Yesterday I got an email from Democratic candidate for the 1st Dist. of Kentucky congressional seat, Heather Ryan. What I thought was probably just another campaign email turned out to be news of an incredible injustice that KET perpetrated yesterday on Ms. Ryan.

Apparently when KET first approached the candidates and asked them to appear (they are doing this for a number of KY election races), the incumbent, long time U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield, said he couldn't make it. He didn't want to give Ryan any credibility of appearing with her.

Of course, that was an arrogant and sexist attitude, but I guess that he felt that he didn't have to stoop to appearing with her. After all, Ms. Ryan was a political novice who had gotten into some controversy in Paducah when, as Executive Director of the local Film Society, she and her 10 year old daughter confronted U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell in an awkward encounter regarding the war in Iraq. That encounter got her fired and she turned around and ran for Congress.

Ah, but isn't a week or two forever in politics? Now, after the economic meltdown, and some good campaigning by Ryan, Whitfield must have felt that not appearing might come off as not caring. But, he was between a rock and a hard place. If he appeared in public, then he would give Ryan a chance to gain ground and give her credibility. He also would look like he was worried. But if he didn't show, then he risked not caring.

So, his campaign came up with a third option. Use his political clout to get KET to run a pre recorded video message of his. And that's just what he did. Regardless of how unfair that was, and regardless of the howls of protest coming from our area into KET, they went ahead and let him do it. This is outrageous and KET has lost credibility and now looks as if they are favoring Whitfield in this election. There is no way, no how, no circumstance where this is fair, short of some last minute national emergency that could not be helped, and this was not that situation by any means.

KET should be ashamed. The good ol' boys network of (more than likely) white males (in any case, the KET powerful) went behind closed doors yesterday and caved into the political pressure exerted by a long time sitting congressman. I just can't believe it! It is so wrong. KET, pox on your political house for doing this. And not only that, they let the Whitfield video go after Ms. Ryan.

Let's hope the people of the district see through this blatant, unfair power play. KET is supposed to be fair and even handed, but they proved by this that they are just as politicized as the next institution. This is a black mark on KET, and will long be remembered. While Ms. Ryan is indeed a political longshot, she has a chance, if she will stay in the area and keep working, at giving Whitfield a good run. And with the Republicans falling more and more out of grace, KET had better be careful about who they are unfair with. It could come back to bite them someday.