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It keeps getting messier for "The Insider" host Pat O'Brien. The celeb chronicler checked into rehab Sunday, just as an embarrassing string of dirty voice-mail messages, which expressed a taste for hookers, cocaine and adventurous (if possibly unhygienic) sex, became public. His reps do not deny that O'Brien made the calls. Now sources say O'Brien was reprimanded several times for sexual harassment during his time as co-host of rival show "Access Hollywood." A witness says O'Brien actually licked co-host Nancy O'Dell's face at an "Access Hollywood" Christmas party. At the same event, he was seen groping reporter Shaun Robinson's behind....

Downard to run for mayor The Courier-Journal Former Metro Council president and Republican caucus chairman Kelly Downard announced today that he will run for mayor of metro Louisville against popular incumbent Jerry Abramson. Downard, 58, who represents District 16 in eastern Jefferson County, held a press conference this morning to officially announce his candidacy. Downard, the president and CEO of Louisville Real Estate Development Co., an affiliate of the Louisville Community Development Bank, said Louisville has fallen behind neighboring cities such as Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Nashville and is in "desperate need of new leadership." "If the head coach had been...

GOP senator who vowed to quit turns independent THE PADUCAH SUN PADUCAH - State Sen. Bob Leeper said he will stay in the Senate until at least this summer but will change his political registration from Republican to independent. He said not being a part of the Republican caucus will allow him to think issues through more clearly "without the political spin" of the party leaders. "I want to make it clear that the change in no way is a reflection on the Republican Party's philosophies," Leeper said. "I continue to support what they believe in." Friday, Leeper became frustrated...

Sperm Donor TV Show Seems Inconceivable LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - America could not have cared less about the low-rated Fox special "Who's Your Daddy?" But there might be more reality TV high jinks in store for Mommy. Just when it seemed that having an adopted woman guess the identity of her biological father marked a new low for reality programs, another show in the works could make "Daddy" seem as tame as "Father Knows Best." True Entertainment and Brighter Pictures, production companies owned by international reality giant Endemol ("Big Brother") in New York and London, respectively, are co-developing a...

REPUBLICANS: OVER ONE MILLION AND GROWING GOP eclipses one million voter mark for first time in history (Frankfort, KY) Republican Party of Kentucky Chairman John McCarthy announced today that there are now more than one million Republicans on state voter rolls, according to statistics published by the Secretary of State. As of December 15, 2004, there were 1,002,915 registered Republicans in Kentucky, compared to just 944,197 on Election Day 2003. “Our party continues to grow at a remarkable pace,” said McCarthy. “The reasons are clear—the Republican Party represents the values of most Kentuckians, and the voter registration numbers you are...

'John' letters target prostitution Warnings come from the mayor By Jeanne Houck Post staff reporter Covington Mayor Irvin "Butch" Callery has been sending out a very different kind of "Dear John" letter for about a year, and he's hopeful it's putting a dent in the prostitution trade in the city. The letters, part of Covington's effort to reshape its once tawdry reputation as a haven for strip clubs and street walkers, are sent by registered mail to the homes of men convicted of soliciting prostitution, saying they are not welcome to practice their vice in the city. Although the mayor...

Our nation united behind President Bush on Election Day because of his resolve in winning the War on Terror, his record of growing our economy and because he was the first President in recent history to campaign for a second term with a clear vision for the future. Your dedication to President Bush's agenda enabled him to establish a mandate by receiving more votes than any presidential candidate in American history, and he has already begun delivering on his plans for making America safer, stronger and better. The President campaigned on reforming our nation's intelligence gathering, and the House of...

The following is posted on Drudge right now: Names of people being vetted by the White House for the new position of Director of National Intelligence: DCI Porter Goss Gov Tom Kean General Michael Hayden John Lehman Sen. Joe Lieberman Rep Pete Hoekstra Rep Jane Harman...

Election dispute heads to Senate Judge has ruled Democrat won By Joseph Gerth and Elizabeth J. Beardsley The Courier-Journal Dana Seum Stephenson will turn to the Republican-controlled state Senate in an effort to hold onto the 37th District seat she appeared to win in November. But with a court having awarded the seat to her Democratic opponent, Virginia Woodward, the state could be headed for a constitutional crisis, Stephenson's lawyer said yesterday. "I don't know what happens," Jim Milliman said. "Frankly, I think that the Supreme Court will do what courts have done in other states and say this isn't...

WASHINGTON - President Bush (news - web sites) on Thursday selected Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns, a Republican attorney who grew up on an Iowa dairy farm, as secretary of Agriculture to oversee the nation's farm and food programs. Bush said Johanns was "an experienced public servant from America's agricultural heartland" with a long record of being "a faithful friend to America's farmers." Johanns, 54, would succeed Ann M. Veneman, who recently announced her resignation despite saying earlier that she wanted to stay. So far, seven of Bush's 15-member Cabinet have announced they won't be part of the second term. More...

As we wind down the 2004 season, eyes are now turning towards 2006 and candidate recruitment is starting to take place. The following is a list of Senate seats up in 2006: AZ: John Kyl (R) Shouldn't be opposed, or at worst will draw token opposition. CT: Joe Lieberman (D) I don't foresee any serious opposition here. However, there is rumor about Lieberman taking a position in the administration. If that happens, Republicans will be running an appointed incumbent for the seat. Congressman Chris Shays perhaps? DE: Tom Carper (D) Short of Congressman Mike Castle (R) running against him, Carper...

With all the resignations in the President's cabinet, I have heard many speculations on certain Senators taking positions. Thinking politically, that will only happen if the Senator is in a state with a Republican Governor who would appoint the successor following the Senate vacancy. That being said, here is a list of Senators in states with Republican Governors. Some would be ludicrous picks, but they are at least on the table: AL: Richard Shelby (R) & Jeff Sessions (R) AK: Ted Stevens (R) & Lisa Murkowski (R) AR: Blanche Lincoln (D) & Mark Pryor (D) CA: Diane Feinstein (D) &...

Voter registration in Scott County has risen by nearly 4,000 people since 2000, with nearly half filing as Republicans. In the last four years, the number of registered Democrats in Scott County has increased from 13,789 to 15,001 (an increase of 9 percent), while Republicans have grown from 5,589 to 8,179 (46 percent). Those registered with other political affiliations has grown from 1,309 to 1,441 (9 percent). Scott County is representative of a statewide trend, Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson said. In Kentucky, 87,693 new voters have registered for the upcoming election. Of those, 45,408 registered as Republicans, 34,825...

WASHINGTON - President Bush (news - web sites) has doubled his support among blacks in four years and Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites)'s backing among the key Democratic voting bloc is down slightly from the support Al Gore (news - web sites) won in 2000, according to a poll released Tuesday. The Democratic presidential nominee holds a nearly 4-to-1 margin over Bush in the poll by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a Washington-based research group that focuses on issues concerning blacks. Bush got low marks for his handling of the war in Iraq (news -...

I know that we don't usually see local polls on here. However, as conservatives, we usually talk about how local government should have more control. Unfortunately, the Georgetown (Kentucky) City Council is 75% Democrat right now, but we have a LEGITIMATE chance to make it 50%-50% this year. We have four solid conservative Republicans running. Please, if you don't mind, take the time to visit www.news-graphic.com and vote for one of the following four conservative Republicans: Stephen Glass Karen Tingle-Sames Rob Johnson Tom Dedman The News-Graphic's polls are actually watched in the city and we could create a "bandwagon" effect...

I know that we don't usually see local polls on here. However, as conservatives, we usually talk about how local government should have more control. Unfortunately, the Georgetown (Kentucky) City Council is 75% Democrat right now, but we have a LEGITIMATE chance to make it 50%-50% this year. We have four solid conservative Republicans running. Please, if you don't mind, take the time to visit www.news-graphic.com and vote for one of the following four conservative Republicans: Stephen Glass Karen Tingle-Sames Rob Johnson Tom Dedman The News-Graphic's polls are actually watched in the city and we could create a "bandwagon" effect...

Letcher man pleads no contest to killing black bear ANIMAL GOT INTO HIS BACK YARD IN JUNE; HE'LL PAY $250.50 FINE By Roger Alford ASSOCIATED PRESS WHITESBURG - A Letcher County man pleaded no contest yesterday to illegally shooting a black bear in his back yard in June. The plea came after his day in court ended in a mistrial when the jury said it was hopelessly deadlocked. Terry Brock, 36, of Mayking will pay $250.50, serve no jail time and keep his hunting privileges and the rifle used to kill the animal. He entered an Alford plea, in which...

Jury to begin deliberations in bear shooting trial ROGER ALFORD Associated Press WHITESBURG, Ky. - A jury was expected to begin deliberating Monday afternoon in the case of an eastern Kentucky man accused of illegally shooting a black bear in his back yard in June. Terry Brock, 36, of Mayking, told jurors that he was surprised he was charged with a crime for killing the 270-pound bear that he feared would attack his family, dogs and horse. "I didn't think there would be nothing come of it because all I was doing was protecting my family," Brock said in the...

Clooney skips chance to meet with Kerry -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Stephenie Steitzer Post staff reporter Northern Kentucky Democratic congressional candidate Nick Clooney won't be vying for a photo op with Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry during his visit today to Cincinnati. In contrast to Clooney's opponent, Republican Geoff Davis, who scored a chance to briefly board Air Force One Monday to meet President George W. Bush, Clooney will continue campaigning in the 4th District. Clooney campaign spokesman B.J. Neidhardt would not comment, but the campaign has said in the past that Clooney can stand on his own two feet and doesn't...

NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR JIM McGREEVEY ENDORSES SENATOR JOHN KERRY FOR PRESIDENT Paramus, New Jersey – New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey today endorsed Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry for President of the United States. McGreevey was joined at a press conference in Dunkerhook Park by Senator Jon Corzine, Rep. Bill Pascrell, and other New Jersey Democratic leaders. “I am endorsing Senator John Kerry because he can beat George Bush on the issue of national security and on the important economic issues facing working families. Senator Kerry will take the fight directly to George Bush, Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, and the entire...