>> WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL EDITION OF "COMMENT ON KENTUCKY," AS WE REMEMBER THE PROGRAM'S FOUNDER AND LONGTIME HOST AL SMITH WHO PASSED AWAY MARCH 19th OF THIS YEAR.

GOOD EVENING.

I'M RENEE SHAW.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE'RE HONORING MR. SMITH'S REMARKABLE LEGACY DURING THE WEEK "COMMENT ON KENTUCKY" FIRST DEBUTED IN NOVEMBER OF 1974.

AL MADE FRIDAY NIGHTS AT 8:00 P.M. MUST-SEE TV AS HE CONTRACTUALED A ROUNDTABLE OF JOURNALISTS AND LIVELY DISCUSSIONS THAT INFORMED US, ENTERTAINED US, CHALLENGED US, AND SHARED THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY OF KENTUCKY'S PUBLIC LIFE.

SOME FREQUENT PANELISTS ON "COMMENT" DURING AL'S TIME ARE WITH US TONIGHT TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THIS GIANT IN KENTUCKY JOURNALISM.

JAIME LUKE, FORMER EDITORIAL WRITER FOR THE LEXINGTON LIGHTNING.

AL CROSS, DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE FOR RURAL JOURNALISM OF AND COMMUNITY ISSUES AND FORMER CHIEF POLITICAL RETIRED FOR THE JOURNAL.

MACARONI HEBERT, FORMER POLITICAL AND INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER FOR WHAS-TV IN LOUISVILLE.

THE IF JOHN-DAY-OLD DYKE A LOUISVILLE ATTORNEY AND FORMER COLUMNIST FOR THE COURIER-JOURNAL.

WE'RE ALSO DELIGHTED TO HAVE TO A FEW MEMBERS OF AL'S FAMILY IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT.

HIS BELOVED SPOUSE MARTHA HELEN AND SON CARTER AND ARE WE APPRECIATE HAVING YOU ALL WITH US TONIGHT AND WE WANT TO GIVE YOU A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

[APPLAUSE] SO COINCIDENTAL WE HAVE THE SAME GANG THAT WAS WITH US FOR THE FIRST TOO MUCH OF AL'S LAST SHOW IN NOVEMBER OF 2007.

I DON'T THINK THAT WAS INTENTIONALLAL BUT, AL, IT'S NICE TO SOMETIMES MAKE IT WORK THAT WAY.

>> IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE RIGHT PICK.

>> THE RIGHT PICK.

HE PICKED YOU THEN AND WE'RE PICKING YOU NOW, SO YOU'RE ONE TO BE PICKED.

I WANT TO START WITH YOU, AL CROSS, BECAUSE YOU'VE KNOWNAL AL SMITH PERHAPS THE LONGSEST OF THOSE WHO ARE ASSEMBLED HERE, AND I THINK THAT IS MARK NIGH DID KIRK WHO CALLED THE GAGGLE OF JOURNALISTS WHO APPEARED ON "COMMENT" AL'S KIDS, AND IF I CAN SAY I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE TEACHER'S PEST AL'S KIDS.

[LAUGHTER] YOU MET HIM WHEN YOU -- ALSO YOU WERE A YOUNGSTER BUT YOUAL TELL US THE BACK STORY.

>> WELL, I HAD GOTTEN ACQUAINTED WITH WHO AL SMITH WAS BECAUSE HE I WAS WELL-KNOWN NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER AND I WERE A STUDENT AT KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY AND WANTED TO GO NO NEWSPAPERING.

AND I WAS STANDING THERE THE LAST YEAR OF SCHOOL AT WESTERN WHEN THE PHONE RANK AND MARY CRAY AUSTRALIA FROM OWENSBUROUGH ANSWERED THE PHONE AND TURNED TO THE GROUP AND SAID, IT'S AL SMITH.

HE WANTS SOMEBODY TO BE ON HIS TV SHOW.

I SAID, GIVE ME THE PHONE.

[LAUGHTER] SO I AS WA HIS CHAUFFEUR FOR MOST OF THE TRIP TO LEXINGTON AND BACK AND WE DO THE GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER VERY WELL.

AND WHEN I HAD TO LEAVE MONTICELLO, I WAS TRYING TO RUN A SECOND NEWSPAPER IN A ONE HAD NEWSPAPER TOWN, THERE WAS A JOB WAITING FOR ME IN RUSSELLVILLE.

AND FLEE MONTHS LATER I WAS IN THIS VERY STUDIO OR THIS VERY BUILDING COVERING THE FIRST GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE HOSTED BY MY BOSS.

[LAUGHTER] YOU KNOW, I COULD NOT HAVE PICKED A BETTER PUBLISHER TO WORK FOR.

AND I HAD NO DOUBT THAT I WOULD NEVER HAVE WORKED FOR THE COURIER-JOURNAL HAD I NOT WORKED FOR ALBERT.

AND TODAY I AM RUNNING AN INSTITUTE THAT HE BASICALLY THOUGHT UP, WHO HELPED RURAL JOURNALISTS DO JOURNALISM LIKE WE DID, AND RUSSELLVILLE, LEITCHFIELD AND OTHER TOWNS.

>> YOU STARTED WORKING WITH HIM IN 1975 WHEN AT THAT TIME HE WAS THE PRESIDENT OF KENTUCKY PRESS ASSOCIATION, AND MAYBE WHAT FOLKS MAY NOT KNOW IS ALL OF HIS JOURNALISTIC ENDEAVORS OUTSIDE OF HOSTING "COMMENT ON KENTUCKY" THAT HE FOUGHT FOR OPEN RECORDS AND OPEN ACCESS.

>> YEAH, HE WAS A NEWSPAPERMAN AT HEART, BUT HE LOOKED AT THE KENTUCKY PLESS ASSOCIATION AND SAW THAT IT WAS -- PRESS ASSOCIATION AND SAW THAT IT WAS A LITTLE TOO INFLUENCED BY LIQUOR COMPANIES THAT WANTED TO STOP IS THE EXPENSIVE AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND DIDN'T REALLY STAND UP FOR OPEN GOVERNMENT, AND THROUGH HIS LEADERSHIP AND THAT OF WALT DEAR AND BOB CARTER AND OTHERS LARGELY FROM WESTERN KENTUCKY, WE GOT A GOOD OPEN MEETINGS LAW AND THEN A GOOD OPEN RECORDS LAW IN 1974 AND '76.

>> JOHN DAVID DYKE, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH AL SMITH WAS OVER BUYING OR SELLING A USED CAR.

>> THAT'S RIGHT, AND I SOLD AL A USED CAR THAT HAD BEEN WRECKED.

[LAUGHTER] IT MADE ME QUESTION HIS JUDGMENT.

[LAUGHTER] QUESTION I QUESTIONED IT FURTHER AS HE TO HAVE HAD ME INVOLVED IN COMMENT.

>> I THOUGHT YOU COULDN'T DO THAT.

>> BUT OUR FRIENDSHIP SURVIVED THAT, SO THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO IT.

BE, BUT I'M LA'EL HERE AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MANY PEOPLE LIKE THAT THAT AL JUST HAD SOME ENCOUNTER WITH, AND THEN AL, HE LOVED THEM, BEFRIENDED THEM, PROMOTED THEM, HELPED THEM, AND THEY'RE ALL OVER KENTUCKY AND REALLY ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.

AND I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT A LOT AS WE PREPARED FOR THIS SHOW.

AND I THINK IT IS AL CAME TO KENTUCKY AND GOT HIS LIFE TOGETHER SO HE REALLY LOVED KENTUCKY.

AND AS PART OF HIS RECOVERY STORY, WHICH HE WOULD SHARE WITH ANYONE, HE REALIZED THAT PEOPLE NEEDED LOVE, THEY NEEDED A HELPING HAND, AND THAT THEY ALL HAD POTENTIAL, AND AL DID WHAT HE COULD FOR SO MANY PEOPLE, SO ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THEM, I'M HONORED TO BE HERE AND GRATEFUL TO PARTICIPATE.

>> MY PART-TIME EMPLOYEES MELISSA PATRICK DID SOME WORK WITH AL, AND SHE SAID HE WAS A COLLECTOR OF HUMANS.

[LAUGHTER] I THINK THAT REALLY DESCRIBES HIM.

HE WAS INTERESTED IN JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY.

AND HE COULD FIND SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT WITH EVERYONE.

SO I AM LUCKY TO HAVE KNOWN HIM.

>> MARK HEBERT, IT'S GOOD TO SEE.

>> YOU GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO.

>> BEEN A WHILE.

>> YES, IT HAS.

>> IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE EVERY TIME I HEAR THE WORDS DOC BEECH A.M.

I I THINK OF MARK HEBERT AND YOU ROLL YOURIZE LIKE ANOTHER DOUG DOC BEECHAM STORY.

HOW MANY ARE THERE?

>> THEY'RE PART OF THE SAME STORY.

WHAT MOST PEOPLE DOPE KNOW IS A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT GO ON IN TELEVISION BEHIND THE SCENES AND OFF-CAMERA OR FAR MORE INTERESTING THAN WHAT'S GOING ON ON CAMERA, AND THAT WAS OFTEN THE CASE ON "COMMENT ON KENTUCKY."

YOU WERE COUNTED DURING AL'S LEGACY SERVICE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WENT ON IN THE CONTROL ROOM CBD THE GREENWOOD.

ROOM BEFORE WE CAME OUT ON THE SET OFTENTIMES.

AL, WE WOULD GET MADE UP AND READY TO GO AND AL WOULD COME IN IN A BLUSTER TEN MINUTES BEFORE THE SHOW WENT ON, RENEE IS HUSTLING UP AND HE'S TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER A SHOW.

OKAY, YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

BY THE TIME WE GOT ON THE SCREEN, WE SAID, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT.

WE'RE HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

>> AND HE TALKED FOR 15 MINUTES.

>> RIGHT.

WHEN WE GOT TO THE SHOW THOSE PIECES THAT WERE A IN MY OPINION LONG, SUPPOSED TO WRAP UP THE DAYS NEWS, AL WOULD ALWAYS FIND SOME STORY FROM DAYS GONE BY TO SOMEHOW TRY AND LINK THAT TO WHAT IS GROWING ON TODAY.

SO I CAN'T COUNT THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT WE'D BE SITTING THERE ON THE SET AND AL WOULD GO THREE MINUTES OR SO, WHICH IN TV TIME THAT'S ALONG TIME.

HE WOULD TALK FOR TEN MINUTES AND TIED BE LOOKING FOR A TOM LOFTUS GOING, IS THIS GUY GOING TO SHUT UP?

ON THE OTHER HAND, ALL THOSE STORIES ABOUT THE DOC BEACH AM OF THE WORLD AND PEOPLE HE WAS FRIENDS WITH AND KNEW THROUGH HIS NEWSPAPER DAYS CAUGHT ME A LOT AND OFF THE TAUGHT ALL OF US A LOT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF KENTUCKY, KENTUCKY POLITICS AND WHAT WAS GOING ON IN RURAL KENTUCKY, AND I THINK AL CROSS IS KIND OF CARRYING THAT BANNER WITH THE INSTITUTE FOR RURAL JOURNALISM.

>> JAIME LUKE, I THINK YOU SAID IT WAS A LITTLE WOMEN FAR THAT WE DID HONORING AL SMITH FOR DAILY YONDER, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I REMEMBER YOU SAYING WAS THAT "COMMENT" WAS LIKE A GRADUATE LEVEL HISTORY JOURNALISM POLITICAL CLASS EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT.

>> IT REALLY WAS.

IT WAS LIKE A FELLOWSHIP BOTH SENSES OF THE WORLD, A PLACE FOR ADVANCED LEARNING WHERE WE COULD LEARN FROM PEOPLE LIKE VISITING PROFESSOR JOHN ED PIERCE OR BOB JOHNSON OR DAVE McDEMON AND WE COULD LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, AND IT WAS ALSO A FELLOWSHIP IN THE SENSE OF FRIENDS PURSUING A UNITED PURPOSE.

AND I THINK THAT WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE DOC BEECHAM STORIES, ONE THING THAT WE GAINED ON "COMMENT" THAT IS OFTEN MISSING FROM THE HUB UBIQUITOUS, THE RUSH OF DAILY JOURNALISM IS CONTEXT AND HISTORY, AND, YOU KNOW, JOURNALISTS ARE SUPER COMPETITIVE AND THERE'S NO BEAT MORE COMPETITIVE CERTAINLY DURING AL'S ERA THAN STATE GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS AND FRANKFORT.

SO PEOPLE WHO -- JOURNALISTS, REPORTERS WHO COMPETED, YOU KNOW, HE'LL INTENSELY ALL DURING THE WEEK WOULD COME TOGETHER ON FRIDAY NIGHT, AND I THINK IT SORT OF HELPED US SEE THE LARGER PURPOSE OF WHAT WE WERE DOING.

I THINK AL REALLY IMPROVED ALL OF US INDIVIDUALLY AS JOURNALISTS, AND I THINK JUST JOURNALISM IN KENTUCKY OVERALL WAS BETTER BECAUSE OF AL SMITH AND HIS INFLUENCE.

>> HE WAS KIND OF THE MAESTRO THAT HELD THE ALL TOGETHER.

WE MAKE IF YOU KNEW HIM BECAUSE WE WOULD DECIDE WHO WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHEN ON THE SHOW SOMETIMES, BUT AL REALLY PULLED IT TOGETHER AND TALKED TO US DURING THE WEEK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN FOR, AND WE WOULD ALL BRING IT ON THE SHOW ON FRIDAY NIGHTS AND KIND OF PULL IT ALL TEG, BUT AL IT WAS WAS THE ONE THAT KEPT IT TOGETHER.

>> IT'S A BEEN 47 YEARS, SO PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER WHEN "COMMENT" WAS STARTED, IT WAS A VERY NEW THING.

THIS STATE IS SPLIT UP BY TEN MEDIA MARKETS.

PEOPLE WERE INCREASINGLY GETTING THEIR NEWS FROM TELEVISION.

KENTUCKY NEEDED SOME KIND OF FORUM TO TALK TO ITSELF, TO ENGAGE IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS, AND THIS SHOW WAS THE BEGINNING OF KET'S GREAT PUBLIC AFFAIRS ENTERPRISE.

>> SUPPORTED BY LYNN PRESS, WE CERTAINLY CAN TALK ABOUT THE ROLE OF LYNN AND AL WERE GREAT FRIENDS NEVER RESPECT, I THINK.

>> YOU CAN SEE THE EFFECT OF THAT WHEN AL WOULD TRAVEL.

IT WAS MY PLEASURE AND VERY INTERESTING EXPERIENCE TO BE AL'S CHAUFFEUR FOR A FANCY FARM WEEKEND ONE TIME, AND WE DID THE WHOLE THING, THE LABOR LUNCH AT PADUCAH, THE "COMMENT" ON FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE PICNIC GROUNDS, AND THEN THE BREAKFAST THE NEXT MORNING.

AND AL TRULY WAS A COLLECTOR OF PEOPLE ON TRIPS LIKE THAT.

AND IT WAS GOING AROUND FANCY FARM WITH AL WAS LIKE JAMES CORDON GOING AROUND LIVERPOOL WITH PAUL McCARTNEY.

[LAUGHTER] AND YOU WOULD SEE THESE OLDER GENTLEMEN WOULD KIND OF SIDLE UP AND ONE OF THEM WOULD PSYC LIKE, I SEEN YOU ON THE TV.

-- THEN AL WOULD START QUIZZING THEM, YOU KNOW, ON WHAT ARE YOU ARE SELLING YOUR CROPS FOR?

WHAT KIND OF PROCESS ARE YOU GETTING?

WHO IS YOUR FAMILY?

NOW, ARE THEY THE ONES FROM DOWN THERE N. AND THE HOUSEKEEPER AT THE DREW INN IN PADUCAH, I HAD TO PULL AL AWAY FROM HER AS HE WAS JUST GATHERING ALL THIS INFORMATION FROM HER.

BUT HE REALLY CAME TO KIND OF PERSONIFY STATEWIDE PUBLIC AFFAIRS JOURNALISM IN KWE.

>> AND HIS CURIOSITY WAS PUBLISHED IN HIS OBITUARY.

IT WASN'T JUST A REPORTER AREAS QUEST TO GET A GOOD STORY.

IT WAS ABOUT HUMANITY.

HE WAS DEEP HIS INTERESTED IN HUMANITY.

AND I EVEN HEARD JAIME TALK ABOUT HOW BRILLIANT HE WAS, NOT JUST IN THE WAY HE COULD TALK BECAUSE HE COULD TALK, BUT HE WAS REALLY A GOOD LISTENER AND HE OBTAINED DETAILS ABOUT YOUR LIFE AND REPEATED IT BACK TO YOU AND HE REALLY TOOK IT ALL IN.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

AND HE BASS CAPABLE OF BEING KIND OF ADVERSARIALIAL BUT HE WAS ALSO ONE WHO APPRECIATED JUST THE VALUE OF A GOOD DEBATE AND ALL FREQUENTTIVES BEING REPRESENTED.

AT THAT TIME MY POLITICS WERE DIFFERENT THAN HIS, BUT HE -- HE WELCOMED THAT, AND HE WAS ALWAYS SEARCHING FOR PEOPLE WHO COULD BRING A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AND A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW TOTE DISCUSSION.

>> HE BELIEVED THAT A GOOD FAIR OPEN DEBATE WAS THE RECIPE FOR A GOOD OUTCOME WHEN IT CAME TO DECIDING PUBLIC POLICY.

>> AND HE WAS VERY INVOLVED IN CIVIC LIFE, RIGHT, WITH THE PERSIST CUMMARD COMMUNITY, LEADERSHIP KENTUCKY.

I'M CURIOUS, CROSS, DID HIS ACTIVISM EVER CAUSE ANY PROBLEMS OR WAS IT EVER FROWNED UPON THAT HE WAS SO ACTIVE IN SO MANY CAUSES, PARTICULARLY ON EDUCATIONAL FRONT?

>> IT WAS A WEALTHY CONFLICT OF INTERESTS.

[LAUGHTER] BUT HE WAS A COMMUNITY JOURNALIST.

AND THE PRIMARY LESSON THAT I TAUGHT IN COMMUNITY JOURNALISM AT UK IS THAT THE KEY TO BEING A SUCCESS IN COMMUNITY JOURNALISM IS SUCCESSFUL MANAGEMENT OF THE EVER-PRESENT CONFLICT BETWEEN YOUR PROFESSIONAL OBLIGATIONS AND YOUR PERSONAL WISHES.

BECAUSE MOST TEAM FRANKLY IN COMMUNITY JOURNALISM LET THE PERSONAL SIDE RULE.

AL DID NOT.

HE KNEW HE HAD A PROFESSIONAL OBLIGATION, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS SHOW, AND, SURE, HE COULD PICK HIS SHOTS AND HE COULD DO FAVORS FOR PEOPLE, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY ALWAYS AGREED HE WAS AN HONEST BROKER.

AN HONEST BROKER.

>> EVEN ON THE SHOW I DON'T -- EVERYBODY KNEW, EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM KNEW THAT AL SMITH WAS A VERY LIBERAL HAD VERY LIBERAL LEASING.

>> HE WASN'T A DEALER.

>> HE WASN'T A DEALER, BUT ON THAT "COMMENT ON KENTUCKY" SHOW WHEN HE WAS TURNING TO REPORTERS 1 I DON'T THINK HE LET TOO MUCH OF THAT OUT.

I MEAN, HE ASKED US TO BE STRAIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE AND ASKED US OUR FOR OUR OPINIONS AND WE GAVE THEM.

SOMETIMES PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE AS FAR AS WE DID ON OUR OPINIONS OF WHAT WAS GOING ON IN FRANKFORT.

BUT I THINK AL DID A GREAT JOB OF BEING A MODERATOR, LEADING A DISCUSSION AMONG REPORTERS WHO KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON AND COULD TELL THE PUBLIC ON IT THERE IN THE HINTERLANDS OF KENTUCKY, RURAL KENTUCKY AND IN THE CITIES, EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITHOUT SHOWING ANY SORT OF BIAS TOWARDS EITHER PARTY OR EITHER SIDE.

>> HIS BIAS WAS TOWARDS KENTUCKY.

HE REALLY WANTED THE BEST FOR KENTUCKY.

AND HE HAD SOME IDEAS ABOUT WHAT WAS NEEDED, AND OBVIOUSLY EDUCATION WAS AT THE TOP OF HIS LIST.

YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT HAPPENED SO LONG AGO NOW, HE KIND OF RESCUED THE ARTS COMMISSION WHEN IT WAS IN DU R. DURREST AND THE AWARD ARE FOR INDIVIDUAL ARE THIS IS IS THE AL SMITH AWARD, AND THAT WAS A VERY FORWARD THINKING VISIONARY THING HA HE BROUGHT TO KET IN EARLY 1980S.

AND I THINK -- I THINK THAT -- I MEAN, AL WAS SO FOLKSY AND FUN AND JUST LIVELY THAT IT WAS EASY TO FORGET JUST THE POWER OF HIS INTELLECT.

HE WAS A REALLY BRILLIANT, WELL-RED, LEARNED MAN, AND I THINK THE GIFT OF BEING ABLE TO DISTILL THAT INTO NOT JUST PRINT AND TELEVISION, BUT HE HAD A RADIO SHOW.

I MEAN, HE AND JIM HOST WANT LIKE THEY WERE THE IN EARLY DAYS OF TALK RADIO.

AND NOT EVERYONE CAN JUGGLE THAT MANY PURSUITS.

AND AL WAS A GREAT JUGGLER OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT THING.

>> MOST OF THE TIME.

YOU COULD PROBABLY ASK HELEN THAT QUESTION.

>> I THINK MARTHA WAS DEFINITELY THE WOMAN BEHIND THE SCENES KEEPING EVERYTHING TOGETHER.

>> >> YES, ABSOLUTELY.

AND THE RULE EXPERIENCE AL CROSS WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO COMMUNICATE AND TO BRING COMMUNITY TO EVERY ASPECT OF AN ISSUE.

>> YEAH, WHEN "COMMENT" STARTED, THIS WAS AN AGRARIAN STATE IN MOST RESPECTS.

WE HAD SOME MAJOR INDUSTRY IN A FEW PLACES.

WE HAD THE COAL INDUSTRY.

BUT IT'S ESSENTIALLY A RURAL INDUSTRY, AS MOST EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES ARE.

AND IN THE 30 YEARS THAT HE HOSTED THE SHOW, THE STATE EVOLVED, AND I THINK WE BEGAN TO SEE THE FIRST SIGNS OF THAT URL RADIO ALIENATION -- RURAL ALIENATION THAT MANIFESTED ITSELF THE IN TRUMP ELECTION IN 2016 AND AGAIN IN 2020.

OUR THEISZ FOR THE INSTITUTE FOR RURAL JOURNALISM AND COMMUNITY ISSUES IS THAT RURAL AMERICANS DESERVE GOOD JOURNALISM JUST AS MUCH AS ANY OTHER AMERICANS.

AND THAT IS DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE BECAUSE OF BUSINESS CIRCUMSTANCES.

BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULDN'T STOP STRIVING FOR IT, AND THAT REALLY IS THE STANDARD THAT HE SET.

>> EYE BEEN THINKING OF DOC BEECHAM BECAUSE EVER SINCE THE VIRGINIA GOVERNOR'S RACE, EVERY OTHER POLITICAL STORY IS ABOUT HOW CAN DEMOCRATS EVER REGAIN SUPPORT IN RURAL AMERICA, AND I THINK WHEN AL TALKED ABOUT DOCK BEECHAM, HE WAS INVOKING RURAL POLITICS AND RURAL AMERICA.

DOCK BEECHAM WAS A SMALL TOWN BOSS, RIGHT.

>> BUT HE WA LOGAN COUNTY'S CONNECTION TO THE STATE AT LARGE.

>> BUT I JUST THINK THAT AL NEVER, EVER, I MEAN, HE HAD HIS STINT IN NEW ORLEANS, THE WILD YEARS IN NEW ORLEANS, AND THEN HE WAS HEAD OF AAL FEDERAL AGENCY, THE PLANCK REGIONAL COMMISSION IN WASHINGTON, BUT THANK YOU HIS -- APPALACHIAN REASONABLE COMMISSION IN WASHINGTON BUT I THINK HIS HEART WAS ALWAYS IN SMALL TOWNS AND RURAL PLACES, AND ACTUALLY, RENEE, I'M GOING TO TURN THE TABLES ON YOU BECAUSE I'VE HEARD YOU SPEAK ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT HE WAS AS A MENTOR TO YOU AND THAT PARTLY BECAUSE YOU HAD GROUPS IN THE SAME -- >> SUMNER COUNTY.

>> MIDDLE TENNESSEE TOWN.

AND LIKE SO MANY TALENTED KENTUCKIANS IN THEIR 20s, RENEE GOT THAT ITCH TO FIND A BIGGER STAGE.

>> AL TALKED ME OFF THE EDGE.

>> SO HOW DID HE INFLUENCE YOU?

>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA.

WE WON'T POLL THE AUDIENCE ON THAT.

BUT AL DID, HE REALLY SAID, BLOOM WHERE YOU'RE PLANTED.

HE CALLED ME "MY GALLON."

BLOOM WHERE YOU'RE PLANTED.

IT WILL TAKE TIME.

>> I ALWAYS REMEMBER THE LINE THAT MARTHA HELEN GAVE HIM THAT HE REPEATED SO MANY TIMES, "DON'T LET YOUR VISION STOP AT THE CITY LIMIT SIDE OR THE COUNTY LINE."

>> THE COUNTY LINE, THAT'S RIGHT.

I THINK THAT'S THE GREAT INFLUENCE HE HAD ON MY LIFE, RIGHT, THAT WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE DIVERSITY OR MAYBE THE LACK THEREFORE ON "COMMENT" AT THE TIME AND THE QUEST TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, BUT THE NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY WAS CHANGING AND THEIR IMPERATIVES WERE CHANGING WHEN IT CAME TO THE HIRING AND SO WE HAD A LOT OF GOOD CONVERSATIONS NOT JUST ON A PROFESSIONAL LINE BUT PERSONAL LINE, AND I KNOW THAT FOR CROSS YOU COUNT HIM PERHAPS AS YOUR GREATEST MENTOR BUT HE IS WA PROBABLY ONE OF YOUR DEAREST FRIENDS.

>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY.

I KNOW HE WAS ALWAYS THERE IF I NEEDED SOMEBODY TO CONSULT WITH, AND HE'D CALL ME TO CONSULT WITH THINGS.

I KNEW I HAD SORT OF REACHED THE FULL ADULT LEVEL WHEN HE CALLED ME TO 61 ABOUT SOMETHING.

[LAUGHTER] THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW YOU'VE ARRIVED, RIGHT, IF HE CALLS UP.

JOHN DAVID, I ANTOINETTE TO KIND OF SHARE.

IS THERE ONE PARTICULAR MEMORY OTHER THAN THE WHOLE CAR SCENARIO THAT STICKS OUT.

>> AL MAY HAVE SAID BLOOM WHERE YOU PLANTED, BUT HE WAS TRANSPLANTED INTO MY HOME DOWN OF DILLON, KENTUCKY LONDON, KENTUCKY, AND THAT WAS KIND OF A SHOCK TO ALL OF US.

HE CAME TO LONDON.

HE WAS IN ANOTHER BRANCH OF THE DYKE FAMILY FROM TIME IMMEMORIAM, AND THEN THERE WAS THIS NEW UNCONSTRUCTED NEW DEALER IN THE HEART OF THE REPUBLICAN COUNTRY WRIGHT HIS THINGS THAT HE WROTE.

BUT IT WAS PROBABLY GOOD FOR BOTH BECAUSE LONDON WASN'T ALWAYS LIKE RENAISSANCE FLORENCE AS IT IS TODAY.

[LAUGHTER] IT PROBABLY HAD A FAIRLY NARROW OUTLOOK.

AND IT WAS GOOD TO HAVE AL'S POINT OF VIEW COME IN, BUT IT WAS ALSO GOOD FOR AL TO COME AND LIVE THERE IN THE HEART OF KENTUCKY REPUBLICAN COUNTRY.

AND MR. LEVERIDGE THE APPALACHIAN REGIONAL COMMISSION, YES, JIMMY CARTER PUT HUM THERE BUT AL WOULD ALWAYS MAKE A POINT THAT HE STAYED ON AFTER RONALD REAGAN CAME IN.

[LAUGHTER] EVER.

[LAUGHTER] >> AND HE HAD A LOT TO DO WITH PRESERVING THE COMMISSION.

THAT'S I THINK BASICALLY THE REASON HE STAYED ON WAS SHOW REAGAN WOULDN'T DO AWAY WITH IT, AND I THINK HE BROKERED A CONVERSATION BETWEEN JOHN SHERMAN COOPER AND JENNINGS RANDOLPH AND HOWARD BAKER THAT RESULTED IN THE ARC BEING STILL WITH US.

AND NOW FRESHLY FUNDED IN THE LATEST INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.

>> I.

IN THE FEW MINUTES WE HAVE REMAINING JUST TALKING ABOUT WHAT "COMMENT" DOES FOR A JOURNALIST, TALKING ABOUT ARRIVING, IF AL WERE TO CALL YOU TO BE ON "COMMENT," YOU KNEW, LIKE THIS IS WHERE YOU GET YOUR STREET CRED, RIGHT?

MARK HEBERT, TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> WELL, I'LL TRY AND GIVE YOU THE READER DIGEST OF THIS STORY.

THE WAY I GOT ON "COMMENT" THE FIRST TIME WAS MY FATHER-IN-LAW WAS ON THE KET BOARD AND CALMED ONE OF THE JENNY FOX AND SAID, HEY, THERE'S THIS YOUNG REPORTER WHO I THINK WOULD BE REALLY GOOD ON "COMMENT ON KENTUCKY."

YOU OUGHT TO CALL AL SMITH TO HAVE HIM ON.

I THINK AL CALLED SOME OF HIS REPORTERS AND SAID, SURE AND CALLED ME AND UP AND ASKED ME TO BE ON THE SHOW.

THAT MADE ME MORE THAN A REPORTER FROM FRANKFORT WHO THAT WAS WORKING ON NEWS.

AT THAT TIME I WAS WORKING FOR THE KENTUCKY RADIO NETWORK.

AFTER THAT EVERYWHERE I WENT -- I WAS A LOUISVILLE TELEVISION REPORTER.

EVERYWHERE I WOMEN, IT DIDN'T MATTER IF I WAS IN PIKEVILLE, PADUCAH, HAZEL GREEN, IT DIDN'T MATTER WHERE I WAS, PEOPLE KNEW WHO I WAS AND IT OPENED DOORS, IT ABSOLUTELY OPENED DOORS FOR ALL OF US, I WOULD SAY, WHEN YOU COULD WALK INTO A COMMUNITY AND SOMEONE WOULD RECOGNIZE YOU, ESPECIALLY THE POLITICAL BOSSES IN THOSE DOWNS WOULD RECOGNIZE YOU AND TALK TO YOU.

>> JOHN DAVID DYKE, IT HELPED ELEVATE YOUR VOICE AS WELL.

>> IT DID, AND AGAIN I GIVE YESTERDAY TO AL FOR ELEVATING THE VOICE OF SOMEONE WHO DIDN'T AT THAT TIME SHARE HIS POLITICAL LEANINGS AND I HAVE TO SAY EVEN THOUGH THIS IS ABOUT AL, AT THE TIME I WAS A REPUBLICAN AND ARTICULATING A CONSERVATIVE VIEW THAT WASN'T AS WIDELY AVAILABLE IN KENTUCKY MEDIA AS IT IS NOW, BUT IT WAS AL, JOHN YARMOUTH, AND THE LATE DAVID HAWK WHO ALL THREE HELPED ME AND PROMOTED ME TO GET MY VOICE OUT THERE, AND I THINK THAT'S JUST SUCH A GREAT TRIBUTE TO THEM AND A GREAT TRIBUTE TO THEIR PHILOSOPHY THAT -- AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT KET DOES, IS MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE VOICES ARE AT THE TABLE AND HEARD.

>> GO AHEAD, AL.

WHAT WERE YOU GOING TO SAY?

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT THE THING HE DID AS WELL WAS I WAS A YOUNG REPORTER THAT HE GOT ON "COMMENT ON KENTUCKY" AND GAVE A BOOST TO MY CAREER BUT HE FOUND OTHER FOLKS THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND TO HIM, CHRIS GILL GANN WEST, SUSTAINABLE STEITZERS, THOSE FOLKS WHO WERE JUST TERRIFIC JOURNALISTS IN ADDITION TO THE JACK BRAMMERS AND THOSE OF US WHO WERE A LITTLE BIT OLDER, BUT HE FOUND THESE YOUNG JOURNALISTS, AND I THINK ALL OF THEM REALLY LOOKED UP TO HIM, BECAME GREAT FRIENDS WITH AL, AS WE ALL DID.

I THINK HE HELPED DEVELOP THAT POOL OF YOUNG JOURNALISTS IN KENTUCKY THAT WOULD GO ON TO DO THE GREAT REPORTING THAT HAS HAPPENED IN KENTUCKY AND CONTINUES TO HAPPEN IN THE STATE.

>> JAIME, I'LL GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD.

>> OH, GOSH.

I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT I WAS PART OF THE "COMMENT" FAMILY AND PART OF AL'S CIRCLE.

OF COURSE, AL'S CIRCLE WAS HUGE.

AND I THINK THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE STUDIO IS FULL TONIGHT, SOCIAL DISTANCED BUT FULL, IS ALSO TESTIMONY TO HOW MUCH HE MEANT TO THIS STATE AND TO THE PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT KENTUCKY, AND THAT'S WHAT HE WAS ALL ABOUT.

>> SHOWED PEOPLE HOW TO DO IT TOO.

>> HE BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER, SO MUCH OF OUR POLITICS AND OUR MEDIA NOW TEAR PEOPLE APART, AND THAT WAS AN STITH CAL TO HIM.

HE WAS A UNITER.

HE I WAS PERSON WHO LOVED PEOPLE AND HE, YOU KNOW -- >> GREAT WORDS TO END ON BUT EVEN GREATER THAT WE END ON THE WORDS OF AL SMITH HIMSELF FROM HIS LAST SHOW, NOVEMBER OF 2007.

HERE'S HIS ADVICE TO THE REST OF US.

>> WHATEVER FUTURE REMAINS TO ME, I'LL FIND IT IN THE CONSOLATIONS OF HISTORY JUST AS I DID IN LOGAN COUNTY 50 YEARS AGO.

THERE WHERE ANDREW JACKSON FOUGHT A DUAL OR JESSE JAMES ROBBED A BANK, THE PREACHERS HAD A RIVAL.

I WAS HEALED BY THE STORIES THAT CREATED THE NEW LIFE.

I THANK YOU ALL FOR LETTING ME SHARE IT AND FOR SHARING YOURS.

HISTORY IS ACCOMPLISH FOR THE FUTURE.

WE LOOK BACK AND THEN WE GO FORWARD, AND IF WE'RE LUCKY AND WE JOURNEY TOGETHER IN WISDOM AND FAITH AND PERHAPS EVEN LOVE.

THAT'S "COMMENT" FOR NOW.

THANKS AND GOODBYE.

[APPLAUSE] Welcome to this special edition of Comment on