Burnt Orange Report

A Morning With Barbara Radnofsky: Updated

By Vince Leibowitz

Note: I've updated the post below to include links to coverage of the trip in the extended entry.

U.S. Senate candidate Barbara Radnofsky (D-Houston) is in East Texas this week, and spoke Tuesday to Democrats United in Longview, had a reception with the Upshur League of Democrats in Gilmer, and spoke to the Camp County League of Democrats tonight.

But this morning, she was in Tyler after a trek up from Houston with stops in various places including Lufkin to meet various local folks and, of course, raise money.

I had the honor of accompanying Barbara to her first interview with the Tyler Morning Telegraph after taking her on a few stops around the downtown area including a meeting with my friend and Smith County Democratic Chairwoman Karen Roberts. Barbara met with Karen at the ultra-hip very nicely restored offices of her law firm, Roberts & Roberts just across the street from Bergfeld Park in downtown Tyler. Barbara also got to visit with Karen's brother, Randy, who, as it happened, was an intern at Vinson & Elkins at the same time Barbara was back when they were first starting out.

Barbara had a great interview with the Tyler Morning Telegraph's Roy Maynard and got to meet most of the senior editorial staff--all of whom I worked with when I was a desk editor for the newspaper several years ago.

Here is the link to the TMT story.

I had planned on heading over to Pittsburg to hear her speech to the Camp County League of Democrats, but after a marathon meeting of the Council of Van Zandt County Communities this afternoon at Callender Lake--which included me delivering our legislative agenda to the group and fielding questions for about 30 minutes--I was kind of tired and decided to head home.

My personal favorite moment of the trip was actually getting my hands on a couple of brand new Radnofsky bumper stickers (what can I say, I'm a sucker for political memorabilia). One is generic with her name and US Senate 2006. The other is one I expect to see popping up with some frequency because of the motto it contains: "Tough Name--Smart Dame."

Wednesday morning, SDEC Committeewoman for SD3 Norma Narramore will be taking Barbara on a tour of the Titus County Courthouse in Mt. Pleasant to meet some of the officials and employees there before she and her husband, Ed, head back to Houston. So, if you're in Mt. Pleasant Wednesday morning, swing by the courthouse and introduce yourself.

And, for all of you political junkies out there always working on campaigns (like me), her husband Ed has one of the greatest, simple, "why didn't I think of that?" ideas to hit political literature in recent memory. If you're like me and your business cards are always scattered out throughout your car, briefcase, bag, satchel, purse or whatever, try having them fused into stacks with that waxy plastic-y stuff used to keep together paper on a note pad. They tear off just like a sheet on a note pad, and they stay together. I, for one, hadn't seen that before, but will save the idea in my memory bank for future reference. (Karl-T, your dad may want to take note of that idea for his new campaign, too.)

Vince Leibowitz is County Chairman of the Democratic Party of Van Zandt County, Secretary of board of directors of the Council of Van Zandt County Communities, and a frequent guest contributor to Political State Report and Burnt Orange Report.