Rand Paul endorses Mitt Romney

Sen. Rand Paul endorsed Mitt Romney on Sean Hannity's television show Thursday evening.

RAND PAUL: "Well, you know, my first choice had always been my father. I campaigned for him when I was eleven years old. He's still my first pick. But, you know, now that the nominating process is over, tonight, I'm happy to announce that I'm going to be supporting Governor Romney."

Needless to say, this announcement is not going over well with the more rabid/zealous of Ron Paul's supporters. Rand is already facing a backlash from them. Just take a look at their comments on his Facebook page here and here.

The endorsement comes a day after Ron Paul publicly admitted that his campaign will not have enough delegates to win the GOP nomination.

Thunder!

Oklahoma City Thunder: 98  --  San Antonio Spurs: 101

Oklahoma City Thunder: 111  --  San Antonio Spurs: 120

Oklahoma City Thunder: 102  --  San Antonio Spurs: 82

Oklahoma City Thunder: 109  --  San Antonio Spurs: 103

Oklahoma City Thunder: 108  --  San Antonio Spurs: 103

Oklahoma City Thunder: 107  --  San Antonio Spurs: 99

THUNDER!

Neal Boortz to retire, Herman Cain to replace

Jamie Dupree, Herman Cain, and Neil Boortz

Nationally-syndicated talk radio host Neal Boortz announced on his show this morning that he will step down after 42 years on the air, citing a desire to spend time with his family. Former presidential candidate Herman Cain will take full-time command of the Neal Boortz microphone when Boortz officially retires this January.

“It has been a great ride, but it’s time for me and my wife Donna to hit the road and travel in ways that thus far have been impossible,” said Boortz. “As my listeners know, we love traveling, and the restraints created by my daily radio show commitment have kept us on a rather short leash.”

Cain acknowledged the mark Boortz has made over those 42 years. "Neal has spent his career serving as a bold, vocal advocate of what is right in this world, and condemning that which is not. I promise the torch Boortz is handing off to me will blaze as bright, as bold, and as loud as ever."

Not only will Cain inherit Neal’s microphone, he’ll also inherit the Boortz syndicated radio audience. The show currently airs on more than 200 radio stations, with six million listeners a week.

“I am ecstatic that Neal has kept the radio host's chair warm for me all these years," Cain joked. “He may be ‘The TalkMaster,’ but Neal's listeners know I’m the 'The Dean of the University of Common Sense.’”

Cain formerly hosted a radio show on News/Talk WSB in Atlanta prior to his run for the presidency, a qualification Dan Kearney, Vice President and Market Manager of News/Talk WSB, said adds to the impressive list of reasons Cain is the logical successor for Neal.

“Cain is very well known, passionate about his beliefs, not afraid to speak his mind – and our listeners have shown they love him” Kearney said. “We’re thrilled at his return.”

Boortz’s last day hosting The Neal Boortz Show will be January 18, 2013. Cain will launch his nationally syndicated radio show on January 21, 2013 – Inauguration Day. Until then, Cain will continue joining Boortz for their Monday and Friday 10:35am ET segments, and will remain as Boortz’ primary fill-in host.

The Neal Boortz Show is heard in Oklahoma on AM 740/FM 102.3 KRMG (Tulsa), AM 1520 KOKC (Oklahoma City), AM 960 KGWA (Enid), and AM 1600 (Cushing).

Graphic shows 56 years of tornado tracks

(click on the picture to view in a larger size)

Blogger John Nelson put together this graphic, featuring 56 years of tornado tracks, shaded by Fujita Scale intensity. Weather nuts like me will appreciate this!

Costello Endorses Howard Houchen in SD5

Oklahoma City, OK –  In what promises to be a key pickup for Senate Republicans in the “Little Dixie” region of the state, long known for entrenched Democrats, Howard Houchen (R-Hugo) is gaining notice early in the race by picking up the high profile endorsement of Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Mark Costello.

”When I ran for Labor Commissioner in 2010, I campaigned on my commitment to bring sound business practices and constitutional principles to State Government.  Howard Houchen shares these values and will be an invaluable asset to southeastern Oklahoma. He is unabashed in his love for his home region, and unashamed to stand strong for what is right for Oklahoma in general and right for SE Oklahoma in particular. I am proud to offer my endorsement of Howard Houchen as the right choice for State Senate, District 5,”  Labor Commissioner Mark Costello stated.

Houchen will be facing Jerry Ellis (D-Valliant) on the November general election ballot. This race also has an unusual twist: Democrat incumbent Ellis, due to term limits, is only eligible to serve two years of the upcoming four year term. He will be forced to vacate the seat midway through the term if he is re-elected.

Houchen commented,  “Commissioner Costello has a proven record of increasing government efficiency and accountability while controlling, and even decreasing, the costs to the hardworking taxpayers of Oklahoma. I share that vision and appreciate his leadership. I look forward to ensuring that the interests of the good folks in SE Oklahoma are heard loud and clear in Oklahoma City as we all work to achieve a more economically free and prosperous tomorrow.”

Houchen is a graduate of University of Oklahoma with a degree in Political Science, and boasts an MA in National Security Studies from the American Military University. With extensive international and small business expertise, he is extensively published in multiple conservative publications. He proudly raises his two sons alongside his wife Jeannie in the S.E. Oklahoma community of Hugo. He and his family are avid hunters and sportsmen, treasuring the bountiful natural resources that are plentiful in our beautiful state and rural communities.

You can visit Houchen's campaign website here.

I-40 Bridge Collapse: 10 Years

10 years ago this morning, a barge traveling up the Arkansas River struck a bridge support on I-40, causing a 580-foot section of the span to collapse into the river, and plunging about 10 vehicles into the water. 14 people were killed in the accident.

I distinctly remember the event, and the aftermath. Before heading to church that morning, my parents had the news on, and I remember seeing the coverage. Around that time, the kids at the church we attended had a sort of news and comics "club" (weekly exchange of hand-written articles, trivia, or cartoons), and I wrote the following story, complete with a drawing of the scene.

(I suppose one could call this my first "blog" post...) 

In the hours after the bridge was hit, rumors flew that the detour bridge upstream was also struck by a barge. That was not the case, but following the I-40 event, work was done along the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigational System to strengthen and guard bridge supports from such an accident happening again.

I can recall driving down to Webbers Falls while the bridge was out, and seeing the temporary memorial there in town. The bridge was rebuilt in two months, a record for a project of that scope.

Just yesterday, I drove through Webbers Falls, and was thinking about the bridge disaster. It still doesn't seem like it's been ten years since it happened.

Although I was not affected by the event, now that I think about it, I do have a habit of checking the river when I drive over a bridge. Strange, how things can impact your behavior, even when you were far removed from the occurrence in the first place.

Faught Launches TV Ad

Faught Launches First District Wide Television Ad
“When I go to Washington”

Muskogee, OK – The George Faught for Congress campaign launched their first television ad in the race for Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District. This is the second week in a row the candidate has made a major media buy, last week Faught started running district wide radio ads.

Titled “When I go to Washington”, the ad features former Arkansas governor and 2008 Republican presidential candidate, Gov. Mike Huckabee endorsing George Faught for Congress. During the TV spot, Huckabee refers to Faught as a man of deep faith who is 100% pro-life and will protect conservative values and restore fiscal discipline in Washington.

View the ad below:

Book Review: Tom Coburn's 'The Debt Bomb'

Senator Tom Coburn versus Everyone Else in Washington

by Dustin Siggins

In The Debt Bomb: A Bold Plan To Stop Washington From Bankrupting America, Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) explains how Washington's career politicians, staffers, and lobbyists have set the nation up for fiscal failure.  Pulling few punches, Coburn targets sacred cows of each party and explains that rather than being in gridlock (as the media claims is the case), Congress has spent the last several decades (and especially the last 15 years) working to expand influence and re-election capabilities regardless of party.

Opening with a story about how America's rising debt could cause first a financial, and then a military crisis by 2020, Coburn reminds readers that this country is only as powerful as its finances will allow it to be.  In this fictional-but-likely future, foreign investors decide in 2014 that America is no longer a viable financial investment.  Over a span of days, this new consensus works its way into the value of the dollar, sinking it by 50% and increasing inflation.  Riots become widespread, the National Guard is deployed, and the G-20 meets to tell the U.S. that tax rates will double, retirement ages will leap precipitously, and means-testing will be the order of the day on benefits.  Finally, in 2019 -- two years after employment finally drops from 24% -- China invades Taiwan and informs the U.S. that if we stop the invasion, the U.S. will lose both financially (as China dumps our debt) and militarily (as both nations perhaps engage in a nuclear exchange).

Unlike other authors, Coburn takes on the debt from a series of critical angles, not just partisan ones.  This is done in a way that breaks through the fog of D.C.-speak and explains in plain terms the corruption all too present in Washington.  The impacts of the debt on the unemployment rate, national security, retirement, social welfare, personal freedom, tax rates, energy reform, and morality each have portions of chapters (in some cases, whole chapters) dedicated to them.  Additionally, Coburn aims to show just how much smaller government could be if we just eliminated fraud/waste/abuse/duplicity from the federal government...as much as one-third, or over $1 trillion per year (nearly $3,900 for every American every year).  If nothing else, the disgust readers should have for their elected politicians is a victory in and of itself, and it should lead to a successive series of efforts by voters to term-limit members of Congress.

The most important reforms Coburn addresses are those related to duplication/oversight, military spending, taxes, and entitlements.  With an envious lack of ego, Coburn looks at the problem from the perspective of an outsider involved in the process rather than as an elitist insider who knows all the answers.  Does the senator have answers?  Yes.  Does he think his are the only ones?  Absolutely not.  While his own oversight reports and Back in Black solutions are regularly mentioned both in chapters and in an addendum, Coburn praises Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI), among others, for truly working to find a way to defuse our debt bomb.

The inside baseball Coburn exposes should embarrass both members and their constituents.  Earmarks, personal discussions, and careerism are all brought to the fore, but nothing is more "inside baseball" than the debate that took place leading up to the debt ceiling compromise last August.  The utter dysfunction of Congress is laid bare in Coburn's descriptions of what happened.  Meeting after meeting and discussion after discussion led to a deal that not only didn't cut spending, but actually grew spending by $2 trillion over ten years...and still left our nation's credit rating downgraded.

(click "read more" for the rest of this review)

Faught Endorsed by David Barton, OK2A in 2nd District race

In the last week, 2nd Congressional District candidate George Faught picked up two more major endorsements, adding to his already extensive list of supporters.

David Barton Endorses George Faught for Congress

Muskogee, OK – David Barton, historian and founder of Wallbuilders, today endorsed State Rep. George Faught (R-Muskogee) in his bid for Congress in Oklahoma’s 2nd District.

“Our nation stands at a critical crossroads, and it is vital that we put proven conservatives in Congress who will respect and follow the Constitution. George Faught is a man of character and integrity, and will fight to protect the Judeo-Christian values that our nation was founded upon,” Barton said. “I strongly urge voters to support George Faught in Oklahoma’s 2nd District Republican primary.”

“I am honored to have the endorsement of David Barton. I have greatly admired his invaluable work over the years,” Faught said. “From attending Wallbuilders conferences, to utilizing his material in the homeschooling of my children, David’s wealth of information has had an impact on how I understand America’s tremendous heritage and how I approach my duties as a legislator. I am grateful for his support as I join with like-minded conservatives across the country in the common effort to get our nation back on track.”

Oklahoma Second Amendment Association Endorses Faught

Muskogee, OK – Today, State Rep. George Faught was awarded another statewide endorsement. The Oklahoma Second Amendment Association (OK2A) has announced their support of Mr. Faught in his 2nd Congressional District race for Congress. This endorsement comes in a highly contested field of Republicans and Faught expressed he is proud to have the backing of such a great organization.

Faught said, “OK2A is constantly involved in alerting citizens of our great state about issues and bills that can affect our Constitutionally held Second Amendment rights. Oklahoma is a fantastic state to partake of the positive aspects of gun ownership; hunting, competitive shooting, and in some cases personal protection. I am glad OK2A has decided to take a stand with who they believe will best represent them in Washington. I am honored that pick was me.”

Faught continued, “I attended their rally at the capitol this spring and it was great to see so many concerned citizens lobbying on behalf of gun owners across the state. People from the 2nd district agree, we need government out of our homes and out of our businesses.”

Oklahoma Second Amendment Association founder and director, Tim Gillespie, mentioned there was no question on which candidate they would pick to support.

“In the past Rep. Faught on the state level has been very supportive of protecting the rights of citizens to bear arms. As a life long gun owner and proponent of Oklahoma gun rights we are confident when he is representing the 2nd District and Oklahoma in Washington, D.C. he will continue to protect the freedoms of Americans and stand up for us. In 2011 we gave George the ‘Patriot of the 2nd Amendment’ award and we hope this endorsement for his congressional race will make people aware that he is the best candidate to protect our Oklahoma values and beliefs.”

Are you Bona Fide?

Oklahoma City -- The Oklahoma Republican Party today launched its latest web ad focused on the poor performance of President Obama in Oklahoma, and asks the question, "are you bona fide?"

Following Super Tuesday, The Oklahoma Democratic Party notified Democrat Presidential candidate Randall Terry, who campaigned as a pro life, pro-Keystone candidate, that he would not be allocated delegates to the party's national convention because his campaign failed to complete the proper paperwork and---much more revealing---that the national party (DNC) said he was not a "bona fide Democrat."

Barack Obama lost 15 counties in Oklahoma and 43% of registered Democrats voted for someone other than the incumbent Democrat president. With that, Terry qualified for four national convention delegates.

However, DNC rules define a "qualified candidate" as a "bona fide Democrat" who "affirmatively demonstrates that he or she is faithful to the interests, welfare and success of the Democratic Party."

When asked about Terry’s candidacy, ODP Chairman Collins said he thought Terry was simply a Republican who was trying to embarrass Obama. “He’s a Republican,” Collins said.

"Collins is right," said Chairman Pinnell, "if you are pro-life, believe in religious freedom, and support energy policies that promote projects like the Keystone Pipeline then I guess you aren't a bona fide Democrat but instead a bona fide Republican," said Chairman Pinnell.

Tackett: The OKGOP convention - both sides messed up.

The following is a guest post from conservative activist David Tackett of Broken Arrow, giving what I consider to be the most fair and accurate assessment regarding the controversy from Saturday's Oklahoma Republican State Convention.

You know, conventional wisdom says I need to keep my mouth shut.  I'm a candidate for State House and I don't need to upset anyone inside the party lest they won't help me.

But I just can't be quiet.  And let me summarize it by saying this... Ron Paul people, you were right in principle, but wrong in execution.

First, let me try and say before the RPers completely ignore the rest of my diatribe...  Remember, I was the one who stood with you at the 1st Congressional convention, not because I'm a RP supporter, but because I believe in the rule of law.

So let me start off with the 1st complaint... Credentials... 
I was one of the volunteers who helped check in people. So I can answer exactly what the problem was....  new software, delegates who pre-registered incorrectly (we had several who registered as guests or typed their name differently than what was provided by their County Chair), and volunteers who entered in data wrong during the check-in (entering people as guests instead of delegates).

It was, frankly, insulting to hear people from the RP clan suggest fraud was committed by the credential volunteers. (I.e. badges weren't secured, etc.)  I know each and every single one of the volunteers who helped with the process and not one has EVER done anything unethical.

Could the badges been designed where they couldn't be easily forged? Sure.  But let me belabor this major point.  ALL of the populous counties (Tulsa, Oklahoma, Cleveland) and the other 20 or so counties that had off numbers, verified their delegates registered against the master delegate list.  And the two counties where the fraud could have been perpetuated the easiest because of their sheer size, Tulsa and Oklahoma, had each delegate verify, in person in the main hall, their status.

And don't forget the sheer size of this convention.  This is by far a record-breaker in attendance.  So were there problems?  heck, yes?  Was there fraud?  No.  Was their a conspiracy by the "establishment" to stack the delegates?  No.  In fact, I will argue that the delegates in question was about an even split between the 2 factions.

Voting
Now this is a point that frankly is the main issue.  Did the chair wrongly decide that the standing vote was OK for the slate vote?  Absolutely yes.  But the RPers had a recourse, and that was to appeal the decision of the chair.  They did and they lost by a vote of the delegates.  At that point, the body in essence had rewritten the rule. In roberts rules, you have no recourse from this issue.  You have a recourse in the RNC rules, and the chair advised of that process.

And let me step back for a moment here.  Just because you can call a point of order, doesn't mean you have to keep doing it.  It's called dilatory motions, when the only issue is to call motions just to impede the process.  And I would wager $1000 that if the RPers didn't try to stall the process with all of the points of order, we would have had time for a secret ballot... or even more important, if there had not been the hundred point of orders before the egregious error NOT to have the slate voted on I'm sure the delegates would have been on your side.

And aside from the dilatory motions, one thing I have learned in my short tenure in convention politics - It don't matter how right you are... if you keep pressing a point, the majority of people will shut you down.  If you think I'm just spouting off without any experience, then you weren't at the 2011 state convention.

Now let's hit another issue... It was clear from the first test vote that the voting came down 60/40 (about a 500 delegate difference) each and every vote...  be it voice vote (hey, let me give the RP people credit for having some MASSIVE lungs!), standing vote, or secret ballot.

It wasn't close, the RP faction was in the minority.  And so whether it was standing vote or ballot, the state committee's slate would have been approved.  But, I know why all these motions and point of orders were happening... because I was told by several of the RP delegates that this was their plan... to drag out the process until everyone else left then they could redo the vote and get their slate in.

I'm sorry, but I get red faced in anger when I keep thinking about that above statement.  That is NOT the way to win the hearts and minds of those conservatives who aren't yet with you yet. And the only way Ron Paul, Rand Paul, or any libertarian leaning Republican is going to win the nomination in the future is by getting more conservatives to join with you.  You may have had 40% of the delegates, but you only had 9.6% of the popular vote in Oklahoma.  And in Oklahoma it's the popular vote that matters so that is what you all need to be focusing on.

Oh and on that point, you will lose me and thousands of Oklahoman Republicans who sympathize with your movement if pledged RP delegates try to vote for someone else besides the candidate they were assigned to on the 1st ballot. It's not about what's legal (jurisdiction, etc.) it's about what's the right thing to do.

The last point - Adjournment and the Rump convention

It stated on the agenda, we had to be out by 5pm. Clear as day.  No, the walls didn't go up because Matt told the facilities people to, the Embassy Suites people did it on their own.  How do I know?  They did it to us in the credentials room, they literally unplugged our computers in order to prep one side for another rental. (That explains for about 30 minutes of the delay in the credentials report, btw!)

I know there was other business to attend to, but if we have to leave, we have to leave.  The party rules clearly gives the option for the state committee to convene and consider any issues that the convention couldn't address.

So then the RP crowd did what they did at the 1st CD, they held an rump convention, not an extension of the current convention.  That convention adjourned.  You can't appeal the decision of the chair to adjourn.  When the gavel falls for adjournment, it's done.

And I was at a place in the hall to see both sides, (you could still see both sides from the stage as well at that point) and yes, it was the same 60/40 split. But the Ron Paul people screamed and hollered and made a mockery by holding a parking lot rump convention.

Yes, I said it... A mockery. Even if, and I say a MAJOR if... I accept that the parking lot convention was an extension of the first convention, you didn't have a quorum... not even close...  Remember those precious rules that you said were being violated by the convention chair?  Nothing you did mattered unless you had a quorum of the delegates present at the signed credentials report.  Even with the first reported number, that would mean you had to have over 600 in your "parking lot" convention. I think the number you claimed was under 400.

So what does it look like from the outside? If the establishment breaks the rules, it's a travesty, but if the RP faction breaks the rules, it's OK.

Please hear me what I am trying to say.  Thuggery can only get you so far. But the RP people MUST change the way they approach these conventions if you TRULY want people to change their minds and support your cause.

I will continue to come to the defense of anyone who is being wronged during a GOP event that I am at.  But in order to succeed in the future, the tactics of the RPers must be revamped.

I say this last point. One way to earn the respect of the rest of the delegation, and frankly to increase your influence, is to keep being a part of the party apparatus throughout the year, every year.  This is what the Christian Coalition did in the 90's throughout the country.  And by doing this, the RPers (And yes, I know ALOT of RP supporters are already actively working in the party) will not be seen as an outside faction, but an important wing of GOP working to advance their cause in the party.

David Tackett is a conservative activist from Broken Arrow, and is the Republican nominee for State House District 12 against Rep. Wade Rousselot (D-Wagoner). His campaign website is DavidTackett.com.

The 2012 OKGOP State Convention has arrived!

The Oklahoma Republican State Convention commences Saturday morning at 9:00am in Norman, and is sure to be a crowded, eventful affair. I'll be in attendance - if you want to say 'hello', give me a shout on Twitter at @JamisonFaught and I'll try to connect.

Speaking of, if you are on Twitter, the official hashtag for the convention will be #OKGOP, so post your convention-related tweets to that hashtag.

I encourage delegates to vote for Steve Fair for National Committeeman, Carolyn McLarty for National Committeewoman, and to approve the Executive Committee-nominated RNC Delegate slate.