Perry backs Dewhurst for Senate
This ought to end any speculation about whether there is a real contest for Hutchison’s Senate seat. Now there is no race, though there never really had been one from the beginning. Dewhurst was a cinch to win. Too much money, too much name I.D, too insignificant opposition. He was able to employ a rose garden strategy, ducking debates and forums, without suffering any adverse consequences. The Ted Cruz campaign was a mirage. Dewhurst really wanted (and still wants) to be governor, but a Senate seat is a nice consolation prize. Of the lesser candidates, Leppert made the best showing.
Tagged: david dewhurst, rick perry
jd says:
Perry just took care of the main threat for a primary challenge, count him out at your peril.
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Blue Dogs says:
Burka, now we can await the coronation of Greg Abbott succeeding Perry as governor on January 20, 2015.
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Forward Unto Dawn says:
I’m disappointed in Ted Cruz. His campaign never returned my correspondence, and when I finally met him, he attacked David Dewhurst instead of talking about what he stands for.
Would any Texan believe the near-desperate notions that the Texas budget is bloated? We’re consistently ranked at the top or near the top in every fiscal category, and Ted Cruz has tried to distort. Who in their right mind would think that our state government isn’t conservative?
I’m also very concerned about foreign policy, and Cruz has not displayed any policy knowledge about anything except court cases. Unfortunately, the debate moderators from the BELO debate did not have a clue about federal policy either.
Maybe Ted Cruz can start as a state Senator, work his way up and grow some accomplishments in time for Cornyn’s retirement?
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Mrs. J. Jesse says:
Can Ted Cruz still drop out of the race and have his name removed from the ballots? It might be better to preserve a bit of political dignity…
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remember the five says:
Wow, and Craig James endorsed Perry for President and Craig endorsed God for God.
I guess ruining two college football programs in the state of Texas isn’t the best strategy for higher office.
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anon says:
Paul,
What’s your assessment of Cruz’s political future? Assuming he loses this year, is he well-positioned for another statewide office? Would finishing behind Leppert be the deathknell?
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paulburka Reply:
April 20th, 2012 at 11:53 am
He will probably run for attorney general, which he should have done in the first place.
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Blue Dogs Reply:
April 23rd, 2012 at 1:44 pm
If Cruz runs for State AG in 2014, can we assume that State Senator Glen Hegar (R-Katy) will run for Agriculture Commissioner ?
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Drazen Petrovic says:
Ted Cruz brought straws and spitballs to a nuclear bomb fight.
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Time to Go says:
Abbott should announce his Guv Bid today…..he might want to check with KBH if he thinks the Guv will live up to past promises.
Abbott better stakeout his ground quickly and make it clear he is not afraid to challenge Perry.
By the way why is it that Guv Perry gets to take credit for all things good that have happened in TX during his LONG tenure in the big office but does own up to any failures during that time?
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Blue Dogs Reply:
April 23rd, 2012 at 1:45 pm
Perry is NOT running, I repeat the man is NOT even running again.
He’s doing this 2014 talk to avoid being a lame duck.
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Everyman says:
“David’s been a loyal supporter of mine, and I, in turn, am a loyal supporter of him and his task to become the next United States senator,” Perry told Dallas TV station KTVT.
Wow, that’s a ringing endorsement.
Truth is, y’all have no idea what’s going to happen. Cruz is going to pull down tons of independent money in the runup to a low turnout primary where Cruz voters will have a reason to vote for him and Dewhurst voters will choose him out of ignorance and apathy.
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texun Reply:
April 23rd, 2012 at 3:33 am
It sounds to me like Perry’s announcment was crafted to keep open his option of seeking reelection. He issued a tepid endorsement and justified it on the basis of Dewhurst’s past support. That might mollify the far right in the party and take them off his case. He’s keeping hi options open.
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question says:
Paul:
Serious question. How can you say that Perry’s endorsement effectively ends the U.S. Senate race, while at the same time saying Perry’s political capital has been irreversibly diminished?
Note: I beleive the race was over before it started and Perry’s endorsement will have little impact anyway.
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paulburka Reply:
April 20th, 2012 at 11:55 am
The governor’s endorsement carries weight, even if the governor is not a beloved figure. It’s the symbolic importance that matters.
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hooboy! Reply:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:29 pm
What if the governor is someone who just embarrassed the state in an abortive national campaign in which he self-portrayed himself as a laughingstock?
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paulburka Reply:
April 20th, 2012 at 1:50 pm
He did all that, and his political capital is greatly diminished. That doesn’t mean his endorsement isn’t worth anything.
Bodhisattva Reply:
April 20th, 2012 at 3:05 pm
Paul Burka can grade my homework on this, but I did not understand his statement to mean that Perry’s endorsement put Dewhurst over the top. I thought Paul was suggesting that Perry, whose pandering to the Tea Party Republicans knows no depths, had decided that Cruz was a hopeless case and that, therefore, he (Perry) was not going to be blamed for not helping Cruz enough.
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Spiro Eagleton Reply:
April 21st, 2012 at 9:25 am
That’s just silly. Gov Perry is at his weakest standing ever with Republicans in the state after his abortion of a presidential campaign and yet somehow his endorsement now ends this race? That’s rubbish! This race is headed towards a run-off and at that point Dewhurst needs to be very concerned about Cruz. Perry is just another politician stratching the back of someone that went to Iowa and campaigned for him. In fact, this isn’t news is it? Perry first endorsed Dewhurst in Iowa. Right? I didn’t dream that. I know he said that in Iowa. This endorsement means nothing.
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Anonymous says:
Is Dewhurst the most underwhelming, unexceptional candidate to ever hold statewide office?
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Crabtree's Catch says:
Tis a sad state of affairs when a state such as Texas has to pick from this sorry lot.
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AreYouKiddingMe says:
How could anything Perry says matter any more? He has ruined himself as a politician, aligned himself with the extreme right wing wackos of the Republican party, and is a national joke. Any politician who is asked about this should just say, “Rick who, said what?” and ignore him. He is an embarrassment, and any politician who falls in line with him should be voted out of office immediately. Wake up, Texas!! Good Lord, how stupid can we be????????
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hooboy! Reply:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:30 pm
I think that question’s been answered.
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Crazy Uncle says:
Paul
This blog has descended to amateurish hateful diatribes against Republicans. It used to contain some mature discussion of issues in Texas State Government.
You and Robert Morrow can have it. good bye
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hooboy! Reply:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:31 pm
When mature discussion returns to state government, maybe is will here as well.
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Bodhisattva Reply:
April 20th, 2012 at 3:06 pm
Touche!
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Anonymous says:
Didn’t notice the Dewhurst-Perry quid pro quo, huh? Dewhurst “proudly” signs Perry’s pledge and encourages Repub legislators to do the same = Perry endorses Dewhurst. I think the call went from Perry to Dewhurst — he didn’t want to be hung out to dry by both the Speaker AND the LiteGuv.
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Gen. Sam Houston Reply:
April 20th, 2012 at 4:22 pm
Ring the bell — we have a winner. Straus refuses to sign Perry’s demeaning pledge, and Dewhurst puts out an innocuous statement that pointedly does not endorse it either. Tilt! Political operatives spring into action like roaches when the lights are turned on.
Then, within hours, we have 1) Dewhurst proclaiming he’s “proud” to sign the pledge and 2) Perry formally endorsing his “loyal supporter.” There aren’t any quids pro quo any more obvious than that one.
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Anonymous Reply:
April 21st, 2012 at 10:13 am
Amen. Paul seems to have lost sight of who was doing the favor for whom. Dewhurst didn’t need Perry’s endorsement. Perry needed Dewhurst to sign his pledge in order to retain whatever shred of credibility he has left. Duh.
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JohnBernardBooks says:
I had lunch today with the Dew, with my endorsement and the Guv’s its a done deal.
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Mayo Say Tongue says:
Ted Cruz will be opening a Chinese Communist Restaurant after his crushing defeat on May 29th. He plans on serving only items that will put American restaurants out of business.
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Robert Morrow says:
Here is another little nugget on LBJ (I’ve got *much* worse stuff than this)
LBJ Watching Porn on the Presidential Yacht Sequioa
http://www.politico.com/click/stories/1011/lbj_watched_risqu_films.html
“This weekend, C-SPAN3 will air a program on the U.S.S. Sequoia presidential yacht. The film crew got a behind-the-scenes tour by owner Gary Silversmith, who unearthed this unknown gem:
“Lyndon Johnson would put a film projector on this table and come up here and watch certain risqué movies … reportedly in a robe and in his underwear so he was relaxed and alone, and they would sail to Mount Vernon.”
The yacht served presidents from Herbert Herbert Hoover to Jimmy Carter. Silversmith purchased the National Historic Landmark in 2000.”
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Robert Morrow says:
LBJ had no photos of John Kennedy in his home at LBJ Ranch:
“After Johnson died, Secret Service agents guarding Lady Bird were amazed to find that even though their home was crammed with photos of Johnson with famous people, not one photo pictured him with JFK.”
[Ronald Kessler, "In the President's Secret Service: Behind the Scenes with Agents in the line of Fire and the Presidents they Protect, p. 21]
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Robert Morrow says:
President Lyndon Johnson bellowing in Tarzan style “I am the king!”
[J.F. terHorst & Col. Ralph Albertazzie, "The Flying White House: The Story of Air Force One," p. 215]
Four reporters in the press pool were sharing highballs with President Johnson in his airborne parlor on another occassion when LBJ began ruminating aloud about all the changes that had occurred in world leadership. He was in a buoyant mood, savoring his tremendous election victory over Goldwater in 1964.
“Looking around the world,” Johnson was saying. “Khrushchev’s gone. Macmillan’s gone. Adenour’s gone. Segni’s gone. Nehru’s gone. Who’s left – de Gaulle?”
There was a sneering tone in Johnson’s voice as he uttered the French president’s name, Cormier said. Then leaning back in his massive “throne chair,” as the crew dubbed it, LBJ thumped his chest in Tarzan fashion and bellowed, “I am the king!”
As reporters left the plane, Reedy took pains to remind them that they had been the President’s social guests and were not there as news gatherers. “Gentlemen,” Reedy solemnly intoned, “you did not see the President of the United States tonight.”
[J.F. terHorst & Col. Ralph Albertazzie, "The Flying White House: The Story of Air Force One," p. 215]
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Blue Dogs Reply:
April 23rd, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Morrow, do you think LBJ had Dr. King killed ?
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Robert Morrow Reply:
April 23rd, 2012 at 6:54 pm
Maybe. I think someone in government – perhaps Army intelligence did. MLK was a plot, a conspiracy that got covered up, too.
The “shadow” outside government was probably involved, too. Possibly H.L. Hunt …
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Robert Morrow says:
Here is Hunter Thompson writing on the day of the JFK assassination. It may have been the first time he used “fear and loathing.”
http://jfkcountercoup.blogspot.com/2011/05/hunter-thompsons-thoughs-112263.html
Hunter Thompson:
“I am tired enough to sleep here in this chair, but I have to be in town at 8:30 when Western Union opens so what the hell. Besides, I am afraid to sleep for fear of what I might learn when I wake up. There is no human being within 500 miles to whom I can communicate anything – much less the fear and loathin that is on me after today’s murder. God knows I might go mad for lack of talk. I have become like a psychotic Sphinx – I want to kill because I can’t talk.
I suppose you will say the rotten murder has no meaning for a true writer of fiction, and that the “real artist” in the “little magazines” are above such temporal things. I wish I could agree, but in fact I think what happened today is far more meaningful than the entire contents of the “little magazines” for the past 20 years. And the next 20, if we get that far.
We now enter the era of the shitrain, President Johnson and the hardening of the arteries. Neither your children nor mine will ever be able to grasp what Gatsby was after. No more of that. You misunderstand it of course, peeling back the first and most obvious layer. Take your “realism” to the garbage dump. Or the “little magazines.” “
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