2010 Texas Gubernatorial Debate, Sunday October 3, Houston *update*

Bill White and Deb Shafto and Kathie Glass will be there, but All Hat and No Cattle will be off somewhere shooting conservative bloggers and sucking up to coyotes. Or is it the other way around?

Go here to register, as only 350 are allowed. Since the Republican candidate will be MIA -- Neil is taking suggestions on empty chairs to be displayed -- Fat Jolly may not be able to give you an on-the-scene report. Then again, he may think that he's being excluded because he is not one of Houston's Top Political Bloggers (heck, he may be a 'bottom', for all that I know). But present or no, you can certainly count on his whining about it afterward, and that those whines will be echoed by his sycophants.

Because they really have nothing of consequence to say, I suppose.

There will be another debate just like this one October 19 in Austin.

Update: The press release indicates they can accommodate 650 (though the registration website above still says 350).

The 2010 Texas Gubernatorial Debate on Oct. 3 will feature KTRK Channel 13 news anchor Melanie Lawson as debate moderator, with three candidates committed to date. The debate is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. at Harris County Department of Education, 6300 Irvington Blvd. in Houston.

With a focus on education topics, the debate is co-hosted by HCDE and The League of Women Voters of Texas and the Houston Area. All four gubernatorial candidates have been invited to participate. Candidates committed to debating to date are Democrat Bill White, Libertarian Kathie Glass and Green Party candidate Deb Shafto.

“Education is a hot topic in the November election,” said Harris County School Superintendent John E. Sawyer. “We look forward to co-hosting this historical debate and anticipate keen interest from the education public. Of course, all citizens are invited and urged to attend.”

An audience of 650 can be accommodated in the HCDE Conference Center located in northeast Houston off the North Loop near the Hardy Toll Road. Participants must register for the debate online at www.hcde-texas.org . Go to “register now,” create a user account, search for the workshop by date or title and complete the form. Registration confirmation must be presented for admission. Doors will open at 5:45 p.m. There will be no late seating.

The Weekly (cool snap) Wrangle

The Texas Progressive Alliance is no longer in wait for that first nip of fall in the air as it brings you this week's blog roundup.

This week on Left of College Station Teddy writes about why the Tea Party has an expiration date. Also, as the semiannual protest against reproductive rights 40 Days for Life begins, a guest blogger writes about being a pro-choice feminist Christian, and Teddy has a post about how the Coalition for Life lies to women. Left of College Station also covers the week in headlines.

Off the Kuff interviewed Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia, and Democratic candidate for County Judge Gordon Quan.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme knows that deregulation means more tainted food and more BP disasters like this one.

Bay Area Houston lists some alternatives to white-wing wadio in Houston.

Nat-Wu at Three Wise Men examines the situation in Somalia, coverage of which has mostly ceased in the American press.

Jeff Weems, the Democratic candidate for Texas Railroad Commission, earned the endorsement of both the Dallas Morning News and the Houston Chronicle. Keith Hampton, our man for the Court of Appeals, got the DMN endorsement. Bill Moody (Texas Supreme Court),Wally Kronzer (14th Court of Appeals), and Robert Ray (1st Court of Appeals) also got endorsed by the Houston newspaper.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson has a question for you: did you know Texas' public education finance system is hopelessly broken?

WhosPlayin calls BS on GOP Congressman Michael Burgess' taxpayer-funded "survey" over extending the Bush tax cuts. The only options were a dishonest choice of all or nothing, so WhosPlayin posted its own survey with the third option of "extend for the middle class".

This week at McBlogger we take a look at Sleazy Todd Staples and his johnny-come-lately advocacy for tougher eminent domain restrictions.

Neil at Texas Liberal noted this week that the party holding the White House has lost seats in the U.S. House of Reps. in 33 of 36 midterms since the Civil War. Neil is not pleased that Democrats may lose some seats in the upcoming election, but these things do happen.

Libby Shaw at TexasKaos explains how one of our smirking Republican friends claim that "The American People Wrote the Pledge" when it was actually written by lobbyists. Check it out.

More Funnies (less funny)

A True Tale from Texas

The Texas State Board of Education is a laughingstock. Rebecca Bell Metereau and Judy Jennings, along with Michael Soto, will change that.