The last debate is now history [see UPDATE, below]
Dewhurst gave his best performance of the campaign, but it may not matter. He still has a tendency to be stiff and wooden. It’s almost painful to watch him struggle to achieve fluency. Cruz has a big edge as a speaker; he reeled off points, “One…two…three…four.” It was good debating technique, but the look on his face seems to say, “Look how smart I am.” Dewhurst made a slip when he said he was endorsed by the NRA, which Cruz promptly pounced on.
Dewhurst said, “I’m the most conservative lieutenant governor in the history of Texas.” I tried to think of who the competition might be. Rick Perry might be one answer, although Perry had little to show for his year as light gov, other than his sincere but unsuccessful efforts to reach a compromise on the hate crimes bill in 1999.
Cruz accused Dewhurst of impugning his patriotism with an ad that included the Chinese flag. “You’re better than that,” he said to Dewhurst.
Viewers were able to post comments alongside the video feed. Almost all of the comments were pro-Cruz; a few were anti-Dewhurst. Dewhurst made a strong pitch for his conservative record, and deservedly so, but Cruz is just so much more steeped in the rhetoric of the far right. I suspect a lot of people in the audience–the debate was sponsored by the King Street Patriots, a tea party organization–were thinking, “He’s one of us, and Dewhurst isn’t.” And it’s true. He’s not.
Cruz scored heavily when he brought up Dewhurst’s support for amnesty in 2007, in a speech that, Cruz charged, Dewhurst caused to be removed from his Web site. Dewhurst denied that he had ever supported amnesty or a guest worker program. Cruz also attacked Dewhurst for spending $10 million “flooding the airwaves with false personal attacks.”
For the most part, however, Cruz and Dewhurst had few disagreements on policy. Cruz brought up Dewhurst’s statement in the previous debate that Europe had better healthcare outcomes than the U.S. Dewhurst tried again and again to return to his record (“I balanced five straight budgets”) and his passage of Voter I.D. and tort reform, but his efforts fell flat. Cruz has no record at all, other than his law practice, but that doesn’t matter to his supporters.
The truth is that, if elected to the Senate, Cruz and Dewhurst would vote alike 99% of the time. They would likely differ on only one vote that would matter, and that is the vote for Republican whip. Jim DeMint, of South Carolina, is seeking the position, and so is John Cornyn of Texas.* You would think that a senator from Texas would support a colleague from his home state, but DeMint got Cruz into the race and helped fund him. The odds are overwhelming that Cruz will vote for DeMint, perhaps casting the deciding vote that would rob Texas’s soon-to-be senior senator from achieving the number two position in the Republican hierarchy.
If Cruz wins the race, the Dewhurst campaign will go down in Texas political history as one of the worst that has ever been run–and one of the biggest upsets since Rick Perry defeated Jim Hightower in 1990. Dewhurst had every advantage–name I.D., money, conservative record, Rick Perry’s endorsement (if that’s an advantagte. Cruz had nothing except the ability to connect with the far right. But based on where the energy is in the Republican party, that may be all Cruz needs.
UPDATE: Earlier today, TEXAS MONTHLY received the following email from DeMint’s Senate office:
Senator DeMint has not sought and does not plan to seek a Senate leadership post and reports to the contrary are simply false. Please correct this story. Thank you.
Senator DeMint is in line to become chairman of the Commerce Committee, a powerful panel, assuming that Republicans honor his seniority. He has also expressed a desire to be a member of the Finance Committee. As for Cornyn, I also came across a reference to him in a story from Roll Call, which described Cornyn’s support from his colleagues as “a mile wide and an inch deep.”
I see nothing wrong with raising the issue of how Cruz will vote for Republican whip. This ought to be an easy vote for a Texas senator. If Cornyn is elected whip, he would be next in line to succeed Mitch McConnell as majority leader. The last Texan to hold that position was Lyndon Johnson. While many readers may scoff at “politics as usual” involving one’s home state, Texas sends a huge amount of tax dollars to Washington. Getting something back is important. Money for highways and the huge military installations at Fort Hood and Fort Bliss are crucial to this state. Whether DeMint runs for whip or not, Texas needs a senator who will protect the state’s interests.
Tagged: david dewhurst, Ted Cruz
Lumberton says:
The big difference is that Dewhurst is 65 and Cruz is 40.
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paulburka Reply:
July 23rd, 2012 at 11:15 pm
The more profound difference is that Dewhurst is an establishment candidate and Cruz is an insurgent candidate.
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Anonymous Reply:
July 23rd, 2012 at 11:22 pm
Yes but the tea party supports term limits, no? We can trust him to limit himself even though he won’t commit, right? Riiiiiiigggghhhhtttt….
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Anonymous says:
Dewhurst….already voted
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John Johnson says:
I’d vote Dem before I’d vote for Cruz. He is a puppet. He has no business sense. His choosing to legally represent anyone if the money is right shows him to be lacking in the character category. He comes across as slick. I don’t trust him. Dewhurst is predictable and not prone to make rash, radical moves. He gets my vote.
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Robert Morrow says:
I don’t know what to say – except that a huge chunk of the Texas GOP base could absolutely care less whether John Cornyn climbs the Senate ladder. A lot of them would consider that a negative; Cornyn was one of the ones spending SRCC money on Charlie Crist, the mushiest of political moderates, when that money could have been better saved for Lindsay Graham’s sex change operation. jk – kind of.
Porkbarrel for Texas? When the larger issue of the USA burning up in trillions and trillions in debt? That is like asking for a front row seat on the deck of the Titanic.
Will Cruz vote differently in the Senate? Well does Sen. Jim DeMint vote differently than Cornyn?
My favor to ask of Cruz is to stop the endless wars and also stop the various assaults on civil liberties of Americans that these wars bring (Patriot Act illegal surveillance, NDAA name 10 more things).
Texas really has had some crummy, statist, endless war Republicans in its leadership in Senate and the Lege. Maybe Cruz will be an “old school” rightist who actually believes in small government.
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longleaf Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 6:05 am
I’m sure Cruz will sign up for the endless war paradigm. The GOPers coming back to my neck of the woods from Fort Worth were bragging about how they had just CRUSHED the “lib’rul” Ron Paul contingent at the state convention.
You could tell they absolutely HATE that mofo for ever questioning the sanctity of redemptive violence. They despise the Paulites WAY MORE than they do your average Blue Dog Dem. After all, the latter is still willing to go to the mat to defend the combined $1.2 trillion a year going to the war machine.
It’s somewhat understandable when you look at how much of the Texas economy is dependent upon the New World Order’s Pentagon-CIA-NATO enforcement mechanism to “make the world safe for globalism.” I substituted “globalism” in place of “democracy” to be more honest about what Col. House and his flunky, President Wilson, were all about nearly 100 years ago.
I still don’t know why Dewhurst can’t steal this one, given his connections to the MIC.
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Robert Morrow Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 10:40 am
“You could tell they absolutely HATE that mofo[Ron Paul] for ever questioning the sanctity of redemptive violence. They despise the Paulites WAY MORE than they do your average Blue Dog Dem. After all, the latter is still willing to go to the mat to defend the combined $1.2 trillion a year going to the war machine.”
Recovering neocon here. Boy, was I wrong on that. Anti-war is one of my top issues now.
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John Johnson Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 6:52 am
When has Cruz ever, ever said he would get us out of and quit getting us into wars we have no business fighting? If he , had I would have given him some props. But he never has, so he gets none.
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Robert Morrow Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 9:47 am
That’s true. I have never seen Dewhurst say anything either.
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paulburka Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 9:54 am
He says he served in the Air Force and the CIA.
Anonymous Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 10:42 pm
on July 24th, 2012 at 1:37 pm Robert Morrow posted:
Did you go see the Batman premiere?
I hear the special effects are INSANE!
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I'm Pavlov. Ring a Bell? says:
“But based on where the energy is in the Republican party, that may be all Cruz needs.”
Expect that energy to be front and center in Nov. too.
It’s going to be a tough cycle for moderates and libs.
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gary brock says:
Dewhurst is the only logical choice. He is not a great debater, but he has a record of being a great conservative leader. Cruz is a good attorney. He has absolutely no record to be proud of other than Greg Abbot’s. The similarities to Obama are striking – just different ideologies and race. Harvard educated, slick attorney, no record, abundant rhetoric. did i say no record? He is no more qualified to be a US Senator than his Goldman Sachs Vice President wife is to be a neurosurgeon. Excellence in the arena of argument does not make one effective in politics. In fact, the 57 lawyers presently in the Senate are one big reason for the gridlock we have now. The Republican party may have lost its way, but mass hysteria Kool Aid drinking is clearly not the right answer. We need experience and a Doer. David has delivered for Texas. What state has done better than we have done under his leadership?
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Anonymous Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 5:04 am
Logical? When have you seen anything logical in Texas politics lately?
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Reality Check says:
Quick name the last statewide Republican candidate with a hispanic surname to win a primary runoff?
Dewhurst wins by 25 points in March (he is loving Gregg Abbott). But pulls one out by 1% in July. Business voters break his way stronger than expected with slightly better than expected turnout.
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Jurassic Park says:
The only one that is history is your Paul. You’re truly wrong about everything. Your writing sucks, you have no (correct) instincts. Go away.
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Spook Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 7:03 am
if you would remember to take your meds, you’d realize that no one is forcing you to read this blog. Take control of your life and stop reading stuff that irritates you.
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Anonymous Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 9:05 am
JP, maybe you should just go away.
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The Architect says:
Dewhurst by 6-8 pts.
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Robert Concord says:
Correction: DeMint is not personally running for Republican whip. Richard Burr (R-NC), sometimes seen as a DeMint ally, threw his hat into the ring last October, but quit the race in late March. So Cornyn is now unopposed at this point.
Newly-elected Senators can vote in the leadership races. DeMint is attempting to gather additional votes to force a rightward shift in the Senate GOP power structure. As you say, Cruz would presumably help DeMint in that effort.
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Anonymous Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 8:38 am
We’ll just see about that. If hes not running his puppet is. These conservative self-styled ‘cheerleaders’ always seem to be about power & cashing in in the end.
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Spiro Eagleton says:
Burka,
You keep writing that Cruz has a smirk on his face or that he acts like he’s saying, “Look how smart I am.” I just don’t see that. I think you are projecting your own dislike for his politics on to his personal mannerisms.
I’ve said all along that Cruz would win this race. All of the ingredients have been there from the start. Once Club for Growth came out for Cruz and National Review put him on their cover I knew it meant trouble for Dewhurst. Since then Dewhurst ran a Rose Garden-like campaign and then when he got involved it was to be nasty towards Leppert and then to get real nasty towards Cruz. Its not working.
The whole GOP whip thing is way over blown. First of all, the whip in the senate has very little clout or power anyhow. Who beside the hard core politicos know who the senate whips are right now? Does being a whip mean you get to bring home more pork for your state? Does that mean Sen. Kirk should work to keep a Dem majority in the senate so that Sen. Durbin can remain the majority whip in the senate?
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The Architect says:
Do not under estimate how important “bringing the pork home” is to democrats.
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John Johnson says:
He has a perpetual smirk on his face….as do most who think they are smarter than everyone else.
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paulburka Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 9:49 am
I wrote about the smirk in the previous debate. It is very unappealing.
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vietvet3 says:
Though I dislike Dewhurst’s phony, stuffed-shirt personality, I would vote for him over Cruz. The crazies in the Senate would at least have to persuade the Dew for a few minutes to vote yes on the latest war, the latest tax cut for the wealthies, and guns for toddlers.Cruz is already a lock. Unfortunately, I can’t vote for the Dew. I will be working the Dem side at the runoff. Mainly reading a book.
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Josh Mc says:
Paul, you should get your facts straight before writing a blog post. Jim DeMint is NOT running for GOP Whip! Where in God’s name do you get your information? He hasn’t announced any such thing, hasn’t made any intention to run for Whip, or anything of the like. Cruz has said that he hasn’t said who he will support for Whip, but as of now, Cornyn is the only one running for the position (Richard Burr from NC was running and a couple of months ago announced that he wouldn’t be). Get your facts straight, pal.
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paulburka Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 9:49 am
No one is formally running for whip at the moment, but everyone knows that the race is between Cornyn and DeMint.
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paulburka Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 4:28 pm
Readers should note the update, above, in which DeMint staffers insist that DeMint is not running for a Republican leadership position.
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Anonymous Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 7:05 pm
Yeah, right.
Anonymous Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 9:50 am
Damn. That was about the only light I could see at the end of the tunnel — denying Senator Waterboy an opportunity to move up in his perpetual quest for self-service. Of course, seeing the Perryphiles bomb out twice in the same year isn’t a bad Honorable Mention.
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Robert Morrow Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 10:42 am
It is almost enough to make someone smirk.
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Jorge says:
Well…I said it before in a post here— I think Cruz will win. It’s not that he deserves to win or that he is the best candidate but he’s caught the Tea Party surge; the Dew has been exposed in an unfavorable light. Let’s face it, his support is very thin. He’s run a terrible race. Burka may be right: this will be akin to the Hill/Briscoe race of many years ago. It will frame the future of the Republican Party.
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The Mustache That Dare Not Speak Its Name Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 9:58 am
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I miss Dolph Briscoe.
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Spiro Eagleton Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 10:11 am
I miss Dan Moody.
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Robert Morrow Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 10:42 am
I miss Sputnik.
John Johnson Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 7:07 pm
I miss leaders who tipped a few with friends across the isle.
Tom Barry says:
It’s getting harder and harder for me to bring myself to vote. The system caters to the hard core and candidates feel forced to pander to extremists. I’m tired of holding my nose and voting for someone who is willing to do that.
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Robert Morrow Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 10:45 am
Vote 3rd party … but those are usually extremists. Split your ticket. Switch parties.
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 11:00 am
The primaries are for the hardcore pols. if you don’t know what the parties represent, then the primaries will mystify you as the dems try to outlib each other and the repubs try to out conservative each other. hell EVEN John McCain ran as a conservative in 2010.
The Generals move more back to the center, that’s the race for the timid and pantywaisted.
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Tom Barry says:
JBB, what do you mean by “timid and pantywaisted?” I am neither. I am a moderate. And when I post, I use my real name. I don’t like voting for people willing to say things they do not believe in order to win a primary or a general election. I want government that works, where everybody gets something and nobody gets everything. We’re not getting that, and extremist politics is the primary reason.
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Spiro Eagleton Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 12:52 pm
And surely there is only one Tom Barry. Ha.
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 3:09 pm
it means that even liberals like Obama will say they will not raise your taxes because if liberals or democrats said what they really stood for they wouldn’t get elected. If democrats told you how stupid they thought voters were, would you still vote for them?
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Tom Barry Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 3:44 pm
I don’t vote party; I vote person. The R and D candidates almost all pander. Which is the problem. An honest man or woman has very little chance of getting through a primary and, increasingly, even a general election. The last presidential candidate I voted for without holding my nose air-tight was Huntsman.
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BCinBCS Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 9:55 pm
Yea, me too!
What a shame that the radicals that populate the primaries eliminated such a reasonable candidate.
Steve Bresnen says:
Ted Cruz is a Harvard educated lawyer with little or no experience in public office but he has good command of the language. Ironic given the similarities to the President’s resume before the ’08 election.
Let’s get serious, Texas. David Dewhurst’s public service in elected office, the military and the CIA make him the only qualified candidate to serve Texas in the U.S. Senate.
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Robert Morrow Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 1:36 pm
The fact that Dewhurst is CIA is a problem with me. They have done enough damage. I could list them, but I will spare you. The CIA reminds me of “Mayhem” in that insurance commercial.
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Statehouse Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Is there anyway to take a guess at how many D’s will cross over to vote for the Dew? Enough to matter?
I’m a D that couldn’t find the time or motivation to vote in the first primary election. I’m going to vote for the Dew in the runoff because the alternative is pretty scary.
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Robert Morrow Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 10:03 pm
Very honest answer here. You will have almost none of you Demo compadres joining you in a GOP primary run-off. Every Demo who voted in May is ineligible and the rest just don’t care just like they did not care to vote in the May Demo primary.
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Spiro Eagleton Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 8:16 am
Morrow is correct. There may be fewer than 1,000 voters like Statehouse in the July GOP run-off. I’m serious.
Just Another Joe says:
Has anyone seen any turnout numbers from day 1 of early voting? I couldn’t find them on the SOS website.
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Bodhisattva says:
I miss Sam Houston.
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Spiro Eagleton Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 12:53 pm
I miss Paul Eggers.
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Urp says:
Voted for Dewhurst yesterday. Threw up a little in my mouth.
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jpt51 says:
I miss Ann Richards, our last state leader with the, ‘Vision thing!’
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paulburka Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 4:32 pm
Ann did not really have much of a vision. She thought the gals could run the state as well as the guys, and that was her raison d’etre and she was partly right: She could, but most of the rest of her staff couldn’t.
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Moderate Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 4:46 pm
Agreed. She was a talented and capable leader, but her staff were arguably the most unqualified and inept in the modern history of the governor’s office. And don’t get me started on her appointments….
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Dollars and Sense says:
Just got back from Colorado. Is there an election going on?
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Robert Morrow Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 1:37 pm
Did you go see the Batman premiere? I hear the special effects are INSANE!
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paulburka Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 3:33 pm
I hope Robert is not trying to be funny. If so, he is sicko.
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Anonymous says:
If the GOP takes back the Senate, Cornyn will be unopposed for Whip.
Paul, if Demint runs for anything, it will be leader.
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Anonymous says:
Paul where are you getting your Demint info? My sources at the NRSC and in South Carolina say this is news to them.
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Anna Ominous says:
My husband went to early vote today. I asked for whom he was voting. “I want Dewhurst to stay as our Lieutenant Governor. He’s been great there,” he said. He likes both Cruz and Dewhurst and sees his Senator vote for Cruz as a vote for both! He was turned off by the negative stuff (“that is just like politicians”) and lack of focus on issues, though.
I think Texans have a history of wanting people they elected to do one job to stay on that job. (See, e.g., how the Democratic statewides all lost when they started playing musical chairs and running for something they didn’t have.)
Paul, based on your DeMint/Cornyn premise, if you wanted “more goodies for Texas,” would the following be a reasonable calculation?
* Sen. Cruz votes for DeMint guy/DeMint wins – Texas is OK
* Sen. Cruz votes for DeMint guy/Cornyn wins – Texas wins
* Sen. Dewhurst votes for Cornyn/Corny wins – Texas wins
* Sen. Dewhurst votes for Cornyn/Cornyn loses – Texas loses
The other factors I’m weighing are age of the candidates and what happens in the Texas Senate. Please enlighten me on the latter.
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Anna Ominous Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 2:14 pm
The first scenario (DeMint wins – Texas is Ok) is based on the premise that Cruz is not the one swing vote, in which case he should do right by Texas voters and choose Cornyn or face the wrath back home.
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Garner's Bucket Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 5:08 pm
Democrats who tried to move to other jobs lost because they were democrats in a red state. It has been a very rare historical phenomenon for Texas officeholders to appear from nowhere and stay in one spot until retirement. See former legislator Susan Combs, former Land Commissioner David Dewhurst, former Texas Supreme Court Justice Gregg Abbott, former AG Commissioner Rick Perry, ad infinitum.
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Realist says:
It really was painful to watch Dewhurst try to articulate his positions and debate. On top of that, he is anal when it comes to governing. However, Cruz is a wild-card and tied to much to tea party insurgents throughout the state to be a senator that will actually govern in the best interests of ALL Texans. In fact, he is now tied to Dick Armey, DeMint and the other national power brokers of the tea party movement now using the Republican Party for their own agendas. He will never be his own man in the Senate. The primary system in Texas is in desperate need of an overhaul if Texans are ever to get candidates that don’t feel they have to pander with illogical positions quite as much to the extremists in both political parties. I hate to say it, but a vote for either Republican candidate requires “holding your nose” when pushing the button. The rumor is that If Cruz wins, Dewhurst will be unbearable to deal with during the upcoming legislative session. But perhaps, losing will free Dewhurst to be himself and establish himself as THE LT. GOVERNOR and quit trying to be something he is not.
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Garner's Bucket says:
Ted Cruz, on the floor of the RPT convention in his picket fence-enclosed exhibit area, wearing his wireless mic and snazzy suit, seemed like nothing so much as a particularly zealous siding salesman at a home and garden show.
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Blackfriar says:
George P. Bush sent an email out in support of Cruz. Cruz is married to a top-notch investment banker with a Goldman Sachs pedigree. Also David Barton has supported Cruz too.
It’s clear that Cruz is the favorite of the investment bank community, the establishment Bush family (grandson of CIA Director George HW Bush) and the North Texas christian soldier machine.
Obama captured the same magic from the left, because he had no record … desperate suckers simply saw what they wanted to see in him.
Dewhurst doesn’t have a prayer… the Tea Party packaging is wrapped around Cruz, and it’s the most popular packaging that sells in a Republican primary. Voters want to “do something” to fight the system… so George P. Bush, Goldman Sachs, and the Christian corporate machine can provide Cruz as a controlled “rebel” to be sold as the renegade. The Ron Paul angst was captured, bottled, modified to be George P. Bush-approved, and now sold in a snake oil fashion by Cruz’s handlers… it’s brilliant!
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Robert Morrow Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 7:36 pm
Remember Ron Paul endorsed Cruz well before the May 29th primary. What Cruz has done is balance many of the various factions of the GOP: Christian soldiers, Ron Paulers, George P. Bush, Goldman Sachs, Sarah Palin, etc. That is what politics is all about: building coalitions and managing the fault lines of them.
And you are right about Dewhurst. He has no chance. Barring a garantuan scandal this weekend, the kind that would pop out of Rick Perry for example, Cruz wins on Tuesday. 90% chance of winning is conservative. Probably 53% of the vote.
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Spiro Eagleton Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 8:19 am
I’m sticking with my prediction of 55-45 Cruz. I early voted yesterday and saw a bunch of Cruz signs up, but none for Dewhurst. I know signs almost never influence voters walking into to vote in a race like that, but it shows which campaign has the organization and grass roots support to win.
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truth says:
Cruz is the Republican Obama.
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Robert Morrow says:
I just got through canvassing my precinct #212 Travis County for Ted Cruz, handing out my primary endorsements which some folks will vote and others will use as fish wrapper or make paper airplanes out of.
In the May 29th primary, the Senate race results were Dewhurst 44% Cruz 39%. About half the vote occurred in early voting where it was Dewhurst 46% Cruz 37%. On primary day Cruz actually won it 41.13% to 40.78% (116 votes to 115 votes).
That is not what is going to happen on Tuesday. Cruz, even without my canvassing, is going to have a solid win in precint #212 – 55%-45% I predict. My precinct is a well-informed, establishment precinct that has plenty of TV/computer access to conservative opinion makers.
Cruz will also perform better on Tuesday primary day than in early voting. It is like wave coming in.
And they have been “educated.” I saw about 6 Ted Cruz signs and 1 Dewhurst sign. People who I know are GOP activists are supporting Cruz.
I think we can extrapolate my precinct statewide. It is a small, local example, but because it is well informed and very establishment, I think it is the state of Texas writ large.
Btw of the 575 GOP primary voters, I was the ONLY one to vote for Glen Addison. Ha ha ha. I can see mmy one little vote in the early voting totals. Lela Pittenger had 2 votes in precinct #212.
The overall feedback of the ones who met me at the door is they are going for Ted Cruz.
If I were the Cruz campaign, I would close with something POSITIVE at the end. Folks are sick of the negativity.
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Robert Morrow Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 7:54 pm
Here is the web link for precinct #212 for Travis
County (and all the other precincts):
http://www.co.travis.tx.us/county_clerk/election/20120529/files/20120529reppct.pdf
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Robert Morrow says:
“Pro-David Dewhurst Super PAC Blames Opponent For Teen’s Suicide”
This is prima facie evidence of the Dewhurst campaign not just being burnt toast, but soggy burnt toast dropped in a mud puddle.
Question: if all the negativity in the Texas Senate run off campaign ads depresses turnout in the GOP primary, WHO does that favor?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/24/david-dewhurst-super-pac-teen-suicide_n_1699575.html?utm_hp_ref=politics
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Bay of Pigs says:
Sorry, Dewhurst’s experience in the CIA and the State Department mean I can’t vote for him. Those two organizations are responsible for more screw ups around the world than anyone else in the US government, and the CIA has the blood of children on their hands.
FYI, John Drogin, Cruz’s campaign manager worked for Cornyn for years.
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Robert Morrow Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 9:48 pm
The CIA has committed bucketfuls of crimes over the decades. US military intelligence – Gen. Ed Lansdale identified at Dealey Plaza by his peers Col. Fletcher Prouty and Gen. Victor Krulak – murdered John Kennedy.
Assassinations, drug dealing on a gargantuan scale, subversions – overthrows in country after country, including democracies – all on the bloodstained resume of our mafia, the Central Intelligence Agency.
“Ron Paul and a Timeline of CIA Crimes and Atrocities:”
http://www.infowars.com/ron-paul-and-a-timeline-of-cia-crimes-and-atrocities/
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Robert Morrow Reply:
July 24th, 2012 at 9:50 pm
Barack Obama’s stepdad was in Indonesia – 1965- at the time of that CIA-inspired slaughterhouse.
“Indonesia — The CIA overthrows the democratically elected Sukarno with a military coup. The CIA has been trying to eliminate Sukarno since 1957, using everything from attempted assassination to sexual intrigue, for nothing more than his declaring neutrality in the Cold War. His successor, General Suharto, will massacre between 500,000 to 1 million civilians accused of being “communist.” The CIA supplies the names of countless suspects.”
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Alan says:
“Cruz scored heavily when he brought up Dewhurst’s support for amnesty in 2007″
It amazes me that the TP’ers are stupid enough to want to kick out the people who build their houses and mow their yards and cook their meals. What will they say when we have to get Anglos and blacks and native Hispanics to do that work for twice as much and our cheap cost of living starts to skyrocket? That it’s somehow all Obama’s fault?
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Robert Morrow says:
“Four Signs of Cruz-mentum:”
http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2012/07/next-week-voter.php
“The Late Runoff Date: No one knows how low turnout will be on Tuesday and some Dewhurst allies caution that reliable Republican voters who were out of town during Memorial Day weekend (the primary was held the Tuesday after) will come back to the ballot box for the runoff, making the voter pool even harder to read.”
Here is what is happening. There are people who voted for Dewhurst in May who are FLIPPING and voting for Cruz in the run-off. Not many, but enough to make a difference. They are being “educated” by a wide variety of Cruz-friendly grassroots activists and organizations.
All this ultra-negative media by Dewhurst allies and PACs is either going to have no effect or backfire.
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Anonymous Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 9:23 am
Bullfeathers! Now you are the one espousing that critical, negative stuff doesn’t work??? You, the King of Sordid and Negative are now broadcasting that it doesn’t work? That it turns people off?
Please listen to yourself and quit posting all the crap that no one wants to read here. Take it somewhere else. Set up your own site. Go away.
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Robert Morrow Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 10:24 am
If negative attacks are perceived as unfair there is blowback. Such as saying a kid commmitted suicide because Ted Cruz represented a crook. All crooks have a right to a lawyer; the public understands that. The Dewhurst campaign is in a pickle. Go extreme negative and depress turnout and who does that favor? – the candidate with issue oriented “ideologues” who brush off those attacks.
It is a sign of desperation; like someone taking basketballs and trying to hit a series of 3/4 court jump shot heaves. People look at you (the Dewhurst campaign) like you are crazy. Dying your head red? Loading up on ammo? Wearing body armor? A kid commits suicide because Ted Cruz is hired as a lawyer for a crook?
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Scoop Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 12:05 pm
Every criminal has the right to counsel. Every attorney doesn’t have to agree to defend them.
Anonymous Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 4:54 pm
Mr. Morrow,
I see you are making cruel jokes about that theatre massacre in Colorado. You need help and quickly. Are you married? Do you have a family? Or are you a loner? Probably a loner, but I worry that you have no feelings towards others and are a threat to society. You should get help now.
johnbernardbooks says:
“CIA has the blood of children on their hands.”
Does anyone know how many of his own people Joseph Stalin murdered? FDR was a great admirer of Joseph Stalin, so great in fact at Yalta FDR told Stalin “take as much of Europe as you want.” I also, suspect President Amateur would have been a great admirer of Joseph Stalin.
It is hard work declaring a war lost after US troops have shed blood to win a war.
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Anon Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 11:28 am
Everyone is so tired of reading your cowardly little insults…your latest implying that FDR admired genocide. You act like you’re so much smarter than everyone. If you’re so smart, why are you here? And don’t give me your bullshit about fighting the small fight, because no one takes seriously any ideas based on discreditable blog comments from an anonymous, delusional libelist.
If you’re so confident in your accusations and political views, come of the dark and be honest about who you are. At least that would show you have courage and conviction.
FDR has parks, schools, streets and an aircraft carrier named after him. His face is stamped on the dime. You don’t even identify yourself on your very own blog! What’s that feel like to be such a coward?
I’m aware of the irony that I posted under “anonymous,” but I’m not the one hurling unfounded insults at half the population of America or defaming American icons with twisted nonsense. I suppose if I did, I’d hide too. Just like you, “Johnbernardbooks”.
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 3:15 pm
The Roosevelt Myth by John T Flynn would be a good read for the many uninformed here.
Here’s what one reader commented after reading it:
“These links are to books which impeach FDR’s New Deal.
1. that FDR admired Stalin very much
2. FDR wished he could be more like Stalin
3. the etymology of the nickname “Stalin”"
It’s one thing to be so uninformed as many who post here are, but is it your objective to remain so?
and yet another:
“Yalta was a bigger time.
Julius Epstein, a longtime researcher at the Hoover Institution, on Operation Keelhaul. In this nefarious program, at least one million Russian prisoners of war were forcibly returned to Russia. In one incident, “About 200 Soviet nationals were among the prisoners of war in Fort Dix, New Jersey. . . . They were taken prisoner with the solemn promise that under no circumstances would they be repatriated to the Soviet Union, where they faced certain death. That promise was betrayed so that the American president might be faithful to Uncle Joe [Stalin]” (p. 188).”
Deal with it FDR admired Stalin greatly and did not admire Churchill
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Anon Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 4:16 pm
You’re very easily persuaded. You read one book written by one man who disagreed with FDR. Now you’ve granted him exclusive rights to history because he hated this one democrat, is that it?
You’ll believe anyone or anything that reinforces your schema, no matter how obscure or conspicuous it might be. The weak-minded and insecure need that kind of constant validation. Lucky for you the internet has that vice on tap.
Anonymous Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 8:00 pm
That’s very interesting, JBB. Just one question. The Soviets were our allies in WW2 (Look it up, it’s true). Why were we holding Soviets as POWs in New Jersey?
Dumbass.
buy a clue Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 11:49 am
FDR told Stalin “take as much of Europe as you want.”
more lies and bullshit from the resident moron. how come wingnuts lie so much?
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John Johnson Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Mark another one up for JBB. He baits a big old hook and waits for you chumps to fight over who can get to it first.
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buy a clue Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 12:29 pm
You’re the only one who thinks that gramps. If that’s all it takes to make you feel “important” good for you.
John Johnson Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 2:41 pm
Maybe Great Gramps would fit better. Just call ‘um like I see ‘um. For instance, you’re good at sucking on JBB’s hook and little else. Don’t think I recall you ever coming up with valid points and backing them up with facts. Of course, my memory fails me on occasion…but I’m still good at recognizing stupid.
John Johnson Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 2:51 pm
Hey, buy a clue, in a moment of lucidity I determined that you and Col. Mike Kirby post like identical twins. Maybe Mike just decided he wasn’t very well respected and quit posting ….or maybe he changed his name to buy a clue.
buy a clue Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 3:19 pm
Hey gramps, shall we do a count of how many stupid things jbb posts and how many gather responses?? I don’t think the results will make you look good. Why don’t you do something constructive and go back outside to yell at clouds.
JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 3:21 pm
It is easy. With so many uneducated and uninformed in the democrat party taking their daily marching order from the MSM it’s like taking candy from a baby.
“Our plan is working”
Dear Leader isn’t even trying to hide anymore.
Anonymous Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 4:17 pm
Nice stout retort, buy a clue. You are so predictable. Harsh words; name calling; and all of this while being reeled in with a big hook in you lip. Impressive.
buy a clue Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 4:33 pm
Hey, don’t blame me because you can’t follow a message thread.
Anonymous says:
With all the budget cuts mental health has taken a beating. Men like JBB and Morrow would have been in mental institutions if they lived in the 1950′s-1980′s. They clearly have serious issues needing treatment.
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 3:23 pm
you mean like the democrat “the Joker”?
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Anonymous Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 4:23 pm
You would have been in what we called “North Austin” back in the 1960′s. Its the old mental institute or insane asylum. Central Market is there now. What we used to do with folks like yourself is lock you up in an institute so you couldn’t harm others.
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 25th, 2012 at 5:36 pm
Most liberals don’t know their heros President Wilson and FDR were both heavily medicated their last two years in office. Wilson had a stroke and no one was allowed to see him except his wife. FDR was so out of touch with reality when preparing for Yalta the State Dept was so alarmed by his proposals he left them behind.
Thanks to Wilson and FDR America is saddled with a personal income tax,the UN, the Federal Reserve, Russia and China as world powers, and SS.
Thanks to President Amateur we have $15 trillion in debt. No wonder liberals love them.
Anonymous says:
When Will George Bush Ever Retire?
Here’s an opinion piece by Chuck Green who writes “Greener Pastures” for the Denver Post Aurora Sentinel…one of the more liberal papers in the country. Additionally, Mr. Green is a lifelong Democrat…so this is rather a stunning piece…
Obama is victim of Bush’s failed promises!
Barack Obama is setting a record-setting number of records during his first term in office:
Largest budget ever. Largest deficit ever. Largest number of broken promises ever.
Most self-serving speeches ever. Largest number of agenda-setting failures ever. Fastest dive in popularity ever!
Wow! Talk about change.
Just three years ago, fresh from his inauguration celebrations, President Obama was flying high. After one of the nation’s most inspiring political campaigns, the election of America ‘s first black president had captured the hopes and dreams of millions. To his devout followers, it was inconceivable that a year later his administration would be gripped in self-imposed crisis.
Of course, they don’t see it as self-imposed. It’s all George Bush’s fault!
George Bush, who doesn’t have a vote in congress and who no longer occupies the White House, is to blame for it all.
He broke Obama’s promise to put all bills on the White House web site for five days before signing them.
He broke Obama’s promise to have the congressional health care negotiations broadcast live on C-SPAN.
He broke Obama’s promise to end earmarks.
He broke Obama’s promise to keep unemployment from rising above 8 percent.
He broke Obama’s promise to close the detention center at Guantanamo in the first year.
He broke Obama’s promise to make peace with direct, no precondition talks with America ‘s most hate-filled enemies during his first year in office, ushering in a new era of global cooperation.
He broke Obama’s promise to end the hiring of former lobbyists into high White House jobs.
He broke Obama’s promise to end no-compete contracts with the government.
He broke Obama’s promise to disclose the names of all attendees at closed White House meetings.
He broke Obama’s promise for a new era of bipartisan cooperation in all matters.
He broke Obama’s promise to have chosen a home church to attend Sunday services with his family by Easter.
Yes, it’s all George Bush’s fault! President Obama is nothing more than a puppet in the never-ending failed Bush administration.
If only George Bush wasn’t still in charge, all of President Obama’s problems would be solved. His promises would have been kept, the economy would be back on track, Iran would have stopped its work on developing a nuclear bomb and would be negotiating a peace treaty with Israel. North Korea would have ended its tyrannical regime, and integrity would have been restored to the federal government.
Oh, and did I mention what it would be like if the Democrats, under the previous leadership of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, didn’t have the heavy yoke of George Bush around their necks? There would be no ear marks, no closed-door drafting of bills, no increase in deficit spending, no special-interest influence (unions), no vote buying (Nebraska, Louisiana).
If only George Bush wasn’t still in charge, we’d have real change by now.
All the broken promises, all the failed legislation and delay (health care reform, immigration reform) is not President Obama’s fault or the fault of the Democrat-controlled Congress. It’s all George Bush’s fault!
Take for example the decision of Eric Holder, the president’s attorney general, to hold terrorists’ trials in New York City. Or his decision to try the Christmas Day underpants bomber as a civilian.
Two disastrous decisions.
Certainly those were bad judgments based on poor advice from George Bush!
Need more proof?
You might recall that when Scott Brown won the election to the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts, capturing “The Ted Kennedy Seat”, President Obama said, Brown’s victory was the result of the same voter anger that propelled Obama into office in 2008. People were still angry about George Bush and the policies of the past 10 years. And they wanted change.
Yes, according to the President, the voter rebellion in Massachusetts, was George Bush’s fault.
Therefore, in retaliation, they elected a Republican to the Ted Kennedy seat, ending a half-century of domination by Democrats. It is all George Bush ‘s fault!
Will the failed administration of George Bush ever end, and the time for hope and change ever arrive???
Will President Obama ever accept responsibility for something/anything?
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Political Hack says:
Paul, your “Update” seems to have slipped into direct advocacy more than raw reporting..
oh, wait. nevermind.
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Anonymous says:
Raw reporting is for tv and newspaper “reporters”. Paul is neither.
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JohnBernardBooks says:
this blog is merely a hangout for bored state workers who have nothing to do.
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Robert Morrow says:
RE: Anonymous at 4:54 PM -
“Why so serious?”
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Robert Morrow says:
Another politico article on Cruz v. Dewhurst:
“Ted Cruz’s cavalcade of conservative stars”
http://www.politico.com/blogs/charlie-mahtesian/2012/07/ted-cruzs-cavalcade-of-conservative-stars-130140.html
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JohnBernardBooks says:
correction….bored state workers and Robert has no day job.
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anon Reply:
July 27th, 2012 at 4:57 pm
Go back to Jack in the Box, fool.
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Robert Morrow says:
GARLAND, Texas (Reuters) – In a windowless room at a Holiday Inn outside Dallas, U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz pleaded with Tea Party movement activists recently to tap their social networks and pocketbooks in the final days of a brutal Republican primary runoff against Texas Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst.
“The other side is convinced that the Tea Party is irrelevant and a bunch of nut jobs,” Cruz, a Houston lawyer who has never held elected office, said to laughter. “That’s what they think of us. They think we’re off our rockers.”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/sns-rt-us-usa-campaign-texasbre86p0t8-20120726,0,513829.story
Ysp. That’s what the “business as usual” big government Republican thinks. They have their bread buttered and think that “pro-life” gives them license to screw you on every issue under the sun.
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Scoop says:
Not all of the TP’ers are “nut jobs”… but enough are to turn me off. Cruz isn’t’ he’s just not qualified to go from being a slick talking attorney to Senator from the State of Texas.
If more of the Cruz group gets into office, impasse continues. We cannot afford any more years of stagnation, moss and rust.
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SH says:
I’ll take many more years of stagnation, moss and rust to the Stimulus, Obamacare and Dodd-Frank. Gridlock is a good thing, as most government programs usually mess things up.
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Scoop Reply:
July 26th, 2012 at 5:08 pm
Want to just let everything go to hell in our lifetime and let our kids and grandkids start over from the ashes. That’s what it sounds like. It also sounds stupid.
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Willie James says:
Jim DeMint is an example of everything wrong in our country today. An obstructionist, idealogue, panderer and party before country purity seeker.
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