It looks like there is no need for Governor Rick Perry to entertain ideas of Texas Secession. The U.S. State Department has listed us as one of the foreign countries that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has visited this year.
They have since corrected it, but who's saying they ever made a mistake!
A Republican senator tried to muscle Attorney General-designate Eric Holder into promising not to conduct "witch hunts"- code language for criminal prosecutions - of intelligence operatives who engaged in torture during the Bush administration. It was an outrageous demand, and it would have been unethical for Holder to accede to it.
Since taking the reins of the NRSC, Cornyn has had a series of very bad press hits.
The LA Times article, which was reprinted in the Houston Chronicle last Saturday, hits Cornyn right between the eyes with their accurate criticisms.
Cornyn is free to endorse torture and to vote against Holder's confirmation, which he did. But asking that a prospective attorney general commit in advance to prosecute - or not prosecute - potential defendants crosses an ethical line. Cornyn, a former state Supreme Court justice, should know that. A prospective attorney general shouldn't put himself in the position of prejudging cases in exchange for Senate confirmation.
Opponents of any criminal investigation of CIA interrogators - or of Bush administration lawyers who gave them cover - argue that President Barack Obama himself has hinted that he isn't eager to launch prosecutions. It's true that when the president was asked whether he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate torture and wiretapping under the Bush administration, he said that "we need to look forward as opposed to looking backward." But, in the same interview, Obama said: "I don't believe that anybody is above the law."
There were multiple theories as to why Cornyn would go so far as to hold up a confirmation one day, only to vote to confirm the Clinton the very next day.
Some pointed towards Cornyn's role as Chairman of the NRSC as the rationale for the hold. Others reasoned -- and were able to present a significant amount of evidence -- that Cornyn just wasn't that good of guy and had been a horrible senator.
Evan Smith even suggested that Cornyn's hyper-partisan behavior was a sign the Junior Senator was considering a bid for the White House in 2012.
Here's another theory I heard earlier today:
Remember in September when Hillary Clinton came to Texas to hold two successful fundraisers for Rick Noriega?
Maybe this isn't the very definition of irony, but on a day of happiness centered around a theme of unity, change, and bipartisanship, I guess someone had to bring a little black raincloud on this otherwise beautiful day.
And that someone is John Cornyn. (although a shout out to Rick Warren's gray cloud, too*)
As just reported by CNN,Texas' junior senator has placed a hold on Hillary Clinton's nomination to Secretary of State. She will not be confirmed with the rest of the cabinet later this afternoon, but rather, later tommorow. He supposedly has problems with Bill Clinton's financial disclosures
This strikes me as the worst kind of partisan dick move. It is both ineffectual and either completely partisan or personal, as she will be confirmed, merely delaying the inevitable, and therefore begs the question: why? And why Cornyn? If the GOP leadership really wanted to hold up her nomination, even for one day, let David "yes i wear diapers and visit prostitutes" Vitter do it, as he was the lone person who voted against her confirmation in committee.
Now you can certainly vote against Hillary Clinton's nomination if you wish. But to delay her confirmation? Cornyn is denying the incoming administration of a key member if its national security team at a time when we are dealing with two wars, a simmering invasion in Gaza, a newly aggressive North Korea, "Putin rearing his head" by shutting off natural gas shipments to Eurpoe, and various other emerging threats. (Can you tell I've waited several years to play the "Republicans are putting our country at risk by being partisan" card for a while?)
In any case, thanks John Cornyn, for letting the country know that on a day like today, you can still count on Republicans and Texas to be a little dickish.
* - This gray cloud's silver lining? that Warren's invocation was forgettable and banal while the benediction was the second best part of the entire Inauguration, slightly above John Roberts screwing up the Presdidential oath and Obama correcting him.
The next few days are going to be a remarkable moment in American history. There are increasing signs that a new tone in Washington DC is being ushered in--one built on bi-partisan cooperation between two Party's in order to meet the challenges that our nation faces.
Most Democrats and Republicans are marching to this new tune in DC, all except for the one we have come to know simply as "Big John." Yes folks, it would seem that Big John is desperately trying to make himself relevant by potentially delaying the appointment of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. This from Politico:
Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn, the incoming head of the GOP's Senate campaign committee, has penned a letter to the incoming SoS saying he's "deeply troubled that America's foreign policy and your diplomatic mission will be encumbered by the sweeping global activities of the Clinton Foundation."
Word in Washington is that Cornyn could object to a unanimous consent motion, which would delay Clinton's ascension to SOS by one day. That might not seem like much of a big deal, but what I take issue with is the incredible hypocrisy displayed by the increasingly irrelevant Big John.
Cornyn has apparently forgot about his own questionable ties to super global lobbyist Stephen Payne, a man who makes buckets of money off of allegedly ensuring individuals from foreign countries, some with questionable alliances, have access to influential figures in DC. You may recall that the Times of London ran a video of Payne suggesting to a Kazakhstan politician he can get him access to Vice President Cheney in return for a contribution to the Bush Institution of Re-Education on the Bush Presidency-better known as the Bush Library at SMU. The Houston Chronicle ran an interesting piece on Payne's questionable dealings too.
Globetrotter Payne ensured that he greased the wheels of Big John's Senate Re-Election campaign this past fall to the tune of thousands of dollars. Apparently Big John wasn't at all troubled that America's foreign policy or any diplomatic missions might be encumbered by Mr. Payne's sweeping global lobbyist activities. Bummer. I wish Senator Cornyn had held the same standards then that he claims to hold now.
Big John campaigned on changing the tone in Washington DC but it would appear he is interested in keeping the same partisan tune playing over and over again.
Do us all a favor Big John and dispense with the hypocrisy and allow Secretary of State-designee Hillary Clinton to get to work for the good of the nation. Your grandstanding is equivalent to pathetic.
So what else is new with the same ole tired politics of division and fear mongering by Texas Republican John Cornyn and his Republican cronies. The Clintons have been the target of these white extremists for decades and although America spoke loud and clear, Cornyn wants to continue to stir up trouble in the midst of Hope in America. His gripe? He did not like soon-to-be Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's response on the transparency of Bill Clinton's global initiative and the fund raising fostered for this very worthwhile cause. It seems John Cornyn and adulterer David Vitter from Louisiana think Obama's foreign policy might be 'encumbered' by the global initiatives of the Clinton Foundation.
I wrote a post today on North Texas Liberal about Bill Clinton. More specifically, it's a rant about Democrats trashing the former president.
It really irks me that Democrats are so willing to throw Clinton under the bus, especially considering that he's the only Democratic president we've had since the 1970s (not counting Obama, obviously). We experienced peace and prosperity under his administration.
If you don't like his wife, just say it. If you are still pissed about his extracurricular activity, well... you need to move on. With the way some Democrats go on, you'd think he was a Bush Republican.
Clinton was a good president. Let's stop trashing his legacy.
The Trashing of a Former President: Throwing Bill Clinton Under the Bus
It began during the Democratic primary, when detractors began accusing former President Bill Clinton of being a racist.
Since then, people have blamed Clinton for sinking his wife Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential ambitions. People, especially the pundits, have been chattering since before the New York senator even conceded about the former president's role on the campaign trail.
After his wife's concession and endorsement of Barack Obama for president, they continued to denigrate Bill Clinton by saying that he wasn't fully on board, he wasn't doing what was asked of him by the Obama campaign, that he didn't really want Obama to be elected, and that he and Hillary would likely vote for John McCain so she could run for president again in four years.
Now, as reports abound that Hillary has been offered the secretary of state position in the incoming Obama administration, the networks can't stop discussing whether or not Bill will cost her the cabinet post.
(Early reports from Rick Noriega's rally with Bill Clinton yesterday! - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
I visited Dallas this evening at the invitation of the Rick Noriega for US Senate campaign staff for a rally and fundraiser for the Rick Noriega campaign, attended by Bill Clinton.
The crowd was electric, all of the local television stations were set up with live shots. Local candidates, including me, and elected officials running for re-election paraded across the stage and greeted the crowd. Sherriff Lupe Valdez had a great response from the hall. Senator Royce West and Commissioner John Wiley Price gave all too brief, but energizing speeches. Bill Clinton followed and introduced Rick Noriega, and gave a heckuva rallying speech to boot. Former Tarrant County Executive Director, J. Nile Fischer, put it best: the President still has it, he made everyone in the event feel like he was talking right to them. You betcha!
I have to give special thanks to Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton for campaigning for Rick Noriega here in Texas. To all Democrats, I ask you to tell them: Thank You. You have given so much to this country, and you aren't done yet, are you?
Momentum in the Texas Senate race has picked back up. A day after a new poll shows Noriega closing to within 7 points of Cornyn (even after 2 weeks of statewide Cornyn TV), news that Hillary Clinton will indeed be coming to McAllen for a fundraiser for the Noriega campaign.
Trail Blazers: Noriega's camp just announced that Clinton will endorse Noriega, a five-term state representative, at an airport press conference in McAllen late this afternoon. The fundraiser will be tonight at the home of local builder Alonzo Cantu. Clinton ran strongly in South Texas in the March presidential primary.
Clinton won 72% of the vote in Hidalgo County where McAllen is located during the primary, one of her bases that piled up the popular vote for her. Noriega won just under 70% of the vote there as well, helping him to win the primary outright.
Tonight's fundraiser won't appear in the latest quarter fundraising results so monies raised will be in addition to whatever is reported.
Sarah Palin isn't who she says she is and most of us very practical, common sense and rationally thinking and (the D.C. punditry's so-called Wal-Mart) Moms know it. Even the deeply religious (though perhaps not the fundamentalist extremist) Moms sense it. Palin is breaking too many rules. She is trashing our collectively perceived code of conduct in the same fashion that W. walks all over the U.S. Constitution and lies about Iraq. The over-the-top attacks and bullying lies are sending off alarm bells. McCain and Palin are beginning to act and sound in an alarming and rather insane fashion.
Why is Palin going this low when she could serve as a feminist role model for women who would like to serve in politics?
For all of her so-called sizzle, Moms like me are beginning to think Sarah Palin's level of arrogance is worse than W.'s. She, like him, insults the American people by lying to us. She and McCain must think we are all stupid.
Who is Sarah Palin, really? For starters it seems that she has a problem with telling the truth. Sound familiar?
