Mary Potter, West Kentucky Journal
Thursday, August 21, 2014 11:02 am

(Clinton, KY ) - Workers at Harper's Country Hams got a break last Friday when their senior Kentucky Senator stopped by for a brief visit. Work stopped as they came out of the building and sat in the shade at picnic tables.

Senator Mitch McConnell arrived soon after in a small convoy of black SUVs at the Hickman County meat producer located a few miles outside the county seat of Clinton on his tour up and down the River Counties this past Friday.

Security was exceptionally tight for the visit. The area immediately in front of patio where the Senator spoke was marked off with orange highway cones. In addition to the Senator's security team (guys in sunglasses with earpieces), the Hickman County Sheriff, two of his deputies and all four officers from the Clinton City Police Department were present. Parked in front of the building was a Hickman County ambulance.

Workers stood behind the cones and listened to the speech. Supporters of the Senator gathered on the long porch besides the small patio set up with a podium and microphone.

Hickman County Judge Greg Pruitt welcomed the visitors and cited McConnell's contribution to obtaining a grant for Great River Road signage. Pruitt's wife, Norma, heads up KYGRRO, the Kentucky Great River Road Organization and worked to get the signage for the Kentucky counties that border the Mississippi River (Ballard, Carlisle, Hickman and Fulton."

The Senator was then preceded by First District Congressman Ed Whitfield who said nothing about his own barely contested race. Whitfield said there are more people on food stamps now than there was five years ago. If Dems remain in power, electric rates will go up by 50%.

Senator McConnell, in shirt sleeves and khakis, told the crowd after his introduction that Ed Whitfield is in line for the chairmanship of the House Energy Committee.

McConnell then spoke briefly, mentioning several times the hot sun and how folks were standing out in it. He offered to take photos with those attending, since "everyone has a cellphone nowadays." He returned to his theme that Obama is bad for America and bad for Kentucky. He said that they are trying to tell you "coal makes you sick."

He promised to protect the coal industry as he did the tobacco industry when the federal government bought out farmers. He told the crowd that while there is no coal in this area, coal keeps energy prices low, which affects people living in Western Kentucky.

He called his opponent Alison Lundergan Grimes "a new face for the status quo." He said "She may have a new face, but she is the candidate of the status quo."

McConnell agreed this week to debate Grimes on KET on October 13th . At this writing, it is the only debate agreed to by the campaigns.