46. Catching Up

Back on April 18 and 19, 1775, Paul Revere made his famous horse ride through what was then the Boston countryside, and attributed to him are the words "The British are coming!" This morning, the Commander-In-Chief of our Republic, the one widely heralded now as the worst president in the 231 year history of the Republic, woke up to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's words "The British are leaving." Iraq that is. At least some of them. Several hundred of the original group had already left. The British contingent is down to 7100 and the Prime Minister announced this morning that the number would be reduced to 5000 in the next year. One Brit who is apparently headed the other way, that is to Iraq, is His Royal Highness Prince Harry of Wales, third in line to the British Throne behind his father His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and his older brother His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales. The young princes [how often do you hear that phrase outside of a reference to the nephews of Richard III allegedly killed in the Tower of London?] are members of the British cavalry unit called the Blues and Royals. Their uncle Prince Andrew also served, following in the footsteps of their grandfather Prince Philip, who had a distinguished career in the Royal Navy during World War Two.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe, Big Dick Cheney, the Second-in-Command of the current junta holding power at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in our Federal City, announced to troops aboard the USS Kitty Hawk in Japan that America would not support a policy of retreat. (I suppose one reason he was in Japan was to get as far away as he could from Scooter Libbey). Cheney may be right in his assessment of Americans not supporting a retreat. A recent Bluegrass Poll, conducted by the Courier-Journal, bears that out somewhat, at least here in Kentucky. According to the poll, being released in a piecemeal fashion all this week, despite the fact that a majority doesn't like the way Bush has handled the war, 54 percent of poll said they support the presence of U.S. military personnel in Iraq. On the other hand, 61 percent say they oppose the president's plan to increase by 21,500 the number of troops there. Cheney's words were well chosen. That doesn't make him and his boss popular here in the Commonwealth. Fifty-five percent disapprove of the job Bush is doing. Sixty percent say they don't like the way Commander-In-Chief has handled the war in Iraq.

Given how well receieved the president is here in Kentucky (typed with tongue planted firmly-in-cheek), the obvious next-move for the United States Senate Minority Leader to take would be to invite the President here for a little fundraiser. How delightful. On March 2nd the President will be here to raise funds for his friend and leader, Senator Addison Mitchell McConnell, Jr., Republican of Louisville. The event is scheduled for the Seelbach Hotel at Fourth Street and Ali Boulevard. I've not yet figured out why, as I know McConnell to be a first-rate calculator and strategist. Few are better at the game of politics than the former Jefferson County Judge Executive, a native of Tuscumbia, Alabama, a graduate of duPont Manual High School, the University of Louisville, and the University of Kentucky Law School. We should all pay close attention. On too many occassions, I've listened as McConnell drug people into a speech at Fancy Farm, Kentucky on the first Saturday in August, only to make fools of them (I've been there and been one) when he gets to the punch line. Who can forget the stand-up cut-out he brought of President Clinton one time, asking the Democrats on the stage to "stand with Clinton" for a photo-op. He is good. Again, let's pay attention.

Finally, along the lines of paying attention, attention is being presently paid to Louisville Metro Police Officer Ronald Fey, Jr., who wasn't paying attention when the police cruiser he was driving struck and killed Montrell Mucker, an 18 year old black male who was running from the police, on foot, after abandoning the car he was driving which had nearly caused an accident with Officer Fey. No one will ever know why Mucker was fleeing the police, other than he was being chased - by a car while he was on foot. But in his illegal evasion, he was driven over by Fey's police vehicle. In my post on this matter the other day, I closed with the thought that the grandmother of the deceased had a right to be asking questions. The police report released on the chase raises more questions. The report blames two factors, distraction and not being under control, as contributors to the crash. It also lists the street's slippery surface as a factor. It had snowed earlier in the day. It places no blame on Officer Fey or the policy of chasing young men on foot with a police cruiser. Neither does it place any blame on the training officer, Christopher Turner, also present in the car, present because Officer Fey is still on probation from his original hiring. The only blame it does place is on Officer Fey for failing to control his vehicle while it was in a tailspin, apparently from the snow which had fallen earlier in the day. As I said before, Montrell Mucker's grandmother should be asking questions.