Harris County Democrats' rift between blacks, gays boils over

This is another reason why I had to take off my Crips gang colors.

A political whodunit, in the most unlikely of races, is creating chaos and divisiveness in the Harris County Democratic Party. Or perhaps I should say it is creating more than the usual chaos and divisiveness that exists like a constant low-grade fever (on a good day) throughout Democratic Party operations every­where in Texas these days.

Monday afternoon, a mysterious electronic message blew up in Houston political circles, purportedly sent by a Rev. Willie Howard on behalf of attorney Keryl Douglas' campaign for chairperson of the Harris County Democratic Party.

Douglas, who is African-American, is challenging interim chairman Lane Lewis, who is openly gay - a fact that the probably fictitious Rev. Howard finds disturbing.

The purported pastor claims to be organizing African-American ministers to support Douglas because "her opponent is openly Gay and has already told supporters behind closed doors that the Democratic Party will endorse a Gay Marriage agenda in November … If the gays take over we are poised to lose everything we have worked for during President Obama's historic win. The Republicans will rally their troops behind a united front of making sure this push for same sex marriage is defeated."

The enigmatic email closes with a particularly offensive observation:

"How will Democrats look electing a man who sales (sic) perfume for a living and lays up with another man?"

So if you are a member of the Whitmarsh listserv, you already know all about this. Likewise if you've read Kuffner or Stace. Digital trails have been sluiced out to track the offensive message as coming directly from the Douglas campaign, Douglas held a presser to deny all, the progressive Democracy for Houston club has called for her to quit the race, on and on like that. Kilday Hart for the coup de grace:

Will a wedge be driven between Harris County's African-American and gay communities? Unfortunately for Democrats, there's another local primary race indicating the answer is yes. State District Judge Steven Kirkland of the 214th District Court is being challenged by an African-American attorney, Elaine Hubbard Palmer. Stay tuned for more on that race.

But once again, we can thank Democratic politics for our daily dose of comedy and tragedy. Comedy, because any plot to de-stabilize the local party seems on its face unnecessary. And tragic, since two communities that have both faced insidious discrimination are being pitted against each other.

Do you think any of this is going to be good for Democrats in the May 29th primary elections, this rending of two key constituencies asunder? (The good intentions of African-American Democrats like Egberto Willies who spoke out against the e-mail aside, of course.) What about any lingering implications for November? If it's any consolation, Big Jolly reports that the Harris County Republicans are an even bigger clusterfuck.

Can you think of a better time to send a message to the two-party duopoly by voting for some Greens (or for that matter, Libertarians)?

A contest for Texas Democratic Party chair

As some Democrats prepare to bid a fond farewell to Mr. Potato Head (I will simply say "don't let the door hit ya where the Good Lord splitcha"), the race to replace him heats up. My colleague Ted at jobsanger has already noted the development:

My name is Rachel Barrios-Van Os, and I'm a candidate for State Chair of the Texas Democratic Party. I am running for this office for each and every Democrat and future Democrat to come because we need real leadership and we need to start fighting to win.

It's a sad day knowing that our Democracy is on the line everyday while the Republicans are in power. We have to start fighting harder, we have to fight for our rights and as your new Chairwoman, I promise that I will fight for you.

It has been way too long since the Democrats have rallied together for a statewide victory. I believe I have the progressive vision, integrity, experience and energy that it's going to take to do just that.

I am the loving wife of three-time statewide Democratic candidate David Van Os, and a mother of four beautiful children: Jay, Kay Cee,  Leya and Maya. I have been an activist for the Democratic Party my entire voting life. In my favorite Democratic Party moment in life, I was an active volunteer that helped during the 1980's to bring Ann Richards to victory. I became a Union Member in 1980 nad have always stayed active in the labor movement. I was campaign manager and treasurer for David Van Os, twice for Texas Supreme Court (1998 and 2004), and for Attorney General (2006). I was a candidate for Bexar County Clerk (2010).

During the 2006 Attorney General run, I felt like we needed to do something different  because I didn't think that the party could help us, so I recommended to David that we go to each and every courthouse (all 254 County Courthouses) in the state of Texas and give stump speeches from the steps of the courthouse and we did it. We took the campaign to the people and I believe that 's how we should start doing things again. The people/voting citizens do not feel connected to the Democratic Party anymore and so they choose to stay home.

Well it's time to change that and I'm here to offer my leadership, I'm ready, willing and able. 

Currently, I am the administrator, bookkeeper and litigation assistant for a law firm representing labor unions and civil rights. I wear many hats, but I always make sure that the job gets done. When I'm elected to be your next State Party Chair, I will make myself available to work full-time in the office of the Texas Democratic Party. I'm ready to start the job as your next State Party Chair immediately.

Regarding the state of the Party, I believe that something is very wrong when we cannot get one statewide candidate elected into office since 1994. Let's not wait another 18 years to start winning; let's make it happen now. I'm ready to take on that challenge.

Her opponent is Gilberto Hinojosa, generally regarded (until now) as the heir apparent. A third candidate, Fidel Acevedo, awaits confirmation of his candidacy because it may not have been filed in time to meet the deadline.

Barrios-Van Os is, as Ted states, the true progressive in the race (although Acevedo has bonafides as well). Hinojosa is -- probably -- the conservative establishment's choice. Thus we have set up the classic liberal-wing-versus-conservative-faction battle once again. I don't have as much invested in the contest as I would have in years past. I just don't consider myself a member of the Blue tribe any more, mostly because of internecine squabbles like this. But if anyone can turn the TDP back from the right and more toward the left, where it belongs, it's RBVO.  

Buena fortuna, Rachel (from a safe distance away, sadly).

Sunday Funnies

BREAKING NEWS: With his campaign rapidly dying, Newt Gingrich chooses to divorce it. Sources say he had already begun seeing the Mitt Romney campaign on the side.

Of dressage horses and working women

Isn't it remarkable how the Right can contrive an outrage out of thin air?

Ann Romney fought back Thursday against a Democrat who suggested she’s no economic expert because she “hasn’t worked a day in her life.” Raising the five Romney sons, she said, was such a full-time job that her husband, Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney, considered it more important than his work as the family breadwinner. “He would say, `My job is temporary…Your job is a forever job that’s going to bring forever happiness,” Ann Romney told Fox News, wading into a multimedia furor over comments by Democratic consultant Hilary Rosen. “Mitt respects women that make those different choices.”

Rosen apologized to Ann Romney later Thursday for her “poorly chosen” words. “As a mom I know that raising children is the hardest job there is,” Rosen said in a statement. “As a pundit, I know my words on CNN last night were poorly chosen.” “In response to Mitt Romney on the campaign trail referring to his wife as a better person to answer questions about women than he is, I was discussing his poor record on the plight of women’s financial struggles,” Rosen said.

First lady Michelle Obama, a working mother of two, even jumped into the fray with this tweet: “Every mother works hard, and every woman deserves to be respected. – mo.” 

Sometimes you just have to marvel at the ability of conservatives to hold onto each other and march and kick like that, all in perfect synchronicity.

For the record, Ann Romney -- stay-at-home mother of five boys (work if there ever was any for sure) -- rides Austrian Warmbloods, a dressage horse. And makes sure you use the French pronunciation of the word. That would be 'dress-SAHJ', rhymes with 'massage'.

Dressage is a sport of seven-figure horses and four-figure saddles. The monthly boarding costs are more than most people's rent. Asked how many dressage horses she owns, Mrs. Romney laughed. "Mitt doesn't even know the answer to that," she said. "I'm not going to tell you!"

Just your average stay-at-home mom, trying to juggle raising five boys, keep track of the help -- nannies, maids, butlers, chefs, gardeners, and the handlers, trainers, and veterinarians responsible for the stabling of her several $100,000-each horses at their four or five houses across the country -- and work in time for a ride every now and then.

However does she manage?

Mitt, however, rides a Missouri Foxtrotter... which of course makes him a man of the people. Cue Fanfare for the Common Man.



Would anyone like more whine?