Crit Luallen's delusional fan club reactivated; Thayer notes Abramson's nudity

The worst part about the announcement of Jerry Abramson's departure to Obamaland and the appointment of Crit Luallen to succeed him as lieutenant governor has been the cascade of praise that's been heaped on one of the most malignant political figures in Kentucky's recent history.

Luallen drew praise from leaders in both parties when she was named as Abramson's replacement to finish out this term with Gov. Steve Beshear. One common thread seemed to be complimentary comments on Luallen's advocacy for good, honest and ethical government?

Either these politicians think it's OK to lie when you're praising someone or they're badly fooled. Luallen has about as much in common with good government as Bill Clinton does with marital fidelity.

Luallen is one of the most ruthless political operatives that's ever ruthlessly politically operated in Kentucky. If she had as many knives sticking out of her back as she's stuck in the backs of so-called friends and allies, it would be quite a collection of cutlery.

During her term as auditor, she earned praise for her office's critical audit of the Blue Grass Airport Board, Kentucky Association of Counties and Kentucky League of Cities. But she also used her office as a partisan tool, rendering critical audits of Republican officeholders even when there were no problems with the books. In one instance, she wrote up a county government led by a Republican county judge-executive for its expenditure of a federal grant even when the county expressly indicated it would be using the grant money for that purpose when it applied.

As disgusted as we were with the fawning over Luallen upon her unwelcome return to the public payroll, we were equally pleased with State Sen. Damon Thayer's comments about Abramson's appointment to the Obama administration. He didn't join everyone else in saying good things about Abramson whether they meant it or not. He noted that Kentucky voters overwhelmingly rejected the Obama agenda on Tuesday night and that Abramson's views mesh perfectly with Obama's, and he urged Abramson to advocate for newly-minted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's positions in his new White House post.

At least we are buoyed by Luallen's continued insistence that this is a temporary comeback out of retirement for her and that she still has no plans to run for office next year.

But Cabinet members in Beshear's administration should rest a little easier since the lieutenant governor's job in Kentucky is largely ceremonial. Luallen will wield much less power there than she did as executive secretary in Paul Patton's administration. She won't have the opportunity to get them fired in private even as she praises them in public the way she did back then.