretofore un-hip math skills in a competition that oozes of machismo and swagger. In pop culture, poker is played in rustic saloons by pistol-wielding studs named “Tex” and “Slim”; in the real world, it presents an ideal boys’ night of whiskey swigging, cigar chewing, and even a little extra-cash-winning.
But competing for big money? Flicks like Rounders and The Cincinnati Kidtaught that those contests were the province of practiced professionals, wiseguys, cheaters, and almost as often the unsuspecting novice “fish” who were swallowed by the poker sharks at their tables.
By Saul Kaplan, on Mon Jul 8, 2013 at 8:30 AM ET
I had the pleasure of speaking at the 2013 Amplify Festival in Australia. Now that my jetlag has subsided I’m able to reflect on what was a wonderful event hosted by AMP, a leading financial services company in Australia. Congratulations to AMP and Annalie Killian, the festival’s remarkable curator, for catalyzing a week overflowing with inspiration and insight. More companies should consider hosting similar innovation immersion events open to employees and the local community. It was an easy invitation to accept for this innovation junkie. They had me at the event’s theme, Shift Happened Transformation Required!
 One of the highlights of my trip down under was meeting Lucy Marcus, provocateur and global expert on corporate governance best practices. Lucy is a force of nature in and out of the boardroom and I thoroughly enjoyed our conversations on the oversight role of the board of directors for a company’s innovation agenda. We agreed that the board of directors has an important role to play and Lucy asked me to appear on her ‘In The Boardroom’ show on Reuters TV to share my top five board innovation imperatives for the board. The short video of our conversation below also serves as proof that we actually were in Australia. Check out the Sydney Harbor in the background!
5 Innovation Imperatives: Inside The Boardroom
Read the rest of…
Saul Kaplan: Innovation in the Boardroom
By Jonathan Miller, on Sat Jul 6, 2013 at 12:30 PM ET Before I headed home from a wild week in Las Vegas at the World Series of Poker (read all about it here), I wanted to see what the wise guys think about next year’s NCAA basketball season. Check out the odds for the 2014 NCAA men’s basketball championship:
By Jonathan Miller, on Sat Jul 6, 2013 at 12:00 PM ET
 Click here to find out how you can support this important effort Three years ago Kiley Lane Parker started to research why the United States didn’t have more women in elected office, something that troubled her after the 2008 and 2010 elections. Although there were some pretty significant female breakthroughs during these years, studies were showing that the high profile campaigns of Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton actually dampened women’s political ambition. Her research turned into Raising Ms. President, a documentary about raising the next generation of female political leaders. It’s in its final week of seeking finishing funds through Kickstarter.
In 2011, Parker traveled to California where she interviewed Richard Fox of It’s Takes A Candidate, Why Women Don’t Run For Office. Fox’s findings over a ten year period indicated that women don’t run for office because they a. feel less qualified than men and b. they lack the ambition to run for office. Unlike 20 years ago, most of the other obstacles like party support and money had little indication on whether or not a women decided to become a political leader in the 21st century, therefore, Parker began to ask the question, “well then, where does political ambition start?”
Her focus on the “next generation” became apparent after sitting with students from Ignite in Oakland, California and Running Start in Washington, D.C. These were the young women who were different. They didn’t have the same baggage of many women who grew up in the later half of the 20th century. They didn’t know what it was like to be told they couldn’t do something because they were a girl, yet they shared the same insecurities about running for office.
Fox’s research was right, therefore, Parker realized that perhaps getting more qualified women to run for office isn’t going to be that easy and that they only way to do so it to start encouraging all young women at an early age, before they leave high school.
It might be that we need to reevaluate how we raise our daughters and teach them in school. How social and cultural pressures still play a major role in how young women view themselves, seek leadership roles and stand out among a crowd.
Parker believes that with more women in office there will be better outcomes for everyone involved. Not only will younger women aspire to be political leaders because they see politics as a place where women serve, but policy decisions will be made with a broader view on life, family and living, strengthen our overall democracy.
Raising Ms. President answers the many questions about why women don’t strive to be our nation’s political leaders and what is being done to encourage more women to think about politics early.
I encourage you to join me in supporting this important film. Click here to find out how.
By RP Staff, on Sat Jul 6, 2013 at 10:00 AM ET The RP didn’t repeat as a World Series of Poker finalist this year.
(Read all of his daily reports– Part 1: Leaving for Las Vegas, Part 2: The WSOP Begins, Part 3: Next!, Part 4: Taking a Mulligan, Part 5: Beware of Three Jacks, Part 6: BadLuck Jonathan)
But in his inaugural piece as an official Contributor for Newsweek/The Daily Beast, The RP shares a story of a more halcyon time, a year ago this weekend, when he made an incredible run at the World Series of Poker. Here’s an excerpt:
A year ago this week, the Jackson Five saved my life at a Las Vegas casino.
OK, unless you’re a fellow poker nerd, don’t take me too literally.
But my own impossible story, of a middle-aged amateur winning big on the green felt of Sin City, may help explain why thousands of my fellow wannabes are flocking to the 44th annual World Series of Poker this weekend for its globally celebrated main event.
It’s also why millions more will be tuning in to ESPN to watch the only “sport” in which an unpracticed, out-of-shape math geek can compete on the game’s biggest stage with the world’s preeminent professionals
Like many men my age, I’ve always been fascinated with poker. Never an exceptional athlete, poker presented me a unique opportunity to leverage my theretofore un-hip math skills in a competition that oozes of machismo and swagger. In pop culture, poker is played in rustic saloons by pistol-wielding studs named “Tex” and “Slim”; in the real world, it presents an ideal boys’ night of whiskey swigging, cigar chewing, and even a little extra-cash-winning.
But competing for big money? Flicks like Rounders and The Cincinnati Kidtaught that those contests were the province of practiced professionals, wiseguys, cheaters, and almost as often the unsuspecting novice “fish” who were swallowed by the poker sharks at their tables.
By Jonathan Miller, on Fri Jul 5, 2013 at 8:49 PM ET Goodluck Jonathan & Badluck Jonathan
For the past few days, I’d been thrilled to see that “Goodluck Jonathan” had been trending all over the world. Of course, I assumed that the global poker fan base had been united in supporting my entry in the World Series of Poker’s “Little One for One Drop” tournament.
Well, it turns out instead that the international community had been appealing to Nigerian ruler Goodluck Jonathan to cancel his planned executions of death row prisoners.
Oh, well.
I really could have used that good luck. Because as I explained in my last post, I was in real big trouble entering Day 2 of the tournament. While I was thrilled to have made it so far, due to an unlucky experience with three Jacks, I was left with only 950 chips. With blinds rising to 300/600., that would mean I would have to go all-in almost immediately.
It turned out that my chance came on the very first hand. Sitting on the button, the table folded around to me. I looked down at a 9 and a 8. Pretty lousy hand, but with only two players left to call me, I had a decent chance of tripling up.
I got one caller. Perfect.
He turned over an 8 and a 5. Excellent. I had a 70% chance of winning.
The dealer turned over the flop and then the turn (the 4th card). I was still ahead, and had a 90% chance of winning.
Then the dealer turned over the river. A 5. Ugh.
I lost, and was busted out of the tournament.
In all, however, it was a terrific ride. And being knocked out, I had the free time to do some interviews of poker pros for my second WSOP-related piece for Newsweek/The Daily Beast. When I got to sit down with both Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari — one of the hottest players in the game — and T. J. Cloutier — a legend, whose book, Championship No Limit and Pot Limit Hold ’em, taught me how to play tournament poker — I felt like I had won a bracelet.
Of course, I didn’t cash in either tournament I played. But in both, I finished in the top 15%. I’m not among the poker elite. But those finishes, combined with my final table last year, will keep me coming back for more.
So, back to the real world. Stay tuned for my series of pieces on the WSOP in Newsweek/The Daily Beast. And be ready for my next poker adventure, wherever it should take me.
By RP Staff, on Fri Jul 5, 2013 at 12:30 PM ET If want to know first all of the day’s developments about the hottest 2014 campaign in the country, and you haven’t yet subscribed to The RP’s KY Political Brief – prepared every weekday morning by wunderkind Bradford Queen with links to all of the day’s Kentucky political news — WHAT’S A MATTA WIT YOU?!?! Click here to subscribe FOR FREE!
A chock full of all of the latest news on the escalating battle between U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell and his Democratic 2014 challenger, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes from The RP’s KY Political Review:
| GRIMES LOADS – “Alison Lundergan Grimes Hires High-Profile Consultants,” National Journal: “Grimes has brought on veteran Democratic pollster Mark Mellman of the Mellman Group to run her polling operation, a spokesman tells the Hotline. Mark Putnam of the Putnam Group, who produced Grimes’ popular 2011 television ad featuring both of her grandmothers, will handle media. And Andrew Kennedy of Kennedy Communications will serve as a senior adviser. Longtime Kentucky consultant Jonathan Hurst will serve as a spokesman. Hurst has a long history with Grimes, having worked on her 2011 race for Secretary of State and with her father at the state Democratic Party. He was also the state director for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2008. The Clintons reportedly urged Grimes to get into the Senate race and Hurst said they will “absolutely” be involved in the campaign.” [National Journal]THE DICHOTOMY, “Alison Lundergan Grimes: The anti-Ashley Judd?” by MSNBC’s Perry Bacon, Jr.: “The easiest way to describe Alison Lundergan Grimes, the relatively unknown Kentucky secretary of state who announced this week she will take on Mitch McConnell in what could be next year’s marquee Senate campaign, is that she is the anti-Ashley Judd. … While Judd is an avowed liberal who speaks at Planned Parenthood events and has publicly praised “Obamacare,” it’s hard to find any public comment Grimes has made about the law or many other hot-button national issues. Roger Alford, The Associated Press’ correspondent in Frankfort, Kentucky’s capital, noted in a recent piece, “the public record shows little about Grimes’ positions on coal, guns, immigration, abortion, same-sex marriage and federal health care reforms.” Grimes’ most prominent move as secretary of state has been to make it easier for Kentuckians serving in the military abroad to register to vote. … In a state President Obama lost by 23 points in November, the most obvious route for Mitch McConnell to victory would be to link a Democratic candidate to the president. With Judd, that would have been extremely easy; with Grimes, it is much harder. As Alford notes, in an unauthorized recording by liberal activists of a meeting earlier this year between McConnell and his operatives, the Republican’s advisers lamented that Grimes endorsed Obama for president in 2012, but “was too smart to use his name.” Grimes instead said publicly that she supported “our party and our nominee.”” [MSNBC]
SOUND BITE – “McConnell: Race vs Grimes about Issues, influence” by WHAS-TV’s Joe Arnold: “In his first appearance back home since Alison Lundergan Grimes announced her bid to unseat him, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) painted the Democratic challenger as a “rookie” who would tow the line of national Democrats. “I think all of you know I love a good campaign,” McConnell told reporters after a groundbreaking for the final phase of the 21st Century Parks project. … “And I think we’ll have one that will provide plenty of opportunities for you all over the next year and a half.” Asked about polls that show him vulnerable in the 2014 race, McConnell predicted Grimes’ vulnerabilities will frame the campaign. … “There will be two issues in this race,” McConnell said. “One of them is issues themselves. My opponent, of course, will support the agenda of Barack Obama and Harry Reid. She may try to claim otherwise during the campaign but we all know how that works. She’ll be on board with the effort to implement Obamacare and the War on Coal.”” [WHAS]
—“John Yarmuth on 2014: Mitch McConnell ‘scared’,” POLITICO: “Sen. Mitch McConnell is “scared to death” of running against Alison Lundergan Grimes, Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) said Thursday morning. … “They’re showing how much fear they have about this race because our airwaves are already crammed with negative ads about Allison,” Yarmuth said on MSNBC. “We know he’s scared to death.” … Yarmuth said recent polls have shown it’s going to be a tight race. “Even McConnell’s own pollster has the race within 5 points,” he said. “He knows he’s in for one heck of a fight.”” [POLITICO]
WINNING THE WEB – McConnell’s campaign released late Wednesday its third video in two days. The Senator, in a voiceover, read a verse of “America, The Beautiful” in the 4th of July-themed video. [YouTube]
DAYS UNTIL : Fancy Farm 2013: 29 … Next fundraising deadline: 87 … Primary Election filing deadline: 207 … Fancy Farm 2014: 393 … Ky. 2014 Primary Election day: 319 … 2014 General Election day: 487
NOT NOW : “Democrat Tom FitzGerald decides not to run for U.S. Senate” by H-L’s Jack Brammer – “FitzGerald, in an email late Wednesday, said he has received hundreds of letters, emails and calls of support from across the state since it became public earlier this year that he was considering running for the seat now held by Republican Mitch McConnell of Louisville. He said the idea of leaving almost 30 years of environmental advocacy as director of the Kentucky Resources Council was “exciting and daunting, a little heady and very humbling,” but he realized that with the environmental problems facing Kentuckians “it is not time to step away from my current work.” FitzGerald is a lifelong Democrat who has never run for public office.” [H-L]
PAUL’S PRESCRIPTION – “Rand Paul says Alison Lundergan Grimes should ‘disown the president’,” H-L: “U.S. Sen. Rand Paul suggested Wednesday that Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes should consider disowning President Barack Obama if she hopes to run a competitive race against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. … “I don’t know it will be as competitive as some think it will be,” Paul said Wednesday in a brief news conference after speaking to about 140 people at a Scott County Republican Party Independence Day Luncheon. … “The biggest thing and the hardest part for any Democrat to win in Kentucky for a federal office is that you pretty much have to disown the president,” Paul said.” [H-L]
—JOHN Y. BROWN, III offered his political advice to McConnell & Grimes on July 4th: “To challenger and current Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes: … Alison, you should embrace that you are the endearing and energetic youthful candidate who is very bright and knowledgeable— but also unpredictable. It’s not your youth or political party or campaign style that distinguishes you most for Senator McConnell. It’s the fact that Sen McConnell is the most prepared, disciplined, and predictable politician on the political scene today. …
“As for Senator McConnell, on the other hand, I would suggest running a disciplined tight ship and not taking a day or even several hours for granted. Be light and funny not exasperated and bored with your younger opponent. You must show respect and you must show manners reflective of the sexes in the South. … Be the well oiled, disciplined and well-managed machine you know best how to be—and chip away methodically and relentlessly. …
“The race won’t be about “Hope” or “Staying the course” or a dozen other political clichés. It will likely instead be about something more basic: To stick with what we know (sticking with the status quo) or trying something new (“rolling the dice,” so to speak). And how fitting it is that the race takes place in a state with a deep gambling tradition but today is ambivalent about expanding gaming.” [The RP] |
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By John Y. Brown III, on Fri Jul 5, 2013 at 12:00 PM ET Idiom-speak can leave you tongue-tied.
It’s depressing when things that are supposed to “wax and wane” end up merely “waning and waning” And then waning once more —and in a big way, as waning goes—when you least expect it and when you really, really needed a major league waxing period to begin.
At some point waning (without waxing) is just a trend that you have to accept and just deal with …it for what it is and stop telling yourself it will stop soon and start waxing. It may not. It may never wax again.
In fact, it may wane and ebb!
And that is some serious stuff when that starts to happen. And you better be ready.
You can’t be standing idly by wearing rose-colored glasses telling yourself a flowing or waxing period is just around the corner when it’s obvious to everyone else around you there is only more waning and more ebbing ahead. Maybe a lot more.
And that your “glass,” so to speak, is definitely half empty and not half full. And really more like only a third full (or, I should say, two-thirds empty).
Don’t be the last one in the room to realize you are waning and ebbing and already–and maybe permanently —half empty, glass-wise.
Put it this way: When that happens, and you see a light at the end of the tunnel, it’s best to run the other way. And to leave all those pesky idioms, maxims and metaphors behind.
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