Democrats envision renewed dominance

Austin American-Statesman ^ | September 9, 2001 | Ken Herman

[Movemout]

Texas Democrats who believe they are on the verge of a historic comeback opened verbal fire Saturday night on the nation's top Republican.

At a banquet that wrapped up a two-day meeting of the Texas Democratic County Chairs Association, U.S. Rep. Martin Frost of Dallas and Democratic political consultant Paul Begala traded derisive one-liners about President Bush.

Frost, in line to become majority leader if the Democrats retake the House, noted that he was on hand last week when Mexican President Vicente Fox visited Bush in Washington.

"There was more than one person who thought, 'Wouldn't it be nice if we could just trade?"' Frost said, drawing laughs and cheers from the Democratic audience.

Begala characterized Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney as a "bad Wizard of Oz movie."

"One ain't got a brain, and one ain't got a heart," he said, adding that Bush "inherited" a strong economy with low unemployment.

"And he squandered all of it in just eight months. I was surprised, because I thought if Bush was good at anything it was inheriting things," Begala said.

The aggressive jibes at Bush came despite the fact that many Texas Democratic leaders are lining up behind Laredo businessman Tony Sanchez as their gubernatorial nominee next year. Sanchez was a major financial backer of Bush's gubernatorial and presidential races.

For Begala, Sen. Phil Gramm's announcement that he will not seek re-election next year marked the end of a cycle that began in 1984, when Begala initiated his political career by working for then-state Sen. Lloyd Doggett's unsuccessful U.S. Senate campaign against the Texan.

Gramm's decision last week ignited political tremors still reverberating around the state. Several candidates in both parties are looking at running for Gramm's seat.

On the Democratic side, former Attorney General Dan Morales plans to announce in several weeks. Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk is close to announcing his intentions to run, a top party source said Saturday night. U.S. Rep. Ken Bentsen of Houston and former Democratic Senate nominee Richard Fisher also are looking at the race.

Frost said Saturday night that U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston has expressed interest in the race as well.

Austin lawyer Ed Cunningham is the only announced Democratic contender.

On the GOP side, Attorney General John Cornyn -- who had been planning to seek re-election -- is set to announce his Senate candidacy on Wednesday. Land Commissioner David Dewhurst -- already campaigning for lieutenant governor -- is considering the race, as are U.S. Rep. Henry Bonilla of San Antonio, Railroad Commissioner Tony Garza and U.S. Rep. Joe Barton of Ennis.

The lineups and rules of the game could change dramatically if Gramm, whose term ends in January 2003, resigns in the coming months, a move that would allow Republican Gov. Rick Perry, who'd like to see a Hispanic candidate atop the ticket when he runs next year, to choose a senator to complete the unexpired term.

That appointee would become a favorite to win the GOP nomination for the full six-year term that begins in 2003.

You may contact Ken Herman at 445-1718 or kherman@statesman.com.

[Neets]

Begala characterized Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney as a "bad Wizard of Oz movie."

"One ain't got a brain, and one ain't got a heart," he said, adding that Bush "inherited" a strong economy with low unemployment.

This is the only thing Begala can do to his politicial opponents. He never engages in an attack on the ISSUES...just personal, moronic and humorless attacks.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

YEA AND IF BUSH DONT TAKE THE BULLY PULPIT BY THE HORNS AND THE REPUBLICANS START SHOWING TEETH AND BACKBONE THIS COUNTRY IS GOING STRAIGHT TO HE** AND WERE ALL GOING WITH IT....

[Movemout]

U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston has expressed interest in the race as well

This should be entertaining.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

The Dems must be getting some really bad drugs these days. Begala barf alert. Begala is supposed to be coming up later on "Fox and Friends". Turn down the brightness on your TV so his forehead doesn't blind you.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Begala barf bump.

[eeriegeno]

Begala characterized Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney as a "bad Wizard of Oz movie." "One ain't got a brain, and one ain't got a heart," he said, adding that Bush "inherited" a strong economy with low unemployment. "And he squandered all of it in just eight months. I was surprised, because I thought if Bush was good at anything it was inheriting things," Begala said.

Bagala is a big part of the disease that has infected this country......

Lies will become truths if repeated long enough.....

[Vigilanteman]

Begala should be cited for discharging raw sewage into the environment every time he opens his trap. The stock market suffered its first plunge in the biotech sector when Clinton-Gore announced that biotech breakthroughs would have to be shared with the government in February of last year. The market stagnated when Greenspan continued to raise interest rates into the summer. It plunged when Gore kept the presidential election undecided for five long weeks. The only uptick was when Bush took office on a note of optimism in January until the tax cut was passed in April. Its been downhill ever since Jeffords handed Daschle control of the senate.

Still, repeating the facts alone will not save the Republicans. They need to take a page from FDR who turned a normal 3-5 year downturn in the business cycle into a depression and world war. The way to do this is not by offering more gimmes, but by cutting taxes and building defense agressively, even if it means going back to deficit spending.

[Feckless]

"traded derisive one-liners about President Bush." Hey, where is the press and why aren't they talking about these "Bush haters"?

[Red Jones]

The Democrats are corrupt, they're socialist, they brought us the Vietnam War, the failed War On Poverty and many other failed policies; However, their great advantage is that their opponent is the republicans. Therefore, it is entirely do-able for them to re-take clear majority status. A lot of people really strongly dislike the Republicans because the Republicans serve upper middle class people like themselves and have no concern at all for anyone else, no respect for principal, no integrity, no courage, etc.

[RoseofTexas]

Well, this is the second piece of crap of so call ARTICLES I've read claiming the DEMISE of the pubbies! Perhaps the pubbies will WAKE UP soon and smell the coffee...ya think?! I believe this is one reason WHY Burton is pushing REAL hard for Bush to give up the SO-CALL kkklinton papers. The ammo to defeat the RATS just might be in those papers.