Sore Winners
The worst mistake that the Straus regime can make is to be sore winners. Doesn’t anybody learn anything around here? Craddick was a sore winner. He rubbed the Democrats’ and the ABCs’ noses in the dirt for three sessions. Laney once said, jokingly, that Craddick had done what he could never do, which was unite the Democrats. It was no joke. That unity is one of the main reasons Craddick lost the speakership. He made them hate him.
At least, when Craddick kicked sand in the Democrats’ faces, he had an 88-62 majority. Straus is working with a coalition that is topheavy with Democrats. He needs more Republicans, even if they are catching the late train. Straus and the ABCs can’t afford to alienate anyone at this point.
This is not a theoretical discussion. At least one incident has occurred, involving Straus himself. Undoubtedly, the story has spread through the Republican ranks. This sort of thing can happen to anybody; at times I have had a genius for saying the right thing in the wrong way.
What happened in 2003 is that the Republicans had been in the wilderness for 130 years. Now it was their turn, and they couldn’t resist sticking it to the Democrats. I remember Beverly Woolley’s announcement that amendments to the redistricting bill had to be submitted by noon on Mother’s Day. Straus and his followers are going to have the same bad impulses that the Republicans had six years ago. It’s human nature to be sore winners. But it is also self-defeating. A lot of Republicans are very angry. They have lost their daddy and they don’t know what to do. This is a time for reconciliation and reassurance, not recriminations and revenge.
Tagged: abc’s, Joe Straus, speaker’s race, tom craddick.
austin says:
where did your other post just go from about 20 minutes ago?
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paulburka Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 11:19 am
I didn’t mean to post it. I wasn’t through writing it yet, and it was a mess.
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fudwhite says:
Austin what was the post about, I missed it.
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austin says:
“the begining of the end” or something like that. and someone commented about lobbyist Marshall Kendrine becoming the budget director.
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fudwhite says:
I think all the losers who were last to jump should be put on Ag or Border and International, and the 11 heroes should all be Chairs. I think Craddick should be put on County Affairs and Under Water Basket Weaving.
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Plain Spoken says:
Paul – I respectfully disagree with you that there are a bunch of angry Republicans. I figure that on Sunday night 50+ Republicans at Sullivan’s were angry or frustrated at the obvious defeat of their leader, but many Republicans are self-preservationists and clearly understand how the system works. I believe there are more “relieved” Republicans that, while they may not have Craddick anymore, they will surely have a calmer Texas House in which to debate the issues. Many of those alleged angry Republicans are coming to Straus’ side. Straus summed it best when he said that members will have the chance to do what is best for their districts. Anger for the defeated is only a few people. The Texas House will be a much nicer place to visit this session.
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paulburka Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 11:25 am
The angries are mostly members who never served under any speaker other than Craddick, and the hard right, with lots of overlap in these groups. By my count, Straus is at 31 Rs now. That is just 7 short of half. If he can get 38, half of the R’s, he’s cleared the hurdle.
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Bill Golding Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 11:52 am
Assuming (a) Straus appoints at or near the current 40 chairmanships, (b) even partisan split, and (c) plum chairs for Gang of 11, there are maybe 10 for the Quick Jumper or other Repubs. Of those Rs, he will need some people with seniority and some women. That may necessarily force him to broaden his coalition to include former Craddickites. Maybe that could help the healing?
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fudwhite says:
I wonder were Weee Willy is today… I think he may be having sena con su madre again….
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Will Hartnett Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 11:31 am
No, estoy trabajando en mi oficina con mi padre, tres hermanos, y hermana!
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Chad Briscoe Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 11:49 am
How can you not love this guy?
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fudwhite Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 11:52 am
You keep it in the family, I like. Well glad to see you are staying busy.
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Floozikins Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Burka, I don’t think it’s fair that Hartnett gets to post in Spanish just because he’s a member. I posted something in Spanish a couple of weeks ago, and you took it down.
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paulburka Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
I did? I don’t even know Spanish, and I hardly ever take down a comment unless it is a personal slur.
Hwy360 says:
This is why he needs folks like Cook, Keffer, Pitts and Solomons around him at all times. Their years of experience and understanding of the the way it was BC(Before Carrick) will serve him well.
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For the record Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Cook came in the Class of 2003 (not BC). Good guy.
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austin says:
will it really be a calmer place? do you think if anchia and trey martinez-fishcer don’t get their way they will all of the sudden be ok with it because of a new speaker? no way. they didn’t like tom craddick because they didn’t get their way.
and then you have their two zero’s looking over their shoulders — castro and herrero — two guys that seem as clueless as the tourists that breeze through.
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austin says:
and no…i’m not a fan of craddick, but let’s be real — the d’s refuse to be the minority party. many in this group don’t understand compromise.
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paulburka Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 11:29 am
The D’s don’t understand compromise? Austin, don’t you remember in 2003 when Craddick gave an interview to the Statesman saying that the House believes in representing its members’ views in conference committee and doesn’t think that compromise is necessary or appropriate?
Anchia knows how to operate. I’m a little less sanguine about Martinez Fischer. He has a tendency to be a bully. But it’s the ideologues who cause the problem, and my experience is that Republicans are much more likely to be ideologues than Democrats.
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Chez Farley Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
I am pretty surprised at your direct mention of a legislator you don’t like. What does be a bully mean? I assume you are commenting on his legislative style and not his interpersonal skills – as I am pretty sure you and he are not close. Have you ever spoken with him directly?
If you mean “is not a leader”. He is the chairman of MALC. If you mean “is not a serious person”,then he was one of the floor leaders of the house during the serious debate on the immigration bill. He took an unpopular stand on a bill that was bad for his city. That is what “centrists” like you always beat their chests about, right?
If you mean, “he was rude to Betty Brown”. Well, all I can say is, that revolt lead to the new leadership we have today. Given your recent screeds against Craddick, you should rather thank Fisher and or at least be more “sanguine” on his bullness.
Give me more bullies and less ’statesman’, and we would have 100% school finance equity, a tax code that made sense for small business, and there would be fewer kids in dire poverty.
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Hey Chez Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Steve, is that you?
TheTruth About Anchia Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Your magazine coverage of Anchia was the print equivalent of felatio.
I live in Dallas. I have never met the man, but I know a few local business men who think he is a bully. I guess it is in the eye of the beholder.
By the way, how is the first Latino Governor of Texas not going to be a Mexicano? Ridiculous.
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fudwhite says:
Hey don’t talk smack about Castor, I am sure all the SA folks will do well, even little Villareal. I know most of the people in this posting area know these members pretty well or at least feel they know them well but dont talk smack about Castro.
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fudwhite says:
I think if it was a Democratic Majority after these last elections you would be seeing a Castro Speakership, it was just SA’s turn and Castro is a future leader… Just you wait and see.
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Intelligent passer by Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
ARE YOU FREADKING KIDDING ME? Are you related to Castro? Even better are you Rep. Castro or his twin brother? I dont think Castro is an idiot, but compare him to most of the other Dem member, he’s below average. If he really is a future leader, he should learn to dress like one.
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fudwhite Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
And what if this is his brother its a free world I can post if I want to, and Vote for Castro for Mayor!
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Anonymous says:
This post is so weird – I had a discussion with a member yesterday about how they were vowing not to be sore winners because that’s exactly what happened when Craddick won.
I’m not familiar with whatever Straus’ alleged misdeed was, but I feel it should be pointed out that they are at least aware that they shouldn’t be sore winners.
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paulburka Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Yes, I had a similar discussion with a couple of the ABCs. Perhaps it was just a misunderstanding. I hope so.
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austin says:
but castro is such an easy target. are you trying to tell me he’s not clueless and you think he understands public policy?
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Anonymous says:
A good lesson for the Texas House Democrats is Willie Brown in California.
In 1979-80, there were two factions of teh Democratic Asembly Caucus, one led by incumbent Speaker Leo McCarthy and the other by Asemblyman Howard Berman.
Both ran campaigns against each others supporters in the June Primary. The Berman forces won & Berman prepared to become Speaker.
But a small band of McCarthy forces forged together a coalition with Republicans and elected Willie Brown as the Speaker. Every Republican voted for Brown.
But in no time, Brown reversed the tables and reminded Republicans that he was a Democrat. He appointed Berman supporters to key committees and advanced their legislation and Republicans were left out in the cold.
Republicans called Brown everything from Judas to Benedict Arnold.
Now I’m not about to be comparing Joe Straus to Willie Brown – Straus is a much more honorable fellow than Brown.
But it is a reminder of the old rule “Be careful what you ask for.” And Straus is very much a Republican and serves a very conservative district. He knows when it is time to wear his GOP label (redistricting) and when it is time to think about Texas (kids, old people, schools).
Some Democrats may find that if things go back to ‘vote your district’ & votes are no longer about screwing somebody over, they will realize that they don’t have the votes to pass their programs or to stop conservative legislation.
Texas House Democrats may be wearing the shoes that California Assembly Republicans once wore and that ultimately, the shoes don’t fit.
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fudwhite says:
Ok…. You win austin, I just have a thing for twins who try to trick people into thinking they are the other twin, I grew up on the classics like Disney’s the Parent Trap…. I like the guy, he is obviously smart, but I have no clue if he is the kind of tactician it would take to rise to that sort of spot.
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Anonymous says:
This is why Straus is meeting with lobbyist Marshall Kenderdine to ask him to serve as Budget Director in his administration. Marshall worked for the Appropriations Committee under both Heflin and Pitts. He also was the one that ran Byron Cook’s campaign, helping Craddick take over the House. More importantly, he is close to both of them still and has proven he can work with anyone regardless of party. Not to mention that he is very well liked and respected by members and staff. It will be refreshing to have some senior staff in the Speaker’s office that will treat everyone fair and with respect, just as Marshall does.
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austin says:
you are correct about fischer being a bully. i just sense such a feeling of sexism from that entire young hispanic male clic in the legislature and i think we need change from it. as a woman it is not appreciated.
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1 Latina Against Machismo Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
I take a back seat to no one when it comes to defending latinas. I know Trey personally. I have known him since he 14 and we went to Holmes High School together.
I have never known him not to be a kind, decent and funny. He is especially good on issues that are close to my feminist heart and he has always been decent to me. There is not one ounce of chauvinism in him. Your intimations are slanderous and say more about you than they do about him.
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fudwhite says:
I like Marshall too that cat is cool, I love the way he talks reminds me of Boomhauer from King of the Hill, every time I see him the guy offers to buy me a beer, my kind of lobbyist.
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fudwhite says:
austin, did you get sexually harassed by those numb nuts? I am sorry not all young Hispanic men are so crude. I know most of those reps in passing… I would have to say they can all be bullies but they tend to be nice, maybe Fisher will grow up now that he has a child…
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Not a chance Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Fischer will not grow up. He is beholden to his law partner and Dem financier Steve Mostyn, who makes Fischer’s antics look like child’s play.
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fudwhite Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
I did not know Fischer joined the Mostyn Law Firm, so how many Reps does Mostyn own now? I am serious how many does he have on payroll and is Fisher a partner or just of council….
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fudwhite Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Ohhh I see some of the whose who of State Reps on that page, are those all the ones he owns?
http://www.mostynlaw.com/lawyers.asp
Not a chance Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Fischer is “of counsel”, but regularly makes appearances on Mostyn cases. Ana Hernandez is an associate, per the Mostyn website.
Anonymous Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Who is Ana Hernandez is she an Member Elect?
Not a chance Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
She was elected in December 2005. District 143.
Former Lobster Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
To “Not a Chance”:
It is a pretty strong accusation to accuse someone of being beholden to someone just because they work for them. Any one who knows Trey ( I know him enough ), knows that he does his own thing. He does only what he thinks is right.
He could have the whole House against him like with the jet fuel amendment, and it would not matter. He could have his hometown newspaper call him a panderer for making a cogent taxation argument. It doesn’t matter. He is always going to do what he thinks is right.
You can’t say that for most members only a handful. And of that small number, he is one of the most aggressive.
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Flossy says:
I agree, Marshall Kenderdine would be a great hire for Straus. I don’t know anyone at the Capitol that doesn’t like him
doesn’t he “consult” clients on appropriations and budget issues also?
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fudwhite says:
austin, do you have yahoo IM?
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fudwhite says:
Marshall is cool, I like his style…
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Anonymous says:
I like Marshall too but that job needs someone with a bit more seasoning – especially given the tough budget times we are going to face this session and most likely the next.
Love him or not, Don Green had much more experience when he became the budget guy in the speaker’s office.
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seriously? says:
Marshall’s a nice guy, but budget director? Really? I think his main qualification is that he’s Eppstein-approved. Just like all staff hires and committee chairmanships will be…
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austin says:
No…my office has all chat programs blocked.
Is Straus an Eppstein guy?
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fudwhite Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 11:58 am
whats the back line number, I will call you, just the extension please.
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Anonymous says:
Kenderdine is good East Texas people and would also be great as a liasion between members/staff and the Speaker since every staffer (especially female) loves him.
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Anonymous Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 11:57 am
I think I overheard some male staffers want to give him some loving too…
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anon Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
and some male staffers as well
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fudwhite says:
What is Eppstein-approved? Is that like the good house keeping seal for the state house?
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Anonymous says:
Marshall told me once that he grew up across the street from Todd Staples and worked for him in the Senate. And he had another Capitol job before that (can’t remember where), so he’s been around at least 10 years. More than enough experience!
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Eileen Smith Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
He was an Appropriations staffer, poor bastard.
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Anonymous Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
I like that…
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Anonymous Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Marshall told me he was raised by wolves in the East Texas woods and only learned how to read or write because of sesame street at the age of 17.
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seriously? says:
Re: every time I see him the guy offers to buy me a beer, my kind of lobbyist.
Sounds like a great junior lobbyist. Not a snub or insult – everyone has to start somewhere and work their way up. But the top lobbyists aren’t hanging out in bars waiting to buy beer for staff…
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fudwhite Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Is that how you can tell the difference… so the top lobbyist have big parties at their houses and supply beer and food for staff and members…
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Anonymous says:
Straus is NOT an Epstein client. Never has been.
Unstandable mistake though. Epstein. Straus. Feldman. Rabinowitz. Begin. Netanyahu. Olmert.
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Anonymous says:
It doesn’t matter whether Staus is an Eppstein guy or not. Most if his original 10 ABC backers were Eppstein guys so Brian will try to call the shots. Straus should be careful not to make the same mistake with Eppstein that Craddick did with Messer, Toomey, Ceverah, etc. No lobbyists should be on Straus’ senior staff.
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austin says:
agreed. keep the lobby away.
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Moderate Texas Dem says:
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush (R) to make a decision on whether he’ll run for the United States Senate in 2010 either this week or next week.
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Moderate Texas Dem says:
Do you guys think Turner will run for Houston Mayor again this year or is he politically damaged goods due to the incident in 1991 ?
US Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX) said she’s not interested in running for mayor.
Gene Locke (D), former City Atty under Lanier is the early favorite to win the race, if he wins, he’ll be Houston’s 2nd Black Mayor.
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Huh? says:
What in the story about Straus and the incident he was involved in? Why reference it but not explain it?
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godmother Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
Yes, please explain Burka. You write this post as if Straus has done something that might indicate he is a sore winner, then don’t explain or reveal even the nature of the incident. Is this another of your third hand sources slipping you some gossip and you repeating it as if it were fact and using it to stoke interest in your post?
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paulburka Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
It was one incident with one member and it got around. I heard it from another member. It may have been a misunderstanding. If I wanted to go into it at length, I would have. Straus does not strike me as someone who would be inclined to have the big-britches syndrome, but perhaps others on the ABCD team might. Even if nothing had happened, I would still have written that it is crucial for the ABCDs not to be sore winners.
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Lauren says:
Our organization hired Kenderdine as oart of a team last session to work an issue for us. He got more done for us than five ‘big-name’ lobbyist did.
My boss says he is the hardest working guy in the business and will pay him whatever he wants in the next contract we enter into.
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Big Bopper for Congress says:
I agree with “Huh?”. What was the incident? Did he demand a personal tour of the Speaker’s apartment this morning? Did cut in front of someone in line at the Capitol cafeteria? Did he make some paper airplanes and toss them off the 4th level of the rotunda? We need juicy details. Does anyone have the straight dope? Maybe Burka can’t or won’t post it, but someone out there must have some scuttlebutt about it.
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MoneyBag$ says:
why wouldn’t Marshall just keep lobbying? With Pitts, Cook and others as key committee chairman now, he could make a ton of cash since there is going to be a house cleaning of all the old Craddick-lobby.
I bet he changes his mind once new clients start lighting up his phone with offers of big $$$.
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Kapitol Kat says:
hey, did y’all hear that marshall kenderdine once skinned a bobcat with his bare hands?
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Bill S Preston, Esq says:
That’s nothing. I heard that Marshall once got two chicks pregnant. At the same time. With his EYES.
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Anonymous Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
I heard when Marshall does a pushup, he isn’t lifting himself up – he’s pushing the Earth down.
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Special Lady Friend says:
I heard that Marshall scammed NIGERIANS out of $250 million. By fax machine only.
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Anonymous says:
I with “Huh?” and “Big Bopper.” What happened and has anyone asked Straus his side of the story?
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Pat says:
Que tal!?!?!?!
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JudgeRoy says:
So – where does all this leave Rep. Isett? Since he was/is a Craddock dead-ender, I assume he’s waaaay out. Also Delwin Jones? Since he was on the winning team, early, any change for a chairmanship?
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ebe says:
too young too little experience. yes, he’s been around and done a few things, but he’s not ready for budget director. he’s success is more in who he knows and them looking out after him, but any great problem solving. give him a few more years to grow up.
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Anonymous says:
The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed… unless it meets Marshall Kenderdine.
Can someone post a picture…
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Anonymous says:
For most people, home is where the heart is. For Marshall Kenderdine, home is where he keeps his vast collection of ladies’ hearts.
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Anonymous says:
Marshall Kenderdine I have heard the name but I always thought he was an East Texas myth like big foot or Dublin Dr Pepper….
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Anonymous says:
Marshall Kenderdine can taste lies.
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Marshall Kenderdine says:
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Anonymous says:
I once saw Marshall Kenderdine tie a whole cherry tree into a knot with his tongue.
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Anonymous says:
When Marshall goes to out to eat, he orders a whole chicken, but he only eats its soul.
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Anonymous Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Sounds like he is speaker material…
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hall monitor says:
Lobbyists are parasitic. They feed off of, and are detrimental to the health and wellbeing of the majority of Texans. We try to eradicate ticks and fleas … we try to control them. The same should be done with registered Texas lobbyists. They are out of control. I heard that TXU/KKR employed close to 100 lobbyists and tossed in over $10M in throw around money to insure that they got everything they wanted last session. The results? Billions in overcharges going into the venture capitalists pockets each month. Obviously someone at the Dallas Morning News thinks the lobbyist/elected offical relationship needs changing as well.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/editorials/stories/DN-neglect_06edi.State.Edition1.2b40b6a.html
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/longterm/stories/010609dnproson1revolve.2c8f642.html
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Texas Crawfish says:
I’ve heard Marshall once used a live rattle snake as a condom!
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anon Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
ooh, must have been a big snake…..
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Big Bopper for Congress says:
Still no juicy details about “sore winning”? What gives? A source just told me that one of Straus’ supporters was seen stealing candy coins from Craddick’s office and then eating them all at once with a smirk while saying, “Mmmm…this victory do taste good I must say.”
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buck says:
No. 2 all-time best thread.
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fudwhite Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
What was number one?
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Nachtwarheight says:
This has been the most entertaining thread in quite some time. It would be even more entertaining if Burka would explain the “incident”.
One last thing: Marshall Kenderdine…. you’re my hero !!!! Can i get your autograph?
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Not a chance says:
I heard it was that he went to Keel’s office and pantsed him, but that could be wild rumor.
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Chad Briscoe says:
I heard that Straus made Marshall Kenderdine kick Terry Keel in the netherregions.
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Texas Crawfish says:
Marshall’s poop is considered currency in Argentina.
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Lauren says:
Marshall is too talented to work in state government. He should keep being a lobbyist. I think he’s the next Rusty Kelley in the making.
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fudwhite Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Wow Lauren you are a real fan but who is Rusty Kelley, is that the guy who works for the Rep. that beat Martha Wong in Houston, the guy with the red hair.
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Texas Crawfish says:
Marshall once punched a hole in a cow just to see who was coming up the road.
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fudwhite says:
Marshall Kenderdine should have his own blog or at least be a guest columnist like Kinky… Did anyone else hear how Marshall found a Point of Order on the 2003 Appropriations bill after scrubbing the bill for two nights with no sleep and went back in time and fixed it all before Dunnam and gang could kill the bill.
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Big Bopper for Congress says:
Marshall once changed his name to Lufkin so no one would look at him.
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Anonymous says:
I hear a rumor that Rick Perry will name Marshall Kenderdine the Junior Senator from Texas when Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison steps down.
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Anonymous says:
There is no theory of evolution, there is only a list of animals that Marshall Kenderdine allows to live.
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anon Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
#1
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fudwhite Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
? #2
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Texas Crawfish says:
Marshall orchestrated the merger between UNICEF and Smith & Wesson.
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fudwhite Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
United Nations Children’s Fund and Smith & Wesson? Really? Wow now that would be hard to do.
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Anonymous says:
Wow he has come a long way since December 15, 2006
Marshall Kenderdine, a former aide to two chairmen of the House Appropriations Committee, is opening up a “full-service lobbying and strategic consulting practice.” During the last session, Kenderdine was a budget and policy analyst in the area of criminal justice for Chairman Jim Pitts. Before that, he was a regulatory analyst for the committee. Other experience: managing Rep. Byron Cook’s first campaign for office; serving as a legislative aide to Sen. Todd Staples; and working as a senate assistant sergeant-at-arms. Kenderdine’s clients are the Baptist General Convention of Texas, the Christian Life Commission, Roland Leal, the Texas Academy of Family Physicians, and the Texas Dental Hygiene Educators’ Association.
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Anonymous says:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/8/232/58
Wow he is hot!
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Anonymous Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Hot, smart, and rich. I want it. NOW!
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fudwhite Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Is he rich… really… must be nice… either way two out of three is not bad…
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House Watcher Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Oh, hell. I saw the photo and thought, “he looks like a white Baptist Republican.” Then I looked closer – he went to Baylor. That explains the walking on water trick he does at parties to score women.
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Texas Crawfish says:
Why so serious?
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fudwhite Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
What do you mean why so serious?
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Anonymous says:
Shorter Paul Burka:
“Now that the moderates and Democrats have formed a coalition that represents the majority of Texans, they must become more conservative and continue the policies of the arch-right-wing Republicans that came before them.”
Has Burka been right about *anything* in the last 12 months?
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paulburka Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Uh, guys, I never wrote this. I do think that Democrats are better off toward the center.
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Taking the 5th says:
Whoever takes the job as the speaker’s budget director should plan on giving his (or her) family a picture and kissing them goodbye from now next fall – the state is in the tank on school finance already – and we haven’t even started.
Other bad news – employers contributions to UI (unemployment insurance) have gone up from 0.1% last year to .26% this year – and oil is hovering at $50 a barrel.
And generally speaking, I’m an optimist – have lived through the school finance sessions of the late 80s as a legislative staffer.
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Anonymous Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
But United Way says there’s a “strong surplus” – can’t we fund everything with it before the economic downturn hits our great state?
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True Story says:
Before the boogey man goes to sleep at night, he checks under his bed for Marshall Kenderdine.
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anon says:
Marshall Kenderdine’s tears are the cure for cancer.
Too bad he doesn’t cry.
(see I can take Chuck Norris jokes and put marshall’s names in too!)
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fudwhite Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Here I was thinking I was being creative, you mean these are all rehash jokes from some Chuck Norris parody page, the one about the cherry tree into a knot is not a rehash…
I still think they are funny but I guess you have to know Marshall to really laugh…
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Austinmom says:
I’m usually over on the Pink blog…but have been reading over here today as well – and thought some of y’all might appreciate this from the Statesman (no one else has mentioned it yet)
Craddick and Straus to switch offices.
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2009/01/06/craddick_straus_to_switch_offi.html
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Marshall Kenderdine says:
Thanks guys!
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Anonymous says:
I know Marshall and he is no Chuck Norris…
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Ben Quick says:
I’m sorry Paul, I know I’m dumb as dirt, but please provide some context.
“The worst mistake that the Straus regime can make is to be sore winners. Doesn’t anybody learn anything around here? Craddick was a sore winner. He rubbed the Democrats’ and the ABCs’ noses in the dirt for three sessions. Laney once said, jokingly, that Craddick had done what he could never do, which was unite the Democrats. It was no joke. That unity is one of the main reasons Craddick lost the speakership. He made them hate him.”
What is Straus doing to piss off the double rrs? Has he said something or are you just posting the complaints from some double rr group that has a problem? Give me the context please. Ben.
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paulburka Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
We’re sort of dealing without ground rules here. Does Straus want pledges or not? Is there a point at which it is too late to pledge? Has that point passed? I do not know whether he has made all this clear. There was one incident with one member that didn’t go well, and it probably was the result of a misunderstanding. If Straus is going to talk to 150 members, not every meeting is going to go smoothly.
The potential problem is that there are a lot of members who have spent the last six years out in the cold, and now they are on the inside, and there are a lot of people who treated them shabbily. They had trouble passing their local bills, they couldn’t get their bills out of Calendars, they were given spiteful committee assignments (Lon Burnam on agriculture). Now they are in charge, and the all too human impulse is to get even. I don’t think that that was Straus’s intention at all, and I hope it is not the intention of the ABCD group. All I am saying is that it is a problem, and some of the former insiders are worried about sore winners, because that’s how some of the R’s acted when Craddick took over.
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True Story says:
FDR once said “that the only we have to fear is fear itself and Chuck Norris, and the only thing that fear and Chuck Norris have to fear is Marshall Kenderdine”.
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Anonymous says:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0
They just had a press conference.
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Credentials says:
How funny that someone thought people actually DIDN’T get that these were Chuck Norris jokes.
Anon 4:13, you are SO way much smarter than the rest of us.
Marshall also, if I’m recalling correctly (big IF), is anti-gambling.
If that’s true and Marshall gets the nod, that oughta shut ‘em up, huh?
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True Story says:
Mine eyes! They burn! On a serious note, Tom Craddick and Rick Astley look almost identical – are they related?
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Anonymous Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
That is so wrong… I hear the new speaker looks like a famous actor… I think he was in the Austin Powers movies or something here is some video of him
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0
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Anonymous says:
You are telling me Marshall, as a lobbyist would not take on gambling clients, you mean he went to Baylor, hence he is Baptist and would never support gambling… I always figures lobbyist would go help who ever payed them… I guess its possible to have morals and lobby…
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Credentials Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Well, yeah. Anti-gambling types do have lobbyists, you know. How do you think they keep winning?
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True Story says:
I just got RICK-ROLLED twice in one day – not cool anon 4:45. Got to go to emergency room now to repair detached retinas, thanks a lot.
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fudwhite Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
It happens to the best of us, I hear that is how they got Craddick to drop out of the race, they kept sending him emails and they were all Rick Rolls… he could not take it so he just dropped out…
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Texas Democrat says:
True Story, Anon and Credentials:
Rick Perry: the Texas version of Hugo Chavez, don’t come crying back to me if he wins reelection to a 3rd full term in 2010.
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Texas Democrat Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Maybe Craddick’s enemies threatened to bring up a sex tape involving Craddick abusing some 18 yr.old prostitute, which explains why he bailed out of the Speakership.
There are also rumors of Governor Perry living on the DOWN LOW.
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Anonymous Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Wow… I guess you just did not want to go all out and accuse him of being a child molester, I am no big fan but come on this is a just wrong to post. Was it a male or female prostitute that makes all the difference.
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Credentials Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Hey, Texas Democrats: Are you talkin to me?
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Texas Democrat says:
What do you guys think Craddick is going to do now that he lost the Speakership ?
A. Cry to his wife.
B. Act like a 2-yr. old and have a temper tantrum.
C. Make a hit-list of his political enemies and have them smeared with false rumors like extramarital affairs, etc.
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Phillip Martin says:
This thread is incredible.
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Anonymous Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Please elaborate…
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Tim says:
While I agree that Democrats should behave better than they have been treated, it’s a rather bitter pill. The arrogance of the Republicans to insist that they be given a seat at the table nationally or locally after that past 8 years of power grab after power grab rankles. Of course Democrats will concede and work with Republicans. We don’t have to be reminded in our party platform to do the morally right thing. We’ll give you a seat at the table, but that doesn’t mean we won’t keep reminding you how horribly we’ve been mistreated.
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Texas Democrat says:
Anon, Perry has acted like the second coming of Hugo Chavez, enriching himself and his cronies while the people of Texas suffer.
What makes you think KBH will be much different from Perry, it’s a continuation of the Bush dictatorship in Texas.
Looks like the Texas Democrats will have to wait until 2014 to get the Governor’s Mansion back.
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Anonymous says:
Somebody once Rick Rolled Marshall Kenderdine which made him roundhouse the computer so hard that it knocked Rick Astley straight.
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Texas Democrat says:
Anon, how I see KBH and Perry attack ads:
KBH: exposing Perry as a closeted gay incumbent, with people telling the dirty details.
Perry: use Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” video calling KBH a hypocrite.
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pol says:
I’m not sure about all those things everyone has written about Marshall Kenderdine, but I do know this: he is taller than Will Hartnett.
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Anonymous Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
That is just wrong… Here is a video of them standing next to each other is it not funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0
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Double Yew Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
There’s a saying in Tennessee… Well I think it’s in tennesse, we say it in Texas. Fool me once..uhhh….shame on…shame on…YOU! Fool me twice…well, shame….well, you can’t fool me again.
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Will Hartnett Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
I definitely look up to a lot of people!
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Anonymous Reply:
January 6th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
This blog is making this life-long D a fan of Will Hartnett. (Actually, I became a fan when he fairly presided over the Heflin-Vo matter. Sometimes democracy – with a small “d” – is more important than partisanship.)
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Anonymous says:
Marshall’s personality is so magnetic he can’t carry a credit card.
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J-Mack says:
Marshall Kenderdine is the perfect example that you can have morals and lobby. I have known him for years and think he is a straight-shooter and all-around good guy that is trusted. This is one reason he has been so successful.
As for gambling, yes through his tireless efforts, he single-handily killed the Indian gaming bill last session. Our firm worked with him on it and I have to say the guy is very impressive. If he takes the job, the Indians better load up on Peyote.
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Anonymous says:
very funny read at the end of the day…thanks for the entertainment.
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anonymous says:
I guess Marshall has been on here all day posting about himself because I have never had a dealing with him where he didn’t come off like an arrogant jerk and that was working on the same side of the issue as him.
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Anonymous says:
RE: anonymous Says:
January 6th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
What is your name, we will do you next, sounds like there are some hard feelings there, did big bad MK kiss your girlfriend?
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