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Mike Chaney Endorsing Fred Thompson 2007-11-19 19:41:14 When governors, senators or representatives make presidential endorsements it usually makes the news; but you rarely hear much about whom other statewide officers are supporting. The Clarion-Ledger is reporting that Insurance Commissioner-elect Mike Chaney will be supporting Fred Thompson, the former Senator from Tennessee. I would like to know who all statewide officers and legislators are endorsing; particularly among Democrats. ...

A Time To Give Thanks 2007-11-19 19:23:12 AmericaSupportsYou.mil has launched a campaign this Thanksgiving week where Americans can send text messages to the troops from now through November 22. Simply text the word “Thanks” to 89279. Click on the picture above to learn more. The website features the embedded code to add the widget to your blog. Unfortunately, Wordpress is not allowing it. I also want to note that when this announcement was on the scoreboard at the Ole Miss-LSU game this weekend, the LSU band preceded to begin playing in the middle of the announcement and drowned out the PA system. ...

Mississippi Right to Life Celebrates Election 2007-11-19 18:46:21 When most Democratic and Republicans candidates are pro-life it makes it hard to choose which one to endorse, but easy to celebrate the electoral results. As for the statewide offices, three out of the four candidates that MSRTL endorsed won their election. It’s worth noting that all eight of the candidates for those offices are considered pro-life. Tuesday Mississippians went to the polls and elected many pro-life legislators and statewide officials. Of the 137 candidates that Mississippi Right to Life State Political Action Committee endorsed, 117 were successful! Top spots went to Haley Barbour, Phil Bryant, and Delbert Hosemann, who were endorsed by Mississippi Right to Life. The attorney general’s post was kept by incumbent Jim Hood, who is considered to be pro-life In other races that MSRTL did not get involved in because they were considered to not have a significant impact on pro-life matters, pro-life former Senator Mike Chaney is the new Insurance Commissioner. In both ...

Ole Miss To Host Presidential Debate 2007-11-19 15:37:40 From the Daily Mississippian: This afternoon, the Commission on Presidential Debates officially announced the University of Mississippi would host the first debate of the 2008 Presidential Debates next fall. The campus will hold the first debate, which is scheduled for Friday, September 26, 2008. According to the Commission’s official announcement, two other southern locations, Nashville and St. Louis, will also play host to one of the debates. This will mark the first Presidential Debate for Mississippi and Ole Miss. Ole Miss was selected from 19 other potential sites - 14 of which were other colleges or universities - by the Commission on Presidential Debates. The event will be held in the 1,200-seat Gertrude Ford Performing Arts Center on the university’s Oxford campus. The city’s 700 or so hotel rooms are inadequate to serve more than 4,000 visitors expected, so they will be shuttled to hotels in Tupelo, Batesville, Memphis, Grenada and other neighboring north Mis ...

We’re Number 23 2007-11-19 07:44:16 I wouldn’t want to step foot in these other 22 cities if Jackson is only 23rd most dangerous. ...

UPDATED- War Funding Bills Fail In Senate, Taylor Votes Against House Surrender Bill 2007-11-16 10:01:09 (11/16/2007, 10 a.m.) First, the Senate Democrats blocked the Republicans effort to pass a straight funding bill with no strings attached. So the Republicans returned the favor and blocked the Dems funding bill with a date of withdrawal. Democratic leaders Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi have said they would not consider another bill until next year. (11/15/2007, 9 p.m.) Last night, the Democrats in the House spent the evening on another bill trying to figure out a new way to lose the war. House Democrats pushed through a $50 billion bill for the Iraq war Wednesday night that would require President Bush to start bringing troops home in coming weeks with a goal of ending combat by December 2008. The legislation, passed 218-203, was largely a symbolic jab at Bush, who already has begun reducing force levels but opposes a congressionally mandated timetable on the war. And while the measure was unlikely to pass in the Senate - let alone overcome a presidential veto - Democrats said they wan ...

WSJ Nails Hood, Moore, and Scruggs 2007-11-16 08:19:06 Here is an excellent article by the Wall Street Journal detailing the unethical work of Jim Hood, and his tort buddies Dickie Scrugs and former Attorney General Mike Moore in their shakedown of State Farm. It’s a bit of a lengthy article, but a good read. Mississippi Hoods It isn’t often that a state Attorney General finds himself on the wrong end of a lawsuit. Then again, it isn’t often that a state Attorney General has such a cavalier approach to the law as Mississippi’s Jim Hood. Since Hurricane Katrina, the AG has been waging a legal and PR war against State Farm and other insurance companies, a populist campaign that helped win him a second term last week. Weary of being a political piñata, State Farm has now turned the tables with a federal lawsuit against Mr. Hood. The suit accuses him of breaching a non-prosecution agreement, using his power to retaliate against the insurer over separate litigation, and colluding with tort lawyers to purloin documents and assist in ...

Taylor Votes Against Surrender Bill 2007-11-15 21:18:09 Last night, the Democrats in the House spent the evening on another bill trying to figure out a new way to lose the war. House Democrats pushed through a $50 billion bill for the Iraq war Wednesday night that would require President Bush to start bringing troops home in coming weeks with a goal of ending combat by December 2008. The legislation, passed 218-203, was largely a symbolic jab at Bush, who already has begun reducing force levels but opposes a congressionally mandated timetable on the war. And while the measure was unlikely to pass in the Senate - let alone overcome a presidential veto - Democrats said they wanted voters to know they weren’t giving up. This symbolic measure- as the AP labeled it- is mainly a way for Nancy Pelosi to try to get DailyKos and Code Pink of her back for now. I’m glad to see that Gene Taylor has continued to back the troops and the mission in not joining the defeat caucus. Bennie Thompson, well, we can’t be so lucky. Pickering and Wicker ...

What Do You Think Of Your Ex-Constituents Ms. Williamson? 2007-11-15 12:51:08 State Sen. Gloria Williamson, one of the more liberal members of the Democratic caucus, was the only Democratic Senator to lose their re-election bid. She followed the line of most Dems this year blaming it on money, but also had this interesting quote in the Jackson Free Press: “It was a tough fight, but I guess people around here like their guns more than groceries.” People around here? That sounds like something Hillary Clinton would say. The people of Neshoba, Leake and Winston counties deserve better and they got better. Good riddance, Ms. Williamson. ...

Cochran Seeking Re-Election 2007-11-14 12:34:03 Guess Mike Moore obsessers will have to wait until at least 2012. From The Hill: Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) said Wednesday that he will seek reelection in 2008, casting aside rumors of his impending retirement. Cochran, who will turn 70 next month, has not raised a lot of money this cycle but had previously said he planned to run for reelection. “While I delayed making this decision until after our state and local government elections were over, there is no reason to delay any longer,” Cochran said in a statement. “I have enjoyed serving in the Senate, and I am highly honored to have had the support and encouragement to continue this service from friends throughout the state.” Hattip: Y’all Politics ...

3rd District Updates 2007-11-13 17:35:04 Greg Harper is now officially running for Chip’s soon-to-be open seat: Harper set to throw hat into House ring BRANDON - Pearl attorney Gregg Harper says he’s ready to be a Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives for the 3rd Congressional District. Its current officeholder, Chip Pickering, has said he will retire when his term ends next year. Harper’s official announcement is set for 4 p.m. today at the Rankin County Justice Center in Brandon. The primary election is in March. He is an attorney in private practice and is city prosecutor for Richland and Brandon. He is also the board attorney for the Baptist Children’s Village. Harper and his wife have two teenage children. Describing himself as “extremely active” in Republican Party politics, he was a delegate to the past two Republican National Conventions and was an observer in the recount in Florida in the 2000 election. Rounsaville Officially Declares, Website Goes Live: A candidate to fil ...

Smith: Not So Fast Billy McCoy 2007-11-12 21:44:33 Jeff Smith sent out this press release today explaining his findings of McCoy’s list. From the Smith for Speaker website: The contest for the Speaker of the House of Representatives continues between Rep. Billy McCoy and Rep. Jeff Smith. Rep. McCoy’s list of “confirmed supporters” was examined closely by our campaign and five names were identified as being known to us as supporters of the Smith campaign or as being uncommitted. This was confirmed by both personal contact between the Representative and Rep. Smith and published press reports. “Rep. McCoy’s claim that he has a confirmed majority is simply not true. I do not know how his supporters came up with the names on his list but in talking to members who have their names on the list I have talked to more than five who have told me that their names should not have appeared and they certainly have not given permission for their names to have appeared. Those members generally do not want their names released at this t ...

Remember… 2007-11-12 20:11:34 This Veterans Day, while some are trying to score political points on Iraq or appease MoveOn.org; remember this old saying from Father Dennis Edward O’Brian, USMC: It is the soldier, not the reporter, Who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, Who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the organizer, Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier, Who salutes the flag, Who serves beneath the flag, And whose coffin is draped by the flag, Who allows the protestor to burn the flag. ...

Intelligent CL Readers Sound Off On Insurance Commish Race 2007-11-12 06:30:10 First letter to the editor: Anderson’s loss was not based on race Why does The Clarion-Ledger try to make everything about race? In regard to the state insurance commissioner’s race, your editorial said: “But this election should prove that Mississippi has not evolved as far as some would like or boast when it comes to racial progress in politics” (“Election ‘07: Anderson, Spell send messages,” Nov. 7). Where did that come from? Just because the candidate is “black,” does that give him a special position in an election? The only statewide position not carried by the GOP was a very strong incumbent, Jim Hood for attorney general. The GOP won the day. In most cases the margin was high 50 percent to low 40 percent, with one exception. Gary Anderson was a very good Democratic candidate for insurance commissioner. He ran a very good campaign. Not one time prior to the election was the insurance commissioner’s race brought down to the race debate. As matte ...

Larry Sabato On Barbour’s Re-election And His Future 2007-11-10 09:33:33 From Sabato’s Crystal Ball: With Governor Haley Barbour’s landslide reelection in Mississippi, speculation about a possible VP slot for Barbour will begin in earnest. A northern GOP presidential nominee such as Rudy Giuliani or Mitt Romney will likely need a Southerner (or maybe a Westerner) on the ticket to pump up the regional base. Barbour is a national figure, well known to Republicans throughout the nation from his service as RNC chairman in the 1990s. Add Barbour to the long list of Veep-potentials. ...