"Spain has been waiting a long time to get its land back."
How much does this job pay again?
February 18, 2006
EDITORIAL BOARD
Austin American-Statesman
Copyright 2006
Since Jan. 16, American-Statesman editorialists have been interviewing candidates running in the March 7 Democratic and Republican party primaries — scores of them. We've interviewed close to 70 candidates, and we're going to spend next week rounding up a few strays.
In the main, the hours are filled with recitations of candidates' backgrounds, political positions and expectations of success. But there are always a few political gems in the conversations, some contentious give-and-take and occasional moments of humor.
For instance, Terry Keel, a Republican state representative from Austin now running statewide for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, is always a lively interview. That's a tough race because few Texans know the court, fewer offer campaign contributions for judges who only decide criminal appeals and candidates must campaign across this vast state.
Judges often reach that court, Keel explained, "because they're dead Texas heroes or grocery store commodities." What's that? Well, Keel continued, Judge Sam Houston Clinton always admitted he won because he was named for a dead Texas hero. "Look at the names of some others who've been on the court: Baird, Onion, McCormack, Campbell . . . groceries. I can give you the whole list if you want."
Keel is a successful and savvy politician who knows his way around an interview. Others aren't so experienced. Like the candidate who said he was running for county judge because he had already lost a race for county commissioner and didn't want to lose the same race twice.
Another candidate, asked why he was running, said, "A county commissioner makes $50,000 a year. That's almost a thousand dollars a month."
State Rep. Mike Krusee, the Republican representing Williamson County, was grilled on his legislation that created toll road authorities. So you consider toll roads just a necessary evil, he was asked.
"I wouldn't call them 'evil'," he replied, straight-faced.
And on giving the contract for a Texas toll road to Cintra, a Spanish company with operations around the world, someone noted that Spain has been waiting a long time to get its land back.
vv
Somebody should have told Ben. As good as the above gems are, those quotes don't shine as brightly as one offered up in Friday's editions by Dave Carney, chief political consultant to Gov. Rick Perry. Responding to criticism about a trip to the Bahamas that the governor took a couple of years ago to relax and talk about school finance with well-heeled contributors and supporters, Carney had this to say: "It gives the cranks something to attack, criticize and talk about without having to actually come up with a plan or an idea of their own. Negativity has never won an election."
Well, Carney should have offered that advice to the Republican Party of Texas, which spent tons of money attacking Democratic legislative candidate Donna Howard.
Carney got it right, though. Howard, running to represent a district that stretches from the Burnet County line to South Austin, easily trounced Republican Ben Bentzin in the District 48 special election. She captured 58 percent of the votes.
© 2005 Austin American-Statesman: www.statesman.com
February 18, 2006
EDITORIAL BOARD
Austin American-Statesman
Copyright 2006
Since Jan. 16, American-Statesman editorialists have been interviewing candidates running in the March 7 Democratic and Republican party primaries — scores of them. We've interviewed close to 70 candidates, and we're going to spend next week rounding up a few strays.
In the main, the hours are filled with recitations of candidates' backgrounds, political positions and expectations of success. But there are always a few political gems in the conversations, some contentious give-and-take and occasional moments of humor.
For instance, Terry Keel, a Republican state representative from Austin now running statewide for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, is always a lively interview. That's a tough race because few Texans know the court, fewer offer campaign contributions for judges who only decide criminal appeals and candidates must campaign across this vast state.
Judges often reach that court, Keel explained, "because they're dead Texas heroes or grocery store commodities." What's that? Well, Keel continued, Judge Sam Houston Clinton always admitted he won because he was named for a dead Texas hero. "Look at the names of some others who've been on the court: Baird, Onion, McCormack, Campbell . . . groceries. I can give you the whole list if you want."
Keel is a successful and savvy politician who knows his way around an interview. Others aren't so experienced. Like the candidate who said he was running for county judge because he had already lost a race for county commissioner and didn't want to lose the same race twice.
Another candidate, asked why he was running, said, "A county commissioner makes $50,000 a year. That's almost a thousand dollars a month."
State Rep. Mike Krusee, the Republican representing Williamson County, was grilled on his legislation that created toll road authorities. So you consider toll roads just a necessary evil, he was asked.
"I wouldn't call them 'evil'," he replied, straight-faced.
And on giving the contract for a Texas toll road to Cintra, a Spanish company with operations around the world, someone noted that Spain has been waiting a long time to get its land back.
vv
Somebody should have told Ben. As good as the above gems are, those quotes don't shine as brightly as one offered up in Friday's editions by Dave Carney, chief political consultant to Gov. Rick Perry. Responding to criticism about a trip to the Bahamas that the governor took a couple of years ago to relax and talk about school finance with well-heeled contributors and supporters, Carney had this to say: "It gives the cranks something to attack, criticize and talk about without having to actually come up with a plan or an idea of their own. Negativity has never won an election."
Well, Carney should have offered that advice to the Republican Party of Texas, which spent tons of money attacking Democratic legislative candidate Donna Howard.
Carney got it right, though. Howard, running to represent a district that stretches from the Burnet County line to South Austin, easily trounced Republican Ben Bentzin in the District 48 special election. She captured 58 percent of the votes.
© 2005 Austin American-Statesman:
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Friday, February 17, 2006
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