Politics and Public Service in the U. S. Senate
By: Dr. Phil Aaron

After this November's election The Courier Journal's columnist, David Hawpe, penned an article attempting to discredit Kentucky's senior senator, the highest elected Republican in Washington - Senator Mitch McConnell.

During the course of the United States Senate campaign Hawpe attacked McConnell frequently in an effort to elect his democrat opponent, Bruce Lunsford.

Then, after McConnell's substantial victory, Hawpe tried to convince the reader that former Republican Senator and diplomat, John Sherman Cooper, not McConnell was the "most important Republican public servant" to represent Kentucky.

Hawpe cited Cooper's efforts to end the Vietnam Conflict, the Cooper - Church Amendment, and falsely labeled McConnell as merely a "politician." He went on to quote President Gerald Ford for characterizing Cooper as an "outstanding legislator and diplomat;" Senator Edward M. Kennedy for calling Cooper an "authentic Senate giant...," and Kentucky Congressman Bill Natcher for praising Cooper as one who "could claim more accomplishments for his state" than anyone.

Senator Cooper was all these things and more. And I know Senator McConnell would be the first and strongest to acknowledge Cooper's unique place in Kentucky history. John Cooper was Mitch McConnell's hero and role model. As a member of Cooper's staff the two became close and remained friends throughout Cooper's life.

As a young man I too had the opportunity to work on Senator Cooper's Washington Staff during the time the Cooper - Church Amendment was debated and when we sat in his office and privately talked, Cooper loved to discuss Kentucky Republican politics; John Cooper's love of politics was apparent. He remembered Adair County's then twenty five (25) precincts and his old political ally - the late Martin Rowe - as well as past turnouts in Adair County in several of his elections.

In retrospect I see many similarities between Cooper and McConnell.

First, both were/are well known for hiring the brightest and the hardest working staff (the best of the best on Capital Hill).

Their legislative staffs were/are nothing but outstanding as they assist in evaluating and drafting complicated legislation being debated on the floor of the Senate. Their Administrative staffs too were/are amongst the most experienced, knowledgeable and effective on Capital Hill as they guided/guide projects and requests through the labyrinth of federal agencies in Washington.

I chuckled to myself as I read Hawpe's attempt to characterize Senator Cooper as a "public servant" and Senator McConnell as a "politician." Anyone with any substantial knowledge of Capital Hill and the workings of our United States Senate knows that these two terms "public servant" and "politician" are not mutually exclusive. It's like soup and sandwiches, "You can't have one without the other."

In order to accomplish more for Kentuckians, for the folks back home, in order to be an effective "public servant" a United States Senator must be an effective "politician." These terms practically speaking are certainly inseparable.

So, who has been the most effective Republican Senator in Kentucky history? Cooper or McConnell? It's like saying Lou Gehrig was a greater baseball player than Babe Ruth because Lou Gehrig's cause of death - atrophic lateral sclerosis has been nicknamed "Lou Gehrig's Disease" while Babe Ruth's cause of death - throat cancer - does not bear his name. This is ridiculous - both were great players, magnificent athletes.

As for Cooper and McConnell both have been great United States Senators. Cooper focused his energies in large part on foreign affairs while McConnell has focused his energies mainly on domestic matters.

Mitch McConnell - unlike Bruce Lunsford - is not an independently wealthy man. Running behind the front running, top of the ticket (McCain) in votes, McConnell was saddled with an unpopular President, an unpopular war and an economy requiring an unpopular, Profile in Courage type, bailout vote. Although Senator McConnell raised a sizable war chest he - not unlike John F. Kennedy - "could not afford to finance a landslide."

I disagree with Columnist Hawpe's analysis as to which Kentucky voters know McConnell "best." Perhaps, just perhaps - those who know Senator McConnell "best" are not in Jefferson County - where they can't even agree on an Ohio River bridge location - but out across Kentucky where he has helped many of us in our small communities (for example in our own Adair County where he was instrumental in helping us build our new desperately needed Fourteen Million ($14,000,000.00) Dollar water treatment plant.)

There are those who criticized Senator McConnell for bringing attention to those projects and programs he has brought home to Kentucky - call it "pork" or "earmarks." Certainly such projects and programs which have been secured in large part through the efforts of our elected Congressmen and Senators working with Kentucky communities are fair game to bring to the attention of voters in a political campaign.

Take our new water treatment plant. Without federal assistance it would take a zillion car washes, bake sales, yard sales and highway roadblock solicitations and still we would never be able to raise enough money to pay for the major, costly projects our citizens need.

And maybe, just maybe instead of "organizing the big con," Senator McConnell will continue to utilize his extraordinary political skills in order to continue to be an effective public servant in Washington for Kentucky.