It's not much of a surprise after leaks began coming out last week, but Houston Mayor Bill White formally announced today he's in the race for Kay Bailey Hutchinson's senate seat.

He did it Obama-style: via a video on his website. In front of what look like sagging bookshelves, White describes a Houston that sounds like a terrific place to live, where pollution and taxes and crime are all minor, mostly solved problems that just need a bit more mopping up.

"Look, if you are from the Houston area, judge me by my record, what you've seen, my hard work and how you evaluate things have changed since I've been mayor," White says. "If you're outside of Houston, call a couple friends and ask them what they think of me."

Just don't call any forestry-service workers from Georgia.

-- Richard Connelly