Politex

Your cheating heart ... Infidelity on center stage at GOP debate

Here's the latest on marital infidelity as a hot-button issue in the Republican presidential primary, from The Associated Press:

"Republican presidential candidates Rick Perry and Rick Santorum say a candidate’s fidelity to their spouse is a factor voters should consider, subtly distinguishing themselves from national poll leader Newt Gingrich.

Perry, Texas’ governor, said: "If you cheat on your wife, you’ll cheat on your business partner. It’s a characteristic people look at."

Perry and Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator, are both aggressively courting social conservatives, and touting their family lives. "Certainly, it’s a factor and it should be a factor when you’re electing a leader," he said.

Gingrich, who has admitted past infidelity, was asked the question last and confronted it as he has throughout the campaign.

"I think it’s a very important issue," he said. "I’ve made mistakes at times and I’ve had to go to God for forgiveness.""

-- John Gravois

Perry attack ad pairs Gingrich, Romney with Obama

 

DES MOINES, Iowa -- On the same day when Newt Gingrich vowed not to criticize the other Republican candidates for president, Texas Gov. Rick Perry's campaign unveiled a video lumping Gingrich and Mitt Romney with President Obama.

The video, "Repeal," on a website named "Establishment Insider," criticizes both Gingrich and Romney for various past comments about  government-mandated healthcare coverage. Perry has said if elected, he will begin rolling back recent federal healthcare changes.

The video ends with the label: "Rick Perry--Outsider."

Gingrich told a crowd of about 100 supporters at his Iowa headquarters Saturday that he will not run attack ads that are "deliberately destructive." On Friday, a PAC supporting Mitt Romney started running ads saying Gingrich has a "ton of baggage," including an ethics penalty and his work as a lobbyist.

--Bud Kennedy

 

 

 

Tarrant Republican Chair Klick resigns

After six years at the job, Tarrant County Republican Party Chair Stephanie Klick resigned Friday night.

Klick announced last month she expected to run for the Texas House. Klick said resigning now would ensure the transition of leadership for the party goes smoothly. 

"I'm anticipating running for the Legislature and that will allow somebody to come in and begin the process of planning for the primary whenever that begins," Klick said.

Klick said she will have to see what map is in place before she knows what seat she is running for. She had originally planned on running for an open seat representing the new District 101 created in northwest Tarrant County under a court-drawn map. On Friday, the US Supreme Court blocked that map from being used next year until a January hearing. Regardless of the map in place, Klick said she has no plans to run against an incumbent.  

Klick said the party will hold a meeting of precinct chairs next Saturday, Dec. 17, to elect an interim chair for the party. In the meantime, Party Secretary Danna Trowdridge will oversee the party's operations, Klick said.

Last week, former District Judge Bob McGrath filed for the March Republican primary ballot to replace Klick as party chair. Klick said Jennifer Hall, a local precinct chair, has also expressed interest in the position. She said she has no plans to endorse a candidate to replace her.

Klick said she was proud of her work as party chair. She has held the position since 2005. 

"We’re the only remaining urban Republican county in the state of Texas," Klick said. "While other counties were turning Democrat, we’ve remained strongly Republican. We’ve got some great people that are active in the party locally that helped make that happen and I think that tradition will continue."

-Aman Batheja

Perry: Time to end Obama's "war on religion"

Continuing his struggle to get his Republican presidential campaign back on track, Rick Perry unleashed a new television ad today that attacks what the Texas governor labels a "war on religion" being waged by President Barack Obama.

Perry's message:

"I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a Christian, but you don't need to be in the pew every Sunday to know there's something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school.
"As President, I'll end Obama's war on religion. And I'll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage. Faith made America strong. It can make her strong again."

The latest polls show Perry has a long way to go still if he is going to succeed in returning to the top tier of candidates. He continues to be out-polled by Texas Congressman Ron Paul in most states.

 

-- John Gravois

Follow on Twitter: @grav1

Restaurant apologizes for "spoiled Obama kids" posting on Facebook

A local restaurant in Fort Worth's booming near-Southside district found itself with some unwanted attention this week due to a posting on its Facebook page.

As Chris Kelly and Heather Svokos report over on our sister site, DFW.com,  Zio Carlo Magnolia Brew Pub outraged some customers and endeared itself to others by posting the following on its Facebook page: "I would prefer not have spoiled Obama kids around me."

After an outcry that included some patrons insisting they would never visit the restaurant again,  Zio Carlo owner Carlo Galotto posted two apologies. 

"This was a sad example of too much beer while on my computer," he explained in one of the posts.

In a second post, Galotto added, "I am truly very sorry for the way I acted and hope you will forgive me and support me."

You can read the full report form Kelly and Svokos here.

Meanwhile, The Moon, a bar near Texas Christian University, saw the episode as an opportunity and posted the following message on its Facebook page Tuesday: "I love having spoiled Obama kids around me. Everyone is welcome at the The Moon: Bar & Live Music."

-Aman Batheja

Hicks will recuse herself from closed-door briefing on her vacant seat

Fort Worth Councilwoman Kathleen Hicks, who has filed to run for Congress and thus must step down from her District 8 seat, said Tuesday that she would recuse herself from the behind-closed-doors briefing about how to fill the council seat.

The city charter requires that Hicks "continue to hold the office until a successor is duly qualified," which the Star-Telegram editorial board describes as "a muddled situation, at best." The editorial went on to say that Hicks should recuse herself from the closed-door briefing.

The editorial also said: "It's bizarre for a publicly elected body to hold secret talks about how to go about holding elections, but bizarre doesn't make it wrong." Also from the editorial:

There's a good argument that Hicks should not take part in the meeting. Her interests are elsewhere; she has no role to play in the process of determining her replacement. If she were to be somehow eliminated from the congressional race and decide to seek a return to the council, her political interests could even end up being in conflict with the council's chosen path.

Hicks should take the high road and recuse herself.

City Hall reporter Bill Hanna, who is covering today's council meeting at City Hall, said on Twitter that Hicks indeed will recuse herself and that she said it "was unfortunate to assume (that she wouldn't) rather than asking me directly."

-- Kathy Vetter, editor

Obama in Kansas: "It is great to be back in the state of Texas"

President Barack Obama was in Osawatomie, Kansas, today to deliver a speech on the economy. Obama started off the speech by saying, "It is great to be back in the state of Texas." He immediately realized his mistake and said, "Oops," drawing a laugh from the crowd.

Here's a video of the flub, courtesy of National Journal.

-Aman Batheja

Ron Paul blasts the 'little shih tzus' he's running against

Congressman Ron Paul, who remains the leading presidential candidate from Texas, is turning up the volume and the rhetoric as he rips into his opponents in the Republican race for the White House. His latest ad -- targeting voters in Iowa, where 2012 voting begins on Jan. 3 -- blasts his foes for barking loudly on issues when it doesn't matter, but whimpering like "little shih tzus" when it counts.

The ad speaks for itself:

 

-- John Gravois

Armey: Santorum could be next not-Romney darling

With about a month left until the Iowa caucus, Dick Armey thinks it might be time for Rick Santorum to shine.

Armey, a former North Texas congressman and House majority leader, now serves as a leading conservative activist as head of Freedomworks. He hasn't endorsed a candidate for president but has spoken favorably of some early contenders over the last year including Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

On Saturday, Armey was in Burleson speaking to over 75 local conservatives for a Freedomworks grassroots training. During the event, news broke that Herman Cain had suspended his presidential campaign.

"I think the race is probably coming down to a choice between Gingrich and...Romney," Armey said afterward. "But you know, you might see Rick Santorum rise."

While he stressed that any of the remaining candidates still has a shot at uniting conservatives, Armey said Santorum, a former Senator from Pennsylvania, may be in the best position to do so. 

"I think Rick Santorum has a great deal of appeal to a lot of folks like these activists. He just hasn't found a way to get traction but should he get traction, I think he could become more of a contender," Armey said.

And what of Gov. Rick Perry's prospects?

"I think Perry's probably pretty well burned out," Armey said. "Though again, three months ago, we were writing Newt off."

In the latest Iowa poll released over the weekend by the Des Moines Register, Perry and Santorum were tied at 6 percent support. 

-Aman Batheja

Romney meets with Bush 41

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney was in Texas Thursday to meet with former President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush.

Romney's camp told the AP that the visit was about Romney catching up with old friends, not a signal that the former first couple plans to endorse Romney. Either way, Romney didn't shy away from letting the world know about his social call. He posted this photo on Twitter:

George H.W. and Barbara Bush  endorsed US Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison over Gov. Rick Perry in last year's Republican gubernatorial primary. 

If they decide to endorse Romney, expect this campaign commercial from Perry's 1998 campaign for lieutenant governor featuring the Bush family to get renewed attention.

-Aman Batheja