Phillip M. Bailey

U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is praising the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as an icon of conservatism during the end of the Cold War period.

The 'Iron Lady' died at age 87 on Monday and is being remembered by many as a part of a triumvirate—along with former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II—who stood against the Soviet Union in the 1980s. Thatcher's reign is considered a controversial and successful tenure, which also brought Anlgo-American relations closer.

As the Seante's GOP leader, McConnell says it was Thatcher's conservative ideas that helped Britain socially and economically.

From McConnell's office:

"Americans and all freedom-loving people around the world mourn the passing today of The Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher. A shopkeeper’s daughter from Lincolnshire, Margaret Thatcher rose through the force of her will and the power of her arguments to become the first and only female Prime Minister Great Britain has ever had.

Now that Ashley Judd is out, Kentucky Democrats are scrambling for a legitimate contender to take on Republican Senator Mitch McConnell next year.

The speculation is on Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, whose every word is being examined.

But what if Grimes also forgoes a 2014 Senate bid?

Remember five years ago, when the Louisville Metro Council and then-Mayor Jerry Abramson fought over the Center City project?

Center City was to be a retail-focused expansion of the 4th Street Live entertainment district bounded by Second, Third and Liberty streets and Muhammad Ali Boulevard.

Following a number of Democrats, freshman Senator Joe Donnelly of Indiana says he now supports marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples.

The Friday announcement comes days after other Democratic senators such as Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Tom Carper of Delaware came out in support of gay marriage. Fellow freshman Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota also said she now favors same-sex unions.

A petition launched by MoveOn.org this week urged Donnelly to rethink his views, and just last week a spokesperson told WFPL the Indiana Democrat was steadfast that such unions were reserved for a man and a woman only.

From Donnelly's Facebook page:

"In recent years, our country has been involved in an important discussion on the issue of marriage equality. While serving in the House of Representatives, I had the opportunity to act on a core belief of mine: we are a stronger country when we draw on the strengths of all Americans. I voted to repeal ‘don't ask, don't tell’ and was an original supporter of the bill that would make it illegal to discriminate against someone in the workplace because of their sexual orientation.

Kentucky Democrat Jack Conway is the second hottest attorney general in the country, according to BuzzFeed. 

How did this arbitrary and meaningless satirical list even come up, one may ask.

Well The Washington Post reported on Thursday President Obama diverged from his prepared remarks at fundraiser to praise California Attorney General Kamala Harris.

The president said: "She’s brilliant and she’s dedicated, she’s tough. She also happens to be, by far, the best looking attorney general."

"It’s true! C’mon," Obama added.

Not so, says the online news outlet that is known for viral cat videos as much as political reporting.

A Kentucky-based Republican operative is launching a new super PAC that observers expect will help Senator Mitch McConnell in the 2014 U.S. Senate race.

GOP strategist Scott Jennings is a former Karl Rove deputy who worked as a campaign aide for McConnell before running Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign in Ohio. He now serves as a chief adviser to Kentuckians For Strong Leadership, which is listed to make unlimited outside expenditures in federal races.

From Politico:

"Kentucky’s a battleground, in some ways, to keep conservative leadership in Washington," Jennings told POLITICO

Republican Senator Rand Paul will speak at one of the country’s oldest historically black colleges as he seeks to reach out to African-American voters, and some Louisville leaders say that's a good sign.

Paul is scheduled to address students at Howard University in Washington, D.C. next Wednesday where Kentucky's junior senator is expected to talk about school choice and changing federal mandatory minimum sentencing laws.

The senator’s remarks will also focus on how the GOP and black history intertwine, and marks another sign Paul is earnest in his attempts to seek out minorities ahead of his potential presidential bid.

"It's important that the Republican Party to talk to everybody," says Paul spokesman Dan Bayens. "And I'm not sure that we've been doing that, especially recently. No matter who the group is let's go and have a conversation with them."

Paul is becoming a force in the GOP that has rocked the establishment of both parties in an unexpected way. National polls show Paul is at the top rumored 2016 Republican presidential candidates, coming in at either second in the still too early to predict GOP primary field. 

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer is preparing to announce whether he will seek a second term or not.

In December, Fischer balked at questions on running for re-election in 2014. At the time, there were rumors he was considering a bid for Kentucky's U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.

Fischer told WFPL earlier this year he wasn’t interested in challenging McConnell and was leaning towards running for a second term as mayor. He initially said a decision would be announced this summer, but now he says he’s moved the announcement up to this month.

"We’ll be making an announcement on that sometime in April, but I’m in the final stages of making that decision," he says.

U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly of Indiana is one of eight Democrats being encouraged to support gay marriage in a petition being touted by MoveOn.org.

The activist group points out the "last eight" have yet to come out in support the marriage equality for all couples.

Earlier this week, Democratic Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania announced his support for gay marriage "after much deliberation."

MoveOn is circulating a number of petitions targeting Democratic senators from Arkansas, Florida, West Virginia, South Dakota, North Dakota, Louisiana and Delaware over the issue.

"Fifty-four percent of Hoosiers oppose a ban on gay marriage," says Indiana MoveOn member Edward Cherlin, who started the Donnelly petition. "We need you to stand up publicly to the bullies and bigots along with the majority of Hoosiers in support of our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and families."

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer is encouraging citizens and businesses to brandish Cardinal red ahead of the Final Four this weekend.

The mayor declared Friday is Cardinal Red Day to celebrate the University of Louisville men's and women's college basketball teams making it to the Final Four in their respective NCAA tournaments.

The men's team is scheduled to play in Atlanta on Saturday, and the women's team will be in New Orleans on Sunday.

"I want to paint the town red—literally," Fischer said in a news release. "It’s been an amazing, and lately very emotional, season for the Cards—both the men and the women—and we want the whole city to get behind them in their quest for national titles in Atlanta and New Orleans."