Yesterday, Travis County supporters of Congressman Lloyd Doggett held a celebration to thank Congressman Doggett for the passage of the health care reform bill. Predictably, protesters showed up, as they did last summer when a mob of Tea Party protesters disrupted Congressman Doggett's appearance at a local grocery store. What caught my attention was the reporting the local NBC affiliate, KXAN did on an incident that occurred before the event, and the different take reported in the Austin Statesman. I was not there, so I'm hoping some of you in Travis County who were there, can shed more light on what happened.
Excuse me if I get a bit emotional, but I couldn't be more ashamed that Pete Sessions represents my congressional district (TX-32) than I am now.
It's bad enough that Sessions dishonestly claims that healthcare reform has been rejected by the American people when in fact poll after poll shows the completely opposite conclusion. It's also bad enough that Sessions has opposed anything that represents real progressive change in this country, including the Employee Free Choice Act.
Now Sessions has, in effect, allied with those who have toted guns during presidential events and have made hints of violence in placards seen during last week's teabagger protests.
Folks have a right to express their opinions, including those that strongly disagree with President Obama's policies and those of the Democratic leadership. But when my area's representative who also happens to be one of the main House Republicans made the statements that he did, it requires more than just mere comment. It requires that strong action be made to assure his defeat next year.
More below.
According to the some of the renowned Viet Nam War draft evaders and right wing war hawks
Dick Cheney, Rush Limbaugh, George W. Bush, Karl Rove, Pat Buchanan, Lou Dobbs, Sean Hannity, Bill Kristol, Bill Blunt, Tom Delay, Newt Gingrich, Rudy Giuliani, Phil Gramm, John Cornyn, Trent Lott, Mitch McConnell, Paul Wolfowitz, Bill O'Reilly, Michael Savage
Nancy Pelosi personally ordered the CIA to find a link between Iraq and Al-Qaida. The GOP sissy boys also insist that when no links between the two evil doers could be found, Nancy the D Girl unilaterally ordered heinous torture to bring about the results the sissy boy cowards needed to gin up their war on Iraq.
Hats off to Ed Shultz of MSNBC for calling the Sissy Boys out on their psycho babble.
The convention is less than two weeks away and the tension is mounting. Who will Barack Obama select to be his running mate? It is starting to look like George W. Bush's congressman, Chet Edwards, is more and more likely.
Certainly, Pennsylvania will be key to victory. Women, older voters, and suburban voters will all be necessary to achieve this win ... Chet Edwards would help Sen. Obama win in swing districts like mine and in states like Pennsylvania...
Chet Edwards would provide strong support to the new administration by engaging Members of Congress to pass critical legislation: health care for all Americans; comprehensive energy policy; new tax policy; and an end to war in Iraq, bringing our troops home safely and responsibly..."
Even as national bloggers like Chris Bowers and some inside the progressive community remain skeptical, the likelihood that Edwards maybe the Senator's choice is increasing.
CQ Politics points to an interesting fact, most of the people rumored to be on Obama's short list are slated for speaking times already, and unless they are scheduled to speak twice, the list is either shrinking rapidly or way off base.
As of yesterday, the only rumored candidates not slated to speak in Denver were, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, Sen. Evan Bayh, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, Texas Rep. Chet Edwards, and Gen. Wes Clark. With today's announcement from the DNCC that both Joe Biden and Evan Bayh have been scheduled to speak at the convention on Wednesday, the list of 5 is down to 3.
This late afternoon announcement has led some to think Kaine is on the cusp of being announced as Obama's V.P., but something appears to be off in that assessment.
Virginia is already in play. Mark Warner looks to be the heir apparent to John Warner's vacated seat. Adding Kaine to the ticket doesn't look to get Obama anywhere. Clark would be a solid choice, looking at a geopolitical question, what states will Clark move? Clark will also highlight the fact that Obama's resume is focused on domestic policy. Plus, Clark is the only man in the world with a better title than President-Former Supreme Allied Commander. Why would you go from that to Vice President?
That leaves Rep. Edwards. He is a candidate who is a moderate. He is a Democrat who can win tough elections. He is dynamic and engaging. He appeals to independents and moderate Republicans. He expands the base and puts southern races in play on a state and congressional level. He can campaign in rural areas inside New Mexico, Colorado, Montana, Georgia, Virginia, and Ohio. Not to mention the fact he would force the Republicans and McCain to dump money and resources into protecting Texas (a state Obama has been organizing in since March).
Mr. Edwards, 56, is a moderate, a respected voice on veterans and military issues and well regarded across the political spectrum. Colleagues describe him as a pivot between liberals and Blue Dogs - the bloc of budget cutters and gun rights backers - so he could help Mr. Obama reach swing voters.
As chairman of a subcommittee that controls billions in annual spending, he's already got more clout than most members of Congress. He's one of a dozen "cardinals" who serve under the even more powerful Appropriations Chairman, David Obey of Wisconsin.
Mr. Obey called Mr. Edwards one of the "top five or 10 House members" he knows in either party, "an incredibly nice, decent human being" who is "very, very tough minded. ... He is most definitely not a slashing partisan. He would be a very good salesperson for the president's legislative package."
Simply put, Edwards on the ticket would turn Texas purple in one cycle.
“Anyone that Barrack Obama wants is my choice for vice president,” Pelosi told the interviewer, who appeared to be from Newsweek. “But I do think in the list of considerations there should be somebody from the House of Representatives and Chet Edwards is a person that many of us think would be a good person to be in the mix.”
Personally, I love Congressman Edwards. I think he does a great job in Congress, and I think he is maybe the best campaigner we have in Texas. He sets an example for countless rural Democrats on how to balance the (often conservative) interests of the rural areas of Texas with progressive Democratic values on issues like education and health care.
That being said, many national folks aren't thrilled with him -- and some point to him as the leader of the growing "Bush Dog" caucus that allows the passage of things like FISA.
I think Congressman Edwards would make a great candidate, and he certainly would bring some of the Obama attention into Texas (therefore helping our down-ballot races tremendously). And he is certainly someone who knows how to work in TX.
In other words, there's no downside from a TX standpoint to hear Chet Edwards' name in the VP mix. We'll see what (if anything) our national online friends have to say, and report back. Talk about Chet Edwards as a VP candidate in the comments.
Texas has been the home for majority leaders, House Speakers, Presidents and Vice-Presidents alike, but with the recent national gains for the Democratic Party, Texas has still lost.
On October 20th of this year, Burnt Orange Report saw the writing on the wall. If Democrats won the majority, Texas would be the weakest it has ever been on the national stage.
Not only did Democrats win, the party took both chambers of Congress and relegated our ambitious and power hungry Texas Republicans to bench warmers.
For a quick example, in the past week our two Senators Kay Bailey and John Cornyn have moved up the Republican Leadership latter to become Chair of the Republican Policy Committee and Vice Chair of the Republican Conference respectively. Two major and influential positions... of the minority party. Super, too bad they can't direct policy nor help the state without bipartisan support.
