Monday Roundup: The Message

In the paper this morning, read all about it: proof that Senate Democrats are proactively engaging in message control, in a way that just might work.

Senator Carl Levin combated the idea, promulgated by Republican and hawkish pundits, that Democrats intend to cut off funding for the war, especially in the Senate. While it is true that Reid, Feingold, and Kerry have said they personally support the idea, it's also been mentioned that these are personal ideas rather than a caucus position, which is A) not usually something you'd hear from Republicans, and B) something that I wouldn't normally think would work. However, it seems to be doing just that.

They are turning the beat around, as the Miami Sound Machine might put it, and will now be refocusing the message that by vetoing the initial spending bill, which is largely built on principled opposition to the war but still spends, it is actually President Bush who is denying funds to the troops. I have confidence that this might catch on with the MSM, even though it is true.

In other national politics news, Arkansas Governor and Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee went on a Sunday morning tear, basically accusing all the other Republicans of not being Republicans. Amid wonder if he may be the next Straight Talk Candidate riding the Straight Talk Express to Straight Talk Town, Huckabee credited Giuliani for his recent honesty while at the same time reinforcing his own pro-life cred. The Republican race is far from over, and how those candidates define each other will be an incredibly heavy weight for whoever wins the nomination to carry into November.

Since genetic testing began on evidence in criminal cases in Dallas County, 27 convictions have been overturned. That is good news for the innocent, and it has been in the national news a couple of times. However, with Dallas leading the nation in exonerations, I think this focuses on an important question for Dallas District Attorney Craig Watkins, newly elected in 2006, to ask: what was going on for so many years to lead to so many wrongful convictions? The LA Times piece takes a good look at things as they currently stand.

Remember, I think it was last week, when TXU threatened to close down some power plants after regulators got a little rowdy and suggested TXU be fined for market manipulation? Well, after Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Co. and a couple of lawmakers had a talk or two with some TXU top brass, the veiled threat was rescinded and apologies were made all around. I guess this should be a lesson to everyone to not jeopardize your record-setting, multi-billion dollar buyout proposals by acting a fool.

This isn't a tale you hear often in politics, though I guess it should make sense to me as I was just recently talking to someone about how surprised I was at the lack of fireworks in the Dallas mayoral race: the Star-Telegram lets you know that everyone in the race is being remarkably civil, and ponders the reasons. They cite the runoff as a probable motivator, and I think that's probably right, but someone is going to have to distinguish themselves one way or another or the first runoff will contain 5 or 6 candidates and we'll be doing this until September.

Finally today is an editorial from the Statesman decrying Perry's lack of leadership throughout the TYC meltdown. You know how I love a good editorial, and this one fits that category. I mentioned heavy weights earlier, and I think the TYC scandal is getting heavier by the day for the Republicans at the top of Texas government.