Texas Senator Cornyn Backs Away From Wild-West Themed Campaign Video

"My staff convinced me it was a good idea...Maybe I need a new staff."

Those words were spoken by Texas Senator John Cornyn after his staff produced the attached video. Intended as an introduction to the Republican Party of Texas state convention, the video, featuring awesomely overwrought voice overs and the most stoned gospel chorus ever assembled, basically depicts Cornyn as a dull-witted rodeo clown who never descends from his horse or stops dressing like Jon Voight in Midnight Cowboy.

The Austin-American Statesman finds Cornyn gamely attempting to defend the terrible video, saying, "It's actually an attempt to bring a little humor to a subject I take very seriously. We're going to have to think differently this year, work smarter and harder, and bury the 'same-ole, same-ole' politics of the past." By which he means: do everything in super, super, super, super slow-motion, apparently.

Comments

[youzaho]

I am reminded of George Allen c. 2006.

[littlepuffycloud]

Could this phony be more pink and soft looking, especially in his fringe jacket? This old white guys think putting on a denim shirt and cowboy hat will convince us he's real. Where does Texas get off referring to 'the lesser states'? Texans do like things bigger; egos, bullshit, lies and pandering. They do it all bigger if they're from Texas.

[DTGB]

Hey LITTLE puffy cloud! just cuz JC's an ass doesn't mean you have to be! He in no way speaks for Texans, just himself. As a Texan I asked the same question. There are plenty of admirable people from Texas including Ann Richards and the talented Mr. Willie Nelson, true characters w honorable character. we may have a lot bluster sometimes but come visit and you'll find we love everyone!
by the way, there is no town in Texas called CONNETICUT! and if you weren't born here, like anywhere else, well, then you're not from here! we do love our state but we also love the rest of the country.
the funniest thing about the add besides all the cowboy nonsense it JC has voted to slaughter horses in Texas, transport slaughter horses to Mexico when that failed and has worked to slaughter them at every turn. i wonder if his stead knows that!
contribute to Rick Norega's campaign so we can watch Big John ride off into the sunset!

[shelobo]

Why hasn't the media mentioned McCains connection to Clayton Williams ,who was supposed to do a fund-raiser in Midland hosted by Williams for U.S. Sen. John McCain"s presidential campaign ?Williams has a serious problem with women and the comments he makes about women .Williams made a very off color joke when he ran against Ann Richards here in Texas.Williams including his "joke"about rape: "If it"s inevitable, just relax and enjoy it"; were his exact words when he was running against Ann Richards for Governor !Not to mention his comment about how he 'williams' would 'deal 'with Ann Richards " Then Williams comments about "head her and hoof her and drag her through the dirt"; and his comments about frequenting prostitutes at the Chicken Ranch, a well-known Texas brothel in La Grange, and the Boy"s Towns of Mexico. It"s clear that Sen. McCain is more interested in raising money than he is about the concerns of women in Texas and across the country."http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/presidential_race/

[melonman]

So Cornyn opened up government, huh? What a laugh. What a lie! He's done nothing, nada, but wag his tail and yip everytime shrub snaps his fingers. He's a true drugstore cowboy and the biggest of the yes men for the administration.

The clown has got to go.

Vote Noriega!

[condew]

Isn't this the John "Long war on Christianity" Cornyn that Jon Stewart skewerd by hoping that one day we would have a Christian president, or perhaps 42 of them, consecutively?

[condew]

Sorry, that was Rep. John N. Hostettler (R-Ind.) .

[wbateman]

How Corny-n.

I'm soooo gonna move to Texas so I can vote for him. Nah, I'll just nap instead.

Is it my monitor or was that vest was like... uber flowery? I bet he plays the tamborine in the church choir.

[LaSandra]

Rick Noriega for U.S. Senate. His TDP Convention intro is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9j2P3XSSok&eurl=http://politicalblog.abc13.com/

[wolf58]

wonder how many people just smoke their gun after watching this ad.

[Colmore]

I hope he has saddle sores that just won't quit. Why all the promises now, what has he done since going to Washington?

[Tommygun264]

Whomever is running against Senator Cornyn should say "THANKS!" and use the ad for his or her own campaign against the Senator - it plays like an SNL parody and makes the guy look old and out of touch. The last man I saw with hair like that wearing a cowboy hat was a preacher.

[Tommygun264]

Now why am I craving a Marlboro cigarette?

[JDJase]

He should stick with this ad

If I was an undecided, non partisan swing voter, he would definitely not get my vote just because his ad made me puke.

[brick4barack]

Don't give up on Texas. Since moving to the Lone Star State from California six years ago, I've had to adjust to living among lots of people who believe the world is 6,000 years old and the answer to every government problem is lower taxes and more military spending. But something very curious is happening here. Over the last year, we've had a couple of Republicans in the state house switch to the Democratic party. After years of being represented by Republicans, my upscale neighborhood recently elected a Democrat to the Texas legislature. And Bush's boot-licking toady Sen. Cornyn is currently polling just 4 percent ahead in his re-election bid.

I don't expect Texas will ever become another California (gay marriage, anyone?). But Texas was Democratic once upon a time and started moving Republican three decades ago when former Gov. John Connally switched parties. The political winds seem to be blowing the other direction these days.

[4wehttam]

ROFLMAO!!! That was the funniest political ad I have ever seen! Did he really expect people to take him seriously, really? How do you mix gospel choir with a cowboy theme....hmm? Just stick to smear ads; it's what you republicans are good at. Lost all sense of authenticity.

[thisoldbroad]

I appreciate any political ad that isn't an attack ad on another candidate.
This ad is a little lame, kinda funny & will get viewed many times - which is the reason for it.
Giddyup big John!

[MainSpark]

"This ad is a little lame, kinda funny & will get viewed many times - which is the reason for it."

Just a little lame? Did you not understand Cornyn's quote? ("My staff convinced me it was a good idea...Maybe I need a new staff.")

You're right on two other points. It was kinda funny. However, being humorous was not the intention of the ad. And you're also correct in that it will get viewed many times. But the reason it will be viewed so many times isn't exactly a good thing, considering the ridicule that is being laid (rightfully so) on Cornyn.

After people watch this clip, they're not going to be thinking, "I have to vote for John Cornyn." They're going to be thinking, "What a tool!"