Bad Bet of the Year

How desperate was Mitch McConnell to keep Arlen Specter in the Republican Party? And how much does McConnell hate his fellow Kentucky repug Senator Jim Bunning?

So much that in March McConnell gave $10,000 to the re-election campaign of a man who just six weeks later became a Democrat, and not one thin dime to a repug on the verge of losing his seat to a Democrat.

Herald-Leader star John Cheves has the story:

Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell may be fuming at Sen. Arlen Specter now, but a month ago, he was cutting him a $10,000 check.

McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, gave $10,000 to Specter’s 2010 re-election campaign on March 11 through his leadership political action committee, the Bluegrass Committee.

SNIP

“Well, obviously we are not happy,” McConnell told reporters Tuesday.

By the end of 2009’s first fund-raising quarter, there was no sign of McConnell giving to the campaign of fellow Republican and Kentucky Sen. Jim Bunning, who also is running for re-election next year.

Hey, Mitch: here's a piece of advice, free, gratis and for nothing: Don't place any bets on the Derby Saturday.

Cross-posted at They Gave Us A Republic ....