Feudin' Kentucky: Bunning vs. McConnell

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Contrary to earlier reports, and we reported on them here, Kentucky Senator Jim Bunning, one of the craziest and most embattled Republicans going, is apparently intent on running for re-election next year after all.

While state SoS and Mitch McConnell ally Trey Grayson has formed the obligatory exploratory committee, with Bunning's (genuine?) blessing (and Grayson claims he will only run if Bunning steps aside), Bunning has been busy heaping blame on the Senate minority leader:

Sen. Jim Bunning [yesterday] renewed his attacks on his fellow Kentucky Republican, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, accusing him of selfishness and being responsible for lost GOP seats in the Senate.

"Good God, he wants to run everybody," Bunning said of McConnell during a conference call with reporters.

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He said: "Do you realize that under our dynamic leadership of our leader, we have gone from 55 and probably to 40 (Senate seats) in two election cycles, and if the tea leaves that I read are correct, we will wind up with about 36 after this election cycle.

"So if leadership means anything, it means you don't lose... approximately 19 seats in three election cycles with good leadership."

Come to think of it, that's not crazy at all.

With Bunning hopefully running, the race is certainly winnable for the Democrats. For that reason alone, I wish him the best as he looks ahead to 2010. (Keep fighting, Senator. Don't give in, or up.)

In the meantime, though, maybe he can reinvent himself as a speaker of truth to Republican power.

It's nothing if not compelling political entertainment.