Senator Tommy Lee Jones

When I first heard the rumor that some people wanted to draft Tommy Lee Jones, that’s the stage and screen actor Tommy Lee Jones, to run for the open seat being vacated by retiring Kay Bailey Hutchison in 2012 I was incredulous.

Surely this is just someone’s idea of a joke, I told myself.

But no. having checked it out there actually is a Draft Tommy Lee Jones website out there.

It was created by a local political commentator who has a radio show on the local Pacifica station in Houston, Geoff Berg. Apparently this is Berg’s own brainchild. Here is the logic as posted at Berg’s website:

“Texas’ conservative voters aren’t about to send just any Democrat to the Senate in 2012. Hell, it’s been seventeen years since a Democrat has won any statewide race here. That’s quite a record – and one we’d like to see broken.”

“To do that, whoever the Democratic nominee is in 2012 better bring something awfully special to the race. Tommy Lee Jones is the only Democrat (or potential Democrat) who does. His name ID, near-universal popularity, fundraising ability, residence in and love for this state, his success as a cattle rancher, Spanish fluency, his image as a western tough guy and his impressive academic credentials would instantly make him the frontrunner, regardless of who the Republicans nominate.”

Well that makes some sense, I guess.

Even Democratic Congressman Gene Green thinks the idea has some merit.

And he was Al Gore’s roommate at Harvard.

And oh yeah, he went to Harvard.

Besides, if Minnesota can send Stuart Smalley to the Senate, why can’t Texas send Agent K?