We attended the Democratic breakfast. Headlined by Governors Beshear and former Governor Patton (who made only brief remarks) with an all male cast on the dais, the breakfast was a rehearsal for speeches that would be given later in the day. Rhetoric was most certainly not meek the inherit the earth, but to the victors will go the spoils.
Candidate Jack Conway got his mojo back. When a voice from the crowd urged him to “Give ‘em hell, Jack!” Conway quipped that he “would tell the truth and give them heck” gently mocking his lapse into profanity in 2009 that led to institution of a no cursing from the podium rule by St. Jerome Picnic organizers.
The most fun of the breakfasts is to have the time and space to move around in air conditioned comfort, exchange gossip with folks unseen since the first weekend of August a year ago. Frankfort insiders mingled with local Democratic officials.
Reporters attending the parallel GOP event told us that the crowd was standing room only. US Representative Eric Cantor, the Minority Whip, delivered a reasoned speech on why Republicans should take back the House. One observer noted that the crowd’s enthusiasm surpassed anything he had seen in recent years.
It’s all prelude to a rambunctious campaign cycle. The bases are bigger, more committed and eager for a fight. They don’t need their leaders to keep telling them the importance of November 2nd.