Saturday evening at Murray State's Curris Center was time for elected Republican officials and party activists to eat, meet and greet. Two hundred twenty five attended the dinner, silent auction and speech making. The crowd was all white and older. College students were scattered around.

The food served up by the MSU cafeteria got rave reviews from one and all. A prime rib dinner followed by a tower of chocolate cake and peanut butter or pecan pie left the attendees in a mellow mood when the speaking started. Taped addresses from Sen. Mitch McConnell and Rep. Ed Whitfield who did not attend. No message came from the junior Kentucky Senator Rand Paul.

Bob Valentine served as master of ceremonies, moving the program along briskly. He kept speakers "on deck" for their turn to cut down on pauses in the program.

There was some "raw meat" thrown to partisans. Todd Ppool was especially critical of President Obama. Most speakers stuck to introducing themselves and promising to address waste, fraud and abuse in government. Fiscal frugality was a recurring theme reflecting the national mood.

Toasting their founding father - Abraham Lincoln - the Kentucky GOP appears happy with itself and happy with its poll position in the upcoming election contests.