After famously not naming any newspapers or magazines she's currently reading, McCain running mate Sarah Palin told People magazine she's "not a bubblehead" and is currently reading "The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11". That's the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by the Austin-based writer Lawrence Wright. For your convenience, I linked you to the Texas Monthly talks piece with Wright from last summer.

Categories: 2008 Presidential Race | Miscellaneous | People and Places |
Posted by Elise Hu at 7:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The former president will be at a Dallas event Tuesday night to stump for US Senate candidate Rick Noriega. For those of you who are in Dallas, the rally will take place at Thomas Jefferson High School. Doors open at 5:30pm, event starts at 6:30pm.

The event will also feature a whole slate of North Texas Democratic candidates, including state Reps Allen Vaught and Kirk England, who both face tough re-election battles.

Categories: 2008 U.S. Senate Race | People and Places |
Posted by Elise Hu at 6:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

George H.W. Bush came out today in favor of Austen Furse, one of the Republicans running in the special election for State Senator Kyle Janek's Houston-area set.

"Austen Furse served the American people with distinction as White House Director of Policy Planning. His intellect, his commitment to core values, and his ability helped us craft common sense, conservative policies to fit the most complex problems. He is a hard-working and industrious man of integrity. I am proud to support his candidacy for the Texas Senate, and am confident he will serve the voters of Senate District 17 with the same skill and devotion he demonstrated while serving our nation," said President Bush in a statement.

Former gubernatorial candidate Chris Bell is one of two Democrats in this special election. Austin state senator Kirk Watson recorded a video message for Bell right here.

Categories: People and Places | Texas Senate |
Posted by Elise Hu at 3:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Did Governor Rick Perry cancel an El Paso fundraiser but not tell donors until it was too late? The El Paso Times reported the fundraiser cancellation by 10am last Thursday, the day it was to be held:

Spokesman Mark Miner said today Perry canceled the events because he is busy with the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.

"Fundraisers have been canceled at least through this month as the governor deals with Hurricane Ike clean up and response," Miner said.

Perry has bigger issues to deal with, of course. He's continuing to monitor recovery efforts along the coast, and politically, the link posted by the peeps on Facebook today is Statesman columnist John Kelso's piece, riffing on Perry equating his temporary housing situation with that of hurricane evacuees:

"I absolutely understand they want to get back to their homes ... I'd like to get back to the mansion," Perry said.

Categories: Fundraisers | People and Places |
Posted by Elise Hu at 11:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When I thought I wouldn't be blogging this week, I was wrong.

Here's why. I was in DFW, going from Terminal D to Terminal C. I'm coming down the escalator and look in front of me and think,"Gosh, that looks a lot like the back of Karl Rove's head."

So I rush off the escalator, get in front of him and lo and behold, it WAS Karl Rove, chatting on his cell phone. I interrupt him to ask if we can get a photo together. It is clear I'd awoken early for a morning flight.

Me and Karl Rove, in an airport terminal photo taken by a baggage cart driver.

"Where are you headed," he asks.

"St. Louis," I said.

"Oh, Gate C27," Rove said, rather matter-of-factly.

And I think to myself WOW! This guy really is the numbers genius people make him out to be. Then he tells me he's on the same flight. Doh.

We wind up walking past a few gates together, talking about the Missouri Governor's race (he's in STL for a speech), and about former U.S. Senator Jim Talent, whose winning re-election race I covered in 2002.* Then I stopped off to get some frozen yogurt.

I have spent the rest of the day feeling pretty proud that I could recognize Karl Rove by the back of his head only.

*Talent wound up losing to Senator Claire McCaskill in a super tight race in 2006

Categories: People and Places | Randomness |
Posted by Elise Hu at 6:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I loved this photo of the Texas delegation at the GOP convention, from NYT photographer Damon Winter (formerly of The Dallas Morning News). I thought some readers might recognize a Texas buddy or to in this photo. Enjoy:

New York Times: Damon Winter

Categories: People and Places | Randomness |
Posted by Elise Hu at 8:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)