There was no more entertaining TV on last night than what KET offered — a live debate with four Republican candidates for U.S. Congress. You can check out highlights from Jake at Page One, who was blogging about it LIVE. The C-J’s Deborah Yetter described the debate as “polite” but her words were restrained reporting on the event as straight news. The C-J sent a photographer, too. I believe the local TV stations ignored the event.

I wonder if “How I Met Your Mother” took a big ratings hit up against these shenanigans.

There was Bill Goodman, the moderator, with that little grin he has when he’s trying not to laugh out loud at some of the preposterous comments from the candidates: Anne Northup, Chris Thieneman, Bob DeVore Jr. and Corley C. Everett. The C-J’s Joe Gerth and WFPL-FM’s Rick Howlett asked the questions.

Thieneman, who admitted he “was doing his best impersonation of a deer in a headlight” at one point, was stumped at least twice, including in his opening statement, and never seemed at ease speaking without notes.

Northup showed her trademark toughness and clearly had the most experience in this type of setting — she spent much of her time attacking John Yarmuth, recognizing that in this crowd of debaters she would look pretty good. But while Northup criticized Yarmuth for opposing the war in Iraq, she highlighted the reasons critics booted her out of office — blind support of the war and the imagined concept that everything is improving there.

That left many opportunties for comic moments for Everett and DeVore, who seem to be out of step even with the far right of the party — for example totally refuting the existence of global warming.

My favorite, from Everett, on the oil crisis: “…Yarmuth and his LEO magazine advocating false and unproven theories about global warming.”

To which DeVore chimed in: “Dittoes” trying to pull in the Rush Limbaugh crowd. He used the word again describing, of all things, submarines in World War II.

In one semi-testy exchange, when asked if he’d support Northup if she won the primary, Thieneman asked if Northup would support him if he won, then said he’d reserve comment on who he’d support until after May 20. Northup responded that she’d certainly do so, and said she had nothing to do with anyone urging Thieneman to get out of the race, an accusation Thieneman has leveled many times in the last two months.

Still, it was hard not to pull for the serious candidates to move on for more of the Bob and Corley show. On why he should be in the race, Everett made some bad analogy about the U of L basketball team showing up against North Carolina, while DeVore raised his voice, saying he was “bull-headed” and advocating a “fair tax.”

More good ones:

Everett: The problems in Iraq were caused by our failure to support the Shah or Iran in 1979, suggesting Jimmy Carter (JIMMY CARTER!) revise his memoirs.

DeVore, on Iraq War: We must win at any cost in Iran.

Everett: China is the leading polluter in the world. Let’s send Al Gore over and talk to them. I believe he’ll have about five seconds.

DeVore, on immigration: Make them learn English.

Everett, on immigration: 60,000 illegals in Kentucky cost us $51 billion in education, health care and prisons every year. Takes on National Restaurant Association for supporting worker rights.

DeVore, on global warming: “I believe it’s one big fat lie. The key point is they’re trying to tax us. It should be put in archives with stories and fables for little kids.”