Mimi Swartz reports on the Bill White press conference; White says he will announce his decision on December 4
Swartz on the scene at City Hall:
Upstairs at City Hall at 4:15 today, the local news media was treated to a classic performance by our mayor/gubernatorial candidate, Bill White. The answer to the question that has been swirling through political circles since Kay Bailey Hutchison announced that she wouldn’t be resigning her Senate seat until after the Republican primary — Will White run for governor instead of Senate? — is . . . probably. That is, Bill White is just possibly, perhaps, probably, most likely, going to enter the Democratic primary to run for governor of Texas. White was his usual now-don’t-get-all-excited self when he read his statement from the podium in a darkly paneled, windowless room outside the mayor’s office. He wore an inoffensive gray suit. He sounded, as he often does, like a preacher in an ecumenical service, that is, if the preacher were speaking in lay terms, and that preacher had maybe seen Network a few times. In other words, White isn’t going to decide for sure until he hears from the people of Texas that they’re mad as hell and aren’t going to take it any more. He wants each and every one of us to go to his website (see below) and tell him what we think he should do. THEN he is going to make up his mind. (“So I want to hear YOUR thoughts and aspirations for the future of our state. Can’t we do better in Texas? How can I best serve you?”) The best predictor of White’s intentions? Maybe it was the bumper sticker that the supposed Senate campaign has been handing out for months, a deliciously ambiguous, “Bill White for Texas.”
Here is the text of his remarks:
Since Friday a week ago Texans from all backgrounds and all regions have asked me to consider running to be our next Governor of Texas. Today I agree to consider running for Governor, and shall make a decision by Friday, December 4th.
Before then I invite the citizens of Texas to weigh in on this decision by visiting my website and emailing me at .
Both our next Governor and Senator should bring new energy to the task of moving our state forward. In both positions, we need leadership that can bring our state together and reduce the strident partisanship in both Austin and Washington.
Texans know we can do better than ranking dead last in the nation in the percentage of our population with a high school diploma. Texans know we can do better than the last decade of soaring electricity and insurance costs, and skyrocketing college tuition.
Sen. Hutchison has postponed her departure from the Senate and acknowledged that her continued service limits her ability to campaign in our state. I share her belief, and that of her supporters, that we need a new Governor.
I thank many thousands of Texans who have supported my campaign with their volunteer hours and dollars. I will listen to your views on how we can best work together to do what is right for Texas. I especially welcome advice from the citizens of Texas’ largest city, who know me best and have supported leadership by solutions, not just soundbites. You have been my partners in moving Houston forward by finding common ground, and running our City Hall with integrity, in a business-like, financially sound, and inclusive manner.
Politics aside, Texans should enjoy their friends and family during this week of Thanksgiving and say a prayer for those who cannot be home with their loved ones because they are serving us abroad.
Tagged: bill white, governor, kay bailey hutchison, Tom Schieffer.
Briscoe Democrat says:
Translation: White will announce his candidacy for the Texas Governor’s Mansion early next month.
Schieffer is rumored to run for Lieutenant Governor, but I’m not sure how that will do against Dewhurst in the general considering he’s an incumbent with ID advantage.
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Anonymous says:
So, it’s OK to hold a political press conference at city hall? How is that not using tax dollars for political purposes (especially when you’ve already made up your mind and this is nothing but CYA “I’m being drafted not caving” posturing?).
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Harry Doghiney (D-TX) Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Doesn’t Rick Perry routinely call for secession in front of the state capitol?
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paulburka Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Stupid post of the day: Anonymous at 5:32 p.m. Of course the mayor can hold a press conference at city hall. Duh.
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Anonymous Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:57 pm
So it would be ok for the governor to call a press conference for the sole purpose of discussing his political campaigning the Capitol? Isn’t that what hotel conference rooms and political campaign headquarters for?
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Anonymous says:
What is it about Kay and Bill White that they just can’t be honest about their intentions? Their “Will-I-or-won’t-I” routine gives new meaning to the phrase “Texas two-step.”
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Anonymous Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Your comment might actually be meaningful if it weren’t so obvious that you are a Perryphile. Get over it and get ready to run!
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WUSRPH says:
Tom Schieffer just could not make the cut in the Governor’s race for three reasons, in descending order of importance:
1.) He’s just not a dynamic guy who can attract supporters easily. He is too solid for today’s TV dominated campaigns…which he never had to run back in the 70s. He would make a good administrator, but not that strong of a candidate.
2. He’s been gone out of Texas and out of contact with Texas politics for too long.
3. He had too long of a personal and political connection with George W. for too many of us Democrats.
He will face the same problem in any other race he might enter.
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cool says:
so…he’s announcing to announce?
where’ve we heard that before?
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Emptyk says:
Burka on Democrats from Dec 6th Burkablog:
“They have no credible statewide candidates. They have a congressional leadership who put their ideological wish list — cap-and-trade and health care — ahead of the economy during a recession. They have a president who has fumbled the Democrats’ hard-earned recognition as more fiscally responsible than the Republicans. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Democratic strength in the Texas House back in the sixties a year from now. Anybody want the over?”
Yeah, I’ll take the over. Also a correction on the facts of the Congressional economic record.
I know that this blog isn’t a newspaper of record, but it might be helpful if you going to continue to write it that you get out of your comfort zone and look for the story. You appear isolated from the facts.
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paulburka Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Check your calendar, Emptyk. It’s still November.
At the time I wrote the quoted material, it was true. The Democrats had no credible statewide candidates. They now have one, maybe. I admire Bill White, but, remember, mayors do not run well statewide (e.g. Ron Kirk), and Bill White is generally unknown outside of the Houston media market. The national political climate is unfavorable to Democrats and is likely to get moreso in 2010. I will stand by my “back in the sixties” prediction. You can have the over.
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Emptyk Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 7:57 am
I made a mistake, a clerical error of sorts by quoting you on December 6 rather than November 6.
Now, its your turn regarding your overheated misstatement of the economic policies of the Democrats in Congress.
As to your ridicule of Texas Democrats in 2010, had it been your first hammering of the hopelessness of the Democrats, I would have let it go. This derisive mantra of yours before filing even begins for office has been repetitious.
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paulburka says:
Note to readers: I deleted a comment that contained an inappropriate and juvenile slur against Governor Perry, against the rules that I have established for this blog.
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Fiftycal says:
Mayor White; Given your long time hatred for guns in private hands, if elected, what will be the first gun control measures you will seek? Will it be; 1) Repealing the concealed carry law, 2) TAXING and registering all guns, 3) Firearms Owners ID cards (FOID) or all of the above?
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Anonymous Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:35 pm
I saw this in link in a response to an earlier post. This does not describe the type of leadership that is needed during the time of economic crisis. White will be a non-starter if this is true. Any background on this?
http://www.scribd.com/doc/21619848/Lemer-Farb-Roberts-assessment-of-City-of-Houston-Finances-22-October-2009
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leave the gun, take the canoli Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 11:42 pm
No – he will just ban Fiftycals.
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Anonymous Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 8:02 am
Members of Mayors Against Illegal Guns: Mayor Bill White, Houston, Texas. In Texas you can’t be against guns. Period. He will have to spend a lot of money defending himself on this issue.
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Anonymous Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 8:08 am
How about this issue: “Asked by a student what his stance on gay rights was, White replied that he was “honored” to be named “Person of the Year” by the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights organization. …” That group claims “We are working closely with state leaders across the nation on marriage initiatives and will be fighting to secure equal protections for all LGBT families.” Texans have spoken on this issue.
Robert Troop says:
at 5:36 pm Harry Doghiney (D-TX) wrote: Doesn’t Rick Perry routinely call for secession in front of the state capitol?
Paul must know that Perry has never called for secession in front of the capitol or anywhere else for that matter. And yet it is anon at 5:32 pm that gets labeled “Stupid post of the day”.
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What now? says:
So, has everyone just written off KBH in the GOP primary? It appears that the Dem Party, Bill White, dem bloggers here and elsewhere and the press have all basically come to the conclusion that Perry wins the GOP primary.
Paul, does KBH just bow out now? Will there still be a primary on the GOP side?
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Briscoe Democrat Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
What Now, Kirk Watson was a former mayor who ran for statewide office unsuccessfully in 2002 for Texas State Attorney General, getting destroyed by Abbott by a landslide.
On Ron Kirk, he had major factors AGAINST him in the 2002 Texas Senate race:
1. He was African American.
2. 2002 was a GOP year.
3. Bush Jr., was super-popular and had coattails in the state.
4. The Texas Democratic rammed the so-called multiracial “Dream Team” down people’s throats, which ended badly.
5. Kirk lost his bully pulpit by resigning as Dallas Mayor in 2001 to focus on his Senate campaign.
6. Having no big-time campaign $$$ despite Sanchez spending over $72 million in the governor’s race.
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