Despite all of his talk about out-of-state campaign contributions from "the left coast", Ken Blackwell was recently in Orange County, California to attend yet another backyard fund-raising event.

Scott Baugh, chairman of the Republican Party of Orange County and well-paid, OC lobbyist, hosted the event at his Huntington Beach home.

According to Scott, Orange County is "America's Most Republican County". Not suprisingly, it is also one of America's Whitest Counties - with an African-American population of about 1.5%- and a big source of campaign contributions for Ken Blackwell.

Even though there were fewer than 40 people in attendance, Blackwell raised over $18K at the event- bringing his total OC contributions for 2006 to well over the $30K mark.

After a prayer, the pledge of allegiance and Dennis Prager's rambling culture war speech (which included numerous references to Mel Gibson), Ken proceeded to give his standard speech:

1. "I was a Football Star" story/joke - did I mention that I was Drafted by Dallas Cowboys?
2. I was mayor of Cinci - after Jerry Springer (wait for laughter to stop)
3. I was a lacky for the first Bush Administration (before I stole the election for his son)
4. I was the first African-American elected to executive office in Ohio (when I beat an African-American woman for state Treasurer)
5. I popularized and legitimized gay bashing with an ammendment to Ohio's constitution
6. MY poll numbers say that the Ohio Governor's race is really close.

But the audience didn't seem to care that this was his standard, cookie-cutter speech. And why would they? A football star that hates gay people? Now THAT'S a politician that the OC can rally behind.