Jack Conway Twitting

Here in the NKY, Jack Conway's going after Rand Paul on the most basic of attacks: saying that Rand Paul is a couple throughbreds short of a Kentuck Derby on earmarks.

So how exactly does that strategy work in practice? Consider Conway's comments last Thursday on earmarks -- which Paul has says he wants to ban altogether.

We do need earmark reform. But I'm not going to call for an end to all earmarks. What we need is transparency in the earmark process ... You know what?...the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant has been the recipient of earmarks in the past. Our locks, our dams, our bridges have been the recipients of earmarks in the past ... those projects, they mean jobs. And when I go to Washington, I'm going to make sure that those worthwhile projects, that are so important to your communities are looked out for and are adequately represented.

Conway told the crowd that his plan for earmarks -- and other spending problems -- comes down to more "accountability" in government. And that led directly into the Rand Paul-is-too-crazy-for-Kentucky stuff.

"I can tell you what accountability is not. Accountability is not going on national TV and saying it's unAmerican to go after British Petroleum," Conway said. "Accountability is not having a world view where you think that government should basically never touch business whatsoever."

It's a strategy that might seem obvious on its face, but carries with it more than a little risk. After all, Paul didn't sweep the GOP primary by offering ideas that don't fly among a large section of the Republican base. And John McCain didn't defeat President Obama 58-41 in the state in 2008 because a lot of Kentuckians aren't prepared to pull the lever for a Republican when the time comes.

Still, a Conway campaign source told me Friday, the Democrats feel like they have the upper hand in the policy debate, calling Paul's position on earmarks "extremely unrealistic." The source said Conway will appeal to a wide range of voters -- including Republicans -- by talking solutions to the problems Paul is raising that Kentuckians believe are actually possible.

As for the remaining portion of Conway's strategy to this point, waiting for Paul to embarrass himself, things really couldn't be going better for the Democrats up to now, the Conway source said. Paul's comments about BP and the 1964 Civil Rights Act have given Conway ample opportunity to sit back and watch Paul squirm. 

It's the sitting back and watching Paul squirm part that I don't agree with.  Jack Conway needs to give Kentuckians a reason to vote for Jack Conway and Jack Conway's policies, not voting against Rand Paul and Rand Paul's policies.  If he's serious about the talking solutions part, then he's in much better shape come November.

As I've said before, if this race is between Rand Paul and Jack Conway, Conway will win.  If this race is between Rand Paul and Barack Obama, Conway's going to lose by 15 points.