A Cajun Pre-Christmas

Leaving this morning for Baton Rouge, Breaux Bridge, and Lafayette through early next week. Posting sporadic.

Also visiting Shangri La today.

Update:



The Heronry Blind had only some black cormorants to see, working on their spring nests. It's a little too soon for any nesters. We'll come back in the spring for some better birding.

Linda Chavez-Thompson for Lt. Governor

Hat tip to Phillip, here's Jason Embry.

Linda Chavez-Thompson, a former executive vice president of the AFL-CIO, is leaning toward running for lieutenant governor as a Democrat, according to multiple sources familiar with her plans.

The San Antonio resident, born and raised in the Lubbock area, is now executive vice president emerita of the labor organization and is also a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee. She was also a super-delegate during the 2008 presidential primary.

From her bio on the national Democratic Party Web site: “A native of Lubbock, Texas, Chavez-Thompson is a second-generation American of Mexican descent. Upon her retirement, she celebrated 40 years of experience in the labor movement, beginning in 1967 with her first work for the Laborers’ local union in Lubbock. She went on to serve in a variety of posts with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) in San Antonio, Texas, and became an international vice president in 1988, a post she held until 1996. She also served from 1986 to 1996 as a national vice president of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, AFL-CIO. In 1993, Chavez-Thompson was elected and served a two-year term as one of 31 vice presidents on the Executive Council of the national AFL-CIO.”

Among Democrats who know about her plans, there is already considerable excitement about a Chavez-Thompson bid. The thinking goes that her personal story — she quit school in the ninth grade so she could start working and earn money for her family — creates a contrast with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, the wealthy Republican incumbent. (Of course, it’s worth pointing out that Dewhurst wasn’t born into wealth). And as someone who has risen to the top of the national labor movement and the top of the national Democratic Party, Chavez-Thompson has a myriad of contacts within the party from whom she can raise money. Plus, she is well-known in the San Antonio area.

Not much to add to that. She would present a formidable opponent to the blue-blooded Dewhurst -- or Greg Abbott, if Dewhurst eventually becomes the appointed US Senator.

Summing up the Senate debate on health care reform

If Harry Reid can't bring himself to use reconciliation and restore some of the real reform measures that have been stripped out, then it's time to kill the bill. We'll do it all over again in 2010 after we elect some real Democrats.

(It might be that the quickest way to kill it is to support it as strongly as possible -- if you believe Chris Bowers -- but I can't go there.)

Invertebrate uses tool

Or perhaps this:


(In case you're not getting it ... read this, and then this.)

Update: Ted at jobsanger speaks for me as well.

Kinky follows Gilbert to Ag Commish

Let's start with the TexTrib's report. Skip the obvious and scroll down to this:

(Kinky's campaign consultant Colin) Strother says while Friedman did consider the land commissioner post, he felt the agriculture commissioner job was "the best fit". Friedman spent the past week getting advice from his friend, former Agriculture Commissioner Jim Hightower.

"I've got a pretty detailed plan of action that we'll be rolling out later in the week," Friedman said. "From forming a statewide public defenders' office and setting a goal of at least one animal rescue facility in each county, to restoring our depleted woodlands and promoting a greater role for local producers in school cafeterias, we're going to shake things up and show folks what the office can be if you have someone there who actually cares about the job."

"He's really energetic and excited about it," said Strother. "[He's excited about] the great diversity of things it can do for rural Texas - from economic development, to land and soil conservation... The first thing he wants to do is get an animal rescue facility in every county in Texas. Biofuels and animal rescue were the clinchers."

Friedman says he'll officially file on Tuesday...

That's probably the biggest disappointment here; that Jim Hightower gave him this nudge.

There were hints over the weekend. Kinky had his visits with Farouk Shami and Bill White, and let this slip to the Conroe Courier (hat tip to The MoCo Report) ...

Friedman said he (had) discussed running for Texas Agriculture Commissioner with former commissioner Jim Hightower, singer Willie Nelson and Bill White.

“What I learned is that as agriculture commissioner there was almost nothing I couldn’t do that I couldn’t do as governor,” Friedman said.

Friedman would have been better served by his advisers -- not to mention his own brain -- had he entered any other contest besides the one with the best progressive and the highest Democratic vote-getter in 2006.

I think I could have voted for him if he had chosen Land Commissioner. But not now.

Update: Reactions from Muse, McBlogger, Trail Blazers, Texas Politics, and Poli-Tex. And also Hank Gilbert himself ...

“Since exploring a race for governor, Kinky has had a cigar promotion tour, a book promotion tour and a documentary released about his last run all in an attempt to promote his publishing and business interests. He doesn’t care about running for office for the sake of helping people. He’s looking for the best and most cost-efficient way of building name recognition to sell his products and himself. He’s figured out that an entertainer running for office can generate earned media to help boost his book sales and sell tickets to his shows,” he continued.

“Texas needs bold, common-sense leadership at the Texas Department of Agriculture in order to address the many issues facing consumers, family farms, food producers, and the other industries regulated by the agency. All of these issues directly effect the citizens of this state on a daily basis. People don’t need someone more concerned about self-promotion than selfless public service,” Gilbert said.