BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Forget the Starr report, and all its tawdry details. Here's some real down-and-dirty politics, Northern Kentucky style:
Debating debates.
Republican Congressional candidate Gex "Jay" Williams sounded like a big-time wrestler a couple of weeks ago in challenging Democrat Ken Lucas to debate in all 22 counties of the 4th District.
"Don't let scheduling be a barrier," Mr. Williams said at the time. "Because I'll meet (Mr. Lucas) on any day, at any time or at any place."
He should have added, "as long as I don't have a big fund-raiser to attend in Washington."
Mr. Williams had a chance to appear with Mr. Lucas at a Tuesday night campaign political forum at Villa Madonna Academy in Villa Hills.
But Mr. Williams was in Washington at a fund-raiser hosted by U.S. Rep. Steve Largent, R-Okla., who is coming into Northern Kentucky next week to help Mr. Williams collect even more dough.
The Lucas campaign was all over this one, even putting out a press release with the headline, "Williams Shuns Nuns."
Mr. Williams' handlers argued that the debate challenge still stands, but that Tuesday's event was more of a forum and not a true debate.
There were no negotiations, no formal meetings about ground rules; and while Mr. Williams may be guilty of some bad manners for first accepting the invitation and then turning it down, he didn't duck a debate.
He did miss a chance to appear at a forum, but in a campaign there are lots of forums that candidates miss.
Still, Mr. Williams and his campaign manager, Craig Hendricks, opened themselves up to criticism by issuing their debate challenge, which Mr. Lucas' team labeled a "publicity stunt."
The Lucas campaign pulled off its own publicity stunt by railing on Mr. Williams for missing "a debate" that really wasn't a debate. Rhymes with . . . Anybody notice something unusual about the campaign ads Mr. Lucas is running on the radio?
In addition to slamming Mr. Williams for everything but kidnapping the Lindbergh baby, the actors in the ads refer to Mr. Williams as "Gex," (rhymes with hex) instead of "Jay," as he calls himself. Some Williams supporters have complained the ads are an attempt to demean Mr. Williams by mispronouncing his name.
Not so, says John Lapp, the Lucas campaign manager.
"We have found that people know him as Gex (hex)," Mr. Lapp said. "In talking to people in the street, a lot of times when we say "Jay' Williams, people will react, "Do you mean Gex (hex) Williams?" "It is in no way a slam on him," Mr. Lapp said.
But everything else in the ads is, right?
Flashing a sign.
Looks as if some Campbell County candidates, or at least their supporters, have broken the unwritten rule about putting up campaign signs in Fort Thomas.
There's no ordinance against placing campaign signs in the city. But people in the place known as Caketown have always frowned on the practice, and for the most part, candidates have complied. However, signs for a few candidates have popped up in a couple of places around town, including: Democrat Justin Verst, candidate for Campbell County attorney; Republican Dr. Mark Schweitzer, a Fort Thomas resident running for coroner; and Jim Stegman, a Republican running for county commission who also lives in the city.
In the May primary, opponents of Republican judge-executive candidate Steve Pendery, who happens to be mayor of Fort Thomas, tried to make an issue of Mr. Pendery's not putting his campaign signs in the city.
Mr. Pendery, to his credit, did not back down to the pressure and put up any signs, saying he intended to honor the tradition. So why are some of the candidates now putting up signs for the general election?
It's hardly a secret that some of the Democrats running for county office are trying to start a class war between GOP candidates from Fort Thomas, the most affluent and independent community in Campbell County, and the rest of the county.
Perhaps the Fort Thomas candidates don't want to play into the Democrats' hands. After all, it would look pretty bad for a Fort Thomas Republican to put a sign in Cold Spring, Alexandria or Silver Grove, and then not put a sign in his own community because the neighbors don't like it.
Just a theory.
Patrick Crowley covers Kentucky politics for the Enquirer. He can be reached at 578-5581, or (502) 875-7526 in Frankfort.
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