Friday Night Rundown

Kentucky: Following the gubernatorial primaries, polling has Steve Beshear (D) beating the heck out of corrupt incumbent Governor Ernie Fletcher (R). Should get the KY-Dems psyched up. Meanwhile, Mitch McConnell is saying that the immigration bill won't hurt any Senators electorally. Then why, Mitch, is Robert Novak reporting that "Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Saxby Chambliss of Georgia were booed at their respective state party conventions Sunday for supporting a compromise immigration bill." When the Senate Republicans need a steady rock to cling to, Mitch McConnell is happy to offer himself as an anchor. Also, as is the current rage, it appears a Draft Charlie Owen blog has sprung up to encourage the 2003 Democratic Lt. Gov. nominee to jump into the race against McConnell.

Oregon: After his hypocritical vote to continue Bush's Iraq War without oversight (I guess he doesn't think it's too criminal after all), Gordon Smith will be spending Memorial Day weekend hiding from his constituents. In fact, Blue Oregon's Chisholm reports that Smith's receptionist noted that Smith has "no public events scheduled until August". Gordon Smith is a coward. Period.

Maine: The Bangor Daily News highlights Susan Collins' upholding the suspension of habeas corpus. I guess after almost 800 years, Collins thinks the habeas corpus fad has run its course. (HT: Collins Watch)

North Carolina: Congressman Brad Miller is still wrestling over whether or not to jump into the Senate race against relatively unpopular Elizabeth Dole. (HT: Blue South)

Alabama: George W. Bush is bringing his 55% disapproval rating in Alabama to the state raise some slimy money for Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III. Meanwhile, as Sessions cavorts with Bush, Commissioner Ron Sparks is making the rounds, meeting with actual Alabama voters, and spreading Sparksmania.

Tennessee: CQPolitics lists several reasons why Lamar Alexander could be vulnerable in 2008:

Since Alexander’s election in 2002, the Republican Party’s stock has declined nationwide, largely a result of the Iraq war.

A poll taken by Middle Tennessee State University in February showed President Bush’s approval rating among Tennesseans had dropped to 34 percent from the 42 percent he claimed a year prior. This is in a state where he beat Gore — then the vice president and a former House and Senate member from Tennessee — by 51 percent to 47 percent in 2000, then trounced Democrat John Kerry by 57 percent to 43 percent in 2004.

A question on party affiliation in the February poll also showed that Democrats had gone from a 6 percentage-point disadvantage to a 2-point lead over Republicans.

The poll also suggested Tennesseans’ ranking of the importance of issues might be conducive to a Democratic candidacy. For the second consecutive year, health care was listed as the most pressing problem, closely followed by education; Democrats typically poll well ahead of Republicans on their ability to handle these issues.

Now, all we need are some Democratic candidates to take it to him.

If this is the best John McCain has left in his tank, he's pretty much finished.