Thursday, May 12, 2005

Texas political bloggers and Chris Bell

were all on the same phone line tonight.

I've blogged previously here (and linked to this) about Bell and the governor's race, and tonight's call disclosed no blockbusters. Here are the highlights:

-- July is the deadline for his decision to formally enter the gubernatorial tilt; among a few other reasons, that's when his wife Alison will complete her chemotherapy.

-- Bell thinks it will take anywhere from $10 to $20 million to wage the contest.

-- he hears the same names as the rest of us do bandied about as possible competitors in the Democratic primary (Tony Sanchez, John Sharp). Whether they enter the race or not figures to break along the lines of Kay Bailey Hutchison's decision to run against Rick Perry on the GOP side. (Both of those men probably have no appetite for a potential general campaign against her given their track records in elections past, so if she makes up her mind to go, you could expect them not to. That's my opinion, not Chris Bell's.)

-- Bell "will take seriously" a Kinky Friedman candidacy and believes that overall it would be a good thing. The Kinkster "if nothing else will get people laughing at Rick Perry; but it's that sad laughter; the kind you laugh when you know something's broken".

-- the hiring of Joe Trippi (and EchoDitto) reflects Bell's interest in cultivating the netroots, and that includes reaching younger Texans. That's reflected in his website, the podcasts, and tonight's conference call with the Lone Star blogosphere. Continuing in a familiar Trippi trend, Bell has scheduled House Parties for Sunday, June 12 -- the date celebrating the one-year anniversary of Bell's ethics complaint filed against Tom DeLay.

Expect more blogging on future conference calls with Bell and other Democratic candidates.

Update: Sean at The Agonist and Nate at Common Sense have their live postings up.

5 comments:

PDiddie said...

What?! Kink was allegedly hosting a party in H-Town last night, in accordance with his responsibilities as Grand Marshal of the Art Car Parade this weekend.

Interestingly, we have not one but TWO invitations to march in that parade; one is with the Global Awareness puppetistas (who're sticking around to protest at the Halliburton shareholders meeting here next week) as well as to walk behind "Spanky", the TrueMajority traveling float that has Uncle Sam taking Tom DeLay over his knee. Google 'spanky tom delay' for a photo.

I invited you to both the Morrison calls but you said you were busy buying a ladder or something. ;-)

PDiddie said...

Humidity? What's that?

Fred said...

My father-in-law purchased some Kinky yard signs...it's early...

http://truth-serum.blogspot.com/

PDiddie said...

Yo, W.B.! Truth Serum's been in my favorites for a coupla weeks now (ever since I found ya).

Think I need to drop you in the Roll.

Fred said...

Thanks P, I blogged rolled ya last week. Peace!!