Burnt Orange Report

Bell To Strayhorn: Give The Sugar Daddy Back His Money

By Vince Leibowitz

Via Chris Bell's blog, I noticed that AP has picked up on a speech he gave challenging Carole Four Names to give back $100,000 she took from voucher advocate James Leininger.

As you will recall, I pointed out earlier that Strayhorn was opposing vouchers though she'd taken thousands from the voucher advocate.

And, I'm very glad to see Chris Bell calling Carole Keeton Strayhorn on the carpet for this:

Independent candidate for governor Carole Keeton Strayhorn now says she's against private school vouchers but in the past took $100,000 in campaign donations from a millionaire voucher advocate, Democrat Chris Bell said Tuesday.

Bell criticized Strayhorn for saying she opposes using taxpayer money to send children to private schools. Her comments last week were aimed at Republican Gov. Rick Perry, who favors a pilot voucher program.

"Texas needs to trust that its leaders will have the courage of their convictions," Bell said. "When she says that vouchers are off the table, well, for how long? And when will they be back?"

Boom! Exactly what I was trying to say in my earlier post, but thank you, Chris Bell, for saying it with class and not beating around the bush.

AP noted that, From 2000 to 2003, Strayhorn accepted contributions totaling $100,000 from conservative San Antonio businessman James Leininger, a voucher supporter. Late in her 1998 run for state comptroller, Leininger secured a $950,000 loan to Strayhorn's campaign, and in the 1999 legislative session she supported a voucher plan that failed.

After what Bell had to say, though, is this quote from Strayhorn on the subject has to be my second favorite, and I'll tell you why after you read it:

"Some years ago I could philosophically discuss with you the possibility of taking a disadvantaged kid and trying a pilot program with disadvantaged kids on vouchers. That's absolutely off the table now. The reason it's off the table is we've got to save public education."

So, she just now came to this conclusion on Friday, after she was confronted by the issue? The reason I like this quote so much is because Democrats are constantly being bashed because we've 'changed our minds' on so many issues from abortion to the war in Iraq (a la John Kerry 2004). This quote gives Democrats a prime opportunity to give a Republican back a heepind tablespoon of their own medicine.

And, thanks to Chris Bell for giving Carole Strayhorn a good dose of that, no to mention that it is frightening to think that educators have given their endorsement to someone who may not trust "the courage of their convictions."