Cornyn: What about the border? (ap photo)
President Obama called Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas yesterday to gab about Supreme Court nominee issues. Cornyn is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a former Texas Supreme Court Justice. He told Obama that whoever the president sends over, the hearings will be dignified and civil.
Then Cornyn gave Obama the old, “while I have you on the phone” move and raised the issue of the horrific violence on the Mexican border. Cornyn is in El Paso today for a series of briefings — more than 22,000 people have been killed in drug wars since 2006.
Since the U.S. is the biggest market for Mexico’s drug exports, and also the biggest provider of their weapons arsenal, there is a school of thought that says the U.S. should do more to help Mexican President Felipe Calderone stop the bloodshed.
Cornyn and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, also a Texas Republican, recently wrote Obama asking for more federal resources to deal with the border, and a plan to address the violence. They also asked Obama to visit the region and hear from residents and officials about the effects of the drug war.
Cornyn spokesman Kevin McLaughlin said Obama told Cornyn he is monitoring the situation and gave no assurances but asked Cornyn to keep him informed.
Cornyn will probably do just that. (the hill)
