Another Account from Yesterday, Whitmire Attacks Dean Supporters
By Byron LaMasters
My friend Karl attended the senate gallery yesterday. Here's what he wrote about it:
I went to the Capitol today to the Senate Gallery because it was the start of the 3rd Re-Redistricting session.
What an experience! What theater! If you saw any of it on the news I just want to say that it was a huge thing. All 500 seats in the gallery were filled and I saw some Howard Dean shirts too. The gallery held up newspapers during the Roll Call to show their disgust (since we can't make noise during the actual session.) Then when the Senators voted to disband and meet tomorrow at 10 instead, things got crazy!
This was done by a motion by Whitmire. Before the motion, though, he made a statement along the lines of "I want to say that the people here in Dean for President shirts are not supporters of mine." That's not an exact quote but close; it was so sudden and out of place that it didn't really get caught by any media report I have seen. After the motion passed, the gallery started chanted no, vote now!
Dewhurst tried to hammer his gavel to shush us but nothing could stop it so the Senators just left. The 10 Democratic Senators came in after the session was adjourned for the day and the applause and cheering started and didn't stop for 15 minutes straight! There was a mob of cameras, at least 30 and the gallery was thundering. Apparently we set off motion and sound detectors across the capitol and the DPS was called in so about 15 of them were up on top with us to see what was happening (no arrests that I know of).
There was anger towards Whitmire (signs and shirts and chants calling him Quitmire) but that was somewhat restrained once the Democrats started to talk to the media on the floor. I couldn't stay for all of it, but apparently at one point the republican leadership had the Mic pulled.
Whitmire really isn't trying to make friends among Democrats, is he? Gosh. I wonder what Dean supporters in his district will think about his comments? Will John Whitmire not support Dean if Dean wins the Democratic nomination?
Posted by Byron LaMasters at September 16, 2003 06:29 PM
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Gosh. I wonder what Dean supporters in his district will think about his comments?
It sounds to me like Whitmire was using the Dean t-shirts as a distinguishing mark, to differentiate to whom he was referring - not dissing Howard Dean. If they had all been wearing red t-shirts, he would have said "I want to say that the people here in red t-shirts are not supporters of mine." (Obviously, Whitmire was mortified by the childish shenanigans taking place in our hallowed halls of representation).
I have to agree now that I have had time to reflect on the statement (which I believe is accurate now). The section where the Dean supporters were sitting was the section that was very anti-Whitmire and had the Quitmire shirts. But I don't believe the actual Dean supporters were leading the anti-Whitmore charge. There were only 2 on that side, the other 2-3 were behind him away from it all.
It may have been a distinguishing feature. He may have even been trying to get a Howard Dean plug in for all I know.
Would the Senate journal list all spoken comments?
