Mikal Watts Leaves U.S. Senate Race, Clears Field For ... Me

Mikal Watts withdrew from the U.S. Senate race this morning, as I knew he would. As much as I tried to keep it a closely-guarded secret, loose talk about my potential candidacy had spread a little too far. Watts knew -- as any reasonably astute observer of Texas politics would know -- that with me in the race, the over-40, balding white professional male candidate profile was sewn up. Voters don't want to choose between over-40, balding white professional males for Senate any more than they want to choose between Arby's and Burger King when they're ordering pizza.

Watts, by the way, steadfastly insists that he's 39 years old. Yeah, right.

Texas voters, of course, will be even more pained having to choose between an empty-headed sycophant who looks like he got sent over from Central Casting and an Afghan war veteran whose biggest leadership challenger to date has been organizing emergency food, water and shelter for over 7,000 Katrina evacuees. Please -- like we all haven't had relatives drop in unexpectedly!

For that reason, I am announcing the formation of an exploratory committee -- actually, a couple guys who'll meet at the Putt-Putt on Lamar and then have a pitcher of beer at the old gas station across the way -- to determine whether I should take the next step in running for the U.S. Senate, to wit, calling someone to ask what the next step would actually be. Keep posted for further thrilling developments.

In the meantime, here's Mikal Watts' (Who? See how quickly we forget?) statement:

"For the last five months I have been exploring a race for the United States Senate because I believe that our junior senator, John Cornyn, has let Texas down and is more concerned with his cronies and friends in Washington than with what's best for Texas.
"After spending the last several months putting everything into this campaign, I have seen the toll this effort has taken on my young children. For these reasons, my wife and I have made the decision that I will not be seeking the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate in 2008. I was brought up to believe that public service is a noble endeavor and I will continue to be involved at some level in the future. However, I realize that my time now should be devoted to serving my children so they may grow up in a healthy environment with both parents at home to meet their needs.
"The reasons for creating my exploratory committee still exist. As I have criss-crossed the state and met and talked with tens of thousands of good Texans, it is evident how much the people of Texas want and need a Senator who will fight every day for their interests and not the special interests. We need to elect a new Senator in Texas and I will personally do everything possible to support the Democratic nominee.
"It is hard to express the gratitude I feel for all the support my family and I have received as we have pursued this effort. I know that our vision for the future of Texas is one that all of our friends and supporters share. It's been one of the greatest blessings of my life for their faith in me, and for all of their hard work over the past months. While the decision not to seek the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate has been a difficult one, I know that it is the right one for my family at this time."

Rick Perry Admits He's a Cogitator

Rick Perry 'fessed up this morning: "For the last six months, I have cogitated." This from a man who has consistently opposed gay rights, going so far as to oppose even civil unions. The apple has not fallen far from the Paint Creek, Texas, tree.

The object of his cogitating? Rudy Giuliani, whom he endorsed for President this morning. The fact that Giuliani favors gay rights (9/11) and gun control (9/11) did not deter Texas's Only Governor from endorsing the thrice-married Giuliani (9/11). In fact, Perry sent around some talking points to accompany the press conference call that defended Giuliani's position on some of these hot-button issues. According to Ross Ramsey:

A talking points memo sent to Perry friendlies addresses differences between the candidate and the governor on four big issues: abortion, gay marriage and gays in general, gun control, and immigration. Perry's answers, in order: "Good people can disagree on this issue"; "...we, too, are called to love everyone even if we may disagree on issues like this one"; "Mayor Giuliani makes a distinction between what may work in New York City versus the rest of America"; and "Mayor Giuliani understands that you cannot have homeland security without border security."

Marc Ambinder of The Atlantic thinks this is Perry's audition to get on the GOP ticket as a vice-presidential candidate. Something to think about, in spite of Perry's denials (including today, per Elise Hu: "I have a really really good job and I love my job. In fact I just moved out of the mansion and I'm not looking to move again," Perry said.)

Perry fits the conventional wisdom of a ticket-balancer: Rudy's northeasters, he's southwestern; Rudy was a mayor, he's a governor (and Americans love governors -- four of our last five Presidents had been governors); Rudy's soft on God, guns and gays, but no one accuses Perry of that. Well, not seriously.

On the other hand, Texas is a reliably red state for Presidential politics in which Perry won re-election with only 39 percent of the vote a year ago. His last legislative session was a train wreck, with Republican lawmakers sabotaging his initiatives on Gardasil, TXU and toll roads. He finished the session by vetoing $154 million in needed funding for community colleges and getting himself named to Texas Monthly's Ten Worst list. Things have only gotten better over the summer because everyone went home.

Perry and his new BFF Rudy Giuliani are heading to Iowa today to stump for Giuliani's candidacy. I wonder how Rudy will dress for the occasion.

Pick Your President

The SELECT-A-CANDIDATE quiz was initially developed by the folks at Minnesota Public Radio and is now online courtesy of WQAD in Moline, Illinois, home of John Deere tractors.

Take the quiz and let us know how you do!

I LOVE this song!

Not sure I am going to buy an iPod Nano, though. I'll probably buy the CD, though.

HAAM Benefits Austin Musicians

Soaking up the good vibes at the Great Austin Music Medicine Show at Threadgill's with the amazing Barbara K.

Last night, I went to a benefit for the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, or HAAM. Actually, it would have been hard NOT to go to a HAAM benefit last night, since half the businesses in town seemed to be supporting HAAM by donating five percent of their gross receipts to the effort. The other half were hosting HAAM concerts with great artists like Abi Tapia, Tony Campise, and Vallejo.

I attended the Great Austin Music Medicine Show at Threadgill's World Headquarters on Riverside. The show included performances by Greezy Wheels, Maryann Price, Ghosts and Sparrows (featuring Barbara K), Idgy Vaughn, and others. Ghosts and Sparrow's music was, as always, sublime, and Idgy brought down the house with her ode to a departed (!?!) boyfriend, "Dragging the River." (Unfortunately, the links to the mp3 may be dead.)

The good news is, the HAAM Benefit Day raised money for a really good cause. The better news is, you can still contribute to HAAM -- and to the collaborative culture of a city where you can stumble on to great music on any given day -- by going here.

Where Do They Find These People?

Michael Chertoff, the Homeland Security Secretary, has decided that the greatest threat to our national security and, indeed, the American Way of Life is: trash.

In an interview with the Associated Press published yesterday, he announced yet another justification for the hare-brained border fence scheme into which the Bush Administration wants to pour somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 billion dollars. Nice neighborhood.

This time, it's personal. "Illegal migrants really degrade the environment. I've seen pictures of human waste, garbage, discarded bottles and other human artifact in pristine areas," Chertoff said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "And believe me, that is the worst thing you can do to the environment."

Numero Uno: He's seen pictures? What, he's never been here? Geez.

Numero Dos-O: Michael Chertoff is from New Eff-ing Jersey. He's got a lot of nerve complaining about something as innocuous as human waste and discarded bottles. If he thinks that's "the worst thing you can do to the environment," he is seriously off his rocker. His "homeland" is one of the world's most polluted inhabited areas. Yet, in what would ordinarily pass for a distinguished career as a U.S. Attorney, including a stint as head of the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, Chertoff never acted against environmental crooks.

The problem is, with no one seriously believing the fence is going to keep anyone out and even reactionary border governors like Rick Perry ridiculing the very idea, Chertoff and the Administration have to keep a straight face and issue new rationales for the border fence on what seems to be virtually a monthly basis.

Remind you of any wars we're fighting? And seriously, where do they find dumbasses like Chertoff?