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The Texas Blue
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The Texas Blue: News

Coming This Fall To A Browser Near You: Shale.TV

Earlier today, Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy, one of the biggest players in the exploration and production of natural gas in the Barnett Shale here in North Texas, announced the launch of an online video channel, www.shale.tv. Shale.TV is scheduled to go live this Fall and Chesapeake also announced today that veteran Dallas/Fort Worth news anchor Tracy Rowlett has signed on to anchor the digital channel and serve as managing editor.

Compassionate Conservatism: Phil Gramm Is Doing It Wrong

A real asset on the trail, who understands the real problems facing American families and workers:

"You've heard of mental depression; this is a mental recession," he said, noting that growth has held up at about 1 percent despite all the publicity over losing jobs to India, China, illegal immigration, housing and credit problems and record oil prices...

"We have sort of become a nation of whiners," he said. "You just hear this constant whining, complaining about a loss of competitiveness, America in decline" despite a major export boom that is the primary reason that growth continues in the economy, he said.

Victory in Iraq Will Balance the Budget, McCain says.

McCain recently unveiled a new plan to balance the budget by 2013, and it includes a statement so bizarre that it makes the gas tax holiday seem like effective, substantial policy. His big plan for eliminating the national deficit is....

A Loud Saber

Iran test-fired more missiles. Yesterday the media projected that the first round of test-firings wouldn't necessarily increase the pro-war rhetoric in the US but would definitely give the Bush administration a strong sales pitch for the missile defense shield. I don't know that anyone expected Missile 2: Test-Fire Boogaloo. The news coverage today should be interesting.

Cheney Implicated in Climate-Change Coverup

Former EPA official Jason Burnett accused Dick Cheney's office of attempting to supress important findings on climate change. Burnett said that the vice president's office sought to remove information on the health effects of climate change from congressional testimony by the head of the CDC.

Iraqi Government Suggests Withdrawal Timetable

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki recently raised the possibility of an Iraqi-supported timetable for US troop withdrawal.

AP: In The Bag

Josh Marshall has been hinting for a while that the Associated Press might be in the bag for McCain, reporting bamboozling things about Obama's Iraq stance or nonsensical news items, like how pet owners prefer McCain and Obama doesn't keep any animals.

Iran, Iran So Far A-way

Things get busy fast in the Middle East when something is afoot.

Cowtown Showdown

Frivolous lawsuits? Check. Judicial activism? Check. In Tarrant County, State Senator Kim Brimer is hard at work on the non-campaign trail once more.

Democratic candidate Wendy Davis spoke to supporters yesterday on the steps of the Tarrant County Courthouse in Fort Worth after filing a response to State Senator Kim Brimer's lawsuit contesting her eligibility to run against him. Her speech included this hard-hitting quote:

"He thinks this lawsuit will hide his 20 years of failed leadership," Davis said. "To the contrary, it has highlighted it."

Knowing Your Own Campaign

Sociologist Marion Levy said that "to know thyself is the ultimate form of aggression." John McCain's campaigns are notorious for their internal tumult, and among major campaigns throughout history this is certainly not a unique quality. Those internal politics may play more of a part in John McCain's latest campaign than they would have in other years against other candidates. The New York Times' Adam Nagourney breaks it down.