At our latest TribLive conversation, U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz talked about the debt ceiling debate — why he would have voted no and why the threat of default was political theater.

At our latest TribLive conversation, U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz talked about President Obama's jobs speech — and what he would do differently.

At our last TribLive conversation, U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz talked about President Obama's jobs speech, the future of Social Security and the debt ceiling debate, among other topics that could impact his 2012 GOP primary race.

At this morning's TribLive conversation, U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz explained why the presumed frontrunner in the GOP primary race, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, is the wrong man for the job.

Following our Tuesday night screening of Incendiary: The Willingham Case, I talked about the science of fire, guilt and innocence and death penalty politics with the filmmakers, Steve Mims and Joe Bailey Jr.; former Forensic Science Commission Chairman Sam Bassett; former Texas Governor Mark White; and Acting Corsicana City Attorney Terry Jacobson.

Following our Tuesday night screening of Incendiary: The Willingham Case, I talked about the science of fire and death penalty politics with the filmmakers, Steve Mims and Joe Bailey Jr.; former Forensic Science Commission Chairman Sam Bassett; former Texas Gov. Mark White; and acting Corsicana City Attorney Terry Jacobson.

At last Thursday's TribLive conversation, the authors of Texas Monthly's biennial Best and Worst Legislators story, senior executive editor Paul Burka and senior editor Nate Blakeslee, defended their 2011 picks.

At last Thursday's TribLive conversation, the authors of Texas Monthly's biennial Best and Worst Legislators story, senior executive editor Paul Burka and senior editor Nate Blakeslee, assessed the performance of Speaker Joe Straus.

At last Thursday's TribLive conversation, the authors of Texas Monthly's biennial Best and Worst Legislators story, senior executive editor Paul Burka and senior editor Nate Blakeslee, explained why state Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, appears on neither list.

At last Thursday's TribLive conversation, the authors of Texas Monthly's biennial Best and Worst Legislators story, senior executive editor Paul Burka and senior editor Nate Blakeslee, explained why state Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, made the Ten Worst list.

At this morning's TribLive conversation, the authors of Texas Monthly's biennial Best and Worst Legislators story explained why they put Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on the Ten Worst list.

At this morning's TribLive conversation, I interviewed three veteran lawmakers — state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Lake Dallas, state Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, and state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands — about how they and their GOP colleagues fared this session.

At this morning's TribLive conversation, I asked Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, if sanctuary cities legislation could still be approved in the 82nd Legislative Session.

At this morning's TribLive conversation, I asked three veteran lawmakers — state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Lake Dallas, state Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, and state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands — if Gov. Rick Perry should run for president in 2012

At this morning's TribLive conversation, I interviewed three veteran lawmakers — state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Lake Dallas, state Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, and state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands — about how they and their Republican colleagues fared this session.

At this morning's TribLive conversation, I interviewed three veteran lawmakers — state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Lake Dallas, state Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, and state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands — about how they and their Republican colleagues fared this session.

At Thursday's TribLive conversation, I interviewed three veteran lawmakers — state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, state Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, and state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio — about how they and their Democratic colleagues fared this session.

At last Thursday's TribLive conversation, I interviewed three veteran lawmakers — state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, state Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, and state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio — about how they and their Democratic colleagues fared this session.