Two comments on the first debate

Yesterday, Gov. Fletcher and Steve Beshear met in the first of what will no doubt be many debates and joint appearances between now and November. This debate came in the shadow of a poll, largely ignored by the state's largest print media outlets, that shows Beshear's initial large lead in the polls shrinking dramatically to a statistical dead heat.

While perusing press coverage of the Louisville debate before a group of local officials (county judges and fiscal court members), two statements stood out. Both are quotes from Beshear.

First was this quote from the Courier-Journal, in response to Fletcher's statement that the Transportation Cabinet is becoming more cost-efficient: "If everything I read in the paper about the Transportation Cabinet is accurate, I'm not sure I'd be bragging about it up here."

Mr. Beshear, everything you read in the paper is NOT accurate. We've documented it here on several occasions. The papers are only giving you part of the story. They have never printed the facts on the background of the hiring investigation. In fact, the only place we've seen them is here. The press is presenting half-truths, untruths and wild allegations as absolute fact.

The second item of interest was this Beshear quote: "I don't have a clue."

He was talking about how to solve the state's pension shortfall situation, but he could have been talking about his candidacy and his ideas in general.