Jim Bunning

James Paul David "Jim" Bunning (born October 23, 1931 in Southgate, Kentucky) is an American politician who was a Hall of Fame pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1955 to 1971. He subsequently entered elective politics and was eventually elected to the United States Senate from Kentucky; he has served there since 1999 as a Republican. He previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Kentucky's 4th Congressional District from 1987 to 1999.

Erratic behavior during 2004 reelection bid

During Bunning's reelection bid in 2004, controversy erupted when Bunning described Mongiardo as looking "like one of Saddam Hussein's sons." Public distaste compelled him to apologize. Other behavior, including accusing Mongiardo of physically assaulting Bunning's wife—claiming that his wife was left "black and blue"—and the use of a teleprompter during a televised debate caused several media analysts to question Bunning's mental state. Bunning set unprecedented conditions on the debate: he refused to appear in person but instead was televised from the Republican national headquarters (claiming that votes in the Senate required him to be in Washington, when in actuality the Senate was not in session); he refused to allow an independent observer in the room with him; he insisted that no portion of any recording of his performance could be rebroadcast; he insisted that the debate be broadcast live in the afternoon instead of the customary prime time hours; and other conditions.http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/10/12/bunning_kentucky/print.html After the debate, the state's two largest newspapers, the Louisville Courier-Journal and Lexington Herald-Leader, both called for Bunning to step down.

Related Topics:
Saddam Hussein - Teleprompter - Debate - ''Louisville Courier-Journal'' - Lexington Herald-Leader

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