Killer D's and Craddick D's
By Byron LaMasters
Capitol Inside has a story today on Sylvester Turner and Helen Giddings - both Democrats who are part of Speaker Craddick leadership team. It will be interesting to see how they are received by the delegates over the weekend. Im predicting a rather cold reception. The two of them didn't join the rest of the Killer D's in Ardmore, Oklahoma, and they committed early to Craddick. They have a party scheduled for tonight, but I know that most of the people I've talked to will be going to the Chris Bell / Rodney Ellis Party. That's where I'll be. Anyway, here's some parts of the story:
The veteran African-American Democrats are expected to cross back into their own ranks this weekend for small parts at the Texas Democratic Convention that's set for Friday and Saturday at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Turner's hometown. They will be fresh off a photo safari to South Africa with Craddick and Houston State Rep. Beverly Woolley, the Republican Calendars Committee chair who's probably as unpopular with most Democrats as the speaker himself. How Turner, Giddings and several other incumbent Democrats who were loyal to Craddick will be received by the legions of diehard Democrats attending the convention won't be known until they all meet face to face this weekend. But the answer could say a lot about the future of the state Democratic Party and the Texas House in the early stages of an era that's been marked by bitter partisanship and intolerance to the opposing parties' positions and views.
Turner and Giddings aren't quite the pariahs that Ron Wilson and John Whitmire are, but I'm betting that the Turner / Giddings party will be noticably less popular than the Bell / Ellis one.
Posted by Byron LaMasters at June 18, 2004 10:21 AM
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The better question, is why are the Afro-American Legislators who jumped on his band wagon such sell-out whores to abandon their constituents? (I will not say "and principles," since they have none)
Do they represent the people or the Democratic party? I thought doing the people's business is an elected officals duty. Craddick must be an inclusive leader and you guys are more exclusive. Just like Kerry and his exclusive vacations in multi-million dollar mansions, flying in personal jets. Very much what we everday mortals get to do. Isn't it funny that JFKennedy and JFKerry both represent and vacation in the same area. From this there paths devirge. We like it when Kerry gets to be Kerry, he's so easy to run against.
