Update:A nice write up of
Bell's career in the Austin American Statesman. Ladies and Gentlemen, I think we have us a hoss race. So does Rick, btw, as he
ducked out of the post debate press conference, opting instead to have a hapless staffer hand out a press release.
Okay, I missed out on the debate fun Friday night, but the video is (for the moment) available right here.
Before I start the streamblogging, let me put my biases on the table.I am a outspoken Chris Bell supporter (sometimes I've felt more outspoken than Bell himself was being about his candidacy).
I've been hard on Kinky. So much so that a couple of his supporters have called me a "meanie".
I loathe Rick Perry slightly less than Gran Strayhorn does, but I find her political opportunism distasteful to say the least. She'd probably be a better governor than Perry, but I wouldn't trust her as far as I could throw her.
And I've got a weak arm.
This should not be considered a transcript.
Here goes nothin'...
Good lord, could the opening music be more pretentious? I know you scored an exclusive, but Belo, get over your damn selves.
Topic: ImmigrationStrayhorn: When asked about deporting millions of illegal immigrants and tearing the fabric of families apart, responding with a perky cheerleader smile is not what I'd expect from a politically savvy candidate. Nor does it please me on a basic human level.
Oh, my god, she wants the TEXAS RANGERS to be in charge? Somebody's been downloading too many Walker, Texas Ranger reruns to her Tivo.
Even then, she doesn't answer the question about what she would do about those already in residence in Texas.
Perry: Polished non-answer to whether he'd keep the National Guard on the border indefinitely if Washington didn't act.He took the chance to tout his being ahead of Washington (talk about damning with faint self-praise) in sending the National Guard to the border.
Of course, he neglected to mention the fact that these guardsmen are getting bored and liquored up and shooting over the heads of families having a barbecue.Friedman: Well that was an awfully quick decision about declaring martial law in border communities.
Who did the debate prep for this supposedly "serious" candidate?I think he also mentioned an amnesty program with a "taxpayer ID card" being issued and a criminal background check. Since he goes right back to the militarization of the border, and body bags his answer's a bit of a muddle to parse.
If anybody is listening after his embrace of martial law.
Bell Starts off referring to standing up to Delay and his "three Republican opponents" this evening. Drawing a sharp delineation right away is a good gambit.
Then he makes his major point enforcement of laws at the employer portal, and the need for a "logical and sensible" comprehensive approach to the immigration issue.
"Does anyone seriously believe we can deport 12 million people when we couldn't even evacuate New Orleans?"
Oh, SNAP!
Topic: Taxes and EducationPerry: It's so funny to hear Slick Rick, who just called a special election in Tx-22 to give the Republican write-in candidate in the regular election a hand up and has presided over an increasingly poisonous partisanship in Texas politics trot out his "bipartisan" credentials using John Sharp as a beard.He focuses on the total tax reduction, ignoring the questioner's point that most people will see very little of that tax cut.
That said, it was an excellent answer and will probably resonate with those who nostalgiac for a far more amiably bipartisan Texas than we have today.
Strayhorn: She makes the most of her cordial loathing for Le Perry, however, to point out that the $2k tax cut he promised is nothing like it.
Nice swing, Grandma.Also, apparently someone has polled the phrases "Shake Austin up" and "Tell Texans the Truth", because Gran's making the most of those catchphrases.
She says them like she hasn't been a part of the entrenched power structure in Austin for a couple of decades. It's hard to position yourself as an outsider when you've so publically horsetraded your political allegiance to become an insider.
Bell: "Businesses need to be paying their fair share."
Oh my god, I love this answer. The haphazard application of the franchise tax has been a pet peeve of mine for some time. Nice way to point out how fully in the pocket of the corporate infrastructure Texas government currently is, (1.5 billion in new loopholes) and suggest a revenue stream that could give genuine relief to the homeowner's property tax burden.
Right after he makes the point about the 1.5 billion in loopholes, he brings up the $6k pay raise and says in order to have a world class education system we have to start treating our teachers as professionals. Great framing.
Also, points out the failure of the current system without calling the teachers themselves failures (which they are not) by mentioning that more certified teachers in Texas are NOT teaching in our classrooms than are.
Who says Bell isn't entertaining? I'm gonna need more popcorn for this download.
Friedman: Doesn't answer the question about his platform, but takes the chance to take a couple of swipes at Perry. "Leave one Governor behind"-nice turn of phrase.Legalizing gambling to pay for education.
Once again, I ask who prepped this debate for the Kinkster?
Candidate Round Robin:Bell to Strayhorn:
q: Ethics-half billion in tax breaks to the clients of your biggest contributors. 1998 you said you wouldn't take contributions from anyone with business pending before your office. "How can the people of Texas trust you now?"
a: You're absolutely incorrect about that, Chris. (Of course, the record shows he's absolutely RIGHT about that.)
"I have a comprehensive ethics plan", she says. She's upgraded above what's required by law. That may be true, as Texas ethics tend to the robber baronesque, but that's not the promise she made in 1998.
Gets to wear her martyrdom tiara as well, claiming there's been a "three year witch hunt" in Austin.
"We're gonna have a pink granite wall" where lobbyists now have a revolving door.
Given her history, I think somebody needs to check the foundation under that wall.
Bell's rebuttal: Facts are facts. He ID's Grandma as part of the pay to play culture.
Friedman to Bell:
q: What do you think of Governor Perry's refusal to do more than one debate?Okay, I blow Kinky a kiss for that one. It dings Perry, and gives Chris a chance to point out what an important election this is and call for more debates.
Kinky's Rebuttal: One liner.
Perry to Friedman: "Mr. Friedman" with a classic Perry sneer on his face. q: What's your long term energy plan for a growing state?
a: Clearly this is a subject Kinky's genuinely passionate about. He needs to learn to stand still instead of shifting his weight like he's getting ready to make a break for it.
We're importing energy for the first time in Texas history. We need biodiesel, wind, and solar power. Also, he gets in his best line so far. Though I've not fact checked it, it's likely to stick with folks. "Wouldn't it be nice to be number one in something besides executions, toll roads, property taxes, and dropouts.
Perry's rebuttal: We're number 1 in wind generating already and I just announced a $10 billion dollar infrastructure investment to keep us there.
Well played, gentlemen. Well played.
Strayhorn to Perry: She really, REALLY hates him. With an inappropriate half-smile on her face (jebus, what is this, amateur hour?) she bashes him with putting special interests over protecting children from sexual predators. Unfortunately, since her specific reference was pretty obscure (and am I not getting told all the time that the Governor has no power over the Lege?) I think she overplayed her hand here.That little smile while referring to sexual predators is more than a tad creepy.
a: We're a strong on crime state.
Strayhorn's Rebuttal: Yeah, but I'm stronger than you are on crime. Nyah, Nyah.
Whiffed there, Madam Comptroller.
Round Robin-Journos to Candidates with rebuttals
Bell: Doesn't take the bait that the questioner gives that he's "sedate, even boring". Moves the question to education as his passion. Very statesmanlike.Friedman rebuttal: I agree with Chris on education.Perry rebuttal: Texas's public schools are FABOO.
Strayhorn rebuttal: Texans like me, they really REALLY like me. Did you know I was a schoolteacher? Don't I look good in this jacket?
(Okay, that's not what she said, but really, I was more eloquent than she was.)
Friedman: Gets the racism question. Well, you knew it was bound to come up.
Some of my best friends are black, and Christians. "I'm no racist, I'm a realist." (I still don't know WTF that's supposed to mean.) Then blames evacuees in Houston once again for the rising crime rate. Perhaps he thought he was filing for Houston Mayor instead of Texas Governor?
RebuttalsPerry: "Mr. Friedman, words matter." Ouch. That's gonna leave a mark. Mofo.
Strayhorn: "I want to be a governor for ALL Texans". (Kinky's getting a spanking all around here.)
Bell: Deftly links Kinky's racial comments to his just stated reference to politicians as parasites, and uses the opportunity to position himself as a believer in the art or science of political government, while Kinky sees it as a joke.
Perry: Budget cutting is for other depts, not my office. We're a lean, mean, bureaucratic machine. Rebuttals
Strayhorn: Calls Perry on his slush fund, and claims he hid his employees in other depts budgets.Bell: Perry mentioned the Parks Dept. Bell saw the hole and pushed through for some extra yardage-also hitting on Perry's control of the Slush-I mean Enterprise-Fund.
Friedman: When in doubt, use a football metaphor. After all, it's Texas-OU weekend.
Strayhorn: Just because I've change political parties and taken contributions contrary to my promises doesn't mean I'm an opportunist.
"Look, it's a bear! He's probably looking to lobby Rick Perry!"
RebuttalsBell: Facts are very stubborn things. Should not be a cash and carry government in our state capitol. Campaign finance, lobbying reform.
Friedman: We're the little guys. Everybody's picking on us.
Perry: Reform the budget. God, don't talk about contributors again. It's supposed to be our little secret.
Citizen Questions via emailFriedman: Don't worry about the cigar. Sam Houston was an opium addict and a drunkard.Perry: TTC- You guys gave us permission when you changed the constitution two years ago, and anyway, blame the legislature.
Is it my imagination, or does Slick Rick look like someone just handed him a very hot potato indeed? He's talking really fast, and then suddenly shifting his eyes away and losing his train of thought. Little bit of prevarication there, Rick?
Strayhorn: She refutes Rick's contentions directly. Brings up the foreign controlled corp, and calls it the Trans-Texas Catastrophe. It's the most animated and organized answer she's given all night.
Bell: Tuition deregulation must be looked at. Make college education affordable. He loops back to the TTC to link Grandma and Bouffant Rick at their Republican hips. (Ewwww.) Points out that Gran was all for toll roads before she was against 'em, and basically anchors them together in the biggest land grab in the history of the state.
Lightning Round:
Friedman: Doesn't know UTexas tuition.
Perry: Doesn't know the electric bill for the mansion.
Strayhorn: Doesn't know the newly elected President of Mexico.
Bell: No term limit, and makes a slam at Rick Perry in the bonus round.
Perry: Doesn't know interest rate for 30 year mortgage.
Strayhorn: Doesn't know the number of wks of unemployment.
Bell: Alamo was in 1836
Friedman: Not sure if he was right or not about the amt of Lottery winnings that go to education, but since he said zero, chances are he was wrong.
One on Ones
Friedman: No druggies at the head of the Education dept. (Whew. That's a relief.) I would try to be diverse, but get the politicians out of the government.Can't name a Texas African American on his campaign, (but expect Frank from Atlanta to be making some photo ops.)
So I got my facts wrong. I'll have people looking things up on Satan's internet for me.
Bell: Standardized tests are not the problem, but the high stakes nature of the TAKS test skews Texas educational system.
Look at the dropout and graduation rate. Look at college readiness. Look at SAT scores.
Need flexibility for individual school districts so they can address the issues of their population rather than be subject to the dictates of a one size fits all approach from Austin.
Re his visibility. We have been reaching out, and we will continue reaching out. He also chides the journos for not paying attn. If Democrats unite, we'll win.
Strayhorn: Asked once again about her changeable allegiances, she turns into a great big waffle in a hot pink jacket.
Trumpets her endorsement by the teachers unions, and hits Perry again.
Claims she's not an insider "I run with the people". Look at the last three years (Is this tiara on straight?)
Who told her martyrdom is a good look?
Perry: My roots are in farming and ranching. You can tell by how much hair mousse it takes to get this photogenic look.
Population is growing, and will need transportation infrastructure. (Ignores the question about the farmers and ranchers all together.)
Tries to draw a parallel to the Farm to Market road system. Somehow, I don't think rural Texas is gonna buy it.
No conflict of interest with Cintra. It's all above board and competitive bids. I'm dancing as fast as I can.
Closing StatementsBell: We are all proud of Texas. We just don't like what those two on the end (Perry and Strayhorn) have been doing to it. Good job linking those two, and a reminder that there's no runoff. Whoever has the most votes is the next Governor of Texas.
"Serious man with a serious plan." Well, I would have said "Serious man with a comprehensive plan." but that's a quibble. Chris did really well at drawing a distinction between himself and the rest of the field.
Friedman: If you want a politically correct governor pick someone else. (I think that's a given, Kinkster.) Invokes St Ronnie of Reagan and the Good Shepherd, and tries to position himself as a statesman. I kid you not. That's what he said.
Perry: Refers to Bell's former title of "Congressman" in an attempt to stain him with the Beltway taint.Bell is the only opponent he names specifically.
Strayhorn: Sounds like a campaign commercial. And that goofy grin. Bless her heart, she means well. For herself.
Well, that was longer than I thought it would be. Since I don't know that the debate itself will be on the net, I wanted to be thorough.
All in all, Perry did well-didn't lose any ground I don't think.
Bell did gain ground, from post debate reports. He earned the good press with his performance here.
I think Kinky embarrassed even himself. He was ill at ease and clearly not up to the job of Governor of Texas.
Grandma was the big loser, I think. Her antipathy to Perry, justified though it may be, skewed her approach to the debate.She looked petty and amateurish, and she's been in politics for 30 years now.
I don't think she's coming up for air, though Kinky and she may start duking it out for 3rd/4th place.
Originally posted at TexasKaos.