Paul apologizes for Fancy Farm beer flub
Republicans cheer for Rand Paul, the GOP candidate for the U.S. Senate, as he spoke at the 130th Fancy Farm Picnic in Graves County on Saturday. Photo by Tom Eblen
MORE: Paul says he worried about people ‘throwing beer’ at Fancy Farm
By Bill Estep – bestep@herald-leader.com
For the second year in a row, a candidate for U.S. Senate has apologized in the aftermath of the Fancy Farm Picnic, the traditional start of the fall campaigning season in Kentucky.
This year, it was Rand Paul, the Republican nominee, who said in a national radio interview that he worried someone in the raucous crowd would throw beer at him on the stage last Saturday.
The suggestion that people at the event would throw something other than political insults didn’t sit well with some at St. Jerome Catholic Church, which hosts the political speaking as part of its annual picnic.
“I was kind of taken aback, really,” said Mark Wilson, who with his wife Lori heads the committee in charge of the speeches. “We could’ve done without them comments.”
Beer is not served at the event, which is in dry territory, and there’s never been a problem with alcohol or with anyone throwing something at the politicians, Wilson said.
On Wednesday, Paul apologized in a statement issued by his campaign manager, Jesse Benton.
“Dr. Paul was trying to convey just how enthusiastic the crowd was and did not mean to imply there was alcohol being served,” said the statement. “Rand has always enjoyed Fancy Farm, thinks it is a wonderful event and apologizes to anyone he may have offended.”
Last Saturday was the 130th annual picnic hosted by St. Jerome in the tiny farming community of Fancy Farm. The event, which raises money for church programs, draws thousands of people.
At some point, politicians attracted by the crowd started coming to press the flesh.
Paul and Attorney General Jack Conway, the Democratic nominee, both spoke last Saturday, along with Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear and others.
Politicians usually try to control their public appearances, Wilson said, but at Fancy Farm the highly partisan crowds try to shout down speakers from the opposite party.
Wilson said Paul seemed “kind of out of his comfort zone” while waiting to speak to the noisy crowd Saturday.
In an interview Tuesday on conservative radio host Sean Hannity’s show, Paul described Fancy Farm as “just a wild picnic where they boo your entire speech.”
“And it’s a very partisan thing, and you do worry about people throwing beer on you and throwing things at you, so it is kind of (a) wild thing to run for office,” Paul reportedly said.
Wilson said the statement created a wrong impression of the picnic, which is a family event. But Wilson said he appreciated Paul apologizing quickly.
“As far as we’re concerned … it’s water under the bridge,” he said.
After last year’s event, it was Conway who apologized for using off-color language during his speech. Conway described himself as a “tough son of a bitch.”
Organizers changed the rules after that to make clear that cursing was not allowed in the speeches. Paul and Republicans needled Conway about the incident.
This year, it’s Democrats taking a poke at Paul for a Fancy Farm flub.
“For 130 years the people of Fancy Farm have graciously welcomed folks from all over the Commonwealth with open arms and Rand Paul thanked them by turning around and slapping them in the face on national radio,” Daniel Logsdon, chair of the state Democratic Party, said in a news release.
Filed Under: Democratic Party • Elections • Jack Conway • Rand Paul • US Senate Race
About the Author: John Stamper is the accountability editor for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Monticello, Ky., he has been with the Herald-Leader in a variety of roles since graduating from Western Kentucky University in 2000. Reach him at jstamper@herald-leader.com
A vote of Conway would be a vote for Obama. NO WAY, not again he is awful for this country. Conway give it up your campaign is in trouble.
Give it up Rand.
You can’t say anything right.
Go back to your all white country club.
I noticed Rand actually admits when he is wrong. Conway has yet to apologize for saying Rand wanted to repeal the CRA.
This is so stupid.
Rand is the standup guy here, not Conway. You Dems need to find some other way to slam Rand. You guys always run home to your standby argument, “Republicans are rich and don’t care about the little people.” Horse feathers, a know tons of Republicans in Eastern KY that do not have any money. It is not working, try some other approach.
Conway wasn’t wrong, Rand did want to repeal the CRA. Problem is that Rand flip flops too much to quote him on anything he says.
Hide it though he may try to do, Randy Paul is a Texan and has no concept of how the Fancy Farm gathering works – among other things about Kentucky he does not nor ever will understand. I grew up in Eastern Kentucky and know very well that many people there are “rock-ribbed” Republicans even it is so patently contrary to their self interest. Randy’s continual “flubs” establish not only that he has zero understanding of the people of the Commonwealth, he has zero understanding of anything. Paul, like his infamous father, is, simply put, a lifelong crackpot ! Let him go back down to Duke and kidnap a few more women. That seems to be about his speed !
Wills,
No, you are wrong. Rand never said that he wants to repeal the CRA. If you are referring to the Maddow flap, he hinted that had he been alive and a member of Congress voting on the Civil Rights Act when it was originally enacted, he may have had some issues voting for one Title thereof. But he has never once said he would go to Washington and fight to repeal the CRA, and in fact has said exactly the opposite. Saying he might have made some trouble (ON CONSTITUTIONAL GROUNDS) voting for one title of the CRA WHEN IT WAS ENACTED is very different from saying he would attempt to repeal it over 40 years later.
What an idiotic thing for the Fancy Farm folks to get their panties in a wad about. This is a non-story from a worthless event.
Oh to be Paul’s campaign manager. Can you imagine the job security? The daily refutations and apologies? The constant revising of his statements? The endless mopup duty when Paul opens his mouth? That folks, is real job security.
Its funny that libertarians support Paul. Watch how fast he does a 180 if elected. He’ll be taking the $$, and parroting Mitch McConnell so fast it’ll make your head spin.
Paul telling lies about St Jereome Church doesn’t suprise me since he prays to his allmighty “Auqua Buhuda’ Pot Bong
Can this guy keep his foot out of his mouth?
I just love how when the articles on Pitino testifying on how he only lasted five minutes with Sypher that comments weren’t available, but something like this that adds up to exactly nothing, it’s a field day.
Hypocrisy at it’s finest.
I listened to Rand Paul’s speech at Fancy Farm. I am still waiting for him to tell us what he will do for Kentucky. Will he join McConnell in blocking unemployment benefits? Lets hear more about his stance on cutting farm subsidies. How does he feel about “big Government” buying the flood damaged properties of Eastern Kentucky? I’m sure he heard from Cong. Hal Rogers about the drug problem in eastern Ky. Does he still feel it should be handled locally? What about clean water? The problems are many, his answers are few.
Sadly, the folks in Eastern KY keep voting against their own best interests. You keep electing Hal Rogers. The land is ravaged and the people mired in poverty and poor health–but you send a Repub back to Congress to do the same old, same old. Read “What’s the matter with Kansas?” a
Try a new strategy. Vote for Jim Holbert, Dem for KY 5th
Thank you Herald-Leader for all of the daily Rand Paul non-stories. I am surprised that any Catholic parishioner would really be insulted by a harmless beer comment – puh-leeze!
The only thing you can count on if electing either one of these people is that nothing will change for Kentucky. Kentuckians want to stay right where they are and Mitch McConnell will make sure that happens. I am voting for Conway, but I will be fine with Rand Paul winning because neither of them will make any impact on life in Kentucky.
Ditto.
Is this the best the Conway campaign and its friends in the media can do – make an issue out of an off-hand, nothing comment? One more reason I’ll be voting for Rand Paul.
I agree Hattie. I am no fan of Hal. My point is I have not heard any real solutions from Paul. Really my fellow Kentuckians, what is Rand Paul going to do for KENTUCKY?
Michael pretty much posted everything I wanted to say and I hope thats how alot of Kentuckians feel. Rand is bad news for the commonwealth.
I may be a republican, but I won’t make the same mistake twice. Go back to your Texas daddy Paul. You belong there along with the Bush idiots.
Zzzzzzz.
Stupid story or the stupidest story ever posted here?
No, Hattie, we have a great Congressman in Hal Rogers. Maybe you should move to Lexington or Loserville if you want a demoncrap for your congressman..
Nobama and Nonway…two losers.
How about the Conway supporter at Fancy Farm posing as a racist Paul supporter? Wonder how much Conway’s people paid for that?
Paul thinks he is addressing a national audience on Hannity and forgets about the Kentuckians who might be paying attention?
Hmmm. We do not abide disparaging remarks about Fancy Farm from our politicians. Jim Bunning came within a hair of being defeated after complaining about mistreatment there.
Coincidence, probably not. Of course Jimbo made a habit of using significant security whenever he ventured west. Paul lives in Bowling Green. He should know better.
Maybe he took lessons from the VP Joe BiteMe School for Public Speaking.
What did Conway say he was going to do for KY? He’s been AG for 2 years and has done NOTHING! He’s let his democrat buddies running the KLC, KaCo, and Airport Board off free when it was proven they wasted our tax dollars on strip clubs, etc. Doesn’t have the gall to prosecute them after Crit handed it to him. No way CON-WAY!
What a cowardly liar. He must have been smoking some of that college pot when he hallucinated people at Fancy Farm throwing anything, and there has never been beer there.
And notice what a stand-up, take responsibility sort of guy he is? Chicken is more than willing to personally slander Fancy Farm and make all of Kentucky look like a bunch of backwards beer throwing hicks on national television on Faux News. But when it comes time to man up, the cowardly lion sends someone else out to clean up his mistakes. That’s real impressive, Randy.
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