Cornyn gets aggressive with Demcorats
Sen. John Cornyn is seizing the unaccustomed role of partisan attack dog, trying to slow down the early momentum of President Barack Obama to bolster Republicans' recovery efforts in Senate races in 2010.Cornyn is clearly the best thing happening for the Republican party right now. Hopefully, he will inspire more Republicans to join him in challenges to the Democrats. He has a tough but fair demeanor and he is a very smart lawyer and senator. He has the ability to seize on the inarguable facts which make Democrats uncomfortable.In the opening days of the Obama administration, Cornyn delayed Senate confirmation of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by one day, and of Attorney General-designate Eric Holder by at least one week.
He has pointedly challenged Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., mastermind of Democrats' Senate gains.
As newly elected head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Cornyn has orchestrated GOP efforts to block the seating of Democrat Al Franken, embroiled in a contested Senate race with incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn.
Cornyn, a former Texas attorney general and state Supreme Court justice, also led the GOP critique of Obama's controversial decision to close the detention center housing some suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, calling it a “dangerous step.”
“I think he has decided that the only chance Republicans have is to be very aggressive,” said University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato. Cornyn, 56, says he's doing what Texans would expect of a re-elected second-term senator who began a steady stair-step political career as an elected district court judge in Bexar County in 1984.
...
... Cornyn vowed to continue pressing Holder for a Justice Department commitment not to prosecute interrogators who used harsh techniques on terrorist suspects approved by the Bush administration.
Cornyn also has challenged Reid, the day-to-day manager of Senate proceedings, about alleged ties to lobbyists that he said might compromise Reid's ability to independently represent Nevada's interests.
...
Cornyn's energetic efforts so close to the inauguration underscore the challenge he faces trying to recoup Senate losses, which trimmed the ranks of Republicans from 55 seats before the 2006 midterm elections to 41 seats today.
A master fundraiser who spent at least $28.5 million on two Senate races of his own in Texas, Cornyn said he's working to rebuild Senate Republicans' fundraising operation.
...
Those watching the RNC chairman's race are missing the big story right now. Cornyn has become the real leader of the Republican party.
Comments
Post a Comment