I’ve heard it said that churches are supposed to make bad men good and good men better. Our campaign finance system seems to do the opposite: make good men bad and bad men worse (ie, Governors Richardson and Blagojevich, respectively). As far back as Socrates, outside observers have noticed the corruptive influence of money on public policy. Our public servants worshiping at the altar of campaign donations is sure path to hell for most of us. But the fact that we force them to do so by not providing a public financing system begs the question: Are we getting what we deserve?
As Richardson withdraws his name for consideration of being Commerce Secretary, more and more details are coming out about his ethical problems. Did he take campaign donations that changed his votes? Possibly, or at least there’s enough of an ethical cloud there that no one can know for sure.
The good news continues to come in for Rick Noriega this week. After an amazing rally with former President Bill Clinton yesterday, fundraisers with Hillary Clinton, we'll be seeing New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson lending a hand. He's hosting a fundraiser for Rick in Dallas during tomorrow's 2nd Senate debate.
Trail Blazers: New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is the draw at a $500 a head debate watch party for Senate Democratic hopeful Rick Noriega tomorrow night at the East Dallas home of Renee Skinner and Trey Branham.
The Los Angeles Times and MSNBC seem to be indicating something along those lines. Then again, it was mis-reported that Mike Gravel was dropping out after Iowa which was not the case.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, whose presidential campaign ads showed him in a job interview, did not get the job. And today he pulled the plug on his campaign for the Democratic Party nomination, will announce his withdrawal from the race Thursday after another disappointing fourth-place finish in New Hampshire with only 5% of the vote, according to the Associated Press.
According to MSNBC, a Richardson spokeswoman claimed the governor was not ending his White House bid and another source suggested he might just suspend active campaigning on Thursday without completely canceling his bid.
You can trade thoughts on what this means for the Texas primary (if the presidential campaign even gets here) if Richardson is out of the race and it's just Clinton, Obama, Edwards. Seeing as Richardson had not been able to consolidate a base of support among Texas Hispanics, the effect may be minimal as Clinton has won over that group in past Texas polls.
Today our campaign released a new ad, entitled "Only One," which details a hostage situation in Iraq that then-Congressman Richardson was called upon to defuse. In the 60-second spot, Bill Barloon, the late David Daliberti, and his wife Kathy Daliberti praise Richardson for obtaining the release of the two men from Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in July 1995.
This is cross posted at The Huffington Post and posted here for your convenience in case you missed it yesterday.
Truly ending the war in Iraq will only come about when our troops are no longer targets. That is why Governor Bill Richardson believes that we should not leave behind any of our troops. --Joaquin H. Guerra, Bill Richardson for President.
It's Time to Make a Choice in Iraq
By Governor Bill Richardson
Yesterday,twelve former Army captains wrote that short of reinstating the draft, "our best option is to leave Iraq immediately." In an extraordinary editorial in the Washington Post, these captains--all of whom served in Iraq--made it clear that we need to end this war and we need to end it now. They wrote that a " scaled withdrawal will not prevent a civil war and it will spend more blood and treasure on a losing proposition."
I strongly urge every American to read this important report from those who served in the failed conflict in Iraq. Army captains are the staff officers who plan operations against insurgent strongholds. They are the company commanders who lead our soldiers through the streets of Baghdad. And they are the soldiers who will direct our withdrawal from Iraq.
These men and women know the score. They know that we must leave Iraq. As they put it, "It's time to make a choice." Americans are fed up with the President's stalling and Congressional failure to act. Frankly, it is well past time we make a choice. And the only responsible choice left to us is to get all of our troops out of Iraq, with no residual forces left behind--no combat forces, no non-combat forces. As President, I will do it. I will get all of our troops out within a year after I take office - sooner if we can get it done safely.
The other major candidates in this race have said--again and again--that they will not. Senators Edwards, Obama, and Clinton have all refused to commit to getting all of our troops out of Iraq by 2013. None of them are willing to be clear about removing all troops - combat and non-combat. It's unbelievable. Are they looking at the same war the rest of us are? Furthermore, they are all advocating precisely the sort of scaled withdrawal that these twelve captains are warning against. It doesn't make any sense. Real leadership is about making the tough choices, and knowing when it is time to make bold moves. Now is the time for action, not hesitation. Ending this war requires real change, not more incrementalism.
Ending this war is the most important issue of our time. And it is the fundamental difference between me and Senators Edwards, Obama, and Clinton. I will end the war; they will not. I will get all of our troops out; they will leave troops behind indefinitely. I will order a safe and rapid withdrawal and have our troops out within a year. They have proposed a long, protracted withdrawal that will only increase the danger to our fighting men and women and drag out the war.
2013 is six years from now - six years. In six years, will we have lost 6,000 men and women in Iraq? 10,000? More? In six years will this be a $2 trillion mistake? Or $3 trillion? The war has been going on for four and half years already. Six years from now, we will have been there for more than a decade. Are you okay with that? I'm not.
The choice in Iraq is clear. We need to get all our troops out quickly. We need to end this war for real. Go to getourtroopsout.com to join Americans across the country in calling for a quick, clear, responsible end to the war in Iraq.
We've waited "Long Enough" for an answer on how many residual troops the other Democratic Presidential Candidates will leave behind in Iraq. That's why the name of our campaigns' new TV ad is entitled "Long Enough."
Bill Richardson is changing the debate with his clear, bold, plan to end the war and bring all the troops home. This war will drag on as long as our troops are in Iraq.
Join KLRU for an interview with Governor Bill Richardson
As part of Texas Monthly Talks' series of interviews with presidential hopefuls, Evan Smith speaks with New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. Richardson spent much of his childhood in Mexico City, and has led many lives in U.S. politics. He followed 14 years in Congress with two positions in the Clinton administration: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Secretary of Energy. Now he's working to add U.S. President to the list. Learn more on September 12, when Richardson comes to KLRU.
Wednesday, September 12th at 4:45 p.m. (Please arrive by 4:15p.m.)
KLRU Studio A (Austin City Limits Studio)
2504-B Whitis (Southeast corner of 26th and Guadalupe), 6th Floor
I am proud to report that the Texas Democratic Party's ePrimary Poll has been a huge success. Because of your help spreading the word to our fellow Democrats, in just five short days, over 7,200 Texas Democrats have cast their vote for President!
That's over five times the number of Texas Republicans who cast their vote in last weekend's exclusive Straw Poll. And we're not done yet! With one more day left to vote, all Texas Democrats still have a chance to make their voices heard in the next presidential election.
The enormous participation in the TDP ePrimary Poll is evidence of a Democratic Party on the rise in the Lone Star State. While Texas Republicans had only third-string candidates and embarrassingly low turnout at their VIP-only Straw Poll last weekend, Democrats from every corner of the state are energized by our Party's strong field of presidential candidates and showing their excitement for 2008 in the ePrimary Poll.
Democrats believe our state and nation are better served when more people participate, and the ePrimary Poll is a way for all Texas Democrats to get involved in the primary process and weigh in as our Party selects a presidential nominee. Tell the country which Democrats you want to see take over the White House!
If you haven't voted in the ePrimary Poll, there's still time. Texas Democrats have until TOMORROW at 11:59pm to cast their vote for any one of our Democratic presidential candidates.
NOTE: If you are looking for the most recent Clinton vs. Obama Texas Primary Poll, please go to this post.
Below is the latest installment of the Texas Primary Tracking Polls conducted by IVR Polls commissioned on behalf of Burnt Orange Report. IVR Polls correctly predicted the TX-10 race within a margin of 1 point in 2006.
This month we have two polls for your reading pleasure! We are profiling both the Presidential and U.S. Senate primary races here in Texas. The Senate results are further down if you want to jump to them.
After holding steady in the low 40's, Clinton has dipped off this month going from 41.5% in July to 36.7% in August. Clinton seems to have lost some Latino support and it has hurt her top line. We have said for months now that Clinton likely has a ceiling of support in the low 40's, this month's poll seems to prove that point.
Obama's numbers have also fallen do to a loss of Latino support. After climbing as high as 20% last month, Obama is down 17.6%. This is a change within the margin, but this could have been the month to further close the gap on Clinton and that didn't happen. Obama still hasn't made the gain in the African American community in Texas. Obama registered 32% of the African American support were Clinton still has 31%.
After a steady drop for Edwards and a sudden drop for Richardson, both men have climbed back up. Edwards is back up to 14.6% and Richardson has hit his highest level of support since we started this poll in March with 8.9%.
Kucinich and Biden have also had surprising bumps with 3.2% and 4.2% respectively. Undecided have also dropped nearly 3% to 13.7%.
Texas Senate Race Results
The Senate race has a clear winner-undecided. Note that this poll was conducted before word came that Emil Reichstadt was pulling out of the Senate race.
IVR Polls breaks down their data by region with some interesting facts.
In the Senate race, more than half are undecided, but Noriega takes 58% of those with an opinion to Watts' 30% and Reichstadt's 12%. Noriega was the huge favorite in the Houston area codes, while Watts was the huge favorite in the Corpus Christi area code. Noriega leads slightly in Watts' new home of San Antonio, but almost 70% were undecided. Noriega was also a solid favorite in the 956 area code, which stretches from Brownsville to Laredo and has the heaviest turnout for Democratic primaries. DFW had no clear favorites and was more 'undecided' than most areas.
Undecided sits at 52%, with Noriega at 27%, and Watts at 14% as noted in the chart above.
During the Texas Democratic Party’s recent Town Hall Tour, I traveled nearly 10,000 miles and visited with thousands of Democrats. And I am proud to report that Texas Democrats are unified, energized and eager to win in 2008!
Like most Americans, Democrats from Texarkana to El Paso are tired of George Bush’s failure and ready for a change in the White House. That’s why I am very pleased to announce that the Texas Democratic Party is holding our first-ever ePrimary Poll, a weeklong online event that will give Texas Democrats a chance to support their favorite candidate for President.
Starting today, Democrats across the Lone Star State have the opportunity to cast their vote for any of our outstanding presidential candidates at the TDP website. After Republican leaders weakened the influence of Texas voters by failing to move up our state’s primary election, the TDP is doing everything we can to ensure Texas Democrats have a say in determining the next president of the United States. Now is the time to make your voice heard!
