Friday, October 20, 2006
Texas Dems Form "Kay Kiss-ass Caucus"
This article on KHOU, Hutchison race puts Texas Democrats in a bind, is from a couple weeks ago, but it still has me steamed. It details the spinelessness and lack of party support of several members of the Texas delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives.
According to the article,
Here is the roll for next session's Kay Bailey Ass-Kissing Caucus. I include the "D" for each representative, so you don't forget that these are actual quotes by actual Democrats, not, as you might otherwise think, pro-Hutchison campaign ads.
It's just politics, right? Having to work with Sen. Hutchison, getting along with her, respecting her - that's all fine. I'm sure she's really very nice. The problem is, she's approximately 100% wrong on approximately 100% of issues that matter to Democrats. And you can bet that neither she nor any other red-blooded Republican would pull any punches if the roles were reversed.
Anyway, is it really that hard to support your own party's candidate without going out on some kind of "Kay-is-the-devil" limb? Of course not. In fact, there are some good guys in the story who manage it just fine. Allow them to demonstrate how one maintains political civility without giving aid and comfort to a general in the opposition army:
According to the article,
Ms. Radnofsky said she's gotten "good help" from Texas Democrats in Congress and alleged that Ms. Hutchison has privately chewed out several who expressed support for their own party's nominee... "They have to be more than diplomatic," Ms. Radnofsky said. "The fact that they won't go on record criticizing someone who may take out her annoyance at them by punishing their districts is understandable. It's an interesting way to govern, isn't it?"
Here is the roll for next session's Kay Bailey Ass-Kissing Caucus. I include the "D" for each representative, so you don't forget that these are actual quotes by actual Democrats, not, as you might otherwise think, pro-Hutchison campaign ads.
- "Senator Hutchison is very involved in the state of Texas and is keenly aware of Texas' needs and works collaboratively with House members on delivering to Texas on some of our crucial concerns." - Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston
- "She's doing a really good job, works with us." - Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-El Paso (When asked who'll get his vote, Reyes laughed, said, "I've got a committee hearing," and walked off.)
- "I won't be out campaigning against her... I've known her a long, long time. And I am really not one that wants to go out and work against colleagues I work with, unless they have committed something really serious." - Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas
- "It's no surprise to anyone that as a Democratic officeholder I'm voting for Democrats on the ticket, but I'm not getting directly involved in the Senate race." - Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco
- Rep. Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, when asked whom he's voting for: smiled, gave a thumbs up – and walked away, wordless.
- [When asked if his praise of Kay Bailey amounted to an endorsement:] "No, no, no, no, no, no," he said, adding, however, "I don't even know who Barbara is." - Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo
It's just politics, right? Having to work with Sen. Hutchison, getting along with her, respecting her - that's all fine. I'm sure she's really very nice. The problem is, she's approximately 100% wrong on approximately 100% of issues that matter to Democrats. And you can bet that neither she nor any other red-blooded Republican would pull any punches if the roles were reversed.
Anyway, is it really that hard to support your own party's candidate without going out on some kind of "Kay-is-the-devil" limb? Of course not. In fact, there are some good guys in the story who manage it just fine. Allow them to demonstrate how one maintains political civility without giving aid and comfort to a general in the opposition army:
- San Antonio Rep. Charlie Gonzalez said "I have a good relationship with Senator Hutchison," but he also donated $500 to Radnofsky's campaign in March. He went on record saying Ms. Radnofsky has "great intelligence, keen insight," and they share a political philosophy.
- Austin Rep. Lloyd Doggett expressed "wholehearted support [for Radnofsky]," saying: "I like Barbara. It's clearly a very difficult race for her, and I think she's handled herself admirably."
- Houston Rep. Gene Green, said he will vote a straight Democratic ticket, and that his party shouldn't hesitate to work for Ms. Hutchison's defeat.
- Rep. Solomon Ortiz of Corpus Christi, the longest-serving Texas Democrat in Congress, was the most outspokenly critical, expressing "respect" but complaining that Ms. Hutchison worked against him on some funding he tried to win for his South Texas district.
"We've had our differences," he said. "I think since the Republicans have taken power and control of everything, they think they don't have to talk to Democrats. They think they can do it on their own. This is not good for Texas."
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All of those Democrat House Members said nice things about Kay Bailey Hutchison because she did nice things for them whenever they asked and on balance they are decent people who don't forget their friends. She works for the whole state of Texas and over the years she has worked with every single Congressman named to gain funding for some project of importance to them and their district.
Everyone talks about how important bipartisanship is to them but when you actually see it in practice hard corps Dems and Republicans don't understand it or even want to see it in practice.
When the Texas Guard's 49th Division was in Bosnia, Kay led a Congressional delegation that included Democrat and Republican House members. They spend Easter Weekend in Bosnia actually getting to know each other. Do you know how rare it is for anyone to reach across the aisle in DC these days but Kay does it every day because what she really cares about more than anything is Texas. When she went toe-to-toe with Republican Senator Bond of Missouri over funding for Houston to help defray the costs of Katrina, that funding benefited the districts of Democrats and she had to literally scream at a Republican to make it happen. Should she have stood by her good Republican buddy? Of course not. I can think of a hundred examples where Kay Bailey has gotten the money for a Democrat Congressman's pet project and not announced it or taken a bit of the credit and the Democrat who didn't have to lift a finger put out the press release and took the bows. Not a problem. The money went to Texas.
So what are these Texas Dems going to do, turn their back on the senator who constantly reaches across party lines to work on behalf of Texas? Only a rabid Democrat who puts national Democratic politics above Texas and their constituents would turn on Kay Bailey Hutchison. Lloyd Dogget does come to mind now that I mention it. Those that said nice things about Kay Bailey did so because they know she is going to be back and they are going to be back, and they are going to be asking for her support and she is going to do all she can as she always does to give it to them. Kay Bailey Hutchison's leadership is the primary reason the Texas Delegation has remained the most powerful delegation in the Congress these past 12 years.
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Everyone talks about how important bipartisanship is to them but when you actually see it in practice hard corps Dems and Republicans don't understand it or even want to see it in practice.
When the Texas Guard's 49th Division was in Bosnia, Kay led a Congressional delegation that included Democrat and Republican House members. They spend Easter Weekend in Bosnia actually getting to know each other. Do you know how rare it is for anyone to reach across the aisle in DC these days but Kay does it every day because what she really cares about more than anything is Texas. When she went toe-to-toe with Republican Senator Bond of Missouri over funding for Houston to help defray the costs of Katrina, that funding benefited the districts of Democrats and she had to literally scream at a Republican to make it happen. Should she have stood by her good Republican buddy? Of course not. I can think of a hundred examples where Kay Bailey has gotten the money for a Democrat Congressman's pet project and not announced it or taken a bit of the credit and the Democrat who didn't have to lift a finger put out the press release and took the bows. Not a problem. The money went to Texas.
So what are these Texas Dems going to do, turn their back on the senator who constantly reaches across party lines to work on behalf of Texas? Only a rabid Democrat who puts national Democratic politics above Texas and their constituents would turn on Kay Bailey Hutchison. Lloyd Dogget does come to mind now that I mention it. Those that said nice things about Kay Bailey did so because they know she is going to be back and they are going to be back, and they are going to be asking for her support and she is going to do all she can as she always does to give it to them. Kay Bailey Hutchison's leadership is the primary reason the Texas Delegation has remained the most powerful delegation in the Congress these past 12 years.
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