I am on the WilliamsForTexas.com emailing list, so I was pleasantly surprised today to read the news that Michael Williams is running for the Senate:

With much encouragement from my fellow Texans, with the support of my wife Donna, and with firm resolve to make the America of tomorrow more prosperous and free than the nation we know today, I am announcing my candidacy for the United States Senate.

Great news indeed! Michael Williams is exactly the kind of conservative Republican we need. He has served as Chairman of the Railroad Commission for the last 8 years (more like an Energy Commission if you recall), but also brings a wealth of diverse experience to the table serving in the U.S. Departments of Education, Justice and Treasury:

I have served at every level of government: in three cabinet departments under two presidential administrations, as an elected member of the Texas Railroad Commission and as a local prosecutor in the Midland County District Attorneys office. I know the honor of public service is not holding an office, but preserving the public trust.

If you watched his speech to the Texas State Convention in my last blog, you undoubtedly know that he is rock solid on all 3 legs of the conservative stool. He’s the real deal. He highlights a few areas where he will put his experience to work on issues:

Economy: we need a long-term prosperity agenda starting with a tax code that rewards work, encourages saving, investment and entrepreneurship; incentives for innovation, research and development yielding to solutions for more and higher-valued jobs, steadier wages and stronger retirements.

Energy and Environment: we need to develop pro-growth energy and environment solutions for greater energy security that will produce more American energy, accelerate the use of alternative energy technologies and promote greater energy efficiency and conservation.

Education: we need to rekindle a love of learning in America’s classrooms, specifically a renewed focus on math, science, engineering and technology.

National Security: we need to ensure safer communities and neighborhoods by enforcing our laws, protecting our borders and making sure our military continues to be the strongest in the world to defend America and defeat our enemies.

Health care: we need transformational health solutions and policies that create better health care, more choices at affordable costs.

I notice something rather different in his approach here. Yes he lists issues, however, you’ll note that he also frames them from a conservative viewpoint. He’s just not picking and choosing which issue will help him get elected, but focuses on the root solutions, even in this short format. He’s not going through and just checking off boxes. With Michael Williams in the Senate, we will have a strong voice that stands up for conservative values and ideals.

PS. To read the full email and to sign up for email alerts, go to WilliamsForTexas.com. The campaign has yet to set up the full website and donation page, as soon as it goes live, I’ll post an update.

I’ve been a big fan of Michael Williams’ for the last couple of years. I don’t quite remember how I, living in Oregon, came about knowing who the Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission was, but I support him to replace Kay Bailey Hutchison as the Senator from the great state of Texas.

First, Hutchison is starting to set up a run for Governor:

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison on Thursday took the first step toward her anticipated run for Texas governor, establishing an exploratory committee that will allow her to raise money for the 2010 campaign.

I suspect that she could knock off current governor Rick Perry in the Republican primary. What is not known is if she will resign her senate seat to do so. If she does, then a special election will be called.

Whether by appointment or by special election, I support Michael Williams for the seat.

I know what you’re thinking, Chairman of the Railroad Commission??? The title is a little misleading, the Texas Railroad Commission is actually an energy commission (dropping rail oversight in 2005, but not changing the name), and the commissioners are elected statewide:

The Railroad Commission of Texas is the state agency that regulates the oil and gas industry, gas utilities, pipeline safety, safety in the liquefied petroleum gas industry, and surface coal and uranium mining. Established by the Texas Legislature in 1891, the commission is the state’s oldest regulatory agency.

He was first elected in 2000 to fill out the final 2 years of a 6 year term, reelected in 2002 to a full term and then reelected this year for another 6 years. He’s conservative (all three legs), he’s well spoken and a proud, outspoken Reagan conservative. He addressed the Republican convention this year, but I give you the video of his address to the Texas State Republican Convention:

I’m pretty sure that after you watch the video, that should Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison either step down to run, or become governor, you’d join me in supporting Michael Williams for Texas Senator .

I state my qualifications:

1. I am a naturally born citizen.
2. I am 35 years old.

As for “implied” qualifications, I would like to thank the current president-elect for pretty much doing away with that. The biggest thing I have over him, is that I have chosen my associates better. I didn’t sit in a bigot’s church for the last 20 years, dropping it only when it became politically inconvenient. I have never even talked to someone who planted bombs and planned bombing fellow citizens and our government buildings. Heck, I’m not going to select a doofus like Joe Biden for my running mate.

So I have already shown better judgment than the 44th President of the US.

Join me my friends, we have a long hard road ahead of us, but together, we can make it happen!

Just one question I have really, when do I get my matching funds? I’ll settle for a few million from the bailout.

Addendum: I do have one other obvious qualification. I was born on the 10th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination, some people has said that I can lay claim to Camelot (hey if the 2004 Democrat nominee thought just because he had the same initials…).

I started reading the diaries and the comments and then registered on this date 4 years ago, mostly just to keep track of which comments I had read and which ones were new (ahhh, the good old days….).

RedState has really helped my grow politically. I have always known my political philosophy, but never really thought deeply about why I hold my views. And I’m still learning, probably always will be.

I want to thank the founders of the site, the current directors and moderators, and all of the members. RedState has helped me to be more politically active in the offline world, where it counts. I don’t know about y’all, but I’m ready to fight the liberal Democrats and the press (but I repeat myself). When we make our conservative electoral comeback it will be thanks in part to the efforts of RedState.

Sens. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Ken Salazar (D-Colo.), Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) are all involved in the effort, according to top Senate Democratic aides. These four senators — along with other Lieberman allies — are reaching out to the rest of the Democratic Senate caucus to try to ensure Lieberman survives a secret ballot vote on whether to strip him of his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. (emphasis mine)

I’m sure it’s always been done that way, a nice secret ballot so that the members don’t get upset at each other about people voting against them. Hey, I think it’s a good thing. But then again I think a private ballot on employees deciding whether they want a union or not is a good thing to. I’m just consistent on that matter. For me it’s pretty simple, a private ballot is a good thing (as long as it wasn’t fraudulently cast - ACORN, I’m looking at you).

For our Democrat overlords, private ballots for me, but not for thee!

The Democrats will pick up about 15-18 House seats when they were previously looking to get at least 25. The Oregon, Minnesota and Alaska Senate seats will probably stay in Republican hands for the next 6 years, though I’d like to see Sean Parnell take Ted Stevens’ place in a special election when he steps down.

Looking past the national headlines and to the states, let me point out 2 nice bright spots from last night. First, the state that gave us Fred!, Tennessee:

Republicans now have a clear majority in both houses of the legislature there. That’s a pretty important thing to have as there are a number of offices that are appointed by them (weird, but I’ll take it) From the Knoxville News via Glenn Reynolds:

While Republicans have had numeric majorities in the Senate in recent years, the GOP’s combined numbers weren’t enough to form the majority needed to decide the state’s constitutional officers. Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey says there’s no question Republicans will now look to put their mark on those offices.

“Obviously we will,” said Ramsey, of Blountville. “It will be the first time in the history of the state of Tennessee that we will be appointing the secretary of state, treasurer or comptroller.”

The three constitutional officers and the state finance commissioner also make up the membership of the State Funding Board that is charged with making revenue projections. The same four officers and the two speakers sit on the State Building Commission that has authority over most of the state’s capital projects.

I don’t know how they do redistricting in TN, but I hope that’s also good news that maybe we can Gerrymander a few Democrats out of office come 2010-2012 assuming that the Republicans maintain their hold on the legislature. Also, it is apparently setting up the Republican Speaker of the Senate for a run at the governorship in 2010.

Way to go Tennessee!

Next up is OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOklahoma (where the wind comes sweeping down the plains). Boomer Sooner! In the state that has give us Senator TrainWreck and reelected Globull Warming Denier Inhofe last night, Republicans did something in Oklahoma that has never happened before - they gained control of the State Senate:

The Republicans will have the majority in the state Senate for the first time in history.

Republicans in Tuesday’s election retained incumbent seats and picked up at least two seats to get the majority in the Senate.

Vote totals in a third race between Republican incumbent Jim Reynolds and Democrat David Boren still were being counted late Tuesday in the District 43 race. Boren is not related to U.S. Rep. Dan Boren. Less than 100 votes separated the candidates.

And there’s a little tidbit that makes this so much sweeter:

Republicans took control of the Senate by picking up two seats that had been held by Democrats, including a seat in the Tulsa area held by a senator who switched parties in 2006, depriving the Republicans of the majority that year.

Sen. Nancy Riley, D-Tulsa, lost to Republican Dan Newberry. Republicans picked up a Stillwater seat with a win by James Halligan, former Oklahoma State University president, who beat a former judge, Democrat Bob Murphy. Halligan will fill the seat vacated by Democrat Mike Morgan, who could not run again because of term limits.

mmmm Schadenfreude tastes so good.

Not all was good news on the state front, we lost state legislatures in Wisconsin, New York, Delaware and Obama’s landslide win in Nevada helped the Democrats win there. We still might be able to take Montana’s House though as the results are still pending.

Working on taking states back through the grassroots is going to be the key to rebuilding the national state of the Republican Party.

We have a strong minority. Mitch McConnell didn’t get Daschled. Smith may yet hang on in Oregon. Norm in Minnesota. We picked up a few seats back in the House that we had lost in 2006 (TX-22 and FL-16).

With all that in mind I just want to say something. I plan on being the most patriotic American I can be over the next 4 years.

“Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.” - Howie Zinn.

“I’m sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and disagree with this administration, somehow you’re not patriotic. We need to stand up and say we’re Americans, and we have the right to debate and disagree with any administration.” - Hillary Clinton.

I’m not going to have ODS. However, I’m going to have fun with this.

The Broncos are a way of life there, and after back to back Championships, John Elway is the most beloved person in all of Colorado. He contemplated running for office himself, but never did. Today, he’s trying to help John McCain come from behind in Colorado.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain kicks off a three-stop barnstorm of Colorado today at a morning rally with legendary Broncos quarterback John Elway at Denver’s National Western Arena.

First, future Hall of Fame and former Broncos safety John Lynch introduced Elway:

“My name is John Lynch and I couldn’t be more proud, honored…to be here this morning. It’s an honor to be on the stage with a true American hero, John McCain.”

He thanks McCain for his years of public service. “And thank you for the next four you’re about to embark on as the president of the United States of America. And we’ve got to make sure that happens, right?”

“It’s the fourth quarter and it’s crunch time and we’ve got to get this thing right,” Lynch says.

“I’m proud to look John McCain in the eye and let him know that he and Sarah Palin have earned my trust,” Lynch said.

“I know that on Nov. 4 he’s going to deliver victory.”

Elway then spoke:

“As an NFL quarterback I learned about pressure under fire, leadership and personal sacrifice.”

He says that McCain has also proven his mettle during years of service to the country.

Elway says that some pundits are counting McCain out.

“I know a thing or two about comebacks,” Elway says to cheers, “and I cannot wait until Nov.4 when you once again prove those pundits wrong and elect our next president of the United States.”

Elway urges the crowd to spend the next 11 days “doing everything you can in your power to see that (McCain and running mate Sarah Palin) are elected.”

McCain then spoke to the crowd, talking about taxes, “Joe the Plumber,” and Biden’s gaffe of telling the truth that Obama hasn’t been tested. I don’t know how much John Elway can move the needle in Colorado, but I’m hoping that the comeback king can give a little 4th quarter magic to John McCain.

We’ve been subject to numerous stories about all the new young and black voters that Barack Obama would bring in this year, how excited they were, how they were going to change the game.

The results? Not so much - No Increase in Proportion of First-Time Voters:

Gallup finds 13% of registered voters saying they will vote for president for the first time in 2008. That matches the figure Gallup found in its final 2004 pre-election poll.

The Obama campaign is trying to discourage Republican voters by saying that the election is over, we don’t have to bother voting. Well you know what, I’m voting no matter the outcome. John McCain might win or he might lose - I think he is probably a couple of points behind right now, but well within striking distance. John Kerry had massive turnout for him and would have won had Bush not increased his turnout as well.

It is not over, many of those late deciders will probably not be comfortable enough with the other guy being in charge. McCain still has a good shot at winning.

Just curious, ya know.

First, now I know what it finally feels like to be a Democrat at the movies. I got to see a movie where they made fun of the other political persuasion the entire time. That’s worth the price of admission alone, heh.

If you like Zucker’s previous work (Airplane, Naked Gun) you’ll like this movie. It will make you laugh out loud quite a few times with some of the slapstick. And you’ll find something caught in your eye a time or two, maybe it’s allergies, yeah that’s it, allergies! There are corny parts, over the top parts, and even undead (seriously, do you know how hard it is to kill zombies?).

Since you know the plot already before going in, the story itself was the only drawback, that’s not a bad thing. The twist on the story keeps it interesting. Don’t go in expecting a serious political dialogue, it’s not a dissertation, it’s a movie, it’s entertaining and it’s right-leaning.

Funny, light, heartwarming, and unabashedly pro-American.

BOB SCHIEFFER: I am told, Maggie, that the way McCain got involved in this in the first place, the Treasury Secretary was briefing Republicans in the House yesterday, the Republican conference, asked how many were ready to support the bailout plan. Only four of them held up their hands. Paulson then called, according to my sources, Senator Lindsey Graham, who is very close to John McCain, and told him: you’ve got to get the people in the McCain campaign, you’ve got to convince John McCain to give these Republicans some political cover. If you don’t do that, this whole bailout plan is going to fail. So that’s how, McCain, apparently, became involved.

Continued Schieffer:

SCHIEFFER: He has gotten what he wants, he’s going to have this meeting, kind of a summit today with the president and Barack Obama. I’m told that the leaders of both parties are getting close to having some kind of a bill. The question, though, is whether rank-and-file Republicans, especially, are going to vote for this.

For John McCain, we have seen time and time again where “Country First” isn’t a slogan, it’s a way of life. He became the leader of the Republicans when he won the nomination, but he put his campaign on hold because he is probably the only person who could salvage this deal in Congress in the time constraints faced. Right now, it looks like he has saved it. The minute that he announced his intentions, Democrats in congress finally got serious about working with Republicans on this bill. It has yet to be finalized, but so far it’s looking a lot better than 24 hours ago.

Sen Obama after initially voting “present” followed Sen McCain’s lead and is in Washington now to work on the financial crisis facing our country. But what was he doing yesterday when McCain was getting that “3 am call”?

He was signing autographs.

Come Nov 4th, we need a leader, not a celebrity.

That was response Barack Obama gave when he was tired of having to answer for what one of his economic advisers had said (Goolsbee’s assurance that Canada shouldn’t worry that we’re pulling out of NAFTA). A major incident in his campaign (you know, the reason he’s qualified for president) and he can’t be bothered for more than a few minutes.

It wasn’t a pretty sight, it was whining. It was also an insight into how Barack Obama does under pressure. God forbid he becomes president - I can just imagine him sitting across the table from Putin, “Come on Vlad, I gave you, like, half of Europe.”

Oh, and don’t interrupt him when he’s eating either. We know that presidents can always finish their meal before dealing with a crisis…. “Why can’t I just eat my waffle?” he said, when asked a foreign policy question by a reporter. It wasn’t even 3am, and he voted present.

He’s a guy who can’t take any criticism without running to mommy or playing the race card. I have lost track of how many times Barack has tried to play the race card.

Contrast that with Gov. Sarah Palin. She’s had everything and the kitchen sink thrown at her since she became the vice presidential nominee for the Republicans. While those of us on our side of the ditch have risen up to slap down some of the blatant sexism coming from the Obama campaign, Gov Palin hasn’t let it bother her and hasn’t complained about it.

I watched her interview with Sean Hannity the last 2 nights and something struck me from her answers in part 2. Sean asked her about the media bias and the things that have been said about her and her family:

HANNITY: How (are) you dealing with some of the harsh attacks against you? Let me give you a couple of examples.

PALIN: Oh, thanks. Good.

HANNITY: Well, I’m glad to do it.

South Carolina Democratic chairman said your primary qualification seems to be, you didn’t have an abortion. Politico reported, the National Organization for Women’s spokesman: she’s more a conservative man than she is a woman on women’s issues. Gloria Steinem: Sarah Palin shares nothing but a chromosome with Hillary Clinton.

PALIN: You got me on that first one, that abortion — that’s an appalling comment. You know, though, the shots that I’m taking, I know what the truth is and I know what my convictions are and my foundation is. So I’m fine there. I’m fine there.

The shots that perhaps our campaign has taken, it’s nothing compared to the shots that some people across America are taking today. The things that really matter: Somebody worried about losing their house because of Wall Street collapses. Somebody worried about losing their job or being able to pay for their child’s health care coverage or a parent perhaps having lost a son or daughter in battle, those are the shots that matter.

I’m going to keep it all in perspective.

HANNITY: There is — Ed Rendell said the coverage of Barack Obama in this campaign was embarrassing, Democrat. Mark Penn — Clinton pollster — He said that the media’s on dangerous ground, so far they’re the biggest losers in this race. Scott Rasmussen had a poll, 69 percent of people are convinced reporters are trying to help the candidate they want win, and five to one that’s Senator Obama.

Do you see media bias in this campaign?

PALIN: I don’t know. But a conservative candidate has got to know what they’re getting themselves into in the world that we are in today. And, you know, I knew putting my name on the dotted line there saying, yes, I’m willing to serve. I knew what I was getting into. You can’t whine about it. That doesn’t do any good. And you’ve got to grow thick skin.

I was telling a couple of our campaign people the other day. I said, you see this? You think this is just baby fat, right, from having Trig four months ago. No, it’s some thick skin in there also.

She’s not whining about media bias, she recognizes it and knows that she has to deal with it and not pretend it doesn’t exist. I wish a lot more of our elected Republicans would do so as well. Gov Palin fights back against smears, but you notice that she doesn’t take it personally and always uses it as an opportunity to focus on what the McCain campaign wants to focus on.

You don’t have to hit back against some of the things that said about her, the American public is smart enough to be appalled on their own - such was a mistake of the McCain campaign dwelling on the “lipstick” comment, we know what Barack meant when he said it, but you didn’t have to hit US over the head with a response, a “there you go again” would have been more than sufficient. Thankfully they are back on offense with the new Fannie/Freddie ads.

A tale of two candidates. One is a wuss who can’t take a punch, the other is a moose hunter who hits back harder than the punch she just took.

NASHVILLE – The son of state Rep. Mike Kernell has been contacted by authorities in connection with a probe into the hacking of personal e-mail of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, Kernell told The Tennessean.

Kernell, a Memphis Democrat, said his 20-year-old son David had been contacted by authorities investigating the hacking of Palin’s personal e-mail account, the newspaper reported on its Web site this afternoon.

The FBI and the Secret Service started a formal investigation Wednesday into the hacking, according to the Associated Press.

David Kernell is a student at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

More to come.

Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., the Democrats’ vice presidential nominee, said this afternoon that perhaps Senator Barack Obama should have chosen someone else as his running mate.

Responding to a question at a town hall-style meeting at Nashua Community College, Mr. Biden said, “Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be vice president of the United States of America. Quite frankly, it might have been a better pick than me.”

He added, “She’s qualified to be president. I mean that sincerely, she’s first rate.”

I bet Obama’s thinking, “Shut UP Joe, it’s not like I can do anything about that now.”

Thomas Eagleton disagrees.

Update:

Biden said he doesn’t know (Gov) Palin but, “(everything) I know about her, there’s no reason not to respect her and believe she’s qualified to be the vice president.”

More Biden:

“If you get elected governor of a state, you’re qualified, and she’s apparently a very popular governor.” Biden said Tuesday night in an interview with the Herald-Tribune. “Qualified to run for vice president until proven otherwise.”

We all remember what Joe Biden has said about his own running mate, community organizer Barry Obama?

The news of Sarah Palin being chosen only leaked maybe about an hour before she was to be introduced as John McCain’s running mate. Wow. This week was impressive for the McCain campaign. They really faked everyone out (especially Erick, sorry, heh!) and lowered expectations, and then BANG… Gov Palin!

I give kudos to the McCain campaign, contrast this to the way the Obama rolled out Joe Biden. Obama’s selection got leaked at 2 am, prompting them to have their 3 am text message of annoyance and still getting scooped by the MSM. Biden was already known to be on the short list and most people had him as the selection 2 days ahead of time. No one really had Palin in the final 3 (Lieberman, Romney and Pawlenty). That is a tight campaign.

Additionally, the McCain team has really has been awesome with their ad campaign. We’ve seen time and time again the sharp contrasts and quick turn arounds. They are inside the Obama decision loop. We’ve seen that for the last month plus (ever since Obama’s World Tour).

Great job McCain, great pick and great roll-out. Steve Schmidt, you rock!

PS. I predict that this will knock Obama’s bounce right out of the water.

The best part? Obama himself (after election, prior to his taking the oath of office):

You know, I am a believer in … in knowing what you’re doing when you apply for a job. Uh, and I think that … if I were seriously to consider running on a national ticket, I would essentially have to start now, before having served a day in the Senate. Now there may be some people who are comfortable doing that, but I am not one of those people. — Barack Obama, 2004

I’m sure that we’ll see this ad in some form on TV sometime soon.

Pass the popcorn, this is getting good.

Here’s the new ad by McCain that features part of it….


Schadenfreude, it’s not just for breakfast anymore.