Kay on CNN Sunday Morning...

Kay was on CNN this morning to discuss the Sotomayor nomination (link). She reiterated that she was troubled by Sotomayor's past comments but said "I think she will have the chance to explain that."

I don't think CNN has the entire video up yet, but maybe it will be on the Texans for Kay website soon...

Kay now not weighing in on Sotomayor?

Earlier this week, Kay said that Sotomayor's comments were "troubling" (link) but she seems to be changing that stance...

Now she is refusing to weigh in on comments Sotomayor made that many are calling racist (link). Excerpt follows...

Hutchison, speaking Friday at Dallas Baptist University, said she would not respond to the comments made by Limbaugh and Gingrich. Fellow Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn has strongly repudiated the allegation of racism.

Hutchison, who voted against confirming Sotomayor in 1998 to be a judge on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan, said Friday that she's going to give the Supreme Court nominee a fresh look.

Hutchison has said that the 1998 vote was about Sotomayor's judicial activism as a district court judge.

But on Friday, noting Sotomayor's 11 years of subsequent judicial experience, Hutchison said it's her responsibility to review Sotomayor's opinions. Senators must vote to confirm Sotomayor's nomination by President Barack Obama.

"I'm going to look at her entire record," Hutchison said before her appearance at Dallas Baptist University.

Is Sotomayor a reverse racist?

Yes and she is going to sit on the bench for many years and make a lot of really radical decisions.

Kay should come out and speak up about Sotomayor's disrespect for private property rights, her love of affirmative action, her belief that courts make policy, her wretched reversal rate, her radical agenda, and say why she was troubled in the first place. Why did she vote against her a decade ago? I don't get this sudden lack of a position from Kay on Sotomayor. Have Republicans conceded this battle as a win for Obama? Are Kay's handlers not letting her say anything bad because Sotomayor is Latina? Believe me when I say that Republicans of minority ancestry are probably more hard on liberals like Sotomayor than white Republicans are. Kay voting for her would be a slap in the face to a lot of us. 

Trust me on this one. 

I have said it a few times here already, but if Kay votes for Sotomayor, she will lose the primary right then and there.

BLAST FROM THE PAST... 2 years ago, Rick criticized Bush for not being a fiscal conservative....

I've seen a lot of comments in the blog-o-sphere and media asking smugly "why didn't Rick ever say bad things about Washington when Bush was in office... obviously it's just because he doesn't like Obama." For example, back when the secession nonsense was flaring up, The Liberty Papers wrote (link)...

Gov. Rick Perry’s Tenth Amendment Stance: Political Pandering?

Gov. Perry’s sudden concern for state’s rights does have me wondering about his motives. As I’ve pointed out above, this erosion of Tenth Amendment rights has been happening since before the text of the amendment’s ink dried. The federal government did not just start undermining state sovereignty when Barack Obama was sworn into office on January 20, 2009.

I can’t help but wonder how concerned Gov. Perry was when his predecessor, George W. Bush, moved from the Texas Governor’s Mansion and into the White House imposing unfunded federal mandates such as No Child Left Behind? On what side of the state’s rights debate did Gov. Perry fall when the Ashcroft/Gonzales Justice Department argued successfully before the Supreme Court that Angel Raich could not use marijuana for her medical conditions pursuant to California law on the theory of interstate commerce**?

[SNIP]

While it is great to hear someone of Gov. Perry’s stature stating that there are limits to federal power, it would be a lot easier for me to accept as genuine if it wasn’t his party that was out of power in Washington.

The good news for that blog... Rick has long opposed federal power encroaching into Texas (link)...

Texas Gov. Rick Perry aired unusually pointed criticism of President Bush while stumping in Iowa for Rudy Giuliani for president last week. Perry predicted too that if Democrats prevail next year, the war on terrorism will return to U.S. soil.

Video posted online shows Perry saying that Bush failed to rein in spending increases as governor of Texas and "has never ever been a fiscal conservative." He also said Washington isn't working.

Here is the You Tube video of Rick's comments...

This sounds pretty consistent and is nothing brand new from Rick. He didn't just fall off the apple cart into a tea party and start believing this anti Washington stuff. He has been saying it even when his own buddy was in office.

Could Rick's comments back then be why the loyal Bush guy Karl Rove is rumored to be working for Kay? I have seen scant evidence of involvement by Rove, but I wouldn't doubt that he has given some advice on a few things.

Kay tacks toward support of NAFTA superhighway.

One of the knocks people often have on Rick is his support for the Trans Texas Corridor, which I believe to be a brilliant way to fund our transportation needs over the next generation. Texas is growing by leaps and bounds, and we have to be aggressive with putting infrastructure in place to handle that growth. If not, we will all end up sitting in traffic for hours on end, day after day. Goods won't be able to get to market. Productivity will fall.

The bottom line is that we are going to build roads, so the question becomes how. Do we try privatizing some of the roads, which ends up earning the state money it can use toward other transportation projects? Do we raise taxes to build the roads? There are a lot of issues at play here. Roads are not free. Good, safe roads are even less free.

We need those roads though. Land will be taken through eminent domain one way or another, and let's face it, roads are an appropriate use of eminent domain, unlike a shopping mall or waterfront redevelopment.

However, before this week Kay had an opportunity to outflank Rick on the right of the GOP on the issue of toll roads. She even seemed to be headed down the right track with that crowd when she came out earlier this week and put forward a bill that would ban tolling of existing federal interstate lanes.

Throw that out the window. She is the same as Rick on this issue as far as the anti TTC group is concerned. Just look at some of the headlines... (link)...

NAFTA Superhighway still on track, new section near completion

Okay, innocent enough. A scary sounding NAFTA superhighway gets a lot of populist conservatives very riled up however.

I am a member of Kay's Facebook supporter page, and she is getting ripped apart over there...

Here is a screenshot...

Why the furor? I guess Kay has endorsed the controversial I-69 project that got Rick in so much hot water with the anti TTC crowd (link).

Why would she do this? Other than that she actually believes in it, I guess maybe she didn't understand how this issue makes people fired up and passionate. It is a small number of people who hate these roads, but they are very vocal and very angry.

There is a FOX news video from Kay's event down in the Valley, but there is no embedding code for it (link). In the video, she specifically mocks people who said I-69 was dead and specifically mentions Canada and Mexico as being involved.

This whole thing still confuses me. Kay is for I-69, but is she against a private company building it... is she going to secure any federal dollars for the project, or is this a state project? The whole point of the privatized system was that the feds weren't going to fund it so Texas had to find the money somewhere, and a private company could do it and actually pay the state for the right of doing so...

I am more confused than before. Is she trying but failing to woo the anti toll road people? Do we have a failure to communicate properly happening here, or did she actually take the wrong side of this issue? I feel like there may be a misunderstanding somewhere out there.

Atheists versus Rick Perry... 10 Commandments case...

I had almost totally forgotten Rick's involvement in the Texas 10 Commandment case, but it looks like Oklahoma's democrat governor is trying to get himself sued as well (link). Well maybe not. Excerpt follows...

Opponents of the bill argued it would almost certainly draw a court challenge and tie up the resources of the state Attorney General's Office to defend it. But Ritze, who said the bill's language was drafted to mirror the placement of a Ten Commandments monument on the grounds of the Texas Capitol in Austin, expressed confidence in its ability to deflect a legal challenge. The Texas monument, which was placed on the Capitol grounds in 1961, was not contested until 2002 and withstood a lawsuit that went to the U.S. Supreme Court.

"I really don't know anything we can be challenged on," he said. "I feel like we're on solid ground."

Not everyone was as pleased with the bill's passage. Tamya Cox, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma, said her organization was very disappointed the governor chose to sign the bill.

"We believe he completely disregarded the establishment clause (of the U.S. Constitution)," she said. "We sent him a letter urging him not to sign the bill or at least wait as long as he could" until a U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals decision on a similar case involving a Ten Commandments monument on the lawn of the Haskell County Courthouse in Stigler is handed down.

Ritze said the planned Oklahoma monument was patterned in an identical fashion to the one in the Texas case, Van Orden v. Perry, which is named after the two parties in the suit--plaintiff Thomas Van Orden, a suspended lawyer and self-described "religious pluralist," and Texas Gov. Rick Perry, the defendant.

I had forgotten Rick's name was on that case. That's actually kind of cool to have your name on a Supreme Court case and have a win under your belt. I wonder why Rick doesn't talk about this case more with social conservatives... or does he and I just don't hear about it?

Theoretical Californians: "Rick took our jobs..."

The Libertarian Republican who was at a blogger seminar with Rick over the Memorial Day holiday had an interesting blog about what Rick said in terms of recruiting companies from California to move to Texas (link). Excerpt follows...

Perry also serves as Chairman of the National Governors Association (NGA). But that didn't stop him from taking a gentle jibe at one of his fellow Republican Govs. 

"Arnold hates it when I show up in California, cause he knows I'm there to recruit a business," said Perry. He continued to talk of his efforts to recruit firms from other States. 

"Caterpillar just closed down 2 plants up north... [yet] they're planning on opening up a new plant in Seguin, Texas," he continued. He also spoke of a recent trip to Oklahoma. Speaking with political leaders there, he said, "hey, I'd love it if you all didn't pass tort reform," hinting that it would encourage OK businesses to consider the Texas alternative. 

Perry surprised attendees with a little insider info, hinting that next Friday an announcement will be made of 4 new tech firms relocating to Texas.

I wonder if Rick is planning on personally visiting California to make the sales pitch to any companies out there. Having a few of those announcements lined up for his campaign would really hammer home the point that Rick wants to make... that Texas is doing relatively well compared to other big states in the country. Why change horses in midstream when things are bad everywhere else and still somewhat good in the Lone Star Empire.

Sotomayor and Kay... what will she do?

I said it before and I will say it again.

There is almost no way Kay can vote for Sotomayor. Plus she already voted against her ten years ago.

Still, a lot of people are speculating...

Politico says (link)...

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas): Voting-age Hispanics represent about 29 percent of Texas’ population, according to figures computed after the 2008 general election by the group the National Committee for an Effective Congress. Hutchison voted against Sotomayor in 1998 when she was nominated to a federal appeals court. But she wasn’t a candidate for governor, as she is now, and her party wasn’t as desperate for Latino votes as it is now. 

The trick for Hutchison: Before she can run in the general election, she’s got to beat conservative Texas Gov. Rick Perry in the GOP primary. That may force her to play to the base to win over skeptical conservative primary voters – even if that means losing support from Hispanics in a general-election run. Her Texas counterpart, John Cornyn, head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, also will have to gauge any Hispanic backlash since many GOP candidates in 2010 will certainly be reading his signals. 

Wrong. Why would there be any Hispanic backlash? That is just wishful thinking.

The very liberal Burnt Orange blog says that Kay has a tough choice to make (link)...

So, KBH has a quandary, in voting on a judicial nominee who is highly, highly likely to be approved. As widely noted, Sotomayor is as highly qualified as any nominee has been for the bench in decades. Her education is impeccable, her experience unmatched. She has not shown a record that can be considered overly political or ideological. Opposition can thus only be mustered on partisan lines against the nominating President, or because of naked identity politics.

And she's not just voting as any rank-and-file Republican, she's voting as one about to square off in a primary battle against Rick Perry, a candidate who has shown next-to-zero restraint in pandering to the far-right fringe. With these early statements, is KBH trying to pander to the right-wing voters she'll need in her primary? Is she going to vote against Sotomayor, and make sure that Perry can't accuse her of supporting "liberal judicial activists?"

What if Hutchison wants to woo women and Latinos over to the Republican primary (especially if we lack a suitable Democratic contest) to make sure we don't suffer 4 more years of Rick Perry? A vote against Sotomayor can call that strategy into question for sure.

As I said before, Kay has to vote no on this confirmation. There really is no other choice. Her vote in favor of Hilda Solis for Labor Secretary, which should be earning her lots of points among Hispanics and liberals and lots of anger among conservatives, has generated nothing on either side, probably because nobody knows anything about Solis. Nobody paid attention to that vote. This vote people are paying attention to, and Kay cannot afford to vote in favor of Sotomayor. It would end her primary campaign right then and there. 

So where is Rick on Sotomayor?

Wayne Slater points out that both Karl Rove and Rick tweeted against Sotomayor (link) last night. Rick at this point is more anti Sotomayor than Kay, and Rick doesn't even have a real dog in the hunt.

Rick's team is all a twitter...

Rick has @GovernorPerry for himself.

@TexGov for his official duties.

@GovPerry2010 for his campaign.

Now there is @Interns4Perry.

Apparently it's a girl, according to a picture tweet made on Memorial Day by @Interns4Perry...

Kids these days with their "yfrog." Never heard of it.

Gotta wonder whether Rick is concerned that one of these many twitter outlets will let something slip that shouldn't be public information yet... or an intern posts a drunken picture late at night. That's probably why Kay's team only seems to have @TeamKay. Maybe that is also a way to target the message and stay zoned in and not get all down every rabbit hole. In the end, aren't the same people following all the same twitter feeds?

Kay scores the same as Roland Burris in THAT'S MY CONGRESS rating?

The "progressive" That's My Congress bashes Roland Burris for not being liberal enough by comparing him to Kay (link). Excerpt follows...

“Tell Rod to keep me in mind for that seat, would ya?…. I know I could give him a check myself.”

– Roland Burris, in a phone call with Robert Blagojevich, November 13, 2008, prior to his being appointed by Rod Blagojevich to the United States Senate.

Senator Burris, it’s not like you’ve been busy on Capitol Hill advancing the progressive cause. Your Progressive Action Score is a measly 22 out of 100, a score as low as Texas Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison has gotten herself, for Pete’s sake. You haven’t supported the advancement of Pre-K legislation for kids. You’ve dropped the ball on three bills to protect our ocean environment. You haven’t supported equality for gay families in immigration, and you haven’t helped in the effort to ban cluster bombs.

I went and checked out the scoring system, and it turns out there is a progressive scale and a regressive scale and a net progressive score... all factored in Kay is tied with Kit Bond as the third most "progressive" Republican Senator, after only Collins and Snowe of Maine. Kay is more progressive than George Voinovich, Mel Martinez, or even her fellow female Republican Lisa Murkowski.

She has a -7 net progressive rating, for supporting things like S-CHIP expansion and Lilly Ledbetter. Big John Cornyn by contrast has a -71 rating, which shows how Kay is not nearly on the same page as Big John on a lot of issues.

This rating system is incomplete since it is ongoing for the current session of Congress... and it is done by a liberal site, but it does confirm that Kay thinks she must tack to the left to pick up cross over Democrats and Independents. As a lot of pundits have noted, Kay's strategy probably hinges on high turnout and lots of new non conservative voters in the Republican Primary.

Leo Berman and Debra Medina and Larry Kilgore... oh my....

Leo Berman has thrown his name out there for a race for Governor...

His hometown paper has the story (link). Excerpt follows...

"They haven't (addressed illegal immigration) up until now," he said. "I think they are so concerned that it is such a hot-button topic that they won't do it period. I will. I will enforce the laws of the state of Texas as governor."

Berman said though he will work toward addressing illegal immigration, he will not be a "one- issue candidate." He said he will run on a conservative platform and, if elected governor, will "move the Republican Party back to its winning ways on the right."

He is a single issue candidate sort of like Tom Tancredo.

Later, he sounded exactly like Rick when talking about Washington...

Berman said he expects to make a good run and win the Republican primary. "I am going to energize the conservative base in Texas, the real Republican base in Texas, which stayed home during the last presidential election because they were so dissatisfied with what Republican members of Congress were doing in Washington," Berman said. "The reason we lost the House and Senate in Washington is because Repub-licans in Washington for the last ten years have been acting like Democrats."

Word around the Capitol is that Leo is on pretty good terms with Rick for the most part, hates Kay, but really hates Mexicans. From what I have heard, Leo likes Rick but is still running because he doesn't think Rick properly shares his disdain for Mexicans.

Rick's positions on border security are for another blog on another day, but Rick just can't win on this issue. To Democrats, Rick is being mean... they are also criticizing his border security programs saying they are not well managed or that the threat is overhyped and his request for 135 million dollars for border security is overblown (link). To the Leo Bermans of the world, Rick is not doing enough because he is not sending the Texas Rangers to round up Mexicans and deport them en masse.

Some people will never be satisfied.

The budget under Rick... up but up below inflation and population...

Wayne Slater has a blog about the Texas budget under Rick (link)...

It is up 53% from Rick's first budget to the 2010-2011 budget.

Is that high? Low? What does that number even mean?

No offense to Slater or the first comment maker on Wayne's blog, but the second comment on his blog is a lot more informative than anything they threw out there. Tony McDonald comments...

Posted by Tony McDonald @ 8:09 PM Wed, May 27, 2009

I did some basic calculations -- inflation has been about 30% overall over the last 10 years (http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/historical-inflation-rates/)

So, if you factor that, and 25% population growth (20 million in 2000 to 25 million now) and you apply both of those factors to the 118 billion dollar budget in 2000, we would be at approximately 190 billion. We're below that, so I would say we're doing relatively ok.

This is all rough, rounded math, but I think it paints a relatively accurate picture.

I checked Tony's math, and some websites point to more than 25% population growth in Texas, which would mean a lower rate of growth than the growth of population and inflation combined, but even under Tony's assumptions the Texas budget has remained within those magical measures of population and inflation growth, which is pretty difficult to do in this era of spend spend spend.

Not bad.

Rick ups payments to wrongly convicted people...

Wrongly convicted Texans will be getting a boost, financially, from a new law that Rick has put his signature on...

GOP12 has some thoughts (link). Excerpt follows...

Lest you say Rick Perry has no heart...

This is something everyone can cheer.

Rick Perry signed a bill today, giving the wrongly convicted a lump sum boost of $30k for every year they languish in prison (from $50k to 80k).

When I was a child, I often thought about how terrible it would be to be wrongly convicted. I was almost obsessed with it for some strange reason, maybe because of the circumstances of my upbringing and my heritage. I always thought someone should receive millions and millions of dollars for being locked up wrongly. 

On the other hand, gangsters who just happen to be wrongly convicted for something their gang banger brothers did don't get as much sympathy, and I can totally see money going to people who really are thugs and drug pushers but get off on a technicality. Hopefully the bill has some safeguards against that.

Kay and this car company stuff...

The Detroit Free Press tried to rip Kay into shreds (link). Excerpt follows...

Tough to write this column through the tears I'm shedding for Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who's all het up over Chrysler Corp.'s bankruptcy-inspired decision to shutter 789 dealerships by June 9.

Hutchison says it's all happening too fast, and with too little help offered for the dealers' unsold inventory and parts. She wants Congress to block federal aid for Chrysler and GM if they don't give the dealers at least 60 days notice before closing. By late last week, 35 other senators had joined her crusade.

But as I'm blubbering into my hanky here, I'm trying to think back to Hutchison's outrage over the other pain caused by auto industry restructuring. Hard to remember it. Maybe that's because there was none.

Like when GM announced it would shut down most of its plants for 90 days this summer to save money. Hutchison said nothing about helping the workers -- thousands in Michigan -- who'll go broke over that span.

Or when GM said in April that it would cut 23,000 jobs and close 47 plants by 2011. Hutchison, again, was silent.

Indeed, Hutchison opposed auto bailout legislation last December, arguing that it subsidized the industry's "failed business model." She complained mightily about high wages and other labor costs.

So why the sudden empathy for the little guy? Could have something to do with the heavy political giving exercised by car dealers and their lobbyists -- half the auto-related booty for folks in Washington in 2007-08. Or maybe she really has gotten religion and is now all about softening the blow from all the industry changes.

Whatever.

What does Detroit know, anyway? That is the same city that has double digit unemployment and caused this mess to begin with. I don't think they are in a position to be lecturing one of our senators from Texas.

Keith Olbermann and many others owe Rick an apology...

I hate even giving Keith Olbermann more hits on his web site, but last week he named Rick the worst person in the world... AGAIN....

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

His reasoning for awarding Rick the world person in the world...

Allegedly Rick was pushing to take stimulus money for the mansion. 

THE TRUTH... it turns out that the federal stimulus dollars are not going to any of Rick's projects (link). Excerpts follows...

Remember the stimulus money that was going to fund Gov. Rick Perry's pet programs in the budget agreed on by House-Senate negotiators -- despite Perry's criticism of what he describes as big-spending Washington?

Well, not any more.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, said budget writers exchanged state general revenue money for the stimulus funds that were going to help pay for Governor's Mansion repairs and to boost the Texas Enterprise Fund, Emerging Technology Fund and a film in

centive fund.

"We swapped it," Ogden said after budget negotiators formally signed off on a $182.3 billion, two-year state budget this morning.

Why?

"Because the governor asked us to," Ogden said. "All of it got swapped out. ... so don't go out and write a ****** story."

My contacts around Austin tell me that this was never something Rick pushed for. It was always something that some of Rick's political enemies pushed to make him look bad. Rick's legislative team fought it the whole way.

This is a big break down by Rick's communications people. This story was totally false all along, but they didn't say a peep about it. The budget process is an ongoing thing, yet the damage done from this untrue story will be permanent. How many blogs will retract their stories about Rick's alleged hypocrisy? What are the odds that Keith Olbermann will apologize for getting the story wrong? How many of the people tweeting and retweeting this story snottily will feel compelled to take it back?

Zero is the answer to all of those questions. Zero. The damage is done. He will be known as the guy who called for secession and yet took federal money for his mansion.

I think that Rick's people sometimes incorrectly believe that the truth will win out in the end or that the media can't report what is just blatantly false, and because of that they get caught sleeping on stories like this. The secession thing is the same way. Rick never even uttered the word "secede" and if you actually go back and see what he said, he said we should not dissolve our "great" union. Yet Rick's people remained silent on it as weeks went by with Bill Maher and Keith Olbermann and Jay Leno solidifying a false myth in peoples' minds. What's the deal?

On this mansion thing, they should be shouting it from the rooftops and demanding retractions from news stations and newspapers. Why aren't they? It makes no sense, other than some sort of inside politics legislative maneuvering.

By not getting out early on these stories, Rick's team gives Keith Olbermann ammo to shoot darts at Rick. Those darts end up sticking, and even Republicans start repeating the mistruths.

Rick, TeamRick, you guys are better than this. Get it together. Have a firefighting team that does something about these stories before they become full fledged forest fires. I can't take much more of smug Keith Olbermann. Just look at him. I hate that guy, but you are letting him and lots of blogs have the upper hand by staying silent on these issues, however tiny and trivial you might think they are.

Will Kay vote to confirm Sotomayor?

I can't imagine a scenario that would allow Kay to vote for Sonia Sotomayor, but the AP seems to differ in their logic (link)...

Hispanic groups say that Republicans, particularly those from Southern and Western states with large and growing Hispanic populations, will be hard-pressed to oppose Sotomayor given her bipartisan appeal — she was first nominated for a federal court post by President George H.W. Bush — and strong qualifications.

A case in point: Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, the Texas Republican who is running to be governor in a heavily Hispanic state. The League of United Latin American Citizens, which honored Hutchison at its February gala, plans to lobby her in person to back Sotomayor and ask their members to urge her to do so, said Lizette Olmos, a spokeswoman.

Hutchison gave no hint Tuesday of her position on Sotomayor's nomination. As the Senate evaluates her, Hutchison said in a statement, "our chief concern must be her commitment to the rule of law. I look forward to a fair and open confirmation process as we work to ensure our next Supreme Court justice will defend and protect the Constitution through impartial judgment and judicial restraint."

My prediction: Kay will vote no, and it won't even be a difficult decision.

I see their point about Kay courting the Hispanic vote, and they are right that she is close with the LULAC crowd (link) and did vote to confirm the potentially far more liberal Hilda Solis as Labor Secretary, but this is a vote people will be paying attention to, and it would be shockingly bad for Kay in a Republican Primary to vote yes to Sotomayor. 

Kay even voted against Sotomayor in the past (link), so I just don't think the AP knows anything about anything.

San Angelo's mayor... strange sex scandal...

The Wall Street Journal has the story (link). Excerpt follows...

J.W. Lown, the mayor of San Angelo in West Texas, recently narrated a video touting his town as a great place to live. Then he left to pursue another passion.

Mr. Lown resigned this week -- less than a month after winning a fourth two-year term in a landslide -- saying he was leaving to carry on a relationship with a Mexican man who had been living illegally in the U.S.

Mr. Lown, 32 years old, sent the city manager a text message just hours before he was due to be sworn into office Tuesday that said he wouldn't be at the ceremony. He'd moved to Mexico, leaving behind a short letter of resignation on his desk.

Google News alerts are a funny thing. This story has nothing to do with Rick or Kay, but the only picture they could find of this guy was one with Rick...

Look at the look on Rick's face. He looks like he is just really weirded out by these people... kind of a "WTF" look on his face.

More liberal Photoshop blogs of Rick and Kay...

Hysterical Raisins made another Photoshop (link)... check it out.

As I said before, why are liberals so much more active at this stuff than conservatives?

Rick and Kay seeking religious diversity...

Rick had some Jewish leaders in his office recently (link). Excerpt follows...

L-R Rabbi Yehiel Kalish, National Director of Government Affairs, Agudath Israel, Texas Governor Rick Perry, Rabbi Aryeh Feigenbaum, Rav Ohr HaTorah (Dallas), Rabbi Asher Block Director, Agudath Israel of Texas (Houston).

 long-time vocal proponent of school choice, Governor Perry publicly praised the Jewish community’s active role in grassroots advocacy efforts on behalf of education reform. Governor Perry also stressed the importance of faith leaders continuing to engage their legislators on the issue and emphasize to them the tremendous benefits of the various school choice programs being considered. The attendees were appreciative of the time Governor Perry devoted to their meeting and his decision to act immediately to set up a special task force coordinated by the Governor’s staff and led by Mr. Robert Scott, Chair of the Texas Education Agency.

“Agudath Israel values Governor Perry’s commitment to identifying common-sense solutions to the tremendous financial burden of day school tuition that our growing communities in Texas face. With the Governor’s support, we are eager to make significant progress on the legislation proposed and implementing school choice programs in Texas,” said Rabbi Block. “We look forward to strengthening our relationship with Governor Perry and his staff over the coming months and continuing to work with him to address the challenges facing Orthodox Jews in Texas.

Kay recently met with Akhbar Mumineen, a Muslim group (link). Excerpt follows...

On the occasion of the dedication of the Irving Veteran’s Memorial in Irving (Dallas) Texas on May 17th, 2009, Janab Amil Saheb Sk Ali Asger bhai Ezzi, Sk Taher Ali Hamid and Sk Mustafa Hamid had the occasion to meet United States Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas (and candidate for Governor of Texas).

Senator Hutchinson had delivered cordial Birthday Greetings to Aqa Moula (TUS) on the occasion of Huzur-e-Aala’s TUS 98th Milad Mubarak. Amil Saheb delivered a letter of appreciation from Shahzada Aali Waqar Shahzada Qaid Johar Bhaisaheb Ezzuddin Saheb (DM) on behalf of Huzur-e-Aala (TUS). Cordial Greetings were exchanged and Senator Hutchinson sent her kind regards to His Holinss Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin Aqa and to Shahzada Saheb. 

Jews and Muslims are not big groups in Texas, especially in the GOP primary, but Rick and Kay are making efforts to reach out to them.

BLOGGING BREAK, CUZ I'M GOIN' TO THE LAKE!

See you next week. No new blogs over the weekend!

Kay on GradeGov.com

A tipster passes along this website with grades for Representatives and Senators, called GradeGov (link). Excerpts follow...

Jpsmith (IND), writes

I gave you a grade of D.  Where are you?  Our Country is being torn apart and becoming socialist and I don't see or hear anything from or about you anywhere.  Is this because you support what is going on or is it that you...

[view complete letter] [report abuse] 

Sellthensail (IND), TX writes

  I gave you a grade of F because you've been in the game too long. You owe your political career to bankers, special interest and large corporate donors. You have represented yourself and your donors very well. You represented us...

[view complete letter] [report abuse] 

Perryslagle (REP), writes

I gave you a grade of C. I have always supported you.  However some of your recent votes caused me concern such as in favor of the massive bailout bill, and a soft position recently on illegal immigrations and amnesty.  Please take a...

[view complete letter] [report abuse] 

Cowgirl81 (IND), TX writes

I gave you a grade of D. I have not been very impressed by your actions. I very rarely hear anything about you standing up and defending our conservative principles. You were very so to respond to the swine flu problem and wanted to take a wait...

[view complete letter] [report abuse] 

Afonay (IND), OR writes

I gave you a grade of C. I have always thought that you were honest and trying to do the right thing, however you have been around to long. I would not vote for your re-election for the simple reason that I believe in Term Limits. If 10 years is...

[view complete letter] [report abuse] 

Texasroy (REP), writes

I gave you a grade of C as a benefit of doubt. I am not hearing enough from you concerning government's rolling over the Constitution. I would also like to hear more yelling about this change to a socialist government. And in this...

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Libertydog (REP), writes

I gave you a grade of F. I lost all respect for you with your vote of yes for the G.I.V.E. Act.  You are not a true Republican.

[view complete letter] [report abuse] 

Wballard3 (IND), writes

I gave you a grade of B. We need you to stay in the senate more than we need you as gov.

[view complete letter] [report abuse] 

Jen0517 (REP), writes

I gave you a grade of C.  I do not see you standing up for conservative values and for the people of Texas.  Where is the outrage for the Obama administration and their out-of-control spending?  Where is the outrage for the Federal...

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Rb-treasures (REP), TX writes

I gave you a grade of D. I do not see you making any waves to protect Texas, or guarantee the constitution.  everything the Feds are doing is in violation of the Constitution.   YOU need to stand up for States and individual...

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Not exactly a lot of praise for Kay on GradeGov.com, and most of that seems to be from Republicans and Independents, not Democrats, unless people are lying about their party affiliation... so if you are a supporter of Kay you should definitely log on and tip the scales back in her favor. Check it out and add your own grade and comments...

Bill White in his own words... repeating that Kay gave him knowledge about when she is resigning...

Ken Herman has the video (link). Gardner Selby was there too. Excerpt follows...

Bill White's quote...

"Before I made a decision, she told me that she intended to resign in circumstances creating a special election... and she told me I could say that."

Wow. He is not backing off of his side of the story. Kay must not be real happy with him right now.

Kay is for Obama's national CAFE standards? WTF?

Some disturbing news from the San Angelo Standard Times about Kay's support for President Obama's national fuel economy standards (link). Excerpt follows...

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas: “A national fuel economy standard will help resolve the fundamental problem of requiring the auto industry to comply with multiple and disparate fuel economy standards, and it will prevent associated costs from being passed down to consumers. This is a step in the right direction that could provide certainty and predictability for our auto manufacturers when they need it most. However, it is vital that this standard be carefully implemented so it does not adversely impact American consumers and workers.”

Check out what some Texas Republican House members said in contrast...

San Angelo’s congressman, U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Midland, of the 11th Congressional District: “The idea that President Obama intends to have all automobiles manufactured in the U.S. operate at 35.5 miles per gallon is unrealistic and will have adverse effects on consumers. Not only is the cost per vehicle expected to rise by $1,300 under this plan, but it would only decrease greenhouse gases by one half of one percent. Cars could also prove to be less safe, as they would be made from lighter, more fragile materials to decrease the cost of production and offset gasoline prices. This is bad policy, and it is my hope that my colleagues will agree.”

U.S. Rep. Randy Neugebauer, R-Lubbock, of the 19th Congressional District: “Farms and ranches have several essential tools; one of them is a powerful truck they can rely on to get the job done. While I praise the administration for providing the automobile industry with a clear, national standard, my concern is this is a potentially unattainable standard which could bring undue harm to the agricultural community with this accelerated mandate. I believe the administration cannot continue to tinker with the economy and enact standards that will place greater burden on hardworking Americans, stifle the economy and hinder an already struggling automotive industry.”

U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Clarendon, of the 13th Congressional District: “I am leery of centralized planning, and when you get the president and all these car company CEOs (chief executive officers) and all these regulators up there agreeing on a great plan that they’re going to impose on everybody, it raises doubts in my mind. I think it would be far better to let the market work, and if people want to pay in $5,000 more for a car that gets 35 miles to the gallon, then they’ll do that. ... What this will do is it will increase the cost of vehicles for everybody, and I think that’s government making decisions for us.”

How is this smart at all? Texas has manufacturing plants for big cars like the Toyota Tundra, which will be directly hurt by higher national fuel economy standards. Texas has a lot of rural people who like their trucks and SUVs. Texas is not a tiny car state.

The outrage against these new standards is palpable amongst conservatives, so taking the other side is extremely dangerous for Kay. I don't really understand her logic for doing this.

Black & Right blog rips Kay for this whorehouse thing...

The blog called Black & Right has some commentary on the whole fake controversy over Rick's strategist saying the GOP shouldn't compromise its principles and become a whorehouse for whoever wants to come in (link). Excerpt follows...

Just when we think we've risen above the petty thin skins and oversensitivities of the easily ruffled left, Republicans get all bent hearing what they want to hear instead of what was said.

[SNIP]

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with what Carney said and those Republican women creating all this drama need find something else worthy of the hysterics.

Is Perry consultant David Carney

• A victim of estrogen drama (98%, 50 Votes)
• A sexist pig (2%, 1 Votes)

Total Voters: 51

I voted in this poll, and so should you. Go read some of the comments, too. They are all supportive of Rick's strategist. 

As I blogged before (link), this whole thing is totally and completely a gift for Democrats. It is driven by liberal blogs who like to see GOP infighting, driven by Kay's team, and driven by press who need controversy just to stay in business. This is literally a small handful of Kay supporters, people nobody has ever heard of before, feigning outrage over a total non issue, and the media running with it because it draws eyes and ears. Shame on everyone who contributed to making this story a big deal.

Kay on Guantanamo...

Kay spoke out against Obama on the issue of Guantanamo Bay...

61 of the people released from Guantanamo have rejoined the terrorists against Americans. Just amazing. As a commenter said in my last blog about this subject (link), the Senate voted 94 - 0 against Obama on this issue. A stunning rebuke of Obama that is not getting nearly enough coverage.

Katrina myths...

There is a great blog at The Next Right (link), cross posted at the Travis Monitor (link), that cuts to the heart of why I didn't like Kay's criticism of Rick last week for the video tape of the state school abuse that was recently released. It smacked of "Bush caused Katrina" myth to me.

The Next Right/Travis Monitor blogger did a good job attacking some of those myths head on, and included a blip about Rick and Texas. Excerpts follow...

Here in Texas, Katrina was a stellar example of neighbor helping neighbor, as Governor Rick Perry, cities in Texas, and people, church groups and agencies and organizations pulled together to help the many thousands who were displaced. Hundreds of thousands of Katrina victims found temporary shelter in Texas.

[SNIP]

Somehow that same Bush FEMA managed to adequately help with Katrina in Miss., Rita in Texas, a number of hurricanes in 2004 and other disasters before and since, and get good to great reviews in most instances. But then in these other disasters, it befell cities and states less prone to blame-gaming and more able to take initiative at the local / state level to do what needed to be done.

I find this to be an important piece of the puzzle. Rick usually gets high marks for his handling of hurricanes. Rita, Ike, and Dolly were the most destructive of all time in Texas, yet the state hung in there. How many hurricanes will hit Texas this summer and early fall? That might give Rick the boost he needs to get over the top against Kay, or it might invite partisan and intraparty criticism of his handling, if any little thing goes wrong along the way.

I think the key is clearing your schedule if a hurricane even sniffs the state.

Adventures in Photoshop, starring Rick and Kay.

The liberal Hysterical Raisins blog has a funny Photoshop of Rick and Kay (link)....

Why is it that liberal blogs seem so much more lively and active than conservative ones? Shouldn't conservative blogs be commenting much more on the Rick vs. Kay race? Probably, but I think liberals are more excited about the race because they see it as a race that will damage the GOP in Texas and give them a window of opportunity to sneak in a steal the Governor's Mansion, assuming there is a Governor's Mansion at some point in the future.

Kay honored by Navy, given highest civilian award...

Earlier this week, Kay got a big honor from the Navy.

Texas Insider has the story (link). Excerpt follows...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a ceremony in Washington, D.C., U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, the ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, today was presented with the Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award, which is the Service’s highest civilian honor. Acting Secretary BJ Penn presented Sen. Hutchison with a medal and citation on behalf of the U.S. Navy.

The citation reads:

“For exceptionally distinguished service to the Department of the Navy as a member of Congress and the Senate Appropriations Committee from January 2006 to January 2009. Senator Hutchison’s selfless devotion to the Nation’s Sailors and Marines ensured they were provided the resources necessary to effectively conduct the Global War on Terrorism. Her courageous leadership, vision, and loyalty to the men and women of the Department of the Navy greatly contributed to their quality of life and helped create the most modern and highly trained fighting force in history. As Ranking Minority member of the Subcommittee for Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Hutchison’s tireless advocacy helped maintain the Navy and Marine Corps team at the highest levels of combat readiness to meet the challenges of the 21st century. With grateful appreciation for her outstanding contributions to the Nation and the Navy and Marine Corps, Senator Hutchison is awarded the Department of the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award.”

“I am truly honored by this recognition. During my Senate career, I have been privileged to serve on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and to work on behalf of the Sailors and Marines who fight to keep our country free and safe,” said Sen. Hutchison. “Equipping all our men and women in our Armed Forces with the tools and resources they need to do their jobs and complete their missions has been one of my most critical priorities.”

Past recipients of the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award include Representative Chet Edwards (D-17), who was honored for his leadership as Chairman of the House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee.

Chet Edwards has been brilliant at getting lots of military dollars for his district. Kay has done the same thing for Texas... lots of military resources.

Rick and Texas in THE ONION... classic...

Funny stuff, in The Onion (link). Excerpt follows...

WICHITA FALLS, TX—Calling it an essential step toward securing the Texas border and protecting his people's way of life, Gov. Rick Perry announced Tuesday the completion of a 1,953-mile wall designed to keep out millions of unwanted Americans.

According to Perry, the 75-foot-high barricade running along the northern boundary is the culmination of more than 160 years of escalating tensions between Texas and the United States.

Enlarge Image Texas Wall Features

Though a protective barrier has been under consideration for decades, the Texas Legislature voted unanimously to begin construction on the project immediately following the 2008 presidential election.

"As governor, it is my responsibility to do whatever's necessary to maintain the territorial integrity of Texas," Perry told reporters during a press conference held inside a sniper tower overlooking Oklahoma. "If you are a Texas citizen, you shouldn't have to worry about some American coming in here, using your goods and services, and taking away your job."

"Let the record show I have nothing personal against Americans," Perry added. "I just think they should stay in America, where they belong." 

Good stuff from The Onion.

Why this 10th amendment stuff is so powerful for Rick...

After holding what seemed like a huge lead for Kay a few months ago, a few polls have come out recently showing a narrowing of the race. Indeed, Rick even leads among conservatives by 15 points in Rasmussen. Most Republican primary voters call themselves conservatives, so that is a pretty big deal. Kay holds a big lead among moderates, but this is not shaping up to be the year for moving to the center, if you are in a Republican primary. The sea was angry that day my friends, like an old man sending back soup at a deli. The base is angry. They want the most conservative, period.

A few months ago, if you would have asked me to place a wager on Rick or Kay, and I had to pick one, I would have picked Kay. I think her lead was just big enough to warrant that. Now, I think it is a real toss up, with a slight edge going to Rick due to his momentum.

What caused the turnaround?

This 10th amendment stuff is powerful, despite the mainstream media misunderstanding and mischaracterization of the issue. Texas Republicans totally understand it.

America's Right blog has a really comprehensive wrap up blog about the Tea Party 2.0 call from last Thursday (link). Excerpt follows...

"When it comes to the Tenth Amendment, I look at it pretty simply," Perry said, cautioning that he was neither attorney nor constitutional law scholar. "The federal government was created as an agent for the states, not the other way around. It’s a simple concept, but it’s been lost on so many."

Alone in my living room, a cordless phone on the coffee table, I clapped when I heard that.

Rick seemed to do a pretty good job winning over some of the skeptical tea party type of people, as did Mark Sanford. The 10th amendment just sets certain people off. HCR 50 being killed or delayed by a liberal Democrat point of order in the legislature is not something that will make the base very happy about, but they won't turn their ire against Rick for it... or Kay for that matter. They may get active in the next GOP primary at the local level, though.

Back to the Tea Party conference call, where that comment about clapping out loud in his living room came from...

Bloggers and people on twitter really seemed to love all over Rick and Mark alike right after the call. Unfortunately, although I signed up for the call I never received a call to join, but the RGA does have it archived on their web site...

http://www.thegopcomeback.com/files/RGA_FightforFreedomCall.mp3

I listened to some of it but not all. Let me know if there are any specific gems in there, and I will see if I can blog them.

Democrat Mark Thompson running for Texas Governor...

Democrat Mark Thompson, who performed surprisingly well against African American Republican Michael Williams in last year's election for the Rail Road Commission, is planning a run for Governor.

KIII from South Texas has the story (link). Excerpt follows...

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Mark Thompson, who made an unsuccessful bid last year to be Texas Railroad Commissioner, says he will run for governor as a Democrat.

Thompson, a therapist for blind children, filed paperwork Wednesday with the Texas Ethics Commission that is the first step in a run for office.

Thompson garnered about 44 percent of the statewide vote in his 2008 run for railroad commissioner. He lost to Michael L. Williams, who received about 4 million votes to Thompson's 3.4 million.

Former ambassador Tom Schieffer and author and humorist Kinky Friedman have said they are considering running for the Democratic nomination.

On the Republican side, Gov Rick Perry has said he will run for re-election. He will be challenged by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in the primary election.

Add in Kinky, Tom Schieffer, and possibly a few others, are all running for Governor on the Democrat side. A contested primary for Democrats makes the likelihood of massive Democrat cross over for Kay increasingly unlikely.

Kay calls on Obama to keep Guantanamo open...

Kay is on the record opposing Obama's closing of Guantanamo. Watch her own words, unfiltered (link)...

I agree with every word she says here.

Obama should not close down Guantanamo Bay just because he boxed himself in during the campaign. The fact that there is a term called "Guantanamo Gut" where these terrorists are actually gaining a lot of weight there from their first real medical care and nutrition speaks volumes. Kay staying in the Senate or leaving is a tough decision, but being able to take leadership roles on issues such as this is one big advantage to staying in the Senate. Kay can fire up the base on some of these issues, and Rick will never, ever comment on them, because he is the Governor. Kay though can comment on both national issues and Texas issues, because she is a Senator running for Governor. She can fill some conservative space that Rick can't even access, and by doing so she will gain lots of good will with the base. She can also use her seniority and her street cred as a moderate Republican to take a leadership role on some of these pressing and important issues. That's what we want to see our Senator doing. Give us more things like this to be proud of, Kay.

Kay supporters play the gender card against Rick...

One of Rick's campaign strategists Dave Carney said over the weekend, and I quote (link)...

Perry political consultant Dave Carney said the Republican governor agrees the party should welcome new voters.

"But that doesn't mean you take your principles and throw them out the door and become a whorehouse and let anybody in who wants to come in, regardless," Carney said.

I read this story and linked to it in an earlier blog, but I didn't even think much of the quote... sure, "whorehouse" is a strong word, but I guess it was one of those comments that makes you nod your head and say, "preach it, brother." I certainly didn't connect the comment to Kay specifically. Not at all. And it was a campaign strategist, not even Rick himself.

A few of Kay's female supporters have sent a letter to Rick asking him to apologize for the comment. The indefatigable Matt Stiles has the story in a blog (link). Now this issue is all over the liberal blogs. ALL OVER. They are so excited to see this story out there.

I can't stop rolling my eyes as I read this stupid letter from this handful of thin skinned Kay supporters to the Governor. My eyes just may get stuck looking back at my brain I am rolling them so hard.

Playing the race card is stupid.

This right here is just as stupid. This is the gender card. It is whiny. It is the same victimhood 101 that all the liberal interest groups use to get attention.

Let me get this straight. 

Rick's campaign strategist says that the GOP should be a big tent but shouldn't be a whorehouse and compromise its principles. That is DEAD ON observation, direct aim, right to the heart of what is wrong with the GOP these days. Everyone I talk to in the Republican Party grassroots agrees with this. People are sick and tired of the Republicans In Name Only setting the GOP agenda. We need to stand for something as a party or we are not credible come election time.

Somehow that comment gets taken as calling Kay a whore?

GIVE ME A BREAK!?!?

This is turning into a credibility problem for the Kay supporters making the request for an apology and for the msm who is fanning the flames. I can't believe the media fed this beast Stupid stupid stupid. They are setting a precedent, and now if a handful of Rick's supporters write a letter about some stupid made up issue it now requires the same level of coverage just to be fair and balanced. Stupid stupid stupid.

This is the kind of stuff that makes me hate intraparty fighting. This is the kind of stuff the Democrats can't get enough of. They love it. They can't wait to see 50 million dollars of THIS crap on TV tearing the Texas GOP apart and tearing the eventual primary winner down.

When we have primary battles within the GOP, let's have them on philosophy, issues, and vision, not petty crap like this. This is not productive or helpful.

New Gallup poll on abortion views seems like good news for Rick...

Last week, Gallup released a poll showing that for the first time more than a majority of Americans consider themselves to be pro life (link), which is an interesting reaction to the active pro choice agenda of this administration I would suppose.

Gallup has some explanation...

With the first pro-choice president in eight years already making changes to the nation's policies on funding abortion overseas, expressing his support for the Freedom of Choice Act, and moving toward rescinding federal job protections for medical workers who refuse to participate in abortion procedures, Americans -- and, in particular, Republicans -- seem to be taking a step back from the pro-choice position. However, the retreat is evident among political moderates as well as conservatives.

That is a pretty big change in one year, which makes me suspicious about the entire poll. Numbers usually don't fluctuate that much that fast, although with Obama in power and the radical liberal Democrats in control of congress anything is possible.

When you drill down further you see why the numbers have changed. Democrats have stayed the same but more Republicans have moved toward being more pro life...

This is a pretty huge shift for Republicans, who see all of Obama's pro choice activism as something that galvanizes them toward pro life views.

Even moderates are becoming more pro life...

This would seem to boost the pro life Rick's chances against the "moderately pro choice" Kay. I think Texas Republicans would probably skew even more pro life than the national average.

Reaction to Rick's op-ed on secession...

On Sunday, I gave Rick's op-ed in the Austin American Statesman a C- grade.

The conservative Lone Star Times (link) thought it was much better. Excerpt follows...

Finally, the word is getting out that Gov. Perry did not advocate for secession. That angle was pushed by the Kay Bailey Hutchison camp in an effort to shore up their rapidly dwindling support. Gov. Perry’s op-ed is on the mark when it comes to the issue of, as he states, a federal government that is like a swollen river that has overflowed its banks.

[SNIP]

Back to the Trail Blazers entry, they are one of the few media outlets that provide balanced coverage. And they provide nice balance in this one.

    Word from inside the Beltway is that Perry’s pronouncements on states

    rights and secession have made him a sort of amusing later-day George

    Wallace.

That phrase “Word from inside the Beltway” really means from inside the KBH camp because that is the only home she’s known for the past 16 years after breaking her original campaign promise in the 1993 special election to serve only two full terms. She has been there so long, she might not be able to recognize the truth in the next Trail Blazers sentence.

    But polls in Texas suggest that Texans aren’t put off by the

    message — and understand the context and subtlety of remarks that play

    to the state’s independent streak.

Texans completely understood what Gov. Perry was saying. The 2010 primary isn’t going to be the walk in the moderate park that KBH thought it was going to be.

Radio Vice blog also thinks highly of the op ed (link), saying that Rick "gets it." Excerpt follows...

For many, federal involvement is required simply because they think income must be redistributed; taken from one and provided directly to another. But Perry - like other states - have proven their system can work.

The LA Times had some coverage about rejecting secession. They have been covering Rick a lot lately it seems like, since California is so concerned with all things Texas these days (link). Probably because we are taking all of their jobs. Excerpt follows...

Reporting from Houston -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry wants to make one thing clear.

"We live in a great country," he said, hands pressed to his chest. "I'm not in favor of Texas seceding."

That said, Perry insisted that those who jumped on his statement last month -- a seeming nod and wink at the idea -- were purposely trying to distract from the real problem: Washington's overreaching.

"This was a classic example of trying to deflect off the issue at hand, which people were talking about," Perry said, doing a bit of his own deflecting between stops on a steamy Houston afternoon. "They're sick of Washington overspending. They're sick of Washington mandating to states how to run their business. That's what this country ought to be having a discussion about."

The liberal blogs are calling it a flip flop or a backtrack, but they were obviously not paying attention to begin with. As far as the op-ed goes, I stand by my grade of C minus. It could have come out a lot earlier and a lot more forceful.