Friday, June 06, 2008

Hard at work in the press room


I am the media. No, really. I'm right next to Wayne Slater and Gromer Jeffers and RG Ratcliffe. They don't give a shit who I am, and I don't care that they don't care. However I did overhear a gracious compliment --not from any of those I just named -- paid to Rick Noriega about having his press avail being early enough to make the evening news and early editions of the papers.

There's that damned liberal media again.


Your intrepid double-chinned reporter and a delegate from my precinct by the name of Cris Feldman. Yes, that Cris Feldman.

Hispanic Caucus goes Pohlman for Vice Chair

Lenora Sorola-Pohlman of Houston, former secretary of the Harris County Democratic Party and an SDEC member from SD-15, defeated Bexar County Chair Carla Vela for the position of vice chair of the Texas Democratic Party earlier today in a relatively close vote of the members of the Hispanic Caucus, 511-383.

The significance here is that the HC, probably the state's largest and predominantly comprised of Clinton supporters, believes that a white male -- either Boyd Richie or David Van Os -- is going to be elected state party chair, and they want to dictate the choice of vice chair (this position is one of those "legacy" slots; it is currently held by A-A female Roy Laverne Brooks, who is also challenging Richie).

Charlie Urbina-Jones, the chairman of the Progressive Populist Caucus, is a contender for vice chair on a unity ticket with Brooks. The vote for state party chair between Richie, Van Os, and Brooks -- all Obama supporters or declared superdelegates -- will go to the full convention floor tomorrow afternoon. So the key to that election rests in the hands of the Clinton bloc -- again, predominantly Hispanic, but with a strong contingent of Caucasian female delegates as well.

David Mauro has some of the play-by-play.

Houston-area SDEC races update *updated*

SD-4: Phillip McNutt, Mark Carter, Ruel Parker, and Jeff Darby are all contending for retiring incumbent John Baker's slot in the SD that stretches from Montgomery to Orange County. McNutt barely lost to Baker two years ago and returns with the Campaign for Change endorsement. Carter is the Orange County Democratic Party chairman, and Parker and Darby represent the union contingent which has long had dibs on the seat. The female incumbent, Sylvia McDuffie, is being challenged by "Yogi" Jzavela-Arethea, a relatively new activist and Obama supporter.

SD-6: Allan Jamail and Rose Salas are by legend halfway through their 4-year terms, so no challengers and no election here.

SD-7: Long-time incumbent Joy Demark faces a challenge from Karen Wheaton in this west Houston senate district. Bill Scruggs, the incumbent defeated by Farrukh Shamsi two years ago, returns for a rematch.

*Demark and Shamsi return to the SDEC.

SD-11: Lloyd Criss, father of the judge and chair of the Galveston Co. DP, is stepping down and Loretta Davis, secretary of the GCDP is the only person running to replace him. Janet Mayeaux's term will expire in two years and will be filled at that time by a male, according to the gentleman's agreement there.

*Davis is the winner, replacing Mayeaux and Joe Parra of Brazoria County is elected to replace Criss, correcting the above.

SD-13: In this metro Houston SD, incumbent Rodney Griffin draws a challenge from Progressive Populist vice chair John Robert Behrman. Jennifer Sanders, ailing for some time now, also gets a challenger, Shondra Wygal.

*Behrman is the victor, and Mary Seymore returns to the SDEC after a four-year absence to replace the retiring Sanders.

SD-15: Lenora Sorola-Pohlman is running for state vice chair, so her vacating SDEC seat got a pair of contenders, Latifah Ring and Carol Lazar, both A-A Obama delegates (Pohlman is a Clinton supporter). The demographic composition in this district is evenly split, 30% Anglo, 30% A-A, 30 Hispanic with the remaining 10% mostly Asian, including Indian/Pakistani.

* Monica E. Flores, a Clinton supporter, got the slot. Carl Whitmarsh supplies her bio:

Monica is a young Latina confined to a wheelchair who communicates by voice recognition computer and worked and organized supporters during this past primary, second to no one. Monica is the daughter of a Vice President of the local CWA and her belief in the political system is strengthened by the help and encouragement she has received from various elected officials since her debilitating accident five years ago. She is truly an inspiration to all with her determination, her dedication and her excitement.


SD-17: Arif Gafur gets a challenge from Campaign for Change candidate Lawrence Edwards, while Ella Tyler appears to have no opposition.

To Carl W. again for the news:

A clean sweep took place in the district which includes portions of West and Southwest Harris County, portions of Ft. Bend, Brazoria, Galveston, and Jefferson Counties. The district currently has no elected Senator but will soon be represented by Chris Bell. Both incumbent SDEC members from the district, Ella Tyler and Arif Gafur were turned out of office with their defeat by CAROL WRIGHT of Harris County and ALAN BLAKELY of Brazoria County.


In the convention's media room as I post this, Rick Noriega is conducting a press conference before about a hundred corporate media and bloggers. More on that later.

Bloggers' Caucus pics


Sweaty Charlie, Josh, and Vince.


Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Off to Austin

for the state convention today. Will keep things up to date here, and also here.

If you're in town you should join us at the Bloggers' Caucus.

Let's expect an announcement today about who will be keynoting the convention. I'm counting on both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to do so, and anything less will be somewhat disappointing.

There's a race for state party chair that's worth following also. And you can follow the candidates for other state party offices, SDEC and DNC who are all about changing the ways things are done here.

Fist bump

Three speeches: good, bad, and ugly

The Ugly

McCain was pathetic, reading stiltingly from one teleprompter screen to the other, standing before a green wall and to a listless, all-white audience. He repeated parts of it, obviously getting lost despite the teleprompter. He thought he had a clever idea with his "that's not change we can believe in" catchphrase, but his forced uncomfortable smile after he recites it is just creepy. I may begin to feel sorry for him early -- if it weren't for the dark and dangerous forces playing tug-of-war with his candidacy.

The Bad

Clinton's speech would have been a good one were not for the circumstances. Being introduced as the next President of the United States, while commonplace in a contested race, is quite awkward moments after one's opponent has clinched the nomination. Clinton focused on herself and her accomplishments, not in celebration or congratulations to her supporters, but as justification for continuing the fight.

The Good

The energy from the crowd fueled it, and the candidate showed he understood the historical context of the moment. But Obama did not focus on that; instead he spoke graciously and effusively of his competitors, praising Mrs. Clinton extensively and jabbing a little at his fall opponent. Most importantly he offered a rallying cry, not just to his supporters but to America as a whole.

On to the nominating conventions and the fall campaign. At last.

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Michael Skelly, Kathleen Sebelius, and Wesley Clark

Potentially the next Vice-President of the United States appeared in Houston this week with the next US Congressman from my home district ...

U.S. Rep. John Culberson's Democratic challenger harvested some political power at the international wind power convention here Monday.

Michael Skelly, a wind power executive, is co-chairing the American Wind Energy Association convention, and some attendees also contributed to his campaign at a Monday fundraising event.

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and retired Gen. Wesley Clark, a former Democratic presidential candidate, were the magnets at the campaign function. They are also featured speakers at the alternative energy convention.


It's pretty much over for Cumbersome at this point. He simply cannot compete with Skelly for media attention, money, or even influence. An incumbent Republican Congressman, tied still to Tom DeLay and the failures of the Bush administration, who cannot raise money and can't get any free media without ridicule.

It's almost sad to see. But not quite.

(Hat tip to Kuffner for much more detail than I can get to.)

Box Turtle boxed in

I can think of a solution for Sen. Corndog's problemo here:

Cornyn is now fifth in the Senate Republican leadership, right behind his fellow Texan, Kay Bailey Hutchison, and the article says it has been assumed he would try to follow her into the No. 4 job once she starts running for governor, which she is expected to do sometime next year.

As Cornyn demonstrated late last year when another leadership job came open, Cornyn is not looking to challenge Hutchison or try to move ahead of her.

Here’s an interesting quote in the story from an anonymous Republican: “John is very interested in advancing in leadership, and he feels trapped by (Hutchison) right now. He can’t leapfrog over her. As long as she’s there, it’s an uncomfortable position for him.”


Everybody: take off your hat and say "Aww."

Let's remind Roll Call that Box Turtle John has a strong opponent. Let's fill Col. Noriega's boots while he's away serving his country for the next two weeks.


Monday, June 02, 2008

The Pre-Convention Wrangle

Time for this week's edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance weekly blog round-up -- the pre-Texas Democratic Party state convention edition. And don't forget about the Third Biennial Texas Blogger's Caucus set for this Thursday at 8:30 p.m. at the Cedar Door in Austin. Joe Jaworski, Sherrie Matula, Melissa Noriega, and more will be joining us!

WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on A Texas Myth: The Citizen Legislator.

BossKitty at BlueBloggin points out that Bush has been successful in preventing accountability and that he is at the center of an intelligence leak in The Leaky Bush: Probable Cause For Treason.

Captain Kroc declares that McBlogger now has a patron saint. That means we're protected so don't mess with us or we'll have our BFF, God, gut-punch you.

PDiddie at Brains and Eggs had some questions for Boyd Richie.

Vince from Capitol Annex reviews the Texas Legislative Study Group's excellent recommendations concerning what the Texas Legislature needs to do to improve higher education.

North Texas Liberal thanks Michelle Malkin for letting us know why we should boycott Rachael Ray, the terrorist scarf-wearing daytime chef.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme crowns Victoria DA Steve Tyler the new Hissy Fit after the grand jury indicts the Victoria police chief and former city attorney. Both may have used the Victoria Advocate to prod the child rape investigation of Tyler's chief of staff.

WhosPlayin? takes a humorous look at how Rep Michael Burgess (R, TX-26) missed the mark again with recent comments, showing how out of touch he is with his middle-class constituents.

The burning question at Doing My Part For The Left is: will Republicans return Rev, Hagee's hate money.

Off the Kuff completes his early tour of the Harris County races with a peek at the race for Harris County Department of Education Trustee, which in a normal year would be a pretty low-profile affair. Of course, as we know, this is anything but a normal year.

The Texas Cloverleaf tells us how Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples wants to support the communist Cuban regime.

Texas Kaos gets into the nuts and bolts of coming events. If you're headed to Austin for the Texas Democratic State Convention this week, check out this Netroots Nation convention in Austin we're preparing for a great service event, Netroots for the Troops preparing care packages for those who are putting themselves into harm's way.