Bunn Watch – CYBYWY Wednesday

In a Lincoln-Day Dinner Address, Jim Bunning, Republican Senator from the great state of Kentucky, mis-underestimated his audience.  In case you have never attended, this is the time of year that Republicans gather together in their local counties and on a statewide level to pay homage to Abraham Lincoln through discourse and dinner.   They call it “Lincoln Days.”  Apparantly, Senator Bunning felt at one such event  he had a secure group to throw out some red meat political rhetoric. 

As you will remember from the election, one of many talking points is the idea that the next president will inevitably change the course of American policy simply through the appointment of new Justices on the Supreme Court.  It is an important voting issue, to be sure.  However, each political season, it becomes especially pressing as pundits decry the certainty that this, this is the four years where this justice, or perhaps that justice, will retire (or some other such calamity may occur) which will leave an open seat on the bench.

While etiquette usually allows for speculation, Senator Bunning took it to a new level.  While no television or news cameras were around to catch the flub, it seems that someone in the audience took offense.  The basics are that Senator Bunning was discussing liberal Justice Ginsburg in the context of her recent diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.  He noted that Justice Ginsburg had an aggressive form of cancer and predicted her ultimate demise within 9 months.  Thereby, coming to the conclusion that we would surely be coming head to head with a political controversy over a new appointment.

Sensitivity certainly was not used in the issue.  It is perfectly acceptable to talk about the possibility that “for health reasons” there may be a justice leaving the Supreme Court, and thereby a new vigilance should be exercised by concerned conservatives.  However, using the platform as a way to predict an ultimate time period or to even insinuate that Justice Ginsburg is facing her death, is completely irresponsible.

So, by my count, someone in the audience didn’t like it.  Political Mommentary doesn’t like it.  Well, we aren’t the only ones.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA1thhTs2ck]

While I dismiss Senator Bunning and his comments, I would like to point out that only a party which truly wants to bring some decent proposals to the American Public will censure their own.  We are not here to stand by every Republican and their mistakes.  In fact, it goes to note that the Senator himself has not gone on to spin the truth or create a diversion.  He has offered his apology and seems to understand that he made a grave mistake.  However, as the party of responsibility, he should realize that although he is sorry, there is a consequence to every action.  And in my opinion, the people of Kentucky should be accepting applications.

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   Dawn says:

   March 3, 2009 at 4:43 am

   It’s really bad that I didn’t know he was the other KY senator…. yikes.