Fancy Farm Picnic Dampened by No-shows
By Joe Jackson
FANCY FARM, KY - There were some notable absences at Saturday’s annual kick-off to Kentucky’s political season. Gov. Steve Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson, along with other Democratic constitutional office holders in the state, didn’t attend Saturday’s Fancy Farm Picnic in Graves County. Beshear and others cited scheduling conflicts while Republicans said they didn’t want to defend an unpopular president.
Republican U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell was in attendance Saturday, speaking on behalf of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and he took advantage of the situation.
"We understand the Governor is in Europe," said Sen. McConnell. "You know I don't really blame him entirely for going to Europe. He's getting a preview of what the American economy is going to look like if we have four more years of Barack Obama."
Kentucky Speaker of the House, Democratic State Rep. Greg Stumbo defended Beshear’s absence.
"Let me tell you where Steve Beshear is today ladies and gentlemen. He's over in Europe trying to bring back some jobs that Mitt Romney helped to export over there," said Rep. Stumbo. "And if Ed Whitfield and Mitch McConnell knew anything about what Kentuckians need, they'd be back in Washington voting for the President's jobs bill which they refuse to do."
Republican U.S. Senator Rand Paul also did not attend Saturday’s picnic.
Click on the link below to hear all of this year's Fancy Farm Picnic speeches.
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2012 Fancy Farm Speeches