Barack Obama

Trey Grayson Appointed to Presidential Election Commission

Phillip M. Bailey — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:12:54 +0000

Former Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson has been appointed to President Obama's commission to improve U.S. elections, which was first introduced at this year's State of the Union address.

During the 2012 elections, voters across the country complained of long lines and confusion at the polls, and many have called for reforms to the system since the 2000 presidential race.

Senator Rand Paul: President Obama Using Gun Victims, Families As 'Props'

Phillip M. Bailey — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:03:12 +0000

Speaking to reporters at an event organized by the Christian Science Monitor, U.S. Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky., blasted President Obama for using the families of gun violence victims in his push for legislative reforms.

From Huffington Post:

"I think gun control is a legitimate issue for us to debate," Paul said. "I hate to see using people, I think, as props and politicizing people's tragedy. When I see the father and the mothers and them testifying - and I know they're coming voluntarily, and they want to come and be part of this debate - but it still saddens me just to see them, and I think that in some cases the president has used them as props. And that disappoints me.

The president has reached out to family members of victims from the Newtown massacre in the aftermath.

One mother stood in for Obama during one of his weekly presidential addresses. In that speech Francine Wheeler, whose 6-year-old son was murdered during the shooting spree, pleaded for stricter gun control laws.

The Election is Long Gone, but What Do the Result Mean Going Forward?

Brad Yost — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 21:01:27 +0000

Jasmine Farrier, a political science professor for the University of Louisville, will speak about the "enduring impact of a presidential election" at noon Tuesday at the Filson Historical Society. Farrier talked recently to WFPL's Jonathan Bastian.

"Every single person in the House won their election they do not necessarily see the need for political compromise that the rest of us see," Farrier said.

Listen to the rest below:

Obama, Romney Offer Differing Facts on Energy Production

Erica Peterson — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 12:45:00 +0000

Much like the first presidential debate, there was no mention of climate change in the second match-up between President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. But there was more talk about energy than during the first debate.

And, predictably, there was lots of work to be done by fact-checkers in the day following.

One of the most intense exchanges of the night was over oil and gas production on federal lands. Romney said production of oil on government land is down 14 percent, and production of gas is down nine percent.

Campaigns Focus on Ohio Coal...But How Much Can a President Help the Industry?

Erica Peterson — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Coal's role in this year's presidential election isn't going ignored by national media. Marketplace Morning Report had an interesting story this morning by Adriene Hill about the fuel's prominent role in President Obama and Mitt Romney's Ohio campaign strategies...even though there are less than 3,000 coal miners in the state. As the industry is always quick to point out, that doesn't include jobs that are related to and reliant on the coal industry.

Group Calls for Obama, Romney to Commit to Climate Change Summit in 2013

Erica Peterson — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 20:39:43 +0000

Groups in Kentucky and around the country are calling for the winner of next month’s presidential election to hold a summit on climate change during his term’s first 100 days.

Climate Change, But Not Energy, Absent From First Presidential Debate

Erica Peterson — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 16:47:11 +0000

Coal and renewable energy weren't absent from the presidential debate last night, but environmental groups are bemoaning the fact that climate change wasn't brought up.

The Hill's E2 Wire notes that a petition was delivered to debate moderator Jim Lehrer with more than 160,000 signatures, asking the PBS host to ask the candidates about climate change.

Coal and the Presidential Election

Erica Peterson — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 11:52:13 +0000

In some states, the 2012 presidential election is turning into a race of who can support coal more.

That's not really in Kentucky, or in West Virginia, where voters will reliably lean Republican in national elections. But as McClatchy Newspapers reports, both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are focusing on nearby Ohio.

Coal Miners' Union Says Members Aren't Wild About Obama or Romney

Erica Peterson — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 14:45:23 +0000

Amy Harder of the National Journal has a story out today about the United Mine Workers of America, and the union's reluctance to back either presidential candidate this year.

Harder went to Fairmont, West Virginia and spoke with UMWA official (and Democratic member of the state House of Delegates) Mike Caputo.

Political Observers Expect No Surprises in Kentucky's Presidential Primaries

Kenny Colston — Mon, 21 May 2012 19:31:20 +0000

Even though the presidential nomination process is effectively over, Kentuckians can still vote for candidates other than Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama in tomorrow's primary.

Republicans can cast ballots for Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul, even though they're no longer in the running. And Democrats will be able to choose 'uncommitted' instead of President Obama.

But University of Louisville political scientist Dewey Clayton says those other names don't really matter.