You know, Greg? You're right.

Even a blind hog finds an acorn every now and again. Eye on Williamson says it a little nicer than me, but that's because he doesn't know you as well as I.

Goalposts will be moved. 800 donors by the end of September is more reasonable, and all of us Kool Kidz appreciate your suggestion.

Now ... about that candidate of yours currently leading in the polls? Nnnnnot so much.

P.S. I thought this watch party announcement was plenty enough 'equal treatment'.

Almost post-debate bloggerhea

Edwards' "Hair" video:



Dodd's Talk Clock:


Poll of Kossacks:

Who is currently your favorite 2008 candidate?
Hillary Clinton
9% 1293 votes
Barack Obama
26% 3612 votes
John Edwards
37% 5204 votes
Bill Richardson
5% 777 votes
Chris Dodd
0% 136 votes
Joe Biden
0% 128 votes
Dennis Kucinich
4% 563 votes
Mike Gravel
1% 176 votes
No Freakin' Clue
5% 790 votes
Other
7% 1093 votes

13772 votes

Update (7/24): Gary has a comprehensive summary.

A beer with Brad

Brad Friedman came to town last week and a group of us progressive, election-integrity-concerned types were privileged to spend a casual evening with him (and his lovely girlfriend/producer). He's in Houston to do his radio gig again:

Beginning on Wednesday, I'll be guest-hosting the Peter B. Collins Show for a week and a half, Monday through Fridays from 3p - 6p PT (6p - 9p ET, or 5p - 8p CT on our Houston clock) and hope you'll tune in to one of Peter's affiliate stations, or via the Internet for whatever trouble-making we end up cooking up.

We'll be broadcasting each day out of the facilities of KPFT, as generously offered by the good folks of Houston's Pacifica Radio affiliate station there. We're very much looking forward to it, as we've not been on the air for such a long stint in quite a while. The last time would also have been out of Texas, during the Summer of 2005 from "Camp Casey," where we took the old BRAD SHOW on the road for our special "Operation Noble Cause" broadcasts from the middle of one damned hot cow pasture.

That's where I first saw Brad, at the Crawford Peace House, doing his show in the sweltering late August heat, the weekend before Katrina hit New Orleans.

If you're not in California you can listen to Brad live here.

Monday July 23rd: Debate and Impeachment events

Club 44 Democratic Debate Watch Party

Monday, July 23, 2007 from 6:00 PM - 9:30 PM

Gs and Zs, 4412 Almeda, Houston, TX 77004

Please join Honorary Host, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Co- Hosts Carol Alvarado, Sue Lovell, and Annise Parker for the Democratic presidential debate taking place on July 23rd. All across the country, thousands of women and men will be watching at house parties as part of Club 44: Make History with Hillary! We'll hear from a special guest and get a campaign insider's analysis via a conference call from the debate site in South Carolina immediately following the debate.

Houston Area Endorsements:

Houston City Councilwoman and President of the Texas Municipal League Carol Alvarado, Former Houston Mayor Lee Brown, Council Member Sue Lovell, Comptroller Annise Parker, Former U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas Arthur Schechter, State Senator Mario V. Gallegos Jr., State Representative Hubert Vo, State Representative Senfronia Thompson, DNC Member Denise Johnson, State Democratic Executive Committeewoman Rose A. Salas, Former Houston City Councilman Gordon Quan and Sylvia Quan, Texas Young Democrats President Shondra Wygal, State Democratic Executive Committeeman Lloyd Criss, Chairman of the Texas Democratic County Chair Association Sharon Teal of Livingston, TX

RSVP via email to Natakoerber@sbcglobal.net

Also:

July 23, 2007, is the fifth anniversary of the Downing Street Meeting, the assembly at Number 10 Downing Street at which the head of British intelligence reported that Bush and Cheney were intent on invading Iraq and were going to "fix the intelligence and facts around the policy." The meeting was recorded in the Downing Street Minutes which were leaked in May 2005. It was then that we launched AfterDowningStreet.org.

Monday, July 23rd, Cindy Sheehan will lead a march from Arlington National Cemetery at 10 a.m. to Capitol Hill, to the office of Congressman John Conyers to ask him to move forward with impeachment. We will wear orange that day, a color that has come to stand for nonviolent revolution. We encourage as many people as possible to join us, and if you cannot, to phone Congressman Conyers' office that day asking him to move forward on impeachment: (202) 225-5126.

Cindy Sheehan plans to announce her candidacy that day for Congress, challenging Speaker Nancy Pelosi to represent the 8th District of California. Sheehan's candidacy is motivated by Pelosi's actively blocking the impeachment of Cheney and Bush, but Sheehan won't run if Pelosi endorses impeachment. Please phone Pelosi's office right away and as often as you can to encourage her to support impeachment: (202) 225-0100.

The 23rd in DC is part of a march from Texas to New York. Cindy Sheehan, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, and others are leading a march/drive from Crawford, Texas, to New York City. The march will include stops at the district offices of House Judiciary Committee Members Mel Watt and Bobby Scott. You can organize a meeting, protest, honk-a-thon, or sit-in at your Congressmember's office. One way to get organized is with this system. You can find events and create them here. And you can meet people in Facebook. Below is the route and a link for more information and to get involved.

July 10 Crawford Tx Houston Tx
July 11 Houston Tx. New Orleans La.
July 12 New Orleans La. Montgomery Al.
July 13 Montgomery Al. Ft. Benning Ga
July 14 Ft. Benning Ga Atlanta Ga.
July 15 Atlanta Ga. Gainsville Ga.
July 16 Ganisville Ga. Clemson SC
July 17 Clemson SC Charlotte NC
July 18 Charlotte NC Greensboro NC
July 19 Greensboro NC Lynchburg VA
July 20 Lynchburg VA Charlottesville VA (rally at 6 p.m.)
July 21 Charlottesville VA Richmond VA
July 22 Richmond VA Arlington VA
July 23 Arlington Cem White House/ Capitol
July 23 Washington DC Philadelphia PA
July 24 Philadelphia PA Allentown PA
July 25 Allentown PA New York City NY
July 26 United Nations Action
July 27 Begin to Gather at Central Park
July 28 TBA
July 29 Gathering of Hearts Fest Central Park
http://www.thecampcaseypeaceinstitute.org

Round 'em up

Each week the Texas Progressive Alliance compiles the weekly Texas Blog Round Up, modeled after the 50-State Blog Round Up. It's published on member blogs every Monday. Here's this week's installment, brought to you by Vince from Capitol Annex.

John C. at Bay Area Houston Blog looks at the Houston City Council's Own Chickenhawk and explains how he was once again punk'd on his own radio show.

Muse at Musings brings us some photos from State Rep. Rick Noriega's announcement that he'll form an exploratory committee to run against U.S. Senator John Cornyn in 2008.

TxSharon At BlueDaze reveals that the government paid $400,000 for a new marketing plan that will eventually convince us that Endless War in Iraq is a good thing.

WCNew at Eye On Williamson tells about the Texas Department of Transportation's efforts to continue justifying its existence in TxDOT's Sunset Review Kick-Off Party & Media Blitz.

Texas Toad at North Texas Liberal says that the U.S. Senate Majority Leader has finally decided to call out the GOP in Senator Reid's Jujitsu On Iraq.

Hal at Half Empty explores Rick Perry's choice of Don McLeroy to head the State Board of Education in Governor Perry Names 'Academically Unacceptable' To Head Texas School Board.

Gary at Easter Lemming Liberal News reminds everyone to see Michael Moore's SiCKO and to call senators and congressmen about the health care crisis, while telling us why he won't be bothering to call John Cornyn.

McBlogger at McBlogger wants to know why Stonewall Democrats' President Shannon Bailey hasn't resigned yet.

Krazypuppy at Texas Kaos is celebrating his own recovery from minor surgery this week by commiserating in his own inimitable way with the President's latest colorectal adventure.

What is the Texas GOP doing to get ready for 2008? Charles Kuffner at Off the Kuff takes a look.

Do you want a red border fence or a green one? Will it make Texas look fat? CouldBeTrue at South Texas Chisme blogs about how the Republicans are all about PR and imagery. Chertoff opened his mouth and proved it once again.

MexicoBob at Who's Playin'? takes a look at some issues related to some outdated marijuana references in the City of Lewisville's smoking ordinance in Texas Town To Allow Public Smoking Of Weed.

PMBryant at B and B explores journalists downplaying the effects of gender bias during an article on women and their career choice.

And finally, my post quoting Dave McNeely's column regarding the potential 18th Texan to serve in the US Senate.

More Sunday Funnies (because the fun just didn't stop this week)

Presidential polyps identified (not removed)

The five polyps identified during yesterday's presidential colonoscopy have been named Roberts, Alito, Scalia, Thomas and Kennedy, because of their strict constructionist influence upon the president's daily constitutional.

Asked if he saw the need to address the potentially cancerous effects of the conservative tumor now threatening the health of the United States Constitution, Bush said: "I have the same answer to that question I would have if somebody asked me whether my colonoscopy revealed to me the need for a government plan to insure that all Americans have access to health care: 'Get real, the only person's ass I have ever cared about is my own.' "

Sunday Funnies (al-Qaida edition)

Sunday Funnies (early edition)

Story related to above: Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana allegedly asked the prostitutes he procured to swaddle him in diapers.

Rick Noriega for US Senate. Today.

You can hear the man speak in Houston today at the gathering of West Houston Democrats, beginning a little early for some of you at 9:45 a.m. at the Tracy Gee Community Center located at 3599 Westcenter Drive (one block east of Beltway 8 between Richmond & Westpark).

This is also your reminder that you can change the equation by making a donation of any amount to Noriega's campaign, making a little history as one of the Great 800.

Weekend entertainment and sports postpourri

Bud Selig joined the crowd that came out to see Barry Bonds. All the commissioner saw was a long fly and an 0-for-4.

Bonds went hitless and stayed put at 753 home runs in the San Francisco Giants' 8-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night, moving no closer to the record 755 held by Selig's good friend, Hank Aaron.

Bonds started the series opener in the city where Hammerin' Hank began and ended his career — and on the 31st anniversary of Aaron's final home run, no less. He hit No. 755 on July 20, 1976, at now-demolished County Stadium.

It would have been fitting to see Baroids tie or break the record in the same city as Aaron, on the same night 31 years later, but alas. Maybe today or tomorrow. Soon enough for sure.

Mark me as neither a Bonds fan nor a hater. Big Head Barry cheated, but so did McGuire, Sosa, Canseco, Palmeiro, et. al. My opinion is that if MLB so despised steroid use then they could have taken action in the last century. But baseball needed big hitters breaking records in the '90's as it struggled to recover from the debilitating players' strike and cancellation of the World Series in 1994.

But back then I thought Ken Griffey Jr. was going to be the greater player of the two, so what do I know?

Because his name is Steve Francis, he's the most intriguing of all the moves (new Rockets GM Daryl) Morey has made in his remarkable offseason. Morey probably can't comprehend that part of the story. He simply can't know how invested fans were in believing Francis and Cuttino Mobley would be part of a third championship.

Francis eventually came to symbolize an organization's failures rather than its successes. Yet his failings were those of a spoiled kid. They were never malicious. So he skipped a flight to see a Super Bowl.

Big deal. Check this week's headlines. Skipping a flight seems almost irrelevant.

Good analysis here by RJ, and it applies to Bonds as well. Neither Barry nor Stevie Not-The-Franchise are firing their guns in titty bar parking lots at 3 a.m. or raising and gambling on pit bulls to kill and maim each other. Selfishness -- even narcissim and self-abuse, for that matter -- is one thing, and commission of actual crimes quite another.

Steve Francis might be very good for the Rockets next year, or he might not.

Have you seen SiCKO yet? Get thee to a cinema this weekend. Michael Moore's got a pretty good deal for you if you do:

And, to show my thanks to all of you who'll go see SiCKO this weekend, I'm going to send one of you and a guest on a free weekend to the universal health care country of your choice! That's right. You'll get to pick one of the three industrialized countries featured in the movie where, if you get sick, you get help for free, no matter who you are. All you have to do is send us your ticket stub (make sure it says SiCKO on it and has the name of the theater and this weekend's date on it -- Friday, Saturday or Sunday - July 20th, 21st, 22nd). Attach the stub to a piece of paper with your name, address, phone number and email and send it to: 'Sicko' Night in America, 888c 8th Avenue, Suite 443, New York, NY 10019. (Yes, you have to use that old 18th century device called the U.S. Postal Service, and it has to be postmarked on or by Tuesday, July 24th). First prize is a weekend in the city of your choice: Paris, London or Toronto. This includes airfare, hotel, meals and, most exciting, a representative from their fine universal health care system who will give you a personal tour so you can see how they treat their fellow citizens. You'll meet people who pay nothing for college and citizens who are in the fourth week of their six-week paid vacation. Oh, and you'll have time to see the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben or whatever they have in Toronto that is old and tall. (If you don't have a passport, we'll pay for that, too!)

I have seen the film twice now, and it makes me nauseous and angry at the same time. It just amplifies my pre-existing queasiness that George Bush's America isn't the country that I grew up in, that my Cuban in-laws emigrated to, that is worthy of being called the greatest nation on Earth.

Our leaders are failing us, and if we don't reverse the trend, then this grand experiment of democracy now 231 years old will end shortly (if it hasn't already). The patient is certainly in critical condition, and might already be brain-dead.

But as that pathetic neoconservative Dennis Miller would say at this point: "Fuck it, who wants pie"?

Right?

The 18th

A few of the names I can remember without Googling: Sam Houston. "Pappy" O'Daniel. Lyndon Johnson. Price Daniel. Ralph Yarborough. Lloyd Bentsen.

John Tower. Phil Gramm. The current occupants, Senator Perjury Technicality and Senator Box Turtle.

Dave McNeely, whose columns appear syndicated throughout the state, has more. Excerpted in full; emphasis mine:

If you sit around wondering how many Texans have sat in the United States Senate in the 91 years since senators began being selected by popular elections in 1916, the answer is 17. State Rep. Rick Noriega, D-Houston, in the 2008 election would like to be chosen as the 18th.

Jabbing at the Republican incumbent, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, as a "cheerleader" for the administration of President George W. Bush "for a variety of failed policies," Noriega said a change in representation is necessary to bring a change in direction.

"A lot of the problem we see today is (that) stubbornness is not a foreign policy," Noriega said.

Noriega, a sturdy 49-year-old legislator who has worked in educational administration, on Monday announced formation of an exploratory committee at a press conference on the state capitol's front lawn.

Noriega, with buzz-cut hair and an erect military bearing, chose a backdrop of the memorial to those who died at the Alamo, to underline his 26 years in the armed services, including a stint in Afghanistan with the Texas Army National Guard.

"Growing up in Houston, my family taught me the importance of serving my community," Noriega said in a prepared statement. "I've been privileged to serve this country as a soldier, my state as an elected representative, and Houston as a community leader focused on education. The call to service has been a big part of my life, and I am taking the next step in answering that call."

"Standing in the shadows of this monument, I'm reminded of our state's great tradition and our duty to speak out when things have gone off the rails," Noriega said. "Today, our nation is headed in the wrong direction, led by those whose choice is to divide Americans to maintain power.

"They ignore the will of the people about the war in Iraq. They ignore the needs of the people for health care, college education, and a better standard of living. They ignore the lessons of our history: that America's strength lies in our unity and diversity.

"John Cornyn represents the worst of these trends," Noriega said. "And it's time for him to go."

Noriega rose to lieutenant colonel while training Afghan troops. Asked what he would do about the war in Iraq, Noriega said he would follow the withdrawal timetable laid out by the bi-partisan Iraq Study Group, co-chaired by former President Bush's Secretary of State, James Baker.

Noriega's wife Melissa, who sat in for him in the Texas House of Representatives while he was in Afghanistan, was elected June 16 to the Houston City Council. After he returned, Noriega was tapped to run a National Guard border security operation, and then by Houston Mayor Bill White to coordinate relief for refugees from Hurricane Katrina who fled to Houston.

Though Noriega took aim in his press conference at Cornyn, his first major hurdle is Democrat Mikal Watts, a wealthy plaintiff's attorney from Corpus Christi and San Antonio. Watts, 39, has already donated and loaned millions of dollars to his campaign. By keeping his campaign war chest abreast of the Republican's, Watts hopes to demonstrate that he can go toe to toe on television advertising.

Noriega, who is not personally wealthy, obviously hopes his Hispanic surname will help offset Watts' dollars. Hispanics lean Democratic, and can account for between a third and half the vote in a Democratic primary.

The Alamo memorial also was undoubtedly chosen to help soften any negatives Noriega's surname may have for non-Hispanics. During times of battles over immigration, and talk of a fence along the Texas-Mexico border, the memorial serves as a reminder that during Texas's war with Mexico, Hispanic Texans as well as Anglos fought and died at the Alamo.

Asked what impact his surname might have on the contest, Noriega said "I'll let the voters decide that. I'm an American."

Cornyn told reporters he'll wait to see who Democrats select as their nominee before responding to attacks.

Noriega's exploratory committee is chaired by Paul Hobby of Houston, who was the Democratic Party's near-miss candidate in 1998 for state comptroller, and son of Bill Hobby, the former longtime Democratic lieutenant governor.

Noriega "is a rare mix of passion, competence and integrity," said Paul Hobby, who said he'd known Noriega for years. "Rick can and should win. I want to turn on CNN and see him representing Texas in the United States Senate. Rick is competent and practical; he is not slick or partisan. That is what we need right now -- credible leadership."