In ag race, Gilbert and Friedman square off

[sonias]

AAS 2/11/10
In ag race, Gilbert and Friedman square off for Democratic nomination
Friedman has name recognition, but Gilbert has support of Democratic organizations and more cash.

Hank Gilbert and Kinky Friedman are campaigning for the Democratic nomination for agricultural commissioner. But to hear each of them talk politics, you would think they were still running for governor.

(snip)
The outcome of the Democratic primary is hard to predict. Gilbert, a 50 year-old rancher, has swept the endorsements of mainline Democratic organizations and, according to the latest campaign finance filing, has more cash on hand, thanks largely to contributions totaling $150,000 from Democratic gubernatorial candidate Farouk Shami. But Friedman, a 65 year-old author, has vastly more name recognition. At a Veterans of Foreign Wars event in late January in North Austin, veterans and, especially, their wives, lined up to have their photos taken with Friedman as he chomped on his cigar. They plunked down $20 for copies of his 2009 book "Heroes of a Texas Childhood."

(snip)
"I don't think Kinky Friedman will ultimately be taken seriously because people do not seriously see him as agricultural commissioner," said Ed Martin, former director of the Texas Democratic Party, who said he is not working for either campaign.

(snip)
Some Democrats want nothing to do with Friedman, who they say acted as a spoiler for Democratic candidate Chris Bell in 2006 and appears to them to be a self-promoter.

"He likes dogs more than he likes people in Kerr County," Marguerite Jones, an Austinite who lived in Kerr County, said at a confab of local Democrats at Scholz Garten in January. "He changes with the winds. He's a personality, but he's not a candidate. He's a character. He's not serious."

The assholes at the AAS repeated the DMN editorial crap about Hank taking Texas the wrong way. Ass holes!:grr:

McBlogger eviscerates the DMN ed board spines

McBlogger 2/9/10
An AWESOME day at the DMN
(snip)
Forget, for a moment, the mischaracterization of Hank's position on global trade (he's for FAIR not FREE trade... I think we can all agree that the effect of free trade has been detrimental on balance to this country as we've seen GDP go up and wage growth stagnate). The issue is Hank's opposition to impounding, under water, 72,000 acres of productive land in East Texas. And what the DMN failed to mention is that the water district that covers Dallas is the most wasteful in the state.

Hank's position, which he made clear, was to enhance conservation and begin building desalinization plants capable of producing the water that Texas needs. For one thing, desertification is becoming a problem in Texas and rainfall more and more erratic. In point of fact, reservoirs are just not going to cut it. We need a better solution and pressure exchange desalinization is very cheap and very easy. Who knows, maybe our good buddy on the Ed Board William McKenzie just hasn't been keeping up with changes in technology.

This is all extremely funny when you contrast this endorsement of Kinky with what they wrote in their endorsement of Todd Staples in 2006...

With 11 years in the Texas Legislature, GOP Sen. Todd Staples of Palestine knows Austin better than his Democratic opponent, Hank Gilbert, a knowledgeable and articulate rancher. Mr. Staples' familiarity with Austin makes him the better voice for Texas' farmers and ranchers. They deserve a commissioner who knows agriculture but can also navigate Austin.

The Texas MSM are the lamest in the world. :grr:

I hope Hank beats stinky kinky to a pulp in the primary. I hope Kinky stays out of politics for good. Hell he can even move out of Texas too!
:dem:

Sonia

[WolverineDG]

1. I wish I could contribute to Hank

My God, Staples is a better advocate for farmers & rancers because he lives in the city? Uh, :wtf:

dg

[sonias]

2. You can help by talking him up

People working the polls or block-walking their neighbors homes would be a great help. Write a letter to the editor in your local newspaper. That kind of thing helps too.

Money isn't the only thing that gets a candidate noticed. Look at Medina who has no money and is kicking KBH's butt.

I know you'll do what you can!

:hi:

Sonia

[WolverineDG]

3. Oh I'm already doing that

:hi:

We Obama people are sticking together & voting for specific candidates. :evilgrin:

dg

[sonias]

4. That's great

Keeping the Obama organization together. OFA!!!!

By the way just wanted to add that as an added bonus of people voting this year. The number of delegates your precinct gets to send to the state convention in 2012 (presidential election year) is based on the number of votes for TX Governor this year.

You know how much infighting happened in 2008 over this. Make sure you people know this, so they can get out the vote now. That way more people who want to go to the convention in 2012, can.

:hi:



Sonia

[WolverineDG]

5. I've already had arguments over that

some of my friends from SA are siding with MALDEF :eyes: in their suit against the TDP. I pointed out that they weren't complaining in 2004 when the extra delegates went to Hispanic districts, but oh no, that was different. Whatevs. :)

dg