Football has become synonymous with Thanksgiving. As the Longhorns and Aggies clash on the football field today, Austin Mayor Leffingwell and College Station Mayor White will have a friendly wager on the a game that could upset Longhorn dominance this season.
All that's on the line, is a little green for the winning season.
On Thanksgiving Day, however, a wager between the mayors of College Station and Austin means some extra green is on the line: The city of the losing team must present trees to be planted in the winning team's city.
"This is an easy opportunity for Austin to win some new trees," said Mayor Lee Leffingwell of Austin. "This will provide a shady spot for Austinites to lay underneath our winning trees and celebrate our 12-0 season."
College Station Mayor Ben White has a different take on today's possible results.
"I can't tell you how excited I am at the thought of having some of Austin's finest oak trees planted in the heart of Aggieland," said College Station Mayor Ben White, whose grandfather was the former Austin city councilman for whom Ben White Boulevard is named.
This will be the 116th meeting of these two teams, but the first time that plant life has ever been at stake. Arrangements for the ceremonial presentation - wherever it may occur - will be arranged by the mayors' offices for the earliest date possible.
The Longhorns are heavy favorites in today's game.
Houston lawyer Mark White, one of the two surviving Democratic governors of Texas, says he's endorsing Barack Obama for president today because he's "essentially become America's candidate. You see people from all walks of life, rich and poor, every color reflected, every ethnicity. There's enthusiasm, hope. He will not only be nominated, he will be elected president. He will be America's president."
White, whose commitment to Obama was circulated early Tuesday by Obama's campaign, had earlier supported New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who dropped his bid after poor showings in Iowa and New Hampshire. He'll be declaring his backing of Obama a day after Hillary Clinton's camp ballyhooed her support from former U.S. Rep. Ken Bentsen, a Houston Democrat.
Sen. Clinton was endorsed by the Laredo Morning Times yesterday amid statements by members of the Richards family that recently passed Gov. Ann Richards would have been supportive of Clinton.
