I've just had the pleasure of speaking on the phone with Golda Pensol Walbert, Chairwoman of the Barren County Republican Party. Walbert is an 85-yr-old retired teacher who is recovering from cancer and, though now limited to walking with a walker, still enjoys being active in her community. Walbert is a recipient of Kentucky's Unbridled Spirit Award, presented to her by former Governor Ernie Fletcher (photo above) and was honored by the WKU-Glasgow Student Organization of Business and Professional Women's Club when they established a scholarship in her honor.I decided to give Mrs. Walbert a call when I learned about a threat reportedly issued by Dr. Rand Paul at the Barren County Patriots Association Meeting on Tuesday. An attendee at the event had reported to me that Rand Paul made the following statement there in regard to the Barren County Lincoln Day Dinner:
"If I'm not invited, I'll stand out in the parking lot with my bullhorn."
Dr. Paul is apparently upset by the fact that the Barren County Republican Party has listed his opponent, Secretary of State Trey Grayson, as the main speaker. Wondering what all the fuss was about, I decided to give Golda Walbert a call.
Walbert told me that she had been told of Dr. Paul's "bullhorn" remark and she was disturbed by it. She said that the Barren County Republican Party had every intention of inviting Dr. Paul to speak and had been trying to get in touch with him to do just that. She told me, "I don't have access to Rand Paul. I'd been trying to get him to return my call and finally got the office yesterday. I spoke to the chairman."
I asked her, "David Adams? The campaign manager?"
Walbert said, "Yes, David Adams, and he tore into me. I don't believe I have ever been talked as rough to."
Walbert told me that she extended the invitation for Dr. Paul to speak and Adams told her, "Only after you have met our requirements." He then asked that Dr. Paul be given equal time to speak and equal billing with Trey Grayson. Walbert reports that she told Adams that Dr. Paul could have equal time but that the tickets had already been printed. She told me that Adams asked her if she would have new tickets printed and she said, "No."
Walbert explained to me that they had wanted to have Trey Grayson be their keynote speaker at last year's Lincoln Day Dinner but that he had a scheduling conflict, so they decided to allow him to keynote this year. She explained that no county Republican executive committee is allowed, as a body, to issue an endorsement of any candidate in a primary election and that the decision to have one candidate be a keynote speaker should not, in any way, be deemed to be an endorsement of that candidate. Although individuals may endorse, she would not reveal to me which candidate she is personally supporting in the primary. She said that she didn't think it would be appropriate for her to do that considering her position.
Read the rest here: Rand Paul's 2010 thuggery tour continues
