Politico.com

Dallas is Getting Its Very Own Al Jazeera Bureau

Pretty much every serious national news organization has at least a skeletal presence in Dallas. The major networks, as well as CNN, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and the Associated Press, all have a Dallas bureau. Partly it's that Dallas is a thriving commercial and cultural hub, partly ... More >>

Today, Democrats Are Officially Gunning for Texas' Electoral College Votes

This is day one of the Battle of Texas, which is mostly marked by a website launch. Battleground Texas, the Democratic Party's efforts to shake the GOP hold on the state, officially starts today. The site comes with a nifty graphic showing a red Texas filling up with blue (it's pretty low right now) ... More >>

Shockingly, Ted Nugent Was Not a Fan of Obama's State of the Union Address

In his State of the Union address yesterday, President Obama laid out a moderately progressive agenda, calling for a higher minimum wage, action to combat climate change, comprehensive immigration reform, and tougher gun control measures. The Nuge was not amused. The New York Times described a "sto ... More >>

There's a New National Effort to Turn Texas Blue

It's clear and has been for a while that, barring a wholesale shift in the worldview of both Republicans and Latino voters, demographic shifts will turn Texas into a Democratic state. Eventually. That's what San Antonio's political wonderkinder Joaquin and Julian Castro were talking about on Sunday ... More >>

Muslim Hunting

David Horowitz has made taunting college students a spectator sport. Sometimes he's actually right.

Watch Dallas Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson Tell a Fox News Anchor to Shut Up

U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, who coasted unopposed to a 10th term last month, was on Fox News today to discuss the fiscal cliff. Johnson, for those of you who haven't been paying attention, is a Democrat. Fox News host Neil Cavuto is -- well he's a Fox News host. The two of them hit i ... More >>

That Time a Romney Mega-donor Drove a Guy's Car Into a Fort Worth Pond

After more than a decade as an investment banker for outfits like Merrill Lynch, John Kleinheinz struck out on his own in 1996, establishing what would become Kleinheinz Capital Partners in Fort Worth. Over the next decade-and-a-half, the hedge fund exploded, growing from basically nothing to $1.8 b ... More >>

America's Petro-Terrorists

How greedy speculators bought politicians and drove up the price of oil.

So, Rick Perry's Quitting After All

​So says CNN: "The Texas governor will make the announcement before the CNN debate in South Carolina." And Politico: "Texas Gov. Rick Perry is expected to end his presidential campaign Thursday and endorse Newt Gingrich." (Ooooh, speaking of.) A press conference has been scheduled for 10ish this m ... More >>

It Appears Even Perry's People Believe His Whole Campaign Has Been An "Oops" Moment

​Schutze said it the other day: Gov. Rick Perry's probably just a few days away from crawling back to Austin with his tail tucked between Anita's legs. We'll know more tonight at 7, when the Des Moines Register releases its all-important Iowa Poll, and Happy New Year to you too. But this morning, ... More >>

So, New EPA Regs Won't Cause Apocalyptic Blackouts in Texas After All?

Luminant's Monticello​Over the course of the last month, both ERCOT and the North American Energy Reliability Corporation have warned of outages as early as next summer, due in large part, they say, to new regs issued by the EPA aimed at reducing the amount of mercury, sulfur dioxide and other ... More >>

Rick Perry's Blossoming Bromance With Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a Walking Civil Rights Violation

"When life's got you by the balls, beat life in the face with your baton."​A week or so back, Politico reported that Rick Perry had reached out to Phoenix-area Sheriff Joe Arpaio, one of America's fiercest illegal-immigration foes and a constant innovator in the competitive field of Being a To ... More >>

Activists Call Texas's Voter ID Law Discriminatory, Plead For Feds' Help

"I knew I should have signed that bill with my red-white-and-blue Sharpie."​Hey, maybe this will help Rick Perry shore up support with the Tea Party's Ship-Em-Out Division and his new Arizona boyfriend: Those kooky activists at the ACLU and some of their libtard friends are pleading with the D ... More >>

Rick Perry's Summer Reading: The Only Thing Worse Than Judaism is Happy Hour

Rick Perry's summer readin'.​OK, so we know now that whatever Rick Perry is readin' this summer, it ain't a science book. Because until 142 percent of all scientists agree on something, science is just theories, and people don't need theories right now. They need jobs. Jobs and provocative rhe ... More >>

Now That Tim Pawlenty's Out of the Race, Everyone Wants to Date Ray Washburne

​In mid-May, Ray Washburne explained his attraction to former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty thusly: "He's got a great story to tell." This was in a Wall Street Journal piece about how Pawlenty was attracting big-money men such as Washburne -- co-founder of Mi Cocina, owner of the Highland Park Villa ... More >>

When's Perry Gonna Decide? Dunno.

Office of the GovernorRick Perry, Stephen Broden, Sarah Palin and Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott at the Majestic last fall​Gov. Rick Perry will be in Denton this week, according to his office, at which time he certainly will not address if and when he's going to announce whether he's running f ... More >>

As Commission Begins Redrawing Dallas's Districts, Barton and Smith at War Over State's

Congressman Joe Barton​The Redistricting Commission, charged with redrawing city council district boundaries, meets tomorrow at 6 p.m. at City Hall, at which time commission members Domingo Garcia, Donna Halstead and Gary Griffith and chair Ruth Morgan will present to the public early-look maps an ... More >>

News & Notes: Jenkins Surgery Update, Who Sent Sherbet's Stuff Home and Former Cowboys QB Poised to Swap Senate Teams

Photo by Sam MertenClay Jenkins​What a Week For the New County Judge Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins has been pummeled in the media and political circles for playing Scottie Pippen to Commissioner John Wiley Price's Michael Jordan in the game to push out Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbet ... More >>

Great Quotes in American Political History: This Week, Texas Governor Rick Perry

Rachel Parker​"When you are a leader and you make hard decisions, you piss some people off."--Rick Perry to Politico

If Joe Barton Knows Who Shouted "Baby Killer" Last Night, He Ain't About to Say

​[Updated: Below, you'll find an update, from Taking Points Memo, in which Rep. Randy Neugebauer of Lubbock fesses up to being the shouter last night. As TPM also points out, he was also the co-sponsor of the so-called Birther Bill.] Last night, Gawker wondered, "Who Is the American Hero Who Yelle ... More >>

If Joe Barton's BCS Bill Is All About Making Lobbyists Some Dough, Then Good Work

​For more than a year, Smokey Joe Barton's been trying to kill the Bowl Championship Series -- most recently, of course, with H.R. 390: College Football Playoff Act of 2009, which would ...... prohibit, as an unfair and deceptive act or practice, the promotion, marketing, and advertising of any po ... More >>

Pete Sessions to Fly His Dirigible to Richardson Tomorrow Night for Town Hall Meeting

Pete Sessions​Few days back, Politico ran a piece about how politicians' town hall meetings have gotten a little out of control. Such phrases as "house of horrors," "angry, sign-carrying mobs," "disruptive behavior," "pointless" and "boiling anger and rising incivility" crop up throughout, often i ... More >>

Pete Sessions and His Lead Zeppelin

​In a lengthy piece published early this morning, Politico notes Pete Sessions's public stance on earmarks: "a symbol of a broken Washington to the American people." Except, see, there was this one time, in 2008, when the Congressman from the Fightin' 32nd "steered a $1.6 million earmark for dirig ... More >>

George W. Bush Is "Hard at Work" Organizing Library and Planning Institute at SMU

So says the former president's chief of staff, Andrew Card, who also told Politico that Bush has been "very, very busy." Doing what, exactly? Well ... lots of things. No mention of his trip to Calgary, where Bush is expected to pocket some serious Canadian bacon. Garrison Keillor, though, sees Bush ... More >>

Kay Bailey Hutchison's Fellow GOP Senators Begging Her Not to Leave D.C. Just Yet

On Tuesday, Governor Rick Perry told the Associated Press he seriously doubted Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison was going to challenge him come 2010. Because, look, "there's plenty of time for the senator to think that it's not in her best interest, Texas' best interest or the country's best interest to ... More >>

Podesta's Peeps Suggest Ways to Fix Dallas's "Dangerous Chemical Facilities"

The loading dock at Petra Chemical's Dallas facility on Storey Lane Only yesterday, Politico.com suggested that the think tank Center for American Progress would become a major player within Barack Obama's White House. After all, it was founded and is headed by former Clinton chief of staff and c ... More >>

Obama's Campaign Confirms It: The News Was Booted Off the Plane

Wednesday Morning Wake and Bake

Friends of Unfair Park: Your Morning Cup of Joe

How Tall Must You Be to Ride "The Slippery Slope to Socialism"?

Obama's Attorney Clearly Does Not Like, Um, Howard Simmons?

Obama's Counsel Wants DOJ to See if Harold Simmons Broke Election Law

Airline Execs Now Have Common Enemy: Goddamned Oil Speculators!

Dallas GOP Moneybags Dick Collins Steers Swift Boat Toward Obama

That, Sir, Is Thinking Big