Sunday, January 31, 2010

Focus groups sez Rick won the debate...

The Texas Tribune and KXAN did a focus group on debate night with ten undecided primary voters, and after the second debate half are still undecided... but 9 out of 10 said Rick won the debate. The other 1 said Medina won (link).

According to most polls there are between 10 and 20 percent undecided voters... Rick needs maybe half of them to break his direction to avoid a runoff and get 50% out right...

Mathematically there are almost no ways for Medina or Kay to win 50%, but they are both trying to force a run off where they believe they would stand a better chance one on one.

I think if any primary voters watched the second debate on a Friday night then Rick will likely avoid a runoff... just how many people actually watched though may be a very small number... and there are still two weeks before early voting starts for Kay to run her killer attack ad if she has one... now is the time for the bomb shell to drop...

Watch the debate online...

Rick won this one. Medina could have done better but just did not... Kay came in last and there aren't many who are even arguing the contra of that...

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV

The debate was better than the first one with the exception of the gotcha questions they asked the candidates... those were not really helpful...

Debra Medina seemed a lot more agitated and angry this time and just as difficult to listen to for a long period of time... Rick seemed really well prepared especially with specific numbers and facts... Kay disappeared a lot in this debate...

If the polls showing Kay slipping behind by 20 points in certain House Districts are correct (link) then she needed to land a serious blow on Rick. She did nothing... not only did she not land a punch, and not only did Rick not not lose... he won.

Medina is still barely cracking double digits, and I think she risks putting a ceiling on her support with some of her behavior and comments... she looks more and more like someone who just personally does not like Rick than someone who really believes she has better ideas than her target...

Rick going green... recycling commercials from 2006...

Rick is going soft on us... turning his campaign ads green...

Burka and R.G. Ratcliffe are pointing out that Rick's new border ad is recycled from 2006 (link).

The new ad...


The old ads...



That is funny... I wonder if Rick is doing this to save money, or what the reason is... I guess in some ways this is the power of incumbency... you don't have to print new bumper stickers or create new logos or anything... you can even use the same positive ads over and over...

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Should I change the name of this blog to Rick vs. Debra?

Is Kay even still relevant? Will she slip behind Medina in the polls after her lackluster performance in the second debate?

The Dallas Blog makes some good points (link). Excerpt follows...

When the GOP gubernatorial debate was finished last night at Belo’s WFAA-TV in Dallas, the 40 or 50 journalists who’d been watching the show backstage from a “media viewing area” were invited to file into the Channel 8 lobby, where featured performers Gov. Rick Perry, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Debra Medina had been asked to attend a post-debate press conference.

Pretty soon, though, word filtered into the lobby that Perry wouldn’t be showing up. Then came news that Hutchison wouldn’t, either. Only Medina (pictured) stepped to the podium, claiming a “strong” debate performance and ripping her opponents for their absence at the after-party.

Medina was right about performing strongly in the statewide debate–she outdid Hutchison, for sure–but I’d say the night’s real winner was Perry. In contrast to the public-TV debate held earlier this month, when he came off oily and shallow, last night’s Perry was sharp, composed and commanding, downright statesmanlike. The turnaround was enough to etch his frontrunner status in the race in stone, I’d bet, and by the time the evening was over the increasingly formidable Medina–surprisingly and against all odds– seemed a threat to overtake Kay.

I would agree but as I have said I think Medina has fringed herself with her appearances on Alex Jones' program, her secession rally speeches, her foul language, and some of her personal rather than policy attacks on Rick. If not for those things Medina might be a credible Anyone But Rick alternative to Kay. As it is I am not sure... and I think I will keep the name Rick vs. Kay...

Medina... fringing herself?

At the debate Friday night the moderators showed a video clip of Debra Medina speaking at a secession rally at the Texas Capitol Building last summer... they may have taken it a little bit out of context... here is the full clip...

I think she was actually saying we should do nullification instead of secession... and the clip they showed in the debate got the biggest applause line of the entire speech...

Still... her delivery of the line that they played during the debate probably closed a lot of minds to her Friday night... she came across as not just really conservative and fed up and angry... she came across as a bit fringey...

Listen to Medina's voice for more than a few minutes and you quickly determine that listening to her for a few years as the leader of Texas is not in the cards...

Medina also risks fringing herself not only because of her ideas like drug legalization... but because she seeks out the support of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his peeps... and because she gives confusing fringey answers on issues like gay marriage that conservatives and libertarians strongly disagree upon...

I hate to even write this because it seems like a personal attack and I would rather talk issues than mere style but Medina's voice and delivery is a really painful version of Peggy Hill from King of the Hill... not just the sound of it but the smart yet overconfident to the point of being condescending sass...




A few days ago I blogged my opinions on whether Kay or Rick could "fringe" Medina and concluded that Medina is too smart to let them do that... but now it turns out Medina may be doing that to herself... it is one thing for a politician to call someone a "major league a--hole" when they don't realize they are being recorded... or even "adios mofo." It is another thing entirely to intentionally use a bad word freely and repeatedly... again... intentionally...

On purpose...

Medina used the "bull----" word in a recent interview and again in a press release (link). On purpose... why would she do that?

This is Kinky Friedman, Jesse Ventura style politics... a prank spoiler candidacy.... not serious or substantive if bad words are what she is resorting to to get attention.

Simply... Kay is doing so terribly that she may drive herself into third place but Medina is not someone who can or will overtake Kay for second place if she continues using these words and courting certain fringe peeps. Yes people are mad about politicians... yes we get it that Medina is mad about politics... yes there are probably a lot of South Park Republicans or Penn & Teller Libertarians who don't mind bad words and even like hearing them... but Medina's persistent and intentional use of bad words is only harming her credibility and creating a ceiling for her support. Who knows, maybe all of her supporters love that kind of potty language but she won't grow that support if she keeps it up.

All and all, Medina is flirting way too much with the fringe, not setting herself up to be a serious rising challenge and credible "Anyone But Rick" alternative to Kay...

Rick calling for balanced budget amendments...

Rick is really in election mode these days... calling for constitutional amendments both to the Texas constitution and the federal constitution...

First the Texas proposals (link). Excerpt follows...

Rick Perry never mentioned U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's name during a San Antonio campaign swing Tuesday but he often hinted she's guilty by association with the Washington political establishment.

During a brief media event at Mission Restaurant Supply downtown, the governor called for passage of two state constitutional amendments that he said would help Texas maintain fiscal discipline. He also called on Congress to pass a balanced-budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Perry's proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution focused on tax and spending restrictions. One would require that any state tax increase must be passed by a two-thirds vote of the Legislature. The other would limit spending rate increases to the combined growth rates of population and inflation.

Now the federal proposals from the Texas Conservative Coalition ironically (link). Excerpt follows...

January 27, 2010


The Honorable Rick Perry

Governor of Texas

Post Office Box 12428

Austin, Texas 78711


Dear Governor Perry,


We strongly support your call for the adoption of a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution.

Federal spending is unsustainable, potentially ruining the country’s long-term fiscal stability and weakening our economy.


Yet, President Barack Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi will continue with their profligacy until the Constitution clearly and directly mandates a balanced budget.


This unprecedented spending has serious consequences.


Just this month (January 2010), the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected "that if current laws and policies remained unchanged, the federal budget would show a deficit of $1.3 trillion for fiscal year 2010." The CBO also projected that the "budget picture remains daunting beyond this year, with deficits averaging about $600 billion annually from 2011 through 2020."


At some point, a future generation of Americans will be forced to pay the bill for Congress’ reckless spending today. When that time comes, what will tax rates be? How much liberty will we have lost?


In 1977, the State of Texas formally petitioned the United States Congress to enact a federal requirement under which:

"the total of all federal appropriations made by the Congress for any fiscal year may not exceed the total of all estimated Federal revenues for that fiscal year." Source: House Concurrent Resolution 31, 65th Texas Legislature; United States Senate Congressional Record, January 15, 1979; page 134


It is time to renew the call for a federal balanced budget amendment, and we are enthusiastic about taking the lead in pushing for it.


Those of us actively involved with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) will ask our colleagues in other states to also take up this cause. We will not stand idly by as the Administration and Congressional majority bankrupt America in the reckless pursuit of a radical agenda.


Please do not hesitate to call on the members of the Texas Conservative Coalition if we may be of assistance in this effort.

Thank you for your service to the State of Texas.


Sincerely,


State Representative Wayne Christian

House District 9 – Center

State Representative Warren Chisum

House District 88 - Pampa

State Representative Brandon Creighton

House District 16 – Conroe

State Representative Bryan Hughes

House District 5 – Mineola

State Representative Tan Parker

House District 63 – Flower Mound

State Representative Jodie Laubenberg

House District 89 – Parker

State Representative Ken Paxton

House District 70 – McKinney

State Representative Leo Berman

House District 6 – Tyler

State Representative Dan Flynn

House District 2 – Van

State Representative Phil King

House District 61 – Weatherford

State Representative Geanie Morrison

House District 30 – Victoria

State Representative Larry Taylor

House District 24 – Friendswood

TCC P.O. Box 2659, Austin TX 78768 512-474-1798 www.txcc.org 2

State Representative Charles “Doc” Anderson

House District 56 – Waco

State Representative Dwayne Bohac

House District 138 – Houston

State Representative Betty Brown

House District 4 – Terrell

State Representative Fred Brown

House District 14 – College Station

State Representative Angie Chen Button

House District 112 – Dallas

State Representative Bill Callegari

House District 132 – Katy

State Representative Frank Corte

House District 122 – San Antonio

State Representative John Davis

House District 129 – Houston

State Senator Bob Deuell

Senate District 2 – Greenville

State Representative Joe Driver

House District 113 – Garland

State Senator Kevin Eltife

Senate District 1 – Tyler

State Representative Allen Fletcher

House District 130 – Tomball

State Representative Dan Gattis

House District 20 – Georgetown

State Representative Kelly Hancock

House District 91 – North Richland Hills

State Representative Patricia Harless

House District 126 – Spring

State Senator Glenn Hegar

Senate District 18 – Katy

State Representative Charlie Howard

House District 26 – Sugar Land

State Senator Joan Huffman

Senate District 17 – Houston

State Representative Todd Hunter

House District 32 – Corpus Christi

State Representative Jim Jackson

House District 115 – Carrollton

State Representative Tim Kleinschmidt

House District 17 – Lexington

State Representative Ken Legler

House District 144 – Pasadena

State Representative Tryon Lewis

House District 81 – Odessa

State Representative Sid Miller

House District 59 – Stephenville

State Senator Robert Nichols

Senate District 3 - Jacksonville

State Representative Rob Orr

House District 58 – Burleson

State Representative John Otto

House District 18 – Dayton

State Senator Dan Patrick

Senate District 7 – Houston

State Representative Debbie Riddle

House District 150 – Tomball

State Senator Kel Seliger

Senate District 31 – Amarillo

State Representative Ralph Sheffield

House District 55 – Temple

State Representative Mark Shelton

House District 97 – Fort Worth

State Representative David Swinford

House District 87 – Dumas

State Representative Vicki Truitt

House District 98 – Keller

State Representative Randy Weber

House District 29 – Pearland

State Senator Jeff Wentworth

Senate District 25 – San Antonio

State Senator Tommy Williams

Senate District 4 – The Woodlands

State Representative John Zerwas House District 28 – Richmond

TCC P.O. Box 2659, Austin TX 78768 512-474-1798 www.txcc.org

It is easy to say that this is all election year posturing and maybe it is... but elections are often where the best ideas come out... and if candidates campaign on them and win they can convince their fellow lawmakers that there is a mandate for action.

If Rick can run on balanced budget amendments and win... he can go into the next legislative session and push for those things and say the people have spoken.

Frankly his ideas so far make a lot of sense and are politically feasible at least at the state level. Getting rid of the property tax as Medina has proposed is exciting... but sales taxes may have to hit 20% or worse if we did that... and an income tax would always be on the agenda.

Rick and Medina have both pushed big ideas like this... Kay is somewhat lagging... especially in light of her reform plans she has pushed in the past and done nothing about...

Friday, January 29, 2010

Rick talking about gun shows being shut down...

Rick on tape talking about gun shows getting shut down (link)...


Rick says it sounds like harassment what the feds are doing... almost a new secession moment but he pulls back from getting too one sided and does say that he needs to get more of the facts... and that gun show peeps need to find a new venue...

Amazing that so many thousands of people have already watched this video... but no media have reported on this issue at all...

Recent endorsements...

Kay recently got George H. W. Bush and Jim Baker on her team... Rick announced that Sarah Palin would be coming to Houston on February 7th (link)...

Rick has also cleaned up in some of the last remaining big endorsements... he got the National Rifle Association, the Texas State Rifle Association, the Young Conservatives of Texas, and the Texas Association of Business all the past week. At this point I can't think of many other endorsements that are remaining...

Rick is now claiming to have more than 1 million people represented by his endorsements... he also got a bunch of big bloggers like Andrew Breitbart over the weekend at his blogger conference...

Are there any other endorsements that really matter at this point? George W. Bush maybe?



Why is Washington broken? Stuff like this... Kay votes for a bill before she votes against it...

Rick must really be in Kay's head... because some of her votes just really baffle the mind...

Kay voted against a a deficit reduction commission this week after being one of the cosponsors on it...

POLITICO has the explanation (link). Excerpt follows...

Who would co-sponsor a bill, and then vote against it?

Six Republican senators would -- almost the exact margin of defeat Tuesday for a plan endorsed by President Barack Obama that would have formed a task force on the deficit to try to force tough choices on Congress.

The idea, long championed by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), needed 60 votes to advance but got only 53.

Among those voting against it: Republicans Sam Brownback of Kansas, Mike Crapo of Idaho, John Ensign of Nevada, Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, James Inhofe of Oklahoma and John McCain of Arizona.

[SNIP]

A Hutchison spokesperson said: “She is no longer a co-sponsor, due to concerns that it would allow for tax increases, not focused on spending cuts.”


This is really confusing... she was one of the sponsors on this bill... but she suddenly worried that it would lead to a tax hike? Why did Big John Cornyn vote for it then? Is Kay saying that Cornyn is endorsing a tax hike? What about Jim DeMint, the Wyoming senators, and Tom Coburn? I can't imagine them all voting for higher taxes. I think Kay is so paranoid about voting the wrong way that it might actually be making her vote the wrong way.

From all indications she voted the wrong way on this deficit reduction commission...

Can Medina be "fringed" in the debate tonight?

Medina is concerned about being fringed by Rick and Kay (link). Excerpt follows...

"I'm reading. I don't like rehearsing much. I really like policy. I'm a business person. I want details, I want data, I want information, I want a plan. I know I'm going to get hit on the drug thing. They're either going to use that or the fact that I spoke to Log Cabin Republicans, something to try to fringe me with, so I'm doing some work in that regard. But they have a real hard time catching me, because they don't think like I do."

Medina had told me earlier in the day that she had spoken to Log Cabin Republicans -- gay Republicans -- and that she had told them that she thought their lifestyle was immoral, but that didn't mean she couldn't work with them on other issues. On "the drug thing," she has libertarian inclinations, which means that she's willing to at least entertain the idea that the so-called war on drugs is futile.

The Beeville native helped herself in the first debate. Be on the lookout this Friday for efforts on the part of the senator and the guv to "try to fringe her," which would indicate that the two professional pols in the race are taking her grassroots candidacy seriously.

I think Medina is here to stay... even the Wall Street Journal is giving her press (link). Excerpt follows...

Mrs. Medina is critical of both Mr. Perry and Ms. Hutchison, calling them "two sides of the same coin." But she has reserved some of her sharpest jabs for the governor, whom she described in an interview as the "jumpy, fidgety frat boy sitting on stage with me two weeks ago."

In response to Mrs. Medina's remark, Catherine Frazier, a spokesman for the governor, said: "Under Gov. Perry's leadership, Texas is the strongest state in the nation. If that is what she thinks about where Texas is headed, that's unfortunate."

Dr. Henson of the Texas Politics Project was among the political mavens who thought Mr. Perry would prevail in a runoff, because he was most likely to capture Mrs. Medina's voters.

But others thought Ms. Hutchison would benefit from the extra campaign time a runoff would afford and from Mrs. Medina's attacks on the governor, which the senator encouraged during the first debate.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we see more fire coming in from Gov. Perry in the direction of Debra Medina," said Ken Emanuelson, a leader of the tea-party movement in Dallas, which worked to ensure that she was included in both debates.

The line about the jumpy frat boy is the kind of thing that makes Medina look like she has a personal animus against Rick and not just a set of policy differences.

Last time it looked like Medina and Kay were teaming up against Rick in a way that was almost too organized... how will this debate play out? Will Medina go after Kay more this time, or will she continue focusing on Rick? Rick being the front runner will probably take heat from both... so will he continue directing his fire toward Kay or will he take some shots at Medina this time around?

I think Medina is ripe for some tough questions... she seemed to struggle at her editorial board meeting with the issue of her clothes being paid for by her campaign... and she struggled at the first debate when asked about legalizing drugs... the only time anyone really threw her more than a lob to hit...

Medina is the kind of candidate who can be fringed... but I think Medina is far too sharp to let herself be fringed. Now put her under a microscope and scrutinize her for a long period of time... wear her down... then it is a different story... but she doesn't have the same pressure packed grueling schedule Rick and Kay have had for more than a year.

Is Medina on "our team" or not?

A fairly well known very very conservative Republican activist in the Austin area named Michelle Samuelson has a blog calling out Debra Medina for saying that she would not support the winner of the Republican primary in the general election (link). Excerpt follows...
I guess this really shouldn't surprise anyone. In an interview, Debra Medina told Robert Pratt of Pratt on Texas that if she doesn't win the Republican primary for governor, she will support a third party candidate in November.
This is the problem with most "wing" a certain wing of the Republican Party. Instead of rallying behind the "80%" candidates, they throw stones and end up helping the Democratic Party. Liberals. Who agree with them maybe 20% of the time.
This is actually a pretty big deal... for Medina to say she is going to support some third party candidate in November is basically tantamount to saying she is not a Republican... her sore loser lawsuit against the party that she lost fits into that profile as well...

Is Medina a real Republican, or someone who disagrees fundamentally with important portions of the Republican platform? I can think of several of areas where Medina is not really a conservative.

Michelle followed up her blog with another (link)...
I have a question for the people so disgusted with McCain that they did one of these things in November 2008. How isthat working out for you? Yeah, I do look at it as "Republicans" versus "Democrats." Again, two-party system, major parties in the country.

Getting back to Texas and the gubernatorial race. Mrs. Medina polls at about 12% according to the latest from Rasmussen. Which is about right for a relatively unknown candidate who flirts with the fringe vote and isn't competitive in fundraising. I want to say, in case this isn't clear - I do not think badly of Debra Medina. I think she is a refreshing voice, I think she brings important things into the debate. Does that translate into thinking she can win, now or in November? No. Like a third party candidate in a general election, she will simply draw enough votes to push the other candidates into a run-off.
I am not yet a believer in the run off scenario but I think Medina has to be licking her chops thinking about moving past Kay and going toe to toe with Rick... and Kay has to be feeling the heat from Medina nipping on her heels... she is probably throwing things at the staffers who told her that being really inviting and open to Medina would be a good idea... it turns out Medina is taking just as many votes if not more votes away from Kay than Rick...

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Kay's poll numbers are tanking... I know why....

Paul Burka this evening blogged two sets of poll numbers showing Rick with truly enormous leads in House districts (link). Excerpt follows...

I received this information about polls that were taken in two House districts, HD 3 (Homer) and HD 47 (Bolton). The first poll is from HD 3. The pollster was Chris Wilson. Fair warning: Both polls were sent to me by a source close to the Perry campaign:

Perry 47
KBH 26
Medina 13
Undecided 14

In HD 47 (Mike Baselice poll):

Perry 45
KBH 26
Medina 19
Undecided 9

The obvious thing that jumps out is Medina’s number, in Travis County yet. Obviously she is taking more votes from Hutchison than from Perry.

Rick is getting very close to that magic 50% threshold to avoid a runoff... I think the more a runoff is the discussed the more that Medina's peeps may end up not voting for her (unless she passes Kay in a public poll in which case she will have a real surge)... people don't want a runoff... they want it decided... they will vote strategically to avoid that...

In the subject line of this blog I promised that I knew why Kay is tanking in the polls... here it is...


I missed it but a friend told me about Bill O'Reilly tonight... he had Frank Luntz on who said the thing people reacted to the most negatively during Obama's State of the Union was when he mentioned the bailout and how it was a necessary thing even though people didn't like it... the dials on his focus groups basically told Obama that he was full of it... this is an issue that crosses party lines... independent lines... people are angry like a woman scorned on this issue... Nobody wants to hear that the bailout worked. Nobody wants to hear that Washington politicians were smarter than the rest of us... nobody wants to hear that the bailout was really the right thing to do. Nobody...

Kay is suffering from the same thing. Rick's ad about her bailout vote is destroying Kay. Absolutely destroying her. The footage of her at that fund raiser saying she would not give Ronald Reagan a blank check for 700 billion dollars... then the C-SPAN footage of her standing up and voting for the 700 billion dollar bailout... it is a devastating ad that has ruined Kay. I don't think she has any chance of recovering from this total annihilation. She can only hope to take Rick down with her at this point...

Rick still needs a final surge of his own... and he can get it if he can focus his ads on convincing people that Texas is the best in America and that he deserves some credit for that he may easily rise above 50%... and if his Amway voter thing his peeps are shelling out so much dough on actually works out then he will get closer to 55% or more...

Kay bashes Rick on teen pregnancy rates...

Paul Burka is revealing the campaign press releases every day, and he posted a strange one from Kay's peeps (link). Excerpt follows...

Hutchison

The daily blast from the Hutchison campaign includes this discussion:

Texas had the 4th highest teen pregnancy rate in the country in 2005, according to a new study. That’s up one notch from 5th highest in 2000, according to new data from the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights and is a leading source of data on abortion-related trends. Overall, the group reported a 3 percent increase in the nation’s teen pregnancy rate in 2006, a year after reaching its lowest point in three decades.

KBH’s daily release frequently carries bits of bad news about Texas. Yesterday’s selection was about rising employment. The unstated message, of course, is that these things are happening on Rick Perry’s watch. I don’t think that trumpeting bad news about Texas is very smart. When things go badly for Texas, they don’t just happen to Rick Perry. They happen to all of us.

Nor do I think that it was wise to bring up the teen pregnancy data. The immediate question that comes to mind is, What do you propose to do about it? A debate is coming up on Thursday, and a very good question to ask is, “Senator Hutchison, you have expressed concern that Texas has the fourth highest teen pregnancy rate in the country. Do you support the state’s policy of abstinence-based sex education or would you favor sex education that provides students with information about birth control and sexually transmitted diseases?”

Why is Kay's team bringing up teen pregnancy rates? That just smacks of tearing down Texas for no good reason. This is obviously a cultural and socio economic issue... Texas has 4 or 5 of the top 10 biggest urban centers in the country... Texas also has a huge area near the border that is heavily Hispanic... those are huge drivers of teen pregnancy, and there is not much anyone can do to change those realities in a short period of time...

I don't think this is a wise attack for Kay's peeps. Tearing down Texas on things the governor has almost nothing to do with just looks petty and nitpicky... and as Paul Burka stated Kay has not offered any solutions. Would she hand out condoms in schools? Teach kids about birth control pills in 7th grade? Yeah those are going to be popular...

What are Kay's ideas to solve this alleged problem?

Kay and Cornyn with Ft. Hood hero....

A funny story from PoliTex... Big John Cornyn and Kay both sent out press releases showing themselves with Ft. Hood hero Kimberly Munley (link). Excerpt follows...

Cornyn Shares the Glory with Fort Hood hero; KBH doesn't

Cornyn Hutchison with MunleySen. John Cornyn released a press release yesterday about a visit by Sgt. Kimberly Munley, a hero of the Fort Hood shotings, with both him and Sen. Hutchison. Munley will be at the State of the Union address.

Press release:

"Sens. Cornyn and Hutchison today met in Washington with Sgt. Kimberly Munley, the civilian police hero who took down Maj. Nidal Hasan when he launched a deadly attack on Fort Hood last year. Although Munley was hit in both legs and her wrist during the gun battle, she stayed on her feet and kept firing at the gunman. She is a member of Fort Hood's "Special Reaction Team," which trains for events like the Nov. 5 massacre.

Munley is in D.C. to attend the State of the Union as a special guest of the First Lady."

Here's what Hutchison's office released of the same photo op, with no mention of Cornyn.

HutchisonMunley "Today, U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) met with Sgt. Kimberly Munley. Sgt. Munley is the police officer responsible for ending the attack at Fort Hood."





LOL...

I don't see what the big deal is honestly but it does remind me of when Kay jumped in front of all of those cameras in the heat of the Ft. Hood incident... and her poll numbers went down or at least stayed the same after all of that...

I think there was a pretty strong consensus amongst the Austin set that she was on television way too much and made some pretty serious mistakes because she did not have the full facts...

Video from Rick's blogger summit...

I really wish I would have gone now. The Texas Tribune has a good video recap (link)...


Roger Simon has a longer recap on Pajamas Media (link).

Melissa Clouthier has a bunch of videos too...







Another blogger... it looks like maybe the same one who posted that infamous secession video... has some too...



If Rick and his peeps do this again I am going... even if I have to go as a pseudonym for my pseudonym...

As the Texas Tribune explained don't expect any of these types of events from Kay or her peeps. She doesn't believe in blogging... thinks Rick is crazy for not seeking newspaper endorsements... and as her spokesman said... she doesn't see any purpose to an event like this (link). Excerpt follows...
Unless you’re running for national office, “there’s really no point to inviting non-Texan bloggers,” said campaign spokesman Joe Pounder.

[SNIP]

The Hutchison campaign's online strategy includes, in addition to Twitter and Facebook, a social media network called the “Kay Network” and a feature which allows supporters to make campaign calls from their homes. But don’t expect any blogger summits. “I don’t see the strategic rationale for the event — all campaigns are involved in online strategy,” Pounder said.
Talk about clueless... no wonder Rick is by all accounts winning the online campaign against Kay so lopsidedly... Joe Pounder has really been a disappointment for Kay hasn't he? I had heard so many great things about him coming in too... he was going to be a major force to help Kay overcome Rick just as he had done for Congressional Republicans against Democrats in Washington over the past few years...

Oh wait...

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Rick and Kay spokespeople on Inside Texas Politics...

WFAA had Mark Miner and Jennifer Baker on via satellite (link).

With another debate looming and early voting just weeks away, the Republican candidates for governor are racing to persuade voters now tuning in. We'll talk to the spokespersons for the Perry and Hutchison campaigns.

Who would you say won?

Medina calls BS... but her numbers are what may be BS...

The Texas Tribune must be trying to create some buzz... I have no idea whether it is getting good traffic but I doubt it... now they have published a cuss word on their website in a story previewing the debate on Friday to try to gin up some interest (link). Excerpt follows...

So, in sum: Medina needs to make it to the highlight reel after the debate to keep people talking and to fuel her grassroots campaign; Perry wants an empty highlights reel; and Hutchison wants something that hurts Perry, either directly or by helping Medina. Her best outcome is to win outright in March; second best is for Medina to force a runoff between Hutchison and the incumbent governor. And Medina's best chance might come in this debate.

While Hutchison and Perry have been debating opponents for years and have been gorging on policy and state arcana and going through mock debates to try to get ready, Medina's cramming but not practicing. "I just don't like role-playing and I don't want to have anything to do with it," she says. "But if Perry starts saying something incorrect about jobs, I want to throw the bullshit card. I have to have facts and data to be able to do that."

It might be Medina that needs to have BS called on her. Empower Texans has the facts that she will probably try to call BS on, but it might backfire because the facts are strongly behind Rick.... (link). Excerpt follows...
Texas Workforce Commission Chairman Tom Pauken today released figures showing that Texas created more private sector jobs than any other state in the nation over the last 10 years and has the lowest unemployment rate among the 10 largest states in the nation. Pauken cited the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics January 22, 2010 release of Current Employment Statistics for December 2009 showing Texas created 724,300 more net private sector jobs as compared to December 1999, the largest private sector job gain nationwide over the last decade.

Pauken also noted that among the 10 largest states as ranked by civilian labor force size, Texas was well ahead of all other large states in private sector job growth with a percentage net gain of 9.30 percent as compared to December 1999. Florida was the only other large state to realize a net gain in private sector employment over the same period with 259,500 net jobs gained for a percentage net gain of 4.31 percent from December 1999 to December 2009. The other 8 large states showed a net loss of private sector jobs over the same period.

Nationally, over the last decade, the private sector experienced a net employment loss of 1.408 percent or 1,549,000 jobs lost.
At the last debate Rick seemed to get tripped up on his claim that Texas created 70% of all jobs in America... but his numbers were 100% accurate in the time frame he was using. The numbers both Kay and Medina plus the moderators were using were 2009 exclusively... so everyone was telling the truth... and everyone was leaving out things...

Politics is very much a what have you done for me lately issue and 2009 was not great for Texas or anywhere else... but Rick can still say that Texas is the best during his tenure over all.... and since the national recession started...

I have said it many times but it is this pro jobs pro economy message that will win the election for Rick. Nothing Medina or Kay can use will work against Rick if people believe correctly that Texas has a better economy than the rest of the country... so both of them are going to have to try to criticize Texas and plant doubts about our state's success.

Medina defends paying for clothes with campaign dollars...

The Statesman has the video... she looks a little rattled and maybe a little tired (link)...
GOP gubernatorial candidate Debra Medina said today that she used campaign dollars on clothing “because I’m a poor small-business provider not usually wardrobed like people would expect a gubernatorial candidate to be wardrobed.”

The second debate in on Friday...

Kay rips Rick, sez she wants those newspaper endorsements...

In Lubbock yesterday Kay launched a new line of attack on Rick... attacking his decision to spurn the newspaper editorial board meetings in 2010... I have written two blogs on this already because it is really huge news in reality (link) (link). If more Republicans do what Rick is doing then we will see a much better news media in short order...

Kay disagrees and has said she is seeking newspaper endorsements (link). Excerpt follows...

"I think it's indicative of the whole approach he takes to government," Hutchison said after she talked to shoppers at a South Lubbock supermarket.

She would meet with newspaper editorial boards considering endorsements, she added, and criticized Perry's decision not to.

"I mean, what is he afraid of?" she asked.

Perry campaign spokesman Mark Miner was dismissive.

"Unlike Sen. Hutchison, Gov. Perry has a record cutting taxes, balancing budgets and improving education, and travels around the state every day talking about those issues," Miner said.

Kay can't help herself can she? She again is playing right into Rick's strategy. He is Texas versus her Washington. He is new media versus her old media...

Kay and her peeps though are probably thinking this is like Peyton Manning sitting out the Super Bowl... they are licking their chops seeing the light ahead... thinking how easy it will be to get the endorsements of the big newspapers...

The only problem with that is Republicans do not trust the msm... and Rick's peeps have seen something out there that makes them not want to seek the endorsement of these traditional media outlets... in fact it almost seems like they are working hard to not get the newspaper endorsements...

Some newspapers will probably endorse Rick now just to spite him...

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Medina won't commit to supporting the winner of the primary...

State Senator Dan Patrick is a big Rick supporter... but he also has a Facebook page and talked about an interview he heard on Lubbock radio of Debra Medina...

Medina would not commit to supporting the nominee when all is said and done (link). Excerpt follows...

• Debra Medina continues to draw attention in the Republican primary. After she did a Lubbock radio interview, state Sen. Dan Patrick, a Houston Republican and ardent supporter of Gov. Rick Perry’s, posted a series of Tweets about Medina in rapid succession at about 3 a.m. today:

“Medina told a radio station in Lubbock today that she cannot promise to support Rick or Kay if they win in Nov-saying there might be others.”

“She made my point today that she is not a true Republican. Who is she going to support the Dem or an Independent ?”

“I have questioned why she is running in the R primary when she should be running as an Independent or Libertarian.”

“She asks Republican voters to vote for & trust her, but she will not support the voters will if she doesn’t win-that will only help White.”

“Posted part of the interview on my facebook If she supports a 3rd party in Nov, that cannot win, she could help White win in a close race.”

This could be a big story... recall during the Obama versus Hillary race how big of a deal it was that both candidates pledged to support the eventual winner... that really helped Obama after the primaries were over...

I could see Medina doing the opposite... losing big and going kamikaze in the general election... she has already shown a propensity for sore loser style suing the RPT when she did not win the state party chairmanship...

Kay and toll roads... she is for them... even though she is pandering now...

Kay has trashed Rick for a toll road plan that is dead... the TTC... a brilliant idea really that was mischaracterized by people who either want no new roads, want higher gas taxes, or aren't smart enough to understand that there are limited resources and limited methods for paying for things... or that any road or rail project is going to use eminent domain to interrupt private land... but I digress...

Kay's record on toll roads is mixed. She has repeatedly said... and I am paraphrasing here... that she is not against toll roads, just against Rick's toll roads. Hers would somehow be better...

Kay has also taken quite a bit of money from the allegedly foreign company that was to have built the TTC... yes... that foreign company based in the San Antonio area... Zachry (link)...

AUSTIN – Kay Bailey Hutchison has railed against the Trans-Texas Corridor, but she counts one of the state’s premiere toll-road builders among her major financial contributors.

Bartell Zachry, whose San Antonio-based construction company partnered with the Spanish company Cintra to develop the multi-billion transportation project, gave Hutchison $25,000, according to a campaign finance report filed with the state.

Hutchison campaign spokeswoman Jen Baker said the senator was happy to accept money from the toll-road builder, even though she has denounced the Trans-Texas Corridor as a land grab and has pledged to curb toll-road construction if she's elected governor.

"Clearly, Zachry agrees with 60 percent of primary voters that don't have any interest in four more years of Rick Perry," said Baker, referring to Perry's 39 percent share of the vote when he won re-election in 2006 in a four-way race.

Perry campaign spokesman Mark Miner said Hutchison is being hypocritical.

"The senator criticizes the project, yet she has no hesitation taking money from the company building the project," Miner said.

Here is my theory on what happened here... Rick's TTC already got shot down... so the company that was to have built the TTC is thinking the only way to get it built is with a different governor who also believes in the project... but the new governor will be able to roll it out better than Rick did in terms of public relations. Let's face it, Rick's peeps did as bad a job on that as anyone could ever do...

Zanchry though is thinking Kay is a blank slate and she will be able to get it through because they will be much quieter about it and just build it in pieces without a lot of fanfare... that's why the company responsible for the Trans Texas Corridor is giving Kay such a large sum of money.

I wonder if this big donation has anything to do with Kay pulling down her advertisements about toll roads and replacing them with her border security commercials...