Democratic leaders push for Obama and Lunsford at Jefferson-Jackson event

LEXINGTON - Little of the division that stood out at some of the Kentucky Democratic Party's pre-primary events was visible at Friday night's Jefferson-Jackson party fundraiser in Lexington. With the party's nominees for U.S. Senate and the presidential race locked in, the dual goals of the evening seemed to be party unity and a targeting of Republicans, up and down the ballot.

"Why in the world would anyone vote Republican after the eight years that we have experienced?" said Governor Steve Beshear (D-Lexington), the evening's keynote speaker.

Beshear's sentiment was echoed by most of the prominent Democratic politicians who took the podium before him. Each hit optimistic notes about their party's electoral prospects, sounding as if they believed the hype surrounding polls conducted throughout the nation showing Democrats with leads over Republicans in a slew of competitive races.

"I'm not going to say it's a great night to be a Democrat," said U.S. Rep John Yarmuth (D-Louisville). "I'm going to say it's a really crappy night to be a Republican."

Urging party activists to take campaign efforts "to the streets," Attorney General Jack Conway (D-Louisville) said losses in November should only be attributable to Democrats, given the political climate.

"If we can't win right now, with 81 percent of the country thinking we are on the wrong track, it's not ‘shame on them' for the last 7 years, it's ‘shame on us,'" said Conway.

Conway also touched on some of the controversies following presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.). Obama has been hit by Republicans and others for not sporting an American flag "lapel pin" at times, and undergone scrutiny for comments made from the pulpit by his former now-former minister, Reverend Jeremiah Wright.

"If we let this become a debate about lapel pins or somebody's minister - or I guess next they'll attack his dry cleaner, I don't know. But if we let that kind of debate come forward at such a consequential time, it's not ‘shame on them,' it's ‘shame on us,'" said Conway.

Support for Obama was a paramount concern for many who spoke in Lexington on Friday night.

Kentucky Democrats were previously in a difficult situation with regard to the presidential contest, as Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) triumphed over Obama in the May 20 presidential primary in the Commonwealth by over 35 points.

As it has become evident that Obama will secure the party's nomination despite that loss, Kentucky's Democrats and superdelegates appear to be lining up behind Obama.

After weeks of indecision, a pack of three undecided superdelegates - including Beshear - endorsed Obama shortly before the Friday evening event.

Tonight, Beshear spoke of Clinton's own forthcoming endorsement of Obama as motivation for efforts on behalf of the Illinois Senator.

"We need to follow her lead and we're going to step up and endorse that nominee and make sure that nominee wins in November of this year," said Beshear.

The campaign of Senate nominee Bruce Lunsford (D-Louisville) also received a string of praises from speakers at the event. With one recent poll showing Lunsford with a lead over his opponent - four-term incumbent Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) - some Kentucky Democrats seemed to smell blood in the water and sighted an opportunity for a pick-up in their own state.

"[McConnell] has never been vulnerable in our lifetimes, but he is vulnerable now and we can beat him with Bruce Lunsford," said state Auditor Crit Luallen (D-Frankfort).

Piling on McConnell - long a pastime for Kentucky Democrats - now may seem like a more fruitful endeavour for the party, given Lunsford's likely well-funded candidacy and the overall political climate.

"Time and time again, Mitch McConnell stood with George Bush," said Jack Conway. "Because of those actions - because those aren't Kentucky values - we're going to join this fall, we're going to work for Bruce Lunsford, and we are going to elect Bruce Lunsford."

McConnell's own poll numbers show the Senator still holding a sizeable lead over Lunsford in the general election competition.

Still, for Beshear, election strategy for the Democrats boiled down to a classic political inquiry.

"There is no reason for us, this fall, to be coy about this campaign we are about to embark on," said the Governor. "We need to simply ask the most basic of campaign questions: are you better off than you were eight years ago?"

Other speakers at the evening's fundraising dinner included Lieutenant Governor Daniel Mongiardo (D-Hazard), Lunsford, state Treasurer Todd Hollenbach, and KDP Chair John Yarmuth.