(Read more from the guru at www.senateguru.com - promoted by Matt Glazer)
Watch NRSC Chair John Cornyn's wooden, uncomfortable, even pained delivery as he apparently reads off of cue cards and stumbles over his words, saying "Facebook" and "Twitter" for probably the first time in his life:
Now compare that with the introductory video from new DSCC Chair Bob Menendez as he speaks to us, not at us. As he invites us into his office and shares with us his uniquely American story, he actually appears conversational, not like Cornyn's "I forgot my lines and am reading off cue cards" delivery:
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."
Last election cycle was pretty brutal for Republicans in the Northeast. The only Republican congressman in New England (Chris Shays) lost and John Sununu did not come even close to holding on to his U.S. Senate seat in New Hampshire.
Now guess who John Cornyn has named to be the NRSC's Political Director?
Randy Bumps, the RNC's Northeast Regional Political Director last year.
Only John Cornyn would reward such incompetence with a promotion.
While what's left of the dwindling minority of Republicans in the U.S. Senate elected John Cornyn to head the NRSC for the next two years, Cornyn's job just got a little harder tonight. The AP has called the race in Alaska for Democrat Mark Begich over Republican incumbent Ted Stevens.
Answer all of your email as fast as you can. Stevens has reportedly claimed he will take his "series of tubes" with him as he leaves the Senate.
It looks like the National Republican Senatorial Committee is putting the squeeze on its Senators to bail them out of their cash deficit to the Democrats. As was reported in June...
June $ CoH
DSCC 10.8 46.3
NRSC 6.0 24.6
John Cornyn just announced he's sending $250,000 of his own campaign funds to the NRSC as Maria Recio posted on PoliTex.
Senate Republicans held their weekly policy luncheon at the NRSC today instead of in the Capitol, giving Cornyn a chance to shine. Cornyn is apparently flush with cash - his campaign reported $9.4 million cash on hand as of June 30 while Democratic opponent Rick Noriega reported $916,000.
As a member of leadership, he feels an obligation to pitch in and help the team," said Cornyn campaign spokesman Kevin McLaughlin. Cornyn, vice-chair of the Senate Republican Conference is reportedly interested in being the NRSC chairman next election cycle. But, said McLaughlin, "He is concerned about his re-election right now."
While incumbents with a lot of cash are often asked to transfer funds to their Senate committees, this almost seems a little paltry for Big Bad John. Maybe he really is a little more concerned about his re-election right now. Why not give away a million or two and really prove your worth? After all, $250,000 isn't going to make much of a dent in the NRSC'd deficit to the DSCC.
