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If you run a multimillion dollar business, sometimes you give to both sides in order to insure you have access to protect your business.

What were Krueger and Bentsen at the time these donations were made? They were office-holders. Krueger was the interim U.S. Senator and Bentsen a U.S. Representative (and son of a very influential former senator and cabinet member). If a bill came up that was going to hurt his business, he wanted to make sure he had an ally in Congress and the only way you get their ear is to give to their campaign. The issue is a straw dog just like the "McCaul worked for Janet Reno" straw dog.

Neither was about politics. And the only reason they are being waved around now is because politics is a cut-throat business.

Yes, it's possible Streusand is just a rich scam artist but I don't think he is and I'm willing to take that chance over another Bush rubber stamp. Otherwise, we get more Rick Perrys, more Rove RINOs. I think his personal wealth means he doesn't have to vote with who brung him. He's not owned by any political machine when he gets to Washington, therefore he can be his own man.

I don't just want more Republicans in Washington, I want more conservatives. Being one's own man means he can vote how he wants to and, if he votes according to what he's campaigning on, that's fine with me.

Is it a risk? Sure. But it's also a risk to vote for the Bush-approved candidate who will say yes to things like Campaign Finance Reform, Medicare entitlements and amnesty for illegals because his masters tell him that's how he'll vote.

Ken Bentson is the nephew of the ex Senator Bentson. That's a POOR justification. I just don't believe him. Streisant, Barbara, is a snake IMO. Do Republicans do this in general??? Give money to Democrats? He didn't give to BOTH. He didn't give to Kay or Cornyn. You mean to tell me that you'd put your money on some two bit congressmen (I'm from Houston and few liked Ken) who didn't stand a chance against Cornyn? Would YOU do that? I just don't trust people who give money to DemonRATS!!! In fact I'm tired of Republicans giving to Democrats.

Not only NO but Hell NO to Ben. He's just not trustworthy, IMO. I'll take a government worker any time.... a man who dedicates to civil service. I've worked for the Federal Government almost my entire career and I'm proud of it. We need more Republicans serving the people. Yes, and I worked for Carter, Gore, Clinton. Ben Streusand is just hitting below the belt.... trying to say McCaul worked for Clinton. Geez.... that's a terrible FIB. Ben has no character or scruples. In his business he's been fined many times. Is that OK??? Let him prove his loyalty to Republicans before getting elected.

I guess I should just be quiet, but when ex President Bush supports a candidate, he does it for good reason.... because the opposition is a slimeball.

Yes, it's possible Streusand is just a rich scam artist but I don't think he is and I'm willing to take that chance over another Bush rubber stamp. Otherwise, we get more Rick Perrys, more Rove RINOs.

THANK YOU! That is exactly what this race comes down to. Neither guy in it is a saint and both flunk the GOP Purity test, but McCaul has one additional item of baggage that Streusand doesn't: the RINO Rick Perry John Cornyn Karl Rove stamp.

Though I was never happy with the field of candidates in this race from the very get go, I will readily admit that I wasn't very opposed to McCaul at first. About a month or two ago I was even urging people to back him on the Texas forum, albeit reluctantly, as the least bad of the frontrunners (I personally backed Elliott because he was the most conservative). The more I've learned about McCaul though the less I've liked him, and now I am firmly convinced that Streusand is the lesser evil.

Perhaps the biggest personality issue I've had with McCaul is the fact that he is so damn whiny. True, the Johnny Devine attack mailers were anonymous and they were a cheap shot since nobody with Devine's camp put their names to them but that is how Devine has always campaigned - he's sleazy and does sleazy tricks like that. But does that mean the content of those mailers was false? No. Does that mean Mike McCaul is justified in whining like a little baby about being "unfairly attacked"? Hate to break it to him but he's in the wrong business if he thinks so. This is politics and he had every reason in the world to know his record would be scrutinized and attacked. His "poor me" act is an increasingly sorry show and that is the last kind of person I would pick to go up against the Dems. If he thinks it's tough now he'll be lunchmeat for the Dems when he gets to the floor of congress. Heck, he's still in the REPUBLICAN primary and he's already snivelling about how mean everyone is being to him!

McCaul's "honorable" and "sacrificing" record as a "public servant" is also turning into a tired act. The bottom line is that he's a career bureaucrat. He worked for the government for most of his adult life and that's it. There is nothing special about being a bureaucrat that somehow makes them more honorable than the private sector. He didn't work any harder than you or I, and he doesn't deserved to be honored for simply working any more than you or I do. For the record, I'll even admit to holding positions at various times in previous years in which I was an employee of more than one level of government. I certainly don't run around telling people that I "sacrificed" my resources for "service" on their behalf. I don't run around demanding that people should respect me more than they otherwise would since I was a "public servant." So why does Mike McCaul? Why should anybody "honor" him for the jobs he's held as a government employee any more than they should "honor" me or anyone else who has ever held a job in a political position? And especially so, why should they honor him more for making a permanent career out of Uncle Sam rather than those of us who have also worked in other jobs that weren't taxpayer funded? There is no intrinsic honor or gift of service in being a bureaucrat and Mike McCaul is arrogant to presume that there is.

That is essentially how I feel right now about his candidacy. When he entered the race I was open to hearing him out and I was open to letting him make his case as to why conservatives should support him. After three months all I've seen is a nonstop flow of "poor me" combined with a campaign message that boils down to little more than this: "support me (1) because I am a career government employee, (2) because I also agree with all the other candidates on all the issues, and (3) because Rick Perry, John Cornyn and a bunch of other people like them are supporting me too." I do not find a single aspect of that message appealing and unfortunately he hasn't conveyed anything beyond it to earn my support.

Streusand also funneled a $1000 donation to liberal Democrat Eddie Bernice Johnson out of Dallas through his Texas Mortgage Bankers Association PAC.

I listed the details on this before, but no one seemed to pick it up.

Money to Kreuger 10+ years ago? It was 10+ years ago. Who cares?

Money to Bentsen 3 years ago? Questionable, but could be justified due to "business considerations".

$1000 to liberal Democrat Eddie Bernice Johnson 2-1/2 years ago? She doesn't sit on any mortgage or financial committees - no justification there.

I don't say it excludes him from claiming GOP credentials - and if he's elected I think he'll vote conservative 99% of the time - but it certainly raises a red flag.

Innocuous Dems like Bentsen, Krueger? No biggie. A lib Dem Maxine Waters clone like Eddie Bernice Johnson? Hmmm....

That said, it certainly doesn't absolve Mr. McCaul from his questionable associations with "moneyed interests", but that's another tale for another time.