Early Voting in Texas Starts Today

I voted today. Today through the end of the month is the early voting period of Texas. As I have been working to keep Texas a strong red state, it will be no surprise to those around me that this time around, I voted a straight ticket.

The Houston Chronicle, in their Sunday edition, endorsed Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Big shock, right? In order to head off any criticism, the newspaper felt the need to publish their presidential ticket endorsements for the past twenty or so years. This is only the second time the paper has endorsed the Democrat ticket. The other time was when LBJ ran. This was a bit of CYA on the newspaper's part, as in the day to day reporting, the nod to the left is obvious. Falling circulation numbers and ad revenues tell the tale.

The newspaper has yet to endorse in the Senatorial race. I'm waiting. So far the other two large newspapers in the state, the ones in Dallas and San Antonio, have already endorsed Senator Cornyn. Do you think that the fact that challenger Rick Noriega's wife is a member of the Houston City Council will play a factor in their decision? Just askin'.

I did note, however, in today's edition, a halfway favorable article on Senator Cornyn. In their own backhanded way the newspaper wrote: "During his first term in the Senate, the former Texas attorney general and state Supreme Court judge has transformed himself from a cheerleader for Bush to become a force in his won right - a member of his party's leadership and an authority on issues ranging from judicial nominations to open government."

"I am interested in helping the Republican party rebuild," says Cornyn. He is in place to potentially lead the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Much like Senator McCain, Senator Cornyn truly reaches over to the other side of the aisle on important issues. He walks the walk unlike some other Senators who just talk the talk.

Some examples, you ask? From the article: "He's worked with Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., on giving the Food and Drug Administration jurisdiction over tobacco; with Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., on open government legislation; and with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., on anti-gang legislation."

"John has impressed Senate colleagues as a pragmatic conservative," says Norman Ornstein, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute who worked with Cornyn on legislation after the Sept. 11 attacks."

Senator Cornyn has gone against the Bush administration when the action was needed, in his view. He was against the sweeping immigration reform legislation brought forth last summer. He disagreed with Senator McCain, too, but forged on. Understand this - unlike politicians like Barack Obama, who serve out of opportunism and narcissism, true civil servants like John Cornyn and John McCain put it on the line and act as they see proper on an issue. Barack Obama has never bucked his party, on any issue and certainly not on any big issue.

The quality of a politician's character and the maturity of judgement do matter. It's important.