Path clearing for White governor run
Houston Mayor Bill White’s wife, Andrea, served the visiting ambassadors sandwiches in the living room of their spacious memorial-area home as several hours of discussion set the stage for Monday’s announcement that White is considering switching from a run for the U.S. Senate to a bid for Democratic nomination for governor.
As a result of that Sunday afternoon meeting, Democratic candidate Tom Schieffer — who was a Bush administration ambassador to Australia and Japan — announced Monday that he will withdraw from the race for governor to clear the path for White. Schieffer urged other Democrats in the race to drop out and join him in support of White.
“We simply must get behind one candidate who can unite the Democratic Party and offer a credible alternative to the Republicans,” Schieffer said. “Bill White is that candidate.”
Get this – yes we are talking about Houston Mayor Bill White – the same Bill White that has bankrupted the City of Houston.
Lemer/Farb/Roberts assessment of City of Houston Finances (22 October 2009)
The City of Houston is financially broke and it appears that the mayor who takes office in January 2010 may have to captain the City through bankruptcy procedures.
The City’s unrestricted assets were $1.2 billion short of the already recorded corresponding liabilities these assets were needed to pay as of fiscal year end June 30, 2008, according to the City’s latest publicly available audited Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). The $1.2 billion shortfall was a result of operating losses totaling $1.5 billion for fiscal years 2004-2008, applying the full accrual basis of accounting used in the private sector.
Thus the City’s problems are a result of greatly overspending and not a result of insufficient revenues.
All of this occurred before the current severe recession. Now the City has the added burden of the recession.
The City is in a real financial dilemma, because now its two principal sources of general fund revenues are in trouble—sales taxes and property taxes. Sales tax revenues already are dropping significantly and property tax revenues will commence dropping at an even more rapid rate after the next annual appraisal and assessment process. And the City will have to go to the voters for any contemplated rate increases in either the sales tax rate or the portion of the property tax rate allocable to operations.
It appears to us that there may be no viable alternative to bankruptcy proceedings and thereby positioning the City to regain control over its overspending, through addressing structural spending problems such as overstaffing and overly generous employee benefits.
Heh!! And this guy will try to win the democratic nomination to run against Rick Perry?
Bill White is doing his best impression of a politician from California or New York.
The people of Texas might have fallen for this sham last year – but not anymore.
Maybe Bill White will ask Barack Obama for help in campaigning next year!!!!
Moe Lane
Dan McLaughlin
Neil Stevens
Steve Maley
Yeah, I can see it now
Richard Mullins (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 12:50PM EST (link)Bill White has pissed off the leftists in Democratic Party of Texas with his new found immigration policy and now the Pension snafu(reported quite well by KHOU last year) should pounded on. I guess the Democrats just won’t have a good candidate this time around. So that leaves Kinky Freidman and Farouk Shami as Democratics best candidates. I’m so happy I live north of Houston and not in it.
Richard Phillip Mullins BlogThe Squash Satire SiteNews on Happy Jet Airlines
Rmullins Pics
Rpmullins Twitter
Joe Biden is like a Decrepit Park owner with a Meth lab that happens to not only be a dealer but a user.
Let’s Bankrupt the Democratic paty. Make spend all the money to defend thier candidates.
White
proudgop (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 12:53PM EST (link)Not from Texas but is White that popular? I thought Houston is Republican city?
he did raise a lot of money for his supposed Senate Run
We really need to hold that Texas Gov Mansion
any polls on Perry/Hutchinson vs White?
Parts of Houston are Republican
Richard Mullins (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 1:07PM EST (link)but that’s only in the Wealthy parts. Areas like Sunnyside or Fifth ward are big Democratic areas. If Bill White would have not gone and start loving 287g, he would have been acceptable to the Democratic Party of Texas(acceptable but not first choice because the really want a leftist). Honestly, the Democratic Party of Texas is to the left of Stalin and the Governors mansion is in the bag for us. Bill White to a point is popular with Democrats and some Republicans(he’s Houston’s version of Nelson Wolff). Don’t worry all much about the Democrats here in Texas, they know to bungle things up.
Richard Phillip Mullins BlogThe Squash Satire SiteNews on Happy Jet Airlines
Rmullins Pics
Rpmullins Twitter
Joe Biden is like a Decrepit Park owner with a Meth lab that happens to not only be a dealer but a user.
Let’s Bankrupt the Democratic paty. Make spend all the money to defend thier candidates.
Houston was fairly Republican as recently as the mid-'90s
Third Street (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 1:29PM EST (link)I lived there during the Bob Lanier era. Took a trip over recently and was shocked — it’s not the Houston I remember.
All the Democrats I knew there were big-time leftists, though.
“Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.” –Wilkins Micawber, “David Copperfield”
Well San Antonio at one time was majorly democratic
Richard Mullins (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 2:36PM EST (link)but that was years ago(it still is to a point). Bill White looks and acts like Phil Hardbuger(I use to not Phil Harburger because him being a Democratic hack). It really should be noted that most of the large cities in Texas have mostly Democrats living in them. The Dems you knew are running the show for the Democratic Party of Texas and are making sure they lose.
Richard Phillip Mullins BlogThe Squash Satire SiteNews on Happy Jet Airlines
Rmullins Pics
Rpmullins Twitter
Joe Biden is like a Decrepit Park owner with a Meth lab that happens to not only be a dealer but a user.
Let’s Bankrupt the Democratic paty. Make spend all the money to defend thier candidates.
Hurricane Katrina Refugees
burbmom (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 1:45PM EST (link)never left once they were evacuated to Houston.
White got elected the first time before they ever moved
Richard Mullins (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 2:47PM EST (link)to Houston. Sort of the same for Phil Hardburger in San Antonio, except term limits and no money for mayors did him in. The Democratic Party of Texas has been moving left for years.
Richard Phillip Mullins BlogThe Squash Satire SiteNews on Happy Jet Airlines
Rmullins Pics
Rpmullins Twitter
Joe Biden is like a Decrepit Park owner with a Meth lab that happens to not only be a dealer but a user.
Let’s Bankrupt the Democratic paty. Make spend all the money to defend thier candidates.
The reason the demonrats are trying clear the field
Jonbontx Wednesday, November 25th at 2:09PM EST (link)for White, is because Kinky Fredman is also running as a D and he has no chance in hell of beating Perry. Kinky’s only platform is getting rid of the toll roads and making gambling legal in Texas, other than that he has nothing. Also Kinky can only get the majority of votes from Austin but nowhere else in the State. As for White he faces problems from the Katria refugees who stayed and boosted the crime rate, making Houston a sanctuary city for the illegals and money problems for Houston. The other problem for White or any other demonrat in Texas, is if the Health Care Reform Bill passes. If that happens there is no way that a demonrat will win the Governorship.
Paul Begala was interviewed here and he said . . .
cardcarryingmom (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 1:47PM EST (link)“Bill White is not some scary democrat and the national demokrautz *hate* Rick Perry. All White has to do is announce he’s running and the money will come pouring in.”
I found Begala’s reference to “scary democrat” fascinating. Begala of all people understands the Texas political mindset, so the demokrautz will use this to paint White as some pristine, white-hat-wearing kinda guy.
And, I don’t think anyone should just assume Texas is safe here! There’s a big, big, big Texas-sized push from the commies to take us over — We are going to need prayers and help . . .
Proud member of the Robert Morris Society
Perry
proudgop (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 1:54PM EST (link)Perry won last time with under 50% so I get a lot of you like him but why did he get under 50% last time even if third candidate was Republican?
The 2006 Governors Race was BO - "Before Obama"
izoneguy (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 2:19PM EST (link)Republican Rick Perry 1,716,803 39.03
Democratic Chris Bell 1,310,353 29.79
I -Carole Keeton Strayhorn 797,577 18.13
I-Richard “Kinky” Friedman 546,869 12.43
Obama should help Rick Perry crush any democratic
or I in 2010.
Look at the New Jersey & Virginia governors races.
The point cannot be made often enough: Modern liberalism, as embodied in the Obama presidency, is the defender of the status quo. And the status quo is a road to economic ruin. Political forces cannot redistribute the wealth that the economic system does not produce.
At this point if Kinky gets in the race it's the 3rd try
Richard Mullins (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 3:08PM EST (link)and he got whacked good on the first one(I wished I had that interview on .Mp3). I really don’t why he going for more but I guess he likes punishment. When comes down to things, the Republicans in the form of Perry and Carol Keeton Etc… got the majority and Chris Bell and Kinky Friedman didn’t. I’m not worried at all and Ferret face doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I’ll try to contact KVET in Austin about the Interview in 2002 with Kinky.
Richard Phillip Mullins BlogThe Squash Satire SiteNews on Happy Jet Airlines
Rmullins Pics
Rpmullins Twitter
Joe Biden is like a Decrepit Park owner with a Meth lab that happens to not only be a dealer but a user.
Let’s Bankrupt the Democratic paty. Make spend all the money to defend thier candidates.
I think he is running again
Jonbontx Wednesday, November 25th at 3:34PM EST (link)because he believes that if he runs as the Dem canidate he will win. I don’t remember his first run, but didn’t he run as an Indy then too?
Saw Kinky do an interview on Cavuto (Charles Payne was filling in), Kinky was saying how awful Perry was and how the State’s was run so poorly. Charles then asked him what he would do as Gov. for the state, and Kinky has this blank stare for a few seconds, then his only idea was gambling. That was it, his whole platform was to making gambling legal in Texas. Oh yeah, he is a real winner.
He's a still a 3 time idiot
Richard Mullins (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 3:43PM EST (link)and he never gives getting wacked hard a thought. He didn’t get airtime until after strike # 2. He’s really a stubborn idiot and is ready to light the Democrats in his cigar. I think this time I remember he went to a reliable bar in Montrose earlier this year. It look another crying piece from Kinky.
Richard Phillip Mullins BlogThe Squash Satire SiteNews on Happy Jet Airlines
Rmullins Pics
Rpmullins Twitter
Joe Biden is like a Decrepit Park owner with a Meth lab that happens to not only be a dealer but a user.
Let’s Bankrupt the Democratic paty. Make spend all the money to defend thier candidates.
"so the demokrautz will use this to paint White as some pristine, white-hat-wearing kinda guy".
Jonbontx Wednesday, November 25th at 2:15PM EST (link)That may be the case mom, but the problem for White and the demonrats, is White’s record as mayor in Houston. He has a lot of negatives that he will have a hard time overcoming in a state wide race. Especially right now when the national Dems are overreaching, a state like Texas is less likey to vote for a Dem govenor.
Pissing off your more left of center city council members isn't a good idea
Richard Mullins (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 3:26PM EST (link)and it puts a bad taste in the mouth of the Rabid leftist Democratic Party of Texas. I don’t think they will find another Democrat that could get some broad appeal(they only thing they had were Kinky and Farouk Shami).
Richard Phillip Mullins BlogThe Squash Satire SiteNews on Happy Jet Airlines
Rmullins Pics
Rpmullins Twitter
Joe Biden is like a Decrepit Park owner with a Meth lab that happens to not only be a dealer but a user.
Let’s Bankrupt the Democratic paty. Make spend all the money to defend thier candidates.
I agree bo will help crush the demokrautz here, but . . .
cardcarryingmom (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 2:52PM EST (link)i’m just saying we need to persevere and not! take anything or anyone for granted . . .
Proud member of the Robert Morris Society
This was supposed to be a reply to Izone in my thread above, but
cardcarryingmom (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 2:54PM EST (link)I received some weird message about “Brian’s Thread not installed” and it didn’t post this correctly.
Proud member of the Robert Morris Society
Speaking of not getting it...
bk (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 3:08PM EST (link)I have mixed feelings about both Hutchison and Perry (doesn’t anyone recall his attempted Trans Texas Corridor boondoggle?), but would tend to lean toward Perry as being more conservative. While driving around today, I heard ads from both during Rush’s show.
KBH’s ad was about her fighting Obama and health care reform and so on. No mention of Perry other than a quote from him that she was a Texas treasure or something. The only part I didn’t like was her whine that she might be sacrificing her political career by staying in Washington to fight for us or some pap like that. Oh please.
Perry’s ad was a hit piece with no mention of Perry until the very end. It was one of these “game show” sort of ads. “Who did such and such? BZZZZT. Kay Bailey Hutchison.” repeated several times. I HATE it when incumbents run completely negative ads. Tell us why you should get re-elected and don’t just attack, especially in a primary. Remind us of your accomplishments.
So it seems KBH and Perry have a lot in common. Both like to talk about KBH and not about Perry.
So you're saying that Perry should redo Cornyns positive adds
Richard Mullins (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 3:20PM EST (link)in the 2010 race. I wouldn’t mind it, but it just not like typical Texas politics. I’m really looking to download one of John Branch’s cartoons with KBH in the Van and in her Senate seat.
Richard Phillip Mullins BlogThe Squash Satire SiteNews on Happy Jet Airlines
Rmullins Pics
Rpmullins Twitter
Joe Biden is like a Decrepit Park owner with a Meth lab that happens to not only be a dealer but a user.
Let’s Bankrupt the Democratic paty. Make spend all the money to defend thier candidates.
I'm just saying that as a general matter
bk (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 3:23PM EST (link)I’d prefer an incumbent seeking reelection to talk about his record, not that the other person sucks. You need a bit of that too of course. We’ll see how it goes over time.
And yes, I did like the Cornyn ads, but then again I always thought highly of Cornyn until the NRSC nonsense.
Then I think you'd love the Ed Emmitt ads too
Richard Mullins (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 3:29PM EST (link)they were positive and Democrats ads were attack ads. On the point of talking about his record, the leftist media here in Texas are doing that but in the wrong way.
Richard Phillip Mullins BlogThe Squash Satire SiteNews on Happy Jet Airlines
Rmullins Pics
Rpmullins Twitter
Joe Biden is like a Decrepit Park owner with a Meth lab that happens to not only be a dealer but a user.
Let’s Bankrupt the Democratic paty. Make spend all the money to defend thier candidates.
Perry needs to take a page out of McDonnell's playbook . . .
cardcarryingmom (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 3:27PM EST (link)be positive while talking intelligently about our issues here. People, generally everywhere, are sick of the negativity and attacks. Just speak to the issues with facts, please! KBH doesn’t have a chance at getting the nod for the governorship because of all her shananigans over the years about this very race.
Proud member of the Robert Morris Society
I don't think that Perry's ads
Jonbontx Wednesday, November 25th at 3:43PM EST (link)have been all that negative. He has just pointed out KBH’s voting record while in Washington, which has been less than stellar. He is making the case that she is not holding to the conservative ideals that she is now espousing (fiscally conservative KBH is not).
I've seen much more negative ads than Perry 2010
Richard Mullins (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 3:49PM EST (link)last year’s TX-07,TX-22 and the Democrats ad for Senate are more negative than that. I think add last years ads for Harris County Sheriff as well.
Richard Phillip Mullins BlogThe Squash Satire SiteNews on Happy Jet Airlines
Rmullins Pics
Rpmullins Twitter
Joe Biden is like a Decrepit Park owner with a Meth lab that happens to not only be a dealer but a user.
Let’s Bankrupt the Democratic paty. Make spend all the money to defend thier candidates.
Bill White and money
ktsub (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 9:19PM EST (link)The only thing that will make this Texas Governor’s race different from anytime since 1994, is that the Democrats will actually have money invested at the top of the ticket.
Bill White will drop seven million right now into the race, plus he has been raising cash quickly. I do not know how much money he has left over from his mayoral account to transfer to his state account, all his federal money will be transfered. This is different than the underfunded candidates since Ann Richards, 2006 they barely supported Chris Bell, the “Dream Team” fiasco the D’s ran in 2002 that flopped and the 1998 candidate Garry Mauro never had much support.
Mr. Bill White is going to try to redefine himself quickly as a middle-of-the-road guy, and will start before the primary is finished. Since he began running for Senate he has all of a sudden demanded budget cuts…hahaha…even the left Houston City Council, has complained he never was this serious about cut until he began another campaign.
Most people would be suprised to know Bill White is the former chair of the Texas Democratic Party, and BTW was the chair when the party got wiped off the map in the state (1995-1998). The money support he has will be what makes a difference this cycle, plus the 77-73 closely Republican held State House will be up and within grasp (though I think the D’s have hit the ceiling in the house).
Personally things have changed White was chair of the Democratic Party of Texas
Richard Mullins (Diary) Wednesday, November 25th at 10:12PM EST (link)it’s gone full tilt left and I do see an good reason that they will go left. This is the race of Kinky and the others(Bill White has a name but no hair). Sure Bill White shoe in yeah and what would happen if Nelson Wolff went into the race(or for that matter Phil Hardburger[I now no longer think of him as Democratic Hack]). As for having lots of money, big deal(Tony Garza had lots of money and a half as leftist Democratic Party). Chris Bell didn’t really do too bad(if you really add it up with the other Democrat in the race[Kinky] the Dems came out in second place). I’m really not that worried any more not because Bill White is hard leftist{Not that much} but because the Democratic Party of Texas is more fractured than before.
Richard Phillip Mullins BlogThe Squash Satire SiteNews on Happy Jet Airlines
Rmullins Pics
Rpmullins Twitter
Joe Biden is like a Decrepit Park owner with a Meth lab that happens to not only be a dealer but a user.
Let’s Bankrupt the Democratic paty. Make spend all the money to defend thier candidates.
Bill White and money
freetexan Wednesday, November 25th at 10:17PM EST (link)Mr. White doesn’t have a chance in a statewide election. Having been a Democratic mayor of Houston certainly won’t help him in other parts of Texas.
Given the current direction of the Democrat-Marxist agenda on a national level in contrast with the attitude of the majority here in Texas, I suspect 2010 is going to be a very bad year for Democrats, especially in Texas.
We still have an economy that’s working because of conservative governance. Not too many down here are ready for that “change”.
Something else that should be noted:, izoneguy mentioned the “overly generous employee benefits” in the City of Houston. You really should thank Bill White’s predecessor, Mr. Lee P. Brown for that debacle. Read about it here: http://www.publiustx.net/item/954
It won't matter who is governor
Menlo (Diary) Thursday, November 26th at 12:20AM EST (link)Given the pitiful excuse we have for a legislature, they may as well put Jessica Farrar in charge.
The position is no more than a figurehead.
“The ultimate touchstone of constitutionality is the Constitution itself and not what we have said about it.” -Felix Frankfurter
Sorry, not meant as reply nt
Menlo (Diary) Thursday, November 26th at 12:20AM EST (link)“The ultimate touchstone of constitutionality is the Constitution itself and not what we have said about it.” -Felix Frankfurter
primary
proudgop (Diary) Thursday, November 26th at 12:41AM EST (link)the only thing that worries me is that Perry and Kay Bailey will have a very bitter, nasty primary who ever emerges is broke and White has some time to hit the GOP nominee
I rather see TX Republicans spend their money on state house and against Edwards and Rodriquez
Houston Mayor Bill White to run for Texas governor
izoneguy (Diary) Saturday, December 5th at 1:16PM EST (link)SO old Bill makes it official – my lib friends are all excited…
Until I explained that Bill has run Houston into the ditch.
Of course they don’t care and facts make no difference to them.
It’s the old – Well he is not Rick Perry sthick……
Rick Perry has been the driving force in not letting
Texas become Kalifornia light.
Houston Mayor Bill White to run for Texas governor
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/120509dntexwhitegov.31e19dd97.html
The point cannot be made often enough: Modern liberalism, as embodied in the Obama presidency, is the defender of the status quo. And the status quo is a road to economic ruin. Political forces cannot redistribute the wealth that the economic system does not produce.