This time, however, no funny Hardball clips. Apparently, Cornyn didn’t have any entertaining slip-ups but here are the “highlights” (according to his pr folks) of his intervew with Wolf Blitzer today.

On progress in Iraq

BLITZER: How worried are you about the current situation in Iraq unraveling? 

CORNYN: Well, I’m very concerned. And that’s why I think we need to continue to make sure that we leave Iraq in a condition that it can govern and defend itself. 

I was last there in January, and very encouraged by the progress on the military front. The Iraqis are stepping up, taking more responsibility, paying more of the bills. And about two-thirds of the benchmarks, on the political side, that Congress set in 2007 have now been met. 

And finally, I would say the initiative that the prime minister — that President Maliki took in Basra, recently, without American support, except in follow-up, the initiative he took against the Shiite militias, criminals and gangs, I thought was encouraging. 

So we need to see more of that, and need the Iraqis to stand up so we can stand down and bring our folks home….

On the economic Stimulus Package

BLITZER: How important is a second economic stimulus package, Senator Cornyn? 

CORNYN: Well, I think we need to be careful here. We need to do what we can. And of course, contrary to what Senator Schumer has said, we just passed a stimulus package on a bipartisan basis. 

What concerns me is that it resulted in $150 billion added to the national deficit. And we need to be careful and make sure what we do is targeted in a way that will actually help people who need it the most. 

I’m glad to hear Senator Durbin talk about the cost of gasoline and the cost of health care. We have frankly done nothing in Congress recently to deal with either of those issues which, even in places where the economy is doing relatively well, like here in Texas, those are areas where people are really feeling the pinch. And I think we would do well to target some of our efforts on bringing down the price of gasoline and making health care more affordable. 

BLITZER: What about extended unemployment benefits, Senator Cornyn? 

CORNYN: Well, you know, unemployment in Texas is about 4.1 percent. It’s almost a full employment economy, it’s 5.1 percent nationally. We need to help I think people with job training and help them get back into the economy if they’re having a hard time. 

But I don’t think spending a lot of extra money and adding to the debt — I mean, everything I hear coming from my friends on the other side of the aisle is let’s have the federal government spend more money. And that money comes from your pocket and mine. And I think we ought to be careful.