Texas Democrats Scorn Senator Who Returned

[Khephra]

When 10 Democratic lawmakers returned to the Capitol after running off to New Mexico for six weeks to block Congressional redistricting, they were met with boisterous cheers from the State Senate gallery.

But the crowd had a different welcome for Senator John Whitmire of Houston: Members of the audience unveiled white T-shirts printed with one letter each, spelling out "Quitmire."

snip........

Many Democrats regard Mr. Whitmire as a turncoat. But Mr. Whitmire, a 20-year Senate veteran, said he had no regrets.

"I'm just so at peace with what I did," said Mr. Whitmire, 54, the state's senior senator. "I made a very hard but correct decision to come back."

more...........

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/21/national/21TEXA.html

[grytpype]

1. I hope they take a leak in his letterbox.

[LastDemInIdaho]

11. And maybe harrass his wife and kids too?

Sometimes you just have to accept a person and their personal convictions without the need to exact revenge for their decisions.

[Catherine Vincent]

2. The jackass was negotiating with the republicans.

And they got to him....as long as his district is unchanged. He's a traitor and a wimp!

[mbperrin]

3. And I hope his district gets cut into ribbons!

Fuc*ing bastard!

[Freddie Stubbs]

4. You obviously don't know what you are talking about

The redistricting for the State Senate has already been passed. They were boycotting the bill for Congressional redistricting, which never passed the legislature, but was imposed by a court. What they were boycotting had nothing to do with the Senate districts.

[alarimer]

5. Do you mean state senate?

I thought this whole fight was about Congressional redistricting. I don't know how state legislative districts are determined (or when) but they are not the same as the Congressional ones.

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. Yes, State Senate

The bill to redistrict for state legislative districts has already passed well over a year ago. The congressional ones are the ones being debated, so they could not have made a deal on this guy's district.

[Catherine Vincent]

12. Hey sue me.

I am only going by what was reported on Pacifica radio.

[Freddie Stubbs]

13. I'll see you in court

JK, but you may want to take Pacifica radio's reporting with a grain of salt in the future if they are reporting things like this.

[LightTheMatch]

7. I hope to do more than SCORN him.

I can't wait until he's up again, because I'll be one of the first in line help find a really good candidate to take his ass out.

[benfranklin1776]

8. "I'm just so at peace with what I did"

Yes and I imagine his fevered anguish was soothed immensely by the healing balm which only a good sweetheart deal can provide to the consicence impaired such as he.

Wasn't it rumored his law firm got pressure from Tricky Ricky "Goodhair" and that led to his cavein and newfound "inner peace?" Yes he should feel very "proud" of allowing Terrible Tom to exterminate democracy with his creative gerrymandering.

[amber dog democrat]

9. He will be an outcast

something tells me he was not the only one who was approached.

This aint over yet. It still needs to go to he courts.

[sandlapper]

10. Don't know about pressure from Gov Goodhair...

but his law firm derives a goodly chunk of its income from their lobbying efforts. It isn't too hard to conceive of a scenario where the firms clients put pressure on the law firm to "get their boy" back into the legislature or they'd take their bidnezz elsewhere!

As a partner in the firm, Whitmire has a fiduciary responsibility to his partners - IMNSHO, that was the leverage that made him turncoat on the denial of quorum.

[Selwynn]

14. Whitmire says democrats privately support him (!)

Heh, I heard an interview with him on NPR in which he says that behind the scenes democrats were thanking him for doing what he did, because they were in a place where they couldn't stay out forever, and no one wanted to look like the fall guy.

It's not that I believe that's true, but it just seemed funny for him to say that - I guess its just a way of saving face. I mean if it really was true, and he decided to take one for the team, he wouldn't have ever said a word about it... right?