Redistricting fight turns into attack on Bush (Chicken Run)

Houston Chronicle .com ^ | 9/04/03

[Libloather]

Redistricting fight turns into attack on Bush
Associated Press
Sept. 4, 2003, 5:25PM

WASHINGTON -- Texas state Democrats turned their redistricting fight into an attack on President Bush today, accusing him of trampling on minority voting rights and being part of a Republican national power grab.

Three of the remaining 10 Democratic state senators who fled Texas over the redistricting dispute were in Washington to promote new radio and TV ads that will run in swing presidential states including Florida, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Arizona, New York, Nevada and Texas, along with the District of Columbia.

The ads, which will begin running within the next two weeks, were paid with funds raised by Moveon.org, an Internet group formed in the late 1990s to help oppose the impeachment of then-President Clinton.

The Democrats said today they are trying to expose involvement of Bush, presidential adviser Karl Rove and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay in the Texas redistricting effort and the last-minute redrawing of a congressional map in Colorado.

"We're here today because our story is true. What happened in Texas is real. There is only one person who can stop it. He could stop it with a phone call and that's President Bush," said Sen. Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio.

The news conference came a day after state Sen. John Whitmire left his 10 Democratic colleagues who have been in self-imposed exile in New Mexico and returned to Texas. His return could possibly give Republicans the quorum they need to pass a congressional redistricting plan. Texas Gov. Rick Perry has to call a third special session to take up the measure.

"We are not conceding defeat," said Sen. Rodney Ellis of Houston.

Democrats hold 17 of Texas' 32 House seats in Congress. Republicans say they should have a majority of the seats to reflect Republican voting trends in the state.

Ellis said Bush has no "plausible deniability" of involvement in the push to redraw congressional districts because Rove has made calls to state lawmakers on the issue.

"A paid federal government employee making calls from the White House, our house, is acting at the behest of his or her employer, pure and simple," Ellis said.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment. In a briefing Wednesday White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Bush is always concerned about Texas but the redistricting issue is a Texas matter.

State Sen. Eliot Shapleigh said after comparing notes with Colorado legislators who visited the Democrats in New Mexico "we began to see a national pattern of abuse."

"What's happening here is people in the Republican Party are trying to overturn the results of elections," said Rep. Martin Frost of Texas. "They are trying to overturn the results of elections in Texas two years ago. They trying to overturn the results of the election in California. They are trying to overturn results of election in Colorado."

David Beckwith, spokesman for Republican Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, dismissed the Democratic accusations, saying the Democrats' arguments didn't make sense since they are using a national, left-leaning group to win the redistricting fight.

Beckwith said he thinks Perry will call a third special session and that if Whitmire doesn't return to the Capitol on his own, Republicans will go get him, although he later said that decision was up to Perry.

[Libloather]

...being part of a Republican national power grab.

They're getting a bit skeered of the Vast Right Wing Fatwa...

[Paul Atreides]

It took them a lot longer to blame W than I thought it would. Morticia Van de Poot is no Hillary, despite the shrieking.

[tet68]

"They are trying to overturn the results of elections in Texas two years ago. They trying to overturn the results of the election in California. They are trying to overturn results of election in Colorado."

It's all just more of the BIG LIE, the democrat "talking points" repeated ad nauseum and loudly.

The only thing they left out is, "Overturned the results of the Florida election, and that brought us 911."

Sad really.

[hotpotato]

[SwinneySwitch]

"They are trying to overturn the results of elections in Texas two years ago."

I'M GETTING A HEADACHE TRYING TO FIGURE THAT ONE OUT!

[hotpotato]

What's really sad is that this "Republicans trying to steal elections" cry is actually working among democratic voters. Even including Clinton's impeachment as evidence of this power grab was an attempt to steal the presidency... regardless that had he been booted from office, Gore would have gotten the seat. With a good chance of having been elected in 2000.

[deport]

FYI........

[.cnI redruM]

Noone enjoys being successful opposed. The Dems are just more disorganized and amatuerish. This entire legislative bolt for the hills, reminded me of a constipated toddler upset that he couldn't do business on the pot.

[The UnVeiled Lady]

The ads, which will begin running within the next two weeks, were paid with funds raised by Moveon.org, an Internet group formed in the late 1990s to help oppose the impeachment of then-President Clinton.

You mean the Action wing of the Communist party ... MoveOn.org ( see www.cpusa.org ) everyone print the 1st page of this so we have a record of it. So Far MoveOn.org has paid $25,000 to the Tx Dems in NM, paid for a rally for the TX dems in NM (bused in 20 buses of people) did they pay anything to Tx dems in OK? Not to mention they hosted a speech for AlGore.

[Dog Gone]

10 Rats outside of Texas means nothing. It's all a PR game for these bozos.

We've won. They want to stay out of Texas as if it means something, but it's stupid.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks for the ping ...

"We are not conceding defeat," said Sen. Rodney Ellis of Houston.

Click ! .... buzzzzzzz ! ....

This is one of the Texas Chicken D's holed up in Albuquerque, N.M. He calls the fines 'Poll Taxes' and RUDELY hogs the conversation with this radio show host, then HANGS UP on him !!

G-r-r-r-r-r !!

Audio:

Unbelievable Conversation with Senator Rodney Ellis
by Greg Knapp 08-13-2003
You’ve GOT to hear this to believe it ! (13 min., 47 sec)
http://rmeek141.home.comcast.net/GregKnapp-Interview-SenatorRodneyEllis-081303.mp3

[MeekOneGOP]

Chicken D's Anthem
Click here or on the pic !

[edchambers]

They're getting a bit skeered of the Vast Right Wing Fatwa...

All hail grand Ayotola President Cheney!

[Libloather]

(Peace sells but who's buying?)

Welcome Ed! Except for ending slavery, Nazism, and genocide, war has never solved anything! (Darn it.)

[cspackler]

All hail grand Ayotola President Cheney!

DU a little slow tonight, pal?

[hocndoc]

Moveon.org is not even from Texas. At least DeLay and the President are. (Although I don't believe that anyone in Austin needs to be spurred on to increase the strength of the Republicans in Washington, and help Texas by doing so.)

Every time someone mentions this campaign, we need to shout Moveon.org is communinst party propaganda from outside Texas!

[hocndoc]

The most obvious evidence that the Democratic Socialist Party is exerting pressure on Texas Dems.

The Fleas have disenfranchised *all* the voters of Texas, by jumping across state lines. Twice.

All I've got to say to the socialists is, "Moveon."

[ntnychik]

There was a full page ad by MoveOn.com in today's New York Times. There is a picture of the Lone Star flag, interrupted by a pic of Pres. Bush with the headlines:

Hey, President Bush:
DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS
Don't mess with Democracy.

Subtitles are:
"it's the worst setback for minority voting rights in four decades."

"The Bush Attack on Minority Voting Rights"--(an "unprecedented power grab that would undo last year's Congressional elections...")

"A Courageous Stand" (by the TX state senators who "have stalled this latest Republican attack on democracy.")

"Republicans vs. Democracy" ("a disturbing anti-democracy record..." "After the 1996 Presidential election, the party put the country through an unnecessary and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to impeach President Clinton. After the 2000 Presidential election, the party used every effort to prevent a fair count in Florida. In 2002, just a month after Gray Davis won re-election as governor, Republicans began a recall drive. Now, Texas. And, there's talk of re-redistricting in Colorado as well. This must be stopped. Republicans are not just attacking Democrats, they're attacking democracy.")

There is a check box: "YES! I want to help support democracy. Your contribution will be used to fund this and similar advertisements."

[hotpotato]

That's pretty funny. :-)

[goldstategop]

Apparently what a majority of Texans want doesn't qualify to MoveOn as "democracy." Talk about an Orwellian turn of phrase. The fact is a majority of the Texas State Legislature wants to see more Republicans elected to Congress from Texas. I'd love to have the Chicken Little Ds and their ultra-liberal backers explain to me how that violates the democratic process.

[EGPWS]

Texas state Democrats turned their redistricting fight into an attack on President Bush today, accusing him of trampling on minority voting rights and being part of a Republican national power grab.

Gee, NOW I'm starting to feel like this whole redistricting fiasco has been done for political purposes only, by the Dem's. /sarcasm

[goldstategop]

Never mind the fact that under the GOP plan, MORE minority representatives would be sent from Texas to the U.S House Of Representatives. What's funny is the sight of Democrats and liberals who are such big believers in diversity and multiculturalism, fighting to save the jobs of WHITE Democrats like Martin Frost and Charlie Stenholm.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks. Freeper Lowbridge made up that pic and found the audio link ...