Burnt Orange Report

When it comes to abortion, either way you look at it: given the choice--if I'm pro-choice--I'd just have to lean toward voting for the candidate backed up by the lady who won Roe v. Wade.
So far I think Bell seems the better Democrat.

Kudos, Jim for a the analytical look at Gammage's voting record from that era.

The ladies are certainly within their rights to send email to anyone they choose, speaking up on any issue they choose to, but I have to admit I'm a little disappointed that they were so (maybe purposefully) vague about the whole 'voting history' thing.

Thanks for helping to wade through the 'political fog'. Making a story into something it isn't really what I expected from the Bell campaign.

I've always been pro-choice, but since they're both pro-choice and it's not the only issue we have to consider before the primary, I think I'll keep an open mind.

So far as I can tell, team Bell took a swing at the fences today and missed. We'll have to see how the rest of the game plays out.

Jim:

Your use of the term "Ladies" -- and capitalized, no less -- is obnoxiously condescending.

At a time when the the United States Senate might be about to confirm a misogynist as Justice, thus paving the way for overturning Roe, it seems possible that you might consider more appropriate terminology in the future.

(Kitty gets a pass for what are -- presumably -- obvious reasons.)

Perhaps it's a generational thing.

My (and Weddington, et. al) generation seems to prefer "Ladies" (as equivalent to "Gentlemen"). It may be that you feel that a younger generation's "Girls" is more appropriate. I've often heard women referred to as "girls" by those under 40--but I find that term both demeaning and childish. Gals won't do either, its just a bit too familiar.

Perhaps, PDittie, you should propose a non-derogatory noun to describe a group of women. Now THAT might be an issue to campaign on.

Jim: Call me stupid, but how do you decipher the data on that site you linked to, ie, ftp://pooleandrosenthal.com/dtaord/hou95kh.ord? Are these files to be downloaded and opened in another program?

Also, is there an index to the site with voting records from other sessions? And, how the heck did you find this anyway??? Hell of a find, to say the least, if they have all the sessions up.

I have to wonder if senility is at work here with a couple of the ladies, one of whom I've known for years and doubt I will ever speak to again.

Liz Carpenter in particular has disgraced the memory of a truly great Democrat who she worked for, and did well by I might add, by endorsing the likes of Chris Bell. Question is why she would.

What does the governor of Texas have to do with abortion rights? Nothing.

The ladies would do better to direct their "activism" where it might matter. Mainly the hearings on Alito. He will have everything to do with abortion rights.

It should be noted that Chris Bell's "pro-choice" position isn't that "solid" given his recent meanderings about better sex education being an "alternative" to abortion. And stating that no one he knows believes in abortion. Something Sarah Weddington should have thought about before adding her name to this. Something all of them should have.

"Both of the top Democrats running for governor say they're pro-choice, but only one of them has faithfully stood by us in our political fights, and that is Chris Bell."

What political fights are the ladies referring to?

Some of the ladies made it clear they were speaking for themselves, not for the organizations they are associated with. Just the same, those organizations will never see another check from me again. Or from quite a few others. They can get the checks from whomever obviously wrote the checks for this truly questionable endorsement.

Chris Bell seems intent on running his campaign on the low road and in the mud. I hope Bob Gammage decides to join him and gets a good private investigator and slings some mud back. And there's quite a bit to sling back.

Liz, Lyndon is turning in his grave. Shame on you.

Kitty, I think 'women' is is probably OK with everybody.

And as Baby Snooks acidly reminds us, 'obnoxious' is not reserved for Jim.

As usual, BS, your post does nothing to advance the discussion. Where would you be without your ad hominem? How could you have run out of points to make before you even got started?

This is an endorsement letter. While the signers clearly have an opinion about the candidate's voting record, their opinion is worth at least precisely what yours is worth. "Others" would say that the weight of their opinion is significantly greater than yours -- and some less -- but that's for each to decide.

Your by-now-expected hostile invective toward those with whom you disagree politically is simply not a valuable part of this discussion. I feel certain you've been told this many times before, but you cannot build up the cause of one person by tearing down another. It simply makes YOU look bad.

You and your "others" are invited to sit out the rest of the conversation here. Run along and play, dear; the grownups are talking.

You can always come back when you have something besides your bitterness to post.

Anyone seen Bell's numbers post the Gammage announcement?

Vince --

Poole and Rosenthal collected all the roll calls to do spatial analysis on Congressional voting. They have, I believe, every Congress on there.

My methodology for this was as follows:

First, I obtained Gammage's record. This was done by finding the appropriate line in the "dat" file and then using Excel's "mid" function to turn the horizontal data into vertical data (which I could then match up to the roll call number).

For assessing roll calls, I simply did a "find" for the word abortion. There may have, in fact, been other abortion votes, but the only way to determine that would have been to go and read every bill and amendment for two years. Moreover, considering most Congress-critters don't read what they vote on, I wouldn't hold anyone accontable for a vote which is not clearly summarized as an abortion vote by Poole and Rosenthal.

Their main site is www.voteview.com.

PDittie.

Just so you know.... "Women" is generally considered a perjorative term as a method of address for those of my generation. "Women" or (in Texas -- "Wimmen") are what "Men" go to see at strip bars.

"Ladies" are those you meet in polite society. Thanks for the attempt to be the PC police, but it's best left to those who are of the affected gender, don't you think?

"As usual, BS, your post does nothing to advance the discussion. Where would you be without your ad hominem? How could you have run out of points to make before you even got started?"

Discussion? These "ladies" engaged in character assassination, implying that because a candidate voted against using federal tax dollars to pay for "abortion on demand" that he is not pro-choice and therefore a threat to abortion rights in Texas and therefore not qualified to be governor.

The only legitimate basis of such an argument would be Chris Bell having voted for such funding.

The point being made is not about voting records but about the character of a candidate. Not the first time Chris Bell has made such a point and probably won't be the last. The implication being made about Bob Gammage is based, as always with Chris Bell, on innuendo.

When short on facts, which is usually the case, Chris Bell resorts to innuendo. That these "ladies" resorted to innuendo as well, without facts to back their assertions up, only draws attention to their character as well as the character of Chris Bell. Not the character of Bob Gammage.

Speaks for itself as they say.

it's best left to those who are of the affected gender, don't you think?

Agreed.

My own experience was the opposite -- that 'ladies' was the condescension and 'women' the respectful term -- and that is based on my experience being raised by a strong, professional woman (university professor, retired, now in her '80's) who was also raised by a strong, professional woman (also a professor, of English at Loyola of Chicago, RIP).

As with your right to choose, I believe that men don't really warrant input in the decision-making process. You prefer 'lady', I'll call you 'lady', ma'am, with all respect intended.

Maybe its just me...and I have had plenty of poor dealing with her... but any time that Molly Beth Malcolm backs someone, I seriously reconsider my position.

So you supported Wes Clark in 04?

Good to know.

I guess we have the Dirty Dozen coming out against the Dirty Thirty.

Maybe someone can wave enough money in front of Ann Richards and she can make it a baker's dozen.