What a revoltin' development. Jim McGrath, tweeting for the King campaign:
So much for that "most progressive candidate in the race for mayor". So much for blaring his HERO support in his mailers. So much, in short, for any remaining political aspirations he may possess. The only reasonable explanation is that Bell has arranged some quid pro quo for himself in exchange for his support of King. I personally feel a few measures of disgust, nausea, betrayal, and about ten other emotions, all negative, that I could enunciate but won't until it's official.
Bell will allegedly announce his endorsement late this morning at the Godwin Community Center in Meyerland, according to an embargoed press release from McGrath yesterday. Nothing has appeared yet anywhere but social media overnight, and I will update here when there's more. For now, you can mark me as more disillusioned with Democrats than ever.
Update:
Chris Bell will no more sheepdog me in behind Bill King than Bernie Sanders will Hillary Clinton.
Bell's got some deal involving a large amount of city dollars waiting on Bill King's approval as mayor. I've been more disgusted with Democrats and Republicans lying down together, but I cannot remember when. This is a real low point for Houston, and Texas, and Texas Democrats.
Very proud to announce former mayoral candidate, City Council Member and U.S. Rep @ChrisBell2015 will endorse @BillKingForHou tomorrow.
— Jim McGrath (@jgm41) November 17, 2015
So much for that "most progressive candidate in the race for mayor". So much for blaring his HERO support in his mailers. So much, in short, for any remaining political aspirations he may possess. The only reasonable explanation is that Bell has arranged some quid pro quo for himself in exchange for his support of King. I personally feel a few measures of disgust, nausea, betrayal, and about ten other emotions, all negative, that I could enunciate but won't until it's official.
Bell will allegedly announce his endorsement late this morning at the Godwin Community Center in Meyerland, according to an embargoed press release from McGrath yesterday. Nothing has appeared yet anywhere but social media overnight, and I will update here when there's more. For now, you can mark me as more disillusioned with Democrats than ever.
Update:
.@ChrisBell2015: "In today's episode of Strange Bedfellows, Bill King and Chris Bell will be appearing." #houvote pic.twitter.com/h9LZIdOmJW
— Rebecca Elliott (@rfelliott) November 17, 2015
Chris Bell will no more sheepdog me in behind Bill King than Bernie Sanders will Hillary Clinton.
So @ChrisBell2015 has gone from talking constantly about HERO and choice to saying they aren't issues that face this city #houvote
— Kris Banks (@KrisBanks) November 17, 2015
But the bigotry and intolerance of Bill King and his Tea Party associates is partisan. @ChrisBell2015 is a JOKE. https://t.co/BVzM36jNdp
— Lainey Croucher (@ebalagia) November 17, 2015
Bell's got some deal involving a large amount of city dollars waiting on Bill King's approval as mayor. I've been more disgusted with Democrats and Republicans lying down together, but I cannot remember when. This is a real low point for Houston, and Texas, and Texas Democrats.
3 comments:
Holy moly!
Is it personal? Could be some bad blood between Bell and Turner?
That is really surprising.
I posted that Republican Lite link on Twitter. I too am disappointed to not have known more about him earlier, and not seen through his "good guy ethics" one-trick pony.
A few years ago, after his third consecutive electoral defeat, Chris Bell told me that he was tired of, and disillusioned with, running for office. Some politicians never get it out of their systems completely, so, kick-around-Nixon-style, they call it quits, but then take it back later.
As much as I like Bell as a person, from my few encounters with him (and making phone calls for him in the runoff against Joan Huffman), if he is a progressive, I find him a rather tepid one. Most progressives become progressive because of their passion for one or more issues. Maybe he has some passions, but he has trouble letting them show through.
Although I voted for Sylvester Turner, I would have been happy to have Bell as mayor. In fact, there were several candidates I found acceptable. Why can't Houston at least look into adopting some form of Instant Runoff Voting? With ranked preference or approval voting in City Council races, we could avoid these tiresome December encores that produce such appallingly low turnouts.
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