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Watch Out for John Cornyn: He's the New GOP Elephant in the China Shop -- A BuzzFlash News Analysis

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
by Meg White

Is Sen. John Cornyn the new Sen. Mitch McConnell?

Now that McConnell has the whole Congress and the executive to wage a polite war against, it's possible he gave over his role as government obstructionist to Cornyn. Where McConnell comes off as a "shrewd parliamentary tactician and a ruthless partisan warrior," Cornyn looks more like a pouting child who would rather make everyone miserable than get anything done.

Where McConnell rose to become Senate Minority Leader through a measured mastery of delay tactics and sneaky maneuvers, Cornyn is just going on a whine rampage lately.

Cornyn has stood in the way of a lot of Democrats in recent weeks -- most notably Al Franken, Hillary Clinton, and Eric Holder -- in a manner that makes me think he just likes the way he looks in a roadblock costume.

In Clinton's case, he held up her confirmation hearing only to vote in favor of her appointment, in a move called "as hollow as it was vitriolic" by the Austin American-Statesman. He was also one of the hypocrites who voted for Bush & Co. to have access to bailout money, but voted to try and block Obama from it.

Unlike many of his Republican colleagues, Cornyn seems to be determined to fight Democrats and the Obama Administration just because he doesn't like them, and not on any principle. Or maybe this behavior is just part of a quid pro quo for his being named chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 2010 election cycle this past November.

Now, Cornyn has always been a right-wing wacko of sorts. His close ties with fellow Texan and former President George W. Bush are well-known, and to say he's in Big Oil's pocket would be an understatement. Plus, any man who would compare gay marriage to wedding a box turtle clearly has some critical thinking issues.

For a real visual of the junior senator from Texas' self image, watch this bizarre campaign video from his most recent reelection bid, in which he calls himself "Big Bad John," that guy who's "doing the Lord's work for Texas."