McConnell says he's for Paul, but is mum on plan for 2020; reiterates vow to go after anti-coal regulations

Photo by J. Scott Applewhite, AP

"There were only two things Mitch McConnell didn't want to talk about Thursday — whether he will run for re-election in 2020 and his eventual legacy," Sam Youngman reports for the Lexington Herald-Leader after scoring the first one-to-one interview after the senator's re-election.

The big news from the story is that McConnell said he would support Sen. Rand Paul for president if he decides to run: "We've developed a very tight relationship, and I'm for him. . . . Whatever he decides to do. I don't think he's made a final decision on that. But he'll be able to count on me."

But when it comes to the 2015 Republican primary for governor, McConnell told Youngman he won't take sides, citing his failed endorsement of Trey Grayson against Paul in 2010. "I've learned my lesson there," he said. "That clearly was a mistake. We all make them, and that's one if I had to do over again I would."

McConnell reiterated that his top priority for Kentucky is "to try to do whatever I can to get the EPA reined in" from its proposed limits on carbon-dioxide emissions, which would effectively ban the construction of new coal-fired power plants, a major goal of President Obama. "It will be hard because the only good tool to do that ... is through the spending process, and if he feels strongly enough about it, he can veto the bill," McConnell said.

"As he rattled off the coal-producing counties he won Tuesday for the first time in his career, McConnell said he feels a 'deep responsibility' to stop the Environmental Protection Agency" from regulating CO2 to combat climate change, Youngman reports.

"I'm absolutely convinced from the people I talk to around the country, not just here but around the country, that coal has a future," he said. "The question is whether or not coal is going to have a future here. It's got a future in Europe. It's got a future in China, India, Australia. But not here? . . . It makes me very angry, and I'm going to do everything I can to try to stop them."

For another Youngman story on McConnell's view of dealing with Obama, click here.

Morning roundup: As we wait for the debate, a look at issues of coal and climate change

Boston Globe illustration for column by John Sununu

Here's a pre-debate roundup:

• "As the gulf widens between Democrats and Republicans nationally on climate change, coal has closed the gap in Kentucky, particularly in the U.S. Senate race between Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell and Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes," writes Scott Wartman of The Kentucky Enquirer, outlining their stands on the related issues.
• Former Sen. John Sununu, a Republican from New Hampshire, writes in The Boston Globe that President Obama's energy policy is hurting Democratic candidates, especially in the major coal-producing states of Kentucky, West Virginia and Montana. In Kentucky, "Obama’s war on coal turned an otherwise competitive race in Republicans’ favor." The race still ranks at the bottom, 13th, among The Washington Post's ranking of the likelihood that a seat will change parties.
• Wartman also has a story about what to watch for in the debate, tonight at 8 EDT on KET and C-SPAN.
• The race is the "closest watched in the nation," Michael Falcone writes on ABC News's "The Note."
• "The long-awaited battle of the Bluegrass is must-see TV Monday evening," Jessica Taylor writes for The Hill. She quotes University of Kentucky professor and commentator Al Cross as saying Grimes's "refusal to say whether or not she voted for Obama is not playing well. Not because of the substance but because of her inability to articulate a sensible answer to a tough questions. She’s got to be able to do that Monday night or she’s toast.”
• Al Hunt of Bloomberg News writes for The New York Times about the avalanche of secret money in Senate races: "When he fought campaign finance reform years ago, Senator Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, suggested the real antidote was disclosure. Now he says forcing disclosure would run afoul of the First Amendment and would harass groups such as the Humane Society."
• We know more about Grimes's schedule after the debate than usual; she has announced a series of Northern Kentucky appearances Tuesday with Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, and Hillary Clinton will be speaking with her at a Wednesday night rally in Louisville. McConnell's Senate office announced that he will spend Tuesday in Whitley and Laurel counties, Republican strongholds.

McConnell targets CO2 rules, rejects U.S. taking the lead on climate change, and says scientists disagree

By Anthony Pendleton and Al Cross
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Sen. Mitch McConnell gave more specifics Friday of how Congress would attempt to limit Obama administration regulations if he and other Republicans gain control of the Senate. And he rejected the idea that the United States should take the lead on limiting carbon-dioxide emissions to fight climate change.

The Senate Republican leader told the crowd at a luncheon hosted by Commerce Lexington that he'll have Congress pass a budget if he becomes majority leader and the GOP gains control of the Senate. He added that they would tack onto appropriations bills that would include “directions” and “restrictions.” Referring to the restrictions, McConnell said, “Right at the top of my list is coal regulations.”

After his speech, McConnell said he meant the regulations that would limit carbon-dioxide emissions in an effort to fight climate change.

One of these proposed regulations is the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions 30 percent by 2030. Coal supporters oppose such regulations because it would, in effect, prohibit the construction of new coal-fired power plants using current technology.

McConnell has declined to give his opinions about climate change, though 97 percent of climate scientists published in peer-reviewed journals say the earth is warming and human activity is primarily responsible.

The campaign of Democratic nominee Alison Lundergan Grimes, who has said she believes in climate change and favors "a balanced approach" to it that would protect coal jobs, has criticized McConnell for not giving a definitive answer. Asked about that, McConnell said, "I have given a very definitive answer. I've said that whether or not this set of scientists or that set of scientists are correct is irrelevant."

McConnell said in his speech that the United States is the only country in the world trying to limit carbon emissions. “Everybody else has figured this out, except us,” he said.

McConnell tried to finish answering questions by saying, “The United States alone pursuing this crusade will have no impact on this mission, even if you thought this was an important mission.”

As he left, McConnell was asked if the nation with the world’s largest economy, the United States, shouldn’t take the first step in limiting carbon, he didn’t answer immediately, then said, “I’m not for taking it.”

Kentucky Coal Association President Bill Bissett said later that if the U.S. completely eliminated its use of coal, it would only reduce the world's greenhouse-gas emissions by about 3 percent.

McConnell said in his speech that the regulations would reduce the advantage of low-cost industrial power in Kentucky, which gets more than 90 percent of its electricity from coal. “The war on coal is not just a war on coal-producing counties, it’s a war on all of Kentucky,” he said.

McConnell was introduced at the luncheon by Kentucky’s leading coal operator, Joe Craft of Alliance Resource Partners. He said McConnell had led the fight for the coal industry in Congress, and noted that President Obama said last week that while he may not be on the ballot, all of his policies are.

Craft said the state and nation have suffered from the policies of Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, and “It’s time to stop them in their tracks. . . . For Kentucky to prosper, Mitch McConnell needs to be the next majority leader.”

Fox News Poll has McConnell up 4 points; he surprises talk-show host but won't give on some issues

Rounding up just a few of the many things flying around in the race . . .

• A poll taken for Fox News Oct. 4-7 shows Sen. Mitch McConnell leading Alison Lundergan Grimes 45 percent to 41 percent, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points, which applies to both numbers. It showed McConnell leading among men 48-43 and Grimes leading among women 45-37, numbers that don't add up to the overall result unless a lot more men were polled -- which does not seem to be the case, because the poll memo says the error margins for the gender samples are identical. The poll used live interviewers; most polls in the race he used recorded voices and push-button responses. For the results, click here.
• After being badgered by Kentucky Sports Radio's Matt Jones for two weeks for not appearing on his show, McConnell placed a surprise call to the host Wednesday and "had a series of sharp exchanges," report Erica Peterson and Joseph Lord of WFPL. McConnell refused to say if he believed in global warming, and wouldn't comment on same-sex marriage except to say twice that "Marriage should be between one man and one woman." For the story, which covers Grimes's positions in an earlier KSR interview and includes a link to a recording to the conversation, click here.
• Jones said after the 10-minute conversation that McConnell's campaign had said he would appear and it was only a matter of working out the date, then wouldn't return calls. "They heard that I might ask difficult questions and they just didn't do it," he said. Jones said on MSNBC's "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell" tonight that most of his listeners probably support McConnell and sent word to him that he should be on the show. Jones appeared on TV with Joe Sonka of Insider Louisville, a journalist who is generally critical of McConnell. "Mitch showed a side his campaign probably wishes he hadn't showed to voters," Sonka said. "It was unnecessarily combative." Grimes was on the show last month. Jones said, "She seemed to sort of dodge questions."
• McConnell's position as Republican leader could be in jeopardy if his party doesn't take control of the Senate, Alexander Bolton reports for The Hill. Quoting an anonymous senator, Bolton reports, "Some members of the Senate Republican Conference would call for a re-evaluation of McConnell’s tactics, which the lawmaker described as maintaining total party unity in opposition to the Democratic agenda. . . . Conservative critics, on the other hand, argue that McConnell has been too accommodating and has not been fierce enough in waging the battle to repeal Obamacare or slash federal spending." But two other unnamed senators said McConnell would remain leader because there is no clear alternative and the job is a political target.

'These people are against everything we stand for,' McConnell says of Clintons, Obama and EPA

By Cheyene Miller and Al Cross
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

CORBIN, Ky. -- Starting a two-day, 10-county bus tour through the East Kentucky Coal Field, Sen. Mitch McConnell and U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers linked Alison Lundergan Grimes to President Obama, his anti-coal policies and loss of miners' jobs in the region.

Mitch McConnell speaks in Corbin. (Photo by Cheyene Miller)

After recounting his history with former President Bill Clinton, who campaigned with Grimes in Hazard and Lexington the day before, and Hillary Clinton and Obama, McConnell said in Corbin, “These people are against everything we stand for. They're against our way of life and we're going to stop 'em.”

Noting in Middlesboro that Grimes had labeled herself "a Clinton Democrat" in Hazard, McConnell said, "There’s not a dime’s worth of difference between a Clinton Democrat and an Obama Democrat when it comes to coal. We will not be fooled!"

Speaking at Whayne Supply in Corbin, a major vendor to the coal industry, McConnell said Clinton "wildly applauded" Obama's proposed limits on carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plants. He said “Congress would not pass what the administration is now doing by itself,” when Democrats controlled it. He was referring to a "cap and trade" plan that would have created a market for air-pollution credits; Obama's plan has caps, but no trading.

At Middlesboro, McConnell argued that Obama's plan to fight global warming "is going to be about as effective as dropping a pebble in the ocean" because the rest of the world is moving toward coal. In Corbin, he called for actions to allow coal to make resurgence in Kentucky, and for the EPA to “get off our backs.”

McConnell, in his 30th year as a senator, pressed voters to give him a sixth term. He and Rogers held out the prospect, considered more likely than not by most experts, that Republicans will take control of the Senate in the Nov. 4 elections and make McConnell the new Senate majority leader.

In Corbin, McConnell called Grimes “new face for the status quo” and said “We have an opportunity to begin to change our country.”

In Middlesboro, he said, “You’re unhappy with what they’ve done to our country, the way they’re turning us into a Western European country, the way they question our values, the way they question the way we live. These are people who do not understand us and do not respect us, and this is the year that we begin to take America back. . . . It begins by making me the leader of a new majority to take us in a different direction."

To applause in Middlesboro, Rogers said he and the Republican-controlled House had "cut the EPA’s budget three years in a row by upwards of 20 percent," only to be thwarted by the Democratic-controlled Senate. "I can’t wait to be able to send that bill back over there with a 20 percent or whetever cut to the EPA and its personnel, send it to Mitch McConnell as majority leader and he passes it through the Senate," Rogers said. "That’s gonna be sweet."

Rogers, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, blamed the loss of 8,000 coal-mining jobs in his Fifth District on Democratic and EPA policies, though industry experts have said the major factor in the job losses has been a flood of cheap natural gas from horizontal hydraulic fracturing, switching power plants from coal to gas.

"If we can just survive through the Obama presidency and live, we’ll be lucky," he said. "We need the strongest, most powerful voice we can find to rep Kentucky and our coal-mining industry and the coal miners, active and retired, to fight to Kentucky’s cause in Washington."

At Corbin, Rogers was asked whether Obama had delivered on what he said last year in a speech outlining his climate-change policies, that areas affected by the policies should get special help. “I’ve not seen any help,” said Rogers, who accused the president of “flooding our minds with spectacles.”