Hank Gilbert Endorses Shami, Drops Gubernatorial Bid, & Files for Ag Commissioner

To be fair... (3.00 / 2)

Include his reasons for endorsing Farouk, and his specific reason for not endorsing White.

Farouk has some good things going for him in that he's got enough money to make people pay attention in a cycle that otherwise might be a yawner. He's not my candidate of choice, but my opinion doesn't matter, here.

From the Texas Tribune:

He said he endorsed Shami over Houston Mayor Bill White on the basis of trust. "I was raised to be a man of principle. I was taught that a man's word is his bond... On two separate occasions throughout this campaign, he gave me his word that he was going to stay in the Senate race," Gilbert said. "I never would have got into this race had I thought that he or John Sharp was going to get out of the Senate race and into this race.

"To me, it's a trust issue... I told him, 'Bill, you violated my trust.'"

I, personally, would have preferred that he remain mum and just not endorsed, but that's not my call.

The main point I take away from this is that we have an incredible candidate for Agriculture Commissioner who I am behind 100%.

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by: anonintx @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 18:34:23 PM UTC

From Hank's press release (0.00 / 0)

Full text here.

"The decision to seek the office of Agriculture Commissioner is mine, and no outside factors have influenced my decision. I announce this endorsement because I believe Farouk Shami can win and will breathe new life into our party and into Texas," he said. "The policies I introduced as a gubernatorial candidate are close to my heart, and Farouk Shami concurs with what I proposed. I take comfort in the fact that the hard work I have done on transportation, LGBT issues, education, tier one universities, education funding, and energy and the environment will live on," he noted.

    "The ideas and people I fought for are the same ideas and people Farouk will fight for," he concluded.

Re-emphasizing my earlier point: This isn't about who Hank supports for Governor. It's about who I support for Agriculture Commissioner.
I support Hank Gilbert.

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by: anonintx @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 18:42:00 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I woulda been behind him 100% (0.00 / 0)

But to tell the truth...the endorsement of Shami confounds me so much that I have suddenly lost respect for Gilbert.  I understand not endorsing Bill White (although, it was #KBH who broke everyone's trust first), but endorsing a guy who he previously attacked as he did?

Let's be clear.  Hank Gilbert didn't just attack Shami, but he attacked him within the past few weeks very vehemently.  He called Shami a "billionaire buddy of Rick Perry."  It's one thing to call someone Democrat-lite or even a DINO, but to call them foot-and-step with Rick Perry and then to endorse them later seems a bit ridiculous to me.

Had he kept his mouth shut, I'd be gun-ho about his Ag Commish candidacy.

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 18:44:04 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I can see that (0.00 / 0)

And to an extent, I agree.
But I was a big supporter of Hank in 06, and I can't imagine a better candidate for Ag in 10.  It wouldn't be like him to keep quiet about feeling disrespected by Bill. Endorsing Farouk rings as petty, but I get it, even if I don't agree.

It's disjointed, but I can ignore this endorsement and move on. The Ag race is about Hank and Todd Staples now. And Staples needs to go.

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by: anonintx @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 18:49:42 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

well, I'm still all Gilbert if he doesn't get an opponent (4.00 / 2)

But such absolutely blatant lack of political tact and sense as I see it here will allow me to support someone else should someone else jump into that primary race.

Yah, the endorsement of Shami is just a distraction.  But it's a pretty darn annoying distraction, to me.  Since my live stream wasn't working to watch Bill White, all I was able to do was try to figure out why in earth Hank Gilbert would believe that Farouk Shami would fight for the same ideas and people as Hank Gilbert.

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 18:56:44 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I bet it's because... (0.00 / 0)

he told him he would. Bill White, on the other hand, never [probably never did.

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by: McBlogger @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 21:59:51 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

That's a primary, boy-o (0.00 / 0)

Had he stayed in the Governor's race a little longer, there would have been stuff on Scoop about White.

Now he gets to focus all his attention on Staples.

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by: McBlogger @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 18:51:49 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

oh I know (0.00 / 0)

I don't have a problem with the attacks.  I have a problem with an endorsement so following the attacks...as well as the endorsement's timing.  I don't care how nasty the campaigns might have gotten in the 2008 Presidential primaries, but I guarantee you no one called Barack Obama a buddy of George Bush and then endorsed him only weeks later.

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 19:00:36 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

that attack in the tribune (5.00 / 4)

is just weird.  Back in August, there was this quote:

"Ten days ago, Hank Gilbert talked to me about being part of the team and running the ag race. His exact words to me were: 'You need to cover me in the urban areas, and I'll cover your back in the rural areas," Schieffer said.

Gilbert said he had told Schieffer that at a Democratic summit in Tyler, but he said he changed his mind and decided to run for governor after listening to Schieffer speak.  Source.

I don't fault Gilbert for switching to the Governor's race because he saw an opening and thought he could provide the necessary leadership for that office.  I also don't fault White for moving over, since it's clear the Senate race is a fool's errand.  And finally, I don't fault Hank for breaking his word and moving to Ag Commish.  As Hank said, he changed his mind.  I don't understand attacking White for doing the exact same thing he did.

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by: Joe @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 19:23:36 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

That was a nice way of saying... (0.00 / 0)

'I didn't think he'd be able to hold up his end of the bargain'.

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by: McBlogger @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 22:01:25 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Wow (0.00 / 0)

This endorsement will mean that both Hank Gilbert AND Vince Lebowitz will not vote for Bill White.

Shocker.

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by: McKinney @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 18:42:19 PM UTC

really? (0.00 / 0)

Is that necessary?

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by: John McClelland @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 21:47:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Not everyone (0.00 / 0)

is on board the Bill White Love Train.
Frankly I'm seeing Tom Schieffer with more money and well-placed business allies.

But not any more exciting, message-wise. He's gonna a need to kick it up a notch if he wants to motivate rank-and-file Democrats to care about his candidacy.
Frankly I still think we're in a clusterf*ck with this primary.  

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by: Robert Ryland @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 18:47:21 PM UTC

Apparently it was kicked up a notch today. (0.00 / 0)

I'm still waiting for the Texas Tribune or the White campaign to put up their video, but from Elise Hu's liveblog, "Really though, I've never seen Bill White seem this excited or animated when speaking to a crowd before."

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 19:07:27 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

video (0.00 / 0)

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/st...

That's where I watched White.

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by: B-Dub @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 19:12:08 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

BREAKING!! Schieffer dropped out 2 weeks ago. (0.00 / 0)

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by: citizenx @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 19:10:03 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes, he did. (0.00 / 0)

And he has been replaced by a clone with less hair and more friends. Outside of Houston and the activist sewing circles of Austin and Dallas, no one knows any more about White than they do Hank or Shami.

I also think Hank should have let it be for now, but he did what he felt was right for him at this stage, just like White did in switching races after months of buying KBH's BS and swearing up and down that he wasn't gonna run for Guv.

And getting it up above a whisper at his announcement PC isn't saying much. Yee-haw. Education, green energy, those partisans on the other side are so mean, we're the moderates here, blah blah blah...it was Schieffer's platform warmed over. I'm still waiting for him to throw an actual punch.  

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by: Robert Ryland @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 19:27:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

"Outside of Houston..." (0.00 / 0)

"Outside of Houston" takes away a giant chunk of the electorate.

Just sayin'.

By the way, have you gotten around to reading the Texas Monthly article on Bill White?

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 19:47:31 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

No. (3.00 / 1)

I don't read Texas Monthly much anymore, certainly not for political news or info. Their value proposition has become  rather weak over the last 10 years.

Regardless, Houston isn't enough to win a general election. White won't be clocking anywhere near 85%+ there next November.
And I'm wary of any candidate who puts all there eggs in the urban basket. It's our party's abandonment of any progressive populist narrative throughout rural and suburban Texas that has sequestered Democrats in the city hubs. Writing off and condescending to the rurals is a stupid and short-sighted strategy, in addition to being a poor recipe for building consensus for responsive sand effective governance.  

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by: Robert Ryland @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 20:01:55 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I would reccomend it (3.00 / 1)

You don't need to go buy a copy of Texas Monthly to read it, just read it online.  http://www.texasmonthly.com/20...  Not all their political news is that great, and this article isn't really a political article so much as a bio article.  It's wonderful and I'd suggest you read it before continuing to call Bill White a clone of Tom Schieffer.  If you think so after reading it, go on ahead.

No, I don't think Houston is enough to win a general election.  And no, I don't think we should put all our eggs in the urban basket.  But having the name-ID and support in Houston alone puts him above the other candidates in this primary.  It doesn't yet put him near Perry and Hutchison's name ID or even necessarily clear support, but it probably leads the D pack by a mile.  And that's something.

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 20:20:38 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Have you seen polling on Shami's name ID? (0.00 / 0)

Have you been to a grocery store recently, specifically for shampoo?

It's not what you see that gets you, it's what you don't see. And everyone keeps underestimating this guy. I even did it for a while.  

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by: McBlogger @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 22:07:59 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I've never seen Shami's name on my shampoos (0.00 / 0)

But that's probably because I've used a few brands before, those few brands work, and I'll always stick with one of them.

Farouk Shami is not someone that Bill White can say, "Hey, let's ignore him and stack up our cash," but it is someone that Bill White is currently far ahead of, I think.  If the primary election were held today, I'm pretty confident Bill White would win, or at least get a very large plurality ahead of the rest of the pack.

Even a lot of my friends who actually care about hair products, though, don't know who Shami is.  They know his products (especially the Chi), but will Shami be running product-next-to-political-ad?

No, I haven't seen any polling.  It's just an educated guess based partially on anecdotes...hence my qualification "probably."

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 22:50:08 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

If only... (0.00 / 0)

...the CHI Flat Iron were on the ballot, it could beat Bill White in a primary. Yes, I've talked to a lot of people of various ages (mostly women) who have no idea who he is and then light up at the mention of either the CHI iron or Biosilk products. Most common refrain "that iron changed my life, I swear by it".

It's an intense recognition when people first hear it. But the question that remains is does that translate into long lasting votes or support.  

Please read the Community Guidelines and How to Rate Comments.

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by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 00:05:41 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

No, the product ID will not translate into votes. (0.00 / 0)

I buy his very expensive hair products. He knows hair and how to make lots of money. While Perry only cares about his own hair, Farouk cares about everybody's hair. (That is, everybody who can afford his products)But I am not choosing my governor based on much I like the hair product that he sells. His name is on some of his products in type almost too tiny to read (www.farouk.com)That is not going to get him there. Attempting to tie his political ads to his product ads will come off as cheesy.  

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by: susanc @ Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 01:02:37 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

It was quite the puff piece (0.00 / 0)

Praiseworthy, effusive, laudatory, even fawning. Really, that article was worth millions in advertising.

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by: PDiddie @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 23:24:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Indeed (0.00 / 0)

Which is, among other reasons, why I suggest reading it before saying that Bill White is another Tom Schieffer.  That article could never have in a million years been written about Tom Schieffer.  At least, not if it were to be true.

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 01:57:48 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Good to have information (0.00 / 0)

Robert Michael didn't ask you to subscribe to TM, just read the article. It's always good to have information from other sources regardless of what you might think about their position. Heck, I have several conservative blogs in my RSS reader just to see what the other guys are saying. Most times it makes me a little more passionate about our side.

Regarding White's chances I think this has more opportunity than you give it. Most of the urban areas turned blue during 2008 and helped bring in a lot of much needed money and volunteers to canvass out. No one is writing the rurals off. They are critical to win an election. However, you can only do so much in a rural setting compared with what you can do in an urban setting. Your money goes a lot further in the urban area.

Texas does need to build a three prong approach to the 2010 campaign - a good urban campaign that will energize the party, a well orchestrated rural campaign that can leverage urban dollars and volunteers, and finally a mid-city campaign that takes an urban approach but with a rural spin (e.g. rallies, block walking and media hits with a personal touch).

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by: RBearSAT @ Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 04:00:40 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Immature (0.00 / 0)

He knows that White will be the Democratic Nominee for Governor of Texas and that he has a good chance of being the Ag. Nominee. We don't need a divided ticket with bad blood.

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by: DallasDavid @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 19:32:02 PM UTC

It won't matter after March (0.00 / 0)

I sincerely doubt that Hank will spend any time campaigning with Shami, and when White and Hank win their primary races, I'm sure Hank will get behind the whole ticket and work his ass off like he did in the '06 cycle.

Bottom line: Hank is my guy for Ag. Bill is my guy for Gov. I'll do what I can for each of them, regardless of who they endorse.

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by: anonintx @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 19:41:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'll support Gilbert (3.00 / 1)

Don't get me wrong, if Gilbert is the Democratic nominee for Ag. in 2010, I will vote for him rather than be petty and vote Libertarian, or, god forbid, for Staples.

If Gilbert has a credible opponent in the primary, I will probably vote for the credible opponent, but if he only gets token opposition or no opposition, I will vote for him in March too.

I won't hold this stupid endorsement against him when I know he will be a good Ag. Commissioner.

I guess that is one thing that separates me from Hank Gilbert though :)

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by: DallasDavid @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 19:46:14 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Bingo. (3.00 / 2)

And it should occur to more than a few of you that White would be ill-served by over-protective supporters who brook no dissent or a walk-over in the primary. He needs to get in fighting shape; challenging him to be honest and to show and prove some progressive sensibilities will help, not hurt, his general election chances. White needs to define himself clearly to Democrats if they are to be motivated to pound pavement or even show up next fall. A slick website and well-paid consultants kneeling at the altar of "independents" won't be enough.  

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by: Robert Ryland @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 19:52:08 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

And how does he know this? (1.00 / 1)

"He knows that White will be the Democratic Nominee for Governor of Texas..."

How does he know this? Does Hank Gilbert have a crystal ball or did the boys in the backroom in Austin tell him? This is a repeat of 2006 with the boys in the backroom making sure who they want becomes the candidate. You have to wonder if they want a candidate who can win or a candidate they know will lose.

Good for Hank Gilbert for not playing nice about it and endorsing Farouk Shami instead of Bill White. That should tell you all something but obviously doesn't.

I predict Governor 39% will become at least Governor 59% although with Bill White it may become Governor 69% if he manages to garner the 31% of the corpses Chris Bell couldn't even garner.  

What a mess the Texas Democratic Party is.  

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by: Baby Snooks @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 19:57:44 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Get real (0.00 / 0)

Bill White is going to do well. He will win Harris, Dallas, Travis, El Paso, Bexar, and the Valley. He will get well above 40% and stands a good chance of actually winning.

And don't pretend like Bill White isn't going to be the nominee. Gilbert was the only candidate besides White that was popular with the Democratic base, and with Thompson, Schieffer, and Gilbert all out, White is a shoe-in for the nomination.

White has a great progressive record that appeals to all people. He recognizes that issues like the environment and the economy are the two most important issues facing Texas from a state level, and will keep this election about the issues.

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by: DallasDavid @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 20:30:30 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

but you are forgetting (0.00 / 0)

THE ELECTORAL FORCE OF FELIX ALVARADO.

Please read the Community Guidelines and How to Rate Comments.

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by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 20:35:05 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

in all actuality, a good point (0.00 / 0)

Bill White will really need to reach out to the Hispanic community of Texas.  That absolutely has to be part of the game plan, and Felix Alvarado could get a handful of votes if he doesn't.

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 20:39:12 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

NOOOOO (0.00 / 0)

How could I forget "Mr. Fort Worth-area 2004 and 2006 congressional nominee who got 28% both times".

Game over, Bill White, game over :)

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by: DallasDavid @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 20:41:39 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

If his check clears you mean.. (0.00 / 0)

Maybe they will require that the check clear before he is allowed to actually file.

That man is off-the-radar along with Kinky and Kinky's hairdresser. Which makes Hank Gilbert's endorsement of the hairdresser that much more delicious.

The one thing Hank Gilbert had that Bill White doesn't have, all the other things aside, was his ability to pull that rural vote. You cannot win in Texas without it.

And Bill White is not going to play well in the rural areas. All the other things aside. The other things will probably cost him the urban votes.  

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by: Baby Snooks @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 21:42:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

The economy? (0.00 / 0)

You better hope Annise Parker wins and she has enough dirt on whoever becomes controller to have them cook the books some more because Bill White has literally turned Houston into Detroit. Surplus? You bet. He and Annise Parker keep borrowing money to make sure there's a surplus.

As for progressive, if you mean pulling strings for people who have done favors for him, like getting the city involved in what most will be an expensive lawsuit over a hirise that the taxpayers will have to pay for and having the city condemn a piece of property under eminent domain to save a developer about $1.5 million the developer had agreed to pay for the property being progressive, I guess he is. I didn't realize progressive was a synonym for corrupt but perhaps in Texas it is.

Allen Blakemore and quite a few others are already salivating at the thought of Bill White.  

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by: Baby Snooks @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 21:32:38 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'm still scratching my head about the endorsement (3.67 / 3)

but I'm going to pass it off as Hank Gilbert having a bad day.   I was happy about his early announcement and support for LBGT rights.   Both took a lot of courage here in Texas and that's a quality I'd like to see in our Governor and has been lacking in Texas since Gov Richards.

So... walk it off and lets get busy next week electing two great candidates to office, Hank Gilbert for Ag Comm and Bill White for Governor.   (Lt Gov John Sharp?!?)

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by: mikeconwell @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 20:09:04 PM UTC

Completely agree (4.33 / 3)

I'm also puzzled by Hank's endorsement. At a time when we could have started building a better ticket for November Hank just muddled it up a bit. This kind of pettiness is why we can't seem to close the deal in November. What? White didn't pass Gilbert's "purity" test and Shami did?

Hank should have moved over to Ag Comm like everyone figured he would have and kept his mouth shut on endorsements. After the primary we will have a strong ticket hopefully (need to fill in a few more slots) and launch the campaign we've been needing for a while to beat the Rs in November. As it is now this little incident will be a fly. It's not anything to get too worried about (heck, Perry probably doesn't even care about Gilbert) but it is an annoyance.

Regarding White vs. Shami, whereas Shami is trying to buy the Governor's Mansion White has a career of earning it. White's got better political name rec than Shami. In the end voters are going to look for someone who can be a good governor for Texas and confront the big issues. White can do that, Shami is going to need Clif Notes (or a lot of outside influence) to help him.

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by: RBearSAT @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 22:58:58 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Please run, but we'd really like you to be quiet? (3.00 / 1)

It's always funny to me how much people love him when Hank says something they agree with and how much they get irritated when he goes off the groupthink script.

It never occurs to many (including the establishment) that maybe, just maybe, Hank knows something they don't.

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by: McBlogger @ Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 21:42:48 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

It occassionally occurs to me (0.00 / 0)

But I don't think that something is that "Farouk Shami is a better Democrat than Bill White" or that "Farouk Shami will win the Democratic nomination" or even that "Farouk Shami has a better chance at winning a general election than Bill White."

More so, keeping quiet is part of electoral politics.  You shouldn't get in the game if you don't know how to keep your mouth shut every once in a while.

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 22:17:33 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Ah... (0.00 / 0)

Interesting take on things, Michael. Given that I know both you and Hank, I'll take his evaluation over yours of the lay of the land any day. No offense, but he did pretty well with no resources and no help from anyone in 2006.

This time he's got both and still possess one of the keenest political minds I've come in contact with. Not for nothing, but rather than wish he'd do what you'd like him to do, you might consider listening to him.

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by: McBlogger @ Mon Dec 07, 2009 at 00:01:36 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Hank's endorsement was an anti-White (0.00 / 0)

I listened to Hank speak in SA recently and frankly he had more rhetoric than substance on issues. In the case of the gubernatorial endorsement he didn't seem to do it in support of Shami but in spite of White. That's not a very good reason to endorse someone. A non-endorsement would have been a better choice.

Personally I think he'd be a great Ag Comm because he relates very well to the state's ag community. Hopefully he'll take a position to further the party. Otherwise, he doesn't have my support. I trust and support him as a Democrat and not an independent.

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by: RBearSAT @ Mon Dec 07, 2009 at 00:47:10 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Fair Enough (0.00 / 0)

I guess, if I wanted to put some rationality onto Hank's thinking and give him the benefit of the doubt that he doesn't want to be just a thorn in Bill White's side, it would go something like this:
1. He doesn't think any Democrat will win the Governor's seat in 2010.
2. He, therefore, wants to make sure the leader of the Democratic ticket will highlight the issues and speak truth to power.
3. He thinks Farouk Shami speaks truth to power more than Bill White.
4. He thinks that there is a chance that Democratic primary voters will look at things his way or something similar.

Hence, it is reasonable to me that he actually believes and has good reason to believe that "Farouk Shami is a better Democrat than Bill White" and that "Farouk Shami has a decent shot at winning the Democratic nomination."  I can see those two positions being supported by strong arguments.  I tend to disagree by almost a football field, but not to the point that I think those two statements are out of the realm of possibility.  

I do see it out of the realm of possibility that, if Gilbert is as smart politically as you say, he is endorsing Shami because he genuinely thinks that Shami has a better shot in the general election.

We don't really talk about this in the public space much, but Mr. Shami's name is unfortunately a factor in evaluating his general election chances.  Ala Barack "Hussein" Obama.  Republicans won't even have to bring up a middle name.  I hate it, you hate it, we all hate it -- but it's true.  And really, it's hard to envision even the unlikely scenario where, even if Mr. Shami wins the nomination, he can win a general election in 2010.

I pray for the day where that last paragraph is not the case, but it is today.  I tend to be an optimist, but I'm not that optimistic.

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Mon Dec 07, 2009 at 01:32:50 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

but to be completely honest (0.00 / 0)

It seemed very apparent that a big factor in Hank's endorsement of Shami was that he was upset with White getting into the race.  At least, that's how I read his statements.  And that's the biggest problem I had with the endorsement -- when that was the explanation given for "Why not White."  

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Mon Dec 07, 2009 at 01:50:20 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Did you think Barack Hussein Obama would win Virginia and North Carolina? (0.00 / 0)

Wouldn't a name like "John Edwards" be the only kind of name you would think could win there?

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by: jfung79 @ Tue Dec 08, 2009 at 03:40:36 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Maybe to the first question, no to the second (0.00 / 0)

With North Carolina, you have to remember that there is a large African American population that helped Obama win there; a large population which overcame other parts of the state with racist tendencies.

We don't have that in Texas.  Nor is Farouk black to bring out African Americans or (what would work in Texas one day) Hispanic to bring out Hispanics.  There is not a large enough Arab-American constituency, unfortunately, to get over his name.

Or so that's my thought.  Maybe it's pessimistic, though.

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Tue Dec 08, 2009 at 05:27:24 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

We all knew it was a possibility . . . (0.00 / 0)

. . . that Bill White would switch to run for Governor when his bumper stickers said "Bill White for Texas" without identifying an office.  

We knew this because we all knew that Kay Bailey did not resign in 2006 after saying she would resign and run for Governor.

It is a smart move for Bill White to run for Governor and Hank is a good Democrat who will support White if he is the nominee.

"Be kind to dogs - and vote Democratic!" -Senator Tom Eagleton

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by: mondalejones @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 21:14:41 PM UTC

get real (0.00 / 0)

White will still be a tough sell in the exurbs and rural areas which still outvote the big urbans altogether. His anti-gun record will hurt him. These areas will be fired up to vote next year. Sure he'll get good numbers out of Dallas, Travis, Bexar, and Harris, and could win Fort Bend.

He's a good candidate on paper but has a ways to go. If he's the nominee, I'll support and look forward to him making it a race. He's the safe candidate for those running below him on the ballot.

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by: philtx @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 21:55:53 PM UTC

anti-gun? (0.00 / 0)

What specific anti-gun positions has White taken? Not trying to be combative, just want to know what the real general public's perception might be on this issue of his record in this area.

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by: ssuits @ Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 04:45:09 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Michael Bloomberg's Group (0.00 / 0)

For a time, White was a member of Michael Bloomerberg's group for American mayors related to gun control.  That's the connection I have heard before.

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 13:24:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Mayors Against Illegal Guns is the group (3.00 / 1)

I did internet search on Bloomberg+mayors+guns.

Given the large number of illegal guns being smuggled into Mexico along the Texas border and the wide open, bloody warfare between Mexican Drug Lords in our border towns, membership in this group by any Texas politician should not be construed as any attack on anyone's 2nd amendment rights.

I am very pro-gun.  I do not perceive advocating policies to make it harder for criminals and terrorists to obtain guns as any surrender of my rights. Someone legally buying ten handguns, for say $400 each, and then selling them, for say $800 each, to a drug runner to smuggle back into Mexico needs to go to jail. Dope comes north with money and guns flowing south on the return trip.

Has White done anything else that could possibly be conceived as being anti-gun?

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by: ssuits @ Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 19:13:33 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Not that I recall (0.00 / 0)

It was Mayors Against Illegal Guns that I saw mentioned in the most substantive 2nd-Amendment attack on White I've seen.  

I think White spokesperson Katy Bacon has actually said that White owns a gun and hunts, but it's hard for me to picture Mayor White out hunting.  

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 21:32:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Maybe (0.00 / 0)

He hunts wabbits.

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by: George @ Mon Dec 07, 2009 at 12:42:22 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I thought it (0.00 / 0)

but you posted it. We got to cut White some slack about  being so bald and running against Guv good hair. I doubt Shami has a product to fix this problem despite Gilbert's endorsement.

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by: ssuits @ Tue Dec 08, 2009 at 03:29:29 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Maybe Gilbert is looking for the good hair vote (0.00 / 0)

Maybe Hank's endorsement of Shami was his personal opinion that the "big hair" days of Texas are over.

Time to move on to what the rest of country has been doing for decades.

(no, this is not a serious post. Just a tribute to Shami's ability to take the kinks out of hair. Maybe the same concept will work for government.)

Yeah, I think Gilbert's endorsement was another example of his lack of political experience or guidance.

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by: LubbockDem @ Tue Dec 08, 2009 at 05:58:23 AM UTC