Dear Mr. Bevin -

Your criticism of the Fancy Farm Picnic is personal for me. My husband and I have been attending the Fancy Farm Political Stump Speak for over thirty years. We have seen the political event go from candidates standing on a flat bed truck in the sun to its present covered fan cooled arrangement.

It has been a lot nastier in the past. Hecklers would personally engage with candidates. No less an august personage as Senator Wendell Ford excelled in going toe to toe with hecklers. It was a thing of beauty to watch him in action.

For several years, opponents would stage parades in front of the speaker's podium. Organizers put a stop to that. There have been years when organized chanting drowned out every word speakers uttered.

That didn't happen this year - and yet... According to a report in the Courier Journal, you told Joe Elliott of WGTK radio

"It's started to become more about being intentionally just nasty. Not clever, not political, just personal and nasty and divisive at the expense of anything productive, redemptive or forward thinking on any front by either side,"

Really? And you've been all of how many times? Twice?

I watched you on the dais when you ran against Senator Mitch McConnell. I don't remember you complaining when you got statewide coverage for your appearance that time.

Mr. Bevin - practice what you preach -I didn't hear anything productive, redemptive or forward speaking in your speech on Saturday - and I recorded it. If you can point it out, I will go back and listen again. What I heard was a 5th grade civics speech.

From accounts of your appearance at the GOP Night Before Dinner, you gave a fire and brimstone partisan speech to supporters. Did you not have the courage of your convictions to say the same thing in front of the other party?

Fancy Farm Political Stump Speech is about the First Amendment. It's about citizens expressing their views. It's about politicians letting go with their best shots.

I believe you profess to love the Constitution. The hard part of loving the Constitution is loving the hard parts. Saying ugly things about your opponent is protected speech. Making signs, wearing costumes, t-shirts, booing - all these may be impolite acts. But they are protected speech.

Remember when your supporters used cow bells at your last appearance at Fancy Farm? In clear violation of the rule against such noisemakers?

Remember how Mitch McConnell bitterly complained about it?

Oh. Wait. He didn't.

Whatever one can say about Mitch McConnell (and we've said a great deal over the years), McConnell, the master of the punch, can take a punch.

It looks like you cannot.

And if you can't take the free form exercise of the 1st Amendment at a picnic, I have grave concerns for your ability to manage the business of the Commonwealth. The Marquis of Queensbury rules do not apply in Kentucky politics.

If you are so offended - go back to New Hampshire the first Saturday every August.

Leave the political speaking to the brave and the bold.

Sincerely

Mary Potter