Hubbard gets labor nod for fall campaign

The road to a union-friendly state senate starts with Carroll Hubbard, Jeff Wiggins says.

“Unions had two good friends in the May primary – Carroll Hubbard and Rick Johnson,” added Wiggins, council president. “I said we'd get behind the winner for the fall campaign.

“Carroll is our candidate.”

Hubbard, a former member of congress who lives in Mayfield, will face one-term incumbent Sen. Ken Winters, a Murray Republican.

Winters represents the seven-county First District in far western Kentucky . Hubbard held the seat before he was elected to Congress in 1974.

Labor is lining up behind Hubbard, Wiggins said. The Kentucky State AFL-CIO, following the council's unanimous recommendation, has endorsed Hubbard, he added.

“[Republican Senate President] David Williams is one of the most – if not the most -- anti-union Republicans in the state capital,” Wiggins said. “He couldn't promote his anti-worker agenda without help from Republicans like Winters.

“When it comes to union-busting, Winters is one of Williams' happiest helpers. He's ‘King David's' puppet.”

Hubbard opposes right-to-work and supports the prevailing wage on construction projects. Winters is for right to work and against the prevailing wage, Wiggins said.

“Carroll has repeatedly come to the council hall and asked us for our support,” Wiggins said. “We have given it to him. Winters hasn't darkened our door.”

Hubbard served in the state senate from 1968-1975. He represented the First District in Congress from 1975 to 1993. He also ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1979.

After Hubbard was linked to the House banking scandal of the early 1990s, Tom Barlow of Paducah defeated him in the 1992 Democratic primary and was elected that fall. Hubbard pleaded guilty to three felony charges and spent two years in prison.

“I can imagine that Winters will make a big issue of Carroll's past,” Wiggins said. “But Carroll paid his debt to society. He apologized. What else can he do?

“Carroll is a Christian, so is Williams, and so am I. Christ said we were supposed to forgive each other as God forgives us.

“But this election is about the future. The choice is clear Nov. 4: four more years of anti-union votes with Ken Winters or electing Carroll Hubbard who will stand with us.”

In 2006, while living in Paducah , Hubbard ran for the Second District state senate seat held by Bob Leeper, I- Paducah . Leeper defeated Hubbard by 58 votes in a three-man race that included Republican Neal Archer, who finished last.

After the May primary, the council voted to recommend Hubbard for endorsement. The state AFL-CIO endorsement came in June.

Hubbard said he is grateful for union support. He added that labor helped him beat incumbent State Sen. George Brand of Mayfield in the 1967 Democratic primary and defeat U.S. Rep. Frank Albert Stubblefield of Murray in the 1974 Democratic primary.

Until Barlow beat him, Hubbard had little or no primary or general election opposition. “I was indeed a friend of labor during the 18 years I had the privilege of being the First District United States representative,” Hubbard told area council delegates. “You know I have been your friend from my voting record.”

The Committee on Political Education of the national AFL-CIO rated Hubbard 66 percent “right” on votes affecting unions. “Winters' record in the state senate is zero, or close to it,” Wiggins said.

In the May primary, Unions didn't recommend either Hubbard or Johnson, a former Kentucky court of appeals judge from Symsonia. “Unions and union members were free to support whom they wished,” Wiggins said. “I know for a fact that people who backed Rick are now for Carroll.”

Wiggins says it looks unlikely that the Democrats, who control the House of Representatives, can win back the Senate. “But you've got to start somewhere. Sending Carroll Hubbard to Frankfort is a good place to start.”

Carroll Hubbard thanks unions for endorsing him

EDITOR:

I appreciate very much having the endorsement of the Kentucky AFL-CIO.

This support is very important to my campaign for First District state senator. I am fully aware of what the unions have done for many years to help working men and women as to wages, safe working conditions, pension benefits, etc.

CARROLL HUBBARD, Democratic Candidate for State Senate

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Obama campaign cranks up ‘Fight the Smears' website

The Ninth Amendment – the one against lying – often flies out the window in political campaigns.

“But I can't remember so many lies being told on a presidential candidate as are being told on Barack Obama,” said Jeff Wiggins, council president. “Every time you hear a new one, it's crazier than the one before.”

So the Obama campaign has unveiled a website that addresses all the falsehoods being told on him by right-wing pundits, talk show hosts, Internet bloggers and others.

It is called “Fight the Smears.” The web address is http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/fightthesmearshome/.

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Enjoy your summer but don't forget the fall campaign

By JEFF WIGGINS, Council President

The Fancy Farm picnic, which kicks off the fall election campaign, is still a month away. But it's not too early to start thinking about politics.

We've got a good chance to make the state Capitol and Paducah City Hall a lot more union friendly.

In the First House District, our choice is Democrat Mike Lawrence. He is right on our issues, and he came to the council hall seeking our support. Mike has a good chance of beating Steven Rudy, the Republican incumbent.

In the Fifth House District, we are again backing Democrat Will Coursey. Will and Marvin Wilson will square off again in November. Will beat him once. Let's make it another goose egg for Wilson .

Democrat Carroll Hubbard is our choice for the First Senatorial District seat. Carroll is battling the Republican incumbent, Ken Winters. Carroll stands with us on our issues. Winters does not. Carroll's chances to beat Winters look good.

In Paducah , voters have a golden opportunity to rid themselves of one of the most anti-union administrations in city history. We're behind Commissioner Robert Coleman for mayor.

Robert has carried a union card in his wallet for more than half a century. His opponent, Mayor Bill Paxton, represents what President Franklin D. Roosevelt called the “economic royalists.”

Robert and Commissioner Gerald Watkins have been our only friends on the city commission for a long time. Gerald, who is running again, has our support, too. Robert and Gerald will need help at City Hall. We hope help will be on the way with Richard Abraham, our other candidate in the city races.

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Sign up for the ‘Ex-Hillary Fans for McCain Pledge'

By BERRY CRAIG

“Guffmanian” posted a tongue-in-cheek “Ex-Hillary Fans for McCain” Pledge on the Daily Kos Internet blogsite.

There are various versions for “McCainocrats,” folks who want to prove their loyalty to Sen. Clinton “by ignoring her call to support Obama and supporting McCain,” according to Guffmanian.

The blogger explained, “You've asked yourself WWJMD (What Would John McCain Do) and you've decided to vote against your own interests and principles while furthering Senator McCain's. Before you're allowed on the band wagon, we are asking you to sign the following oath. A McCain presidency will mean different things for different people, so we have tailored the oaths accordingly.”

Guffmanian didn't post a pledge for union members. But one might look like this:

I, _____________, swear, or affirm, that while I voted for Hillary Clinton, I want to be a “McCainocrat” and ride the “Straight Talk Express” all the way to the White House. John, I promise to stand by you as you

-- support a national right-to-work law

-- oppose the Employee Free Choice Act

-- oppose the prevailing wage on construction projects

-- oppose protecting overtime rights

-- oppose extending unemployment benefits

-- oppose increasing the minimum wage

-- support NAFTA and CAFTA

-- oppose bargaining rights for federal employees

Also, a s a card-carrying union member, I agree to

  -- be glad when workers in every state can freeload and enjoy union won wages and benefits without paying union dues -- smile when the boss – a fellow McCain voter – closes the plant where I work and moves production to a cheap labor country so he can get richer at the expense of a poor foreign guy and me

-- be thankful for our “free enterprise” system – meaning “union free” – even when I lose my good union job and end up flipping burgers with high school kids for minimum wage or when I can't find other work. (In my spare time – and until the electricity gets turned off because I don't have a job and can't pay my bills -- I promise to watch Fox News on TV and listen to Rush on the radio because they know, as John and I know, that unions are what's ruining America.)

Thank you, John McCain!

Signature _ _________________________________________________

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