Could Cowgill, CPE get the last laugh?

We lament Brad Cowgill's decision to resign as president of the Council on Postsecondary Education in the midst of the controversy surrounding his appointment.

Gov. Steve Beshear meddled politically in what is supposed to be an apolitical position, and Kentucky will be the poorer for it.

Even though Cowgill is a Democrat, his term of service as a distinguished employee in Ernie Fletcher's administration once again underscores a fatal flaw in Kentucky Republicans: They give in too easily and won't fight for their honor.

That undesirable behavior manifested itself time and time again when the Democrats attacked Fletcher. Precious few took up the gauntlet to defend the honor of an honorable man.

Politics is a blood sport, a to-the-victor-go-the-spoils game, but Republicans in Kentucky must have gotten used to enjoying being pushed around by the Democrats. The GOP in this state lacks the testicular fortitude to fight the good fight.

We'd have much rather seen Cowgill stay to fight it out. We wanted him and the CPE to draw a line in the sand and dare Beshear and Little Jackie Conway, he of the fellatory attorney general's opinion, to cross it.

But there may be a method to the madness here.

What if the CPE conducts Beshear's sacred nationwide search and hires -- Brad Cowgill? Especially after Beshear tried once again to gratuitously meddle in the process by saying Cowgill “should not be part of that search?"

After eight months of serving as interim president, and the last few weeks as president albeit with an unsigned contract. Cowgill certainly has the requisite experience. He's earned praise for his work, satisfying any arbitrary requirements about reputation. And if the CPE pays strict attention to the state's Open Meetings Law, it can hire Cowgill back -- which is the result it wanted all along -- and all Beshear will be able to do is sputter and stutter and ask Little Jackie Conway to come perform legal fellatio on him again.

There may be a distinct lack of testosterone in some quarters in this state, but who knows? We're hoping that the CPE has something up its sleeve and is planning a big, hearty, "up yours" to the governor who meddled where he shouldn't have.