Category — national

… to no one’s surprise.

Gordon supported the stimulus plan because he believes “we are at the defining moment in this economic crisis,” said his spokesman Kinsey Kiriakos.

…

“This bill had too many congressional pet projects and too few of President Obama’s plans for jump-starting the economy,” Cooper said. “I hope the next version of the bill stays closer to its purpose: helping America recover from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.”

Can we run a credible Republican against him? C’mon.

In the ongoing saga that is the Governor Blagojevich’s political demise, he attempted to appoint one Roland Burris to fill President-elect Barack Obama’s now vacant Senate seat. Due to several political intricacies, however, Burris was unable to be sworn in today.

That didn’t stop Congressman Bobby Rush (D-Illinois) from playing the race card, which is becoming increasingly annoying as Barack Obama moves into the Presidency. What did Rush say? Well…

At first, he casually mentioned that Obama’s vacant seat should be filled by a black person, but not just any black person – an “authentic” black person. (Sorry, Clarence Thomas, Michael Steele, J.C. Watts, Alan Keyes, Condaleeza Rice, etc. You get the picture.)

According to a Chicago Tribune article,

In 2000, when Rush and Obama competed for Rush’s congressional seat, Rush said his opponent wasn’t black enough or authentic.

Say what? Oh… is it because, according to Joe Biden, Barack Obama is a “clean” black person? An educated, respectable, “clean” black person just isn’t authentic enough for Bobby Rush – he’s too “hood” for that.

Now Congressman Rush thinks that the Senate’s blocking of Roland Burris is racist. Not because the Illinois Secretary of State didn’t certify the appointment, but because Burris is black. Solely.

This is absolutely outrageous!

The author of the column ended with this:

But whenever there is a grim statistic about a black man, it’s too often used to reaffirm all the negative stereotypes. Sadly, for some, that becomes what’s authentic.

What’s encouraging is that it appears Americans are beginning to see beyond what it means for a black person to be “black enough” or “white enough.” Maybe more of us are starting to examine people on an individual basis. Maybe.

Amen.

Ed Bryant, former U.S. Attorney, Tennessee Congressman, and U.S. Senate candidate, was sworn in as United States Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Tennessee this morning.

Bryant, an iconic conservative to many Tennesseans, ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate most recently in 2006 against former Congressman Van Hilleary and former Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker. (Bryant received my vote in the Primary.)

Bryant has removed himself from many partisan circles in an attempt to receive this notable appointment.

I would like to commend and congratulate my friend for his work in Washington, D.C., his work in Tennessee, and now for his work in the Western District of Tennessee. He is a fair and honest man, and I think he will do an excellent job as Magistrate Judge in West Tennessee.

… about leading Congress – sort of like herding cats. Nancy Pelosi’s finding out the hard way this time.

Bet ya thought I was going to say something about Strom Thurmond.