Craddick poised for 'greatest day'
Posted on 01/11/2003 5:36:45 AM PST by MeekOneGOP
Craddick poised for 'greatest day'
House speakership set for GOP stalwart; foes fear lobbyist leanings
01/11/2003
MIDLAND - After Rep. Tom Craddick officially announced his decision to run for Texas House speaker in July, he opted for a novel public-relations strategy: He clammed up.
His disciplined public silence over the ensuing months kept a lid on deal-making that forged a bipartisan, multiethnic coalition. That virtually ensures the Midland Republican of the crown jewel of his 34-year political career, the helm of the House when it convenes Tuesday.
"That will probably be the greatest day of our lives," an emotional Mr. Craddick told a hometown luncheon crowd this week.
Supporters describe him as an uncompromising purist, a man of conservative principles.
Detractors describe him as an uncompromising purist, a man of conservative principles.
His speakership will be the first for a Republican since the Civil War era. The House has gone from eight GOP members when he arrived in 1969 to the current 88 out of 150 members.
A difference of opinion arises on how Mr. Craddick, 59, translates his philosophical leanings into action: Mr. Craddick's boosters describe a serious, effective businessman, legislative advocate and family man.
Mr. Craddick's business interests are wide and varied, but his primary occupation is a trade that begs for political puns: He's built a tidy fortune selling mud -he complex water and clay compounds used to cool and clean drill bits in the ground.
Critics declined to comment for the record, fretting about possible retaliation, then pointed toward a history they say marks Mr. Craddick as a self-interested friend of lobbyists.
Mr. Craddick doesn't really take issue with the second part of the equation - until recently his daughter was a lobbyist, and he counts as personal friends a number of former legislators who now lobby for pay.
But, by his measure, the self-interested description doesn't fit. He said any official action that he's taken has only coincidentally benefited him, his family or lobbyists he's close to, including some with whom he's shared business interests.
"I'm a lot less wealthy than I would be if I hadn't been a representative all these years," he said in a recent interview, referring to the loss of time he would otherwise devote to for-profit ventures.
Without conceding even an appearance of any conflicts of interest, Mr. Craddick answered recent criticism of his ventures by pledging to put his assets into a blind trust while he's speaker.
His investments in oil and gas, stocks, real estate and other enterprises span pages in his annual financial disclosure report.
Although there's no total net worth given on those reports, his means are sufficient to provide a home in Midland, a lake house outside Austin, a Lexus and a Mercedes-Benz sporting the distinctive state-official plates.
Why would a prosperous businessman pursue a public life that, by his own account - hinders that prosperity?
"I love it," he said. "Some people play golf. I don't play golf. I'm in the House."
Over the years and especially since he announced he has the votes to become speaker, criticism has focused on Mr. Craddick's part in the passage of bills favoring oil companies he has invested in and clients of his daughter, Christi, 30. Until the recent publicity, Ms. Craddick worked as a lobbyist, including on some of the bills in controversy.
Mr. Craddick has said that in no case was his position on a bill affected by his family's interests.
One bill made it possible for Ms. Craddick to maintain state health insurance she would have otherwise lost. A state insurance official said Mr. Craddick pushed the measure to help his daughter, an accusation he has denied.
Most recently, Mr. Craddick has caught flak for naming three prominent Austin lobbyists as his transition team. They held a fund-raiser for Mr. Craddick, leading other lobbyists to grumble that the favored trio had cleverly set themselves as gatekeepers to the new speaker.
Mr. Craddick pooh-poohed the notion that those men and their clients would enjoy special access.
Mr. Craddick's supporters say he has been unfairly pilloried by the media and Democrats. They say Mr. Craddick faces criticism because he's an unapologetic stalwart of Republican orthodoxy on issues such as abortion, school vouchers, affirmative action and recognition of gay unions.
Mr. Craddick hasn't discouraged that thinking: At a recent sold-out barbecue send-off in Midland, he promised homeowners insurance reform and mentioned that his own policy had been canceled. The crowd laughed warmly when he predicted that the media would accuse him of a conflict on the issue.
As a legislator, Mr. Craddick has been honored by oil-and-gas business groups for his support of his home region's lifeblood industry.
Of more significance - and the focus of the Midland event - are the numerous provisions Mr. Craddick has gotten passed with little fanfare to benefit health care and education in his district and other rural areas .
Clean living
Mr. Craddick is a Catholic who doesn't smoke or drink alcohol or even caffeinated drinks. He and his wife, Nadine, have a son, Tommy, 29, who has a master's degree in business and works as a consultant to high-tech companies in Austin. The two Craddick children have homes on the same Austin block, co-owned by their father.
In the tradition of recent Texas House speakers, Mr. Craddick illustrates why that title shouldn't raise oratorical expectations. Not one for posturing at the House microphone, Mr. Craddick speaks quietly and quickly, with words sometimes piling up into a near-mumble.
His sense of humor tends towards wry, rather than garrulous.
At 5-foot-10 and 150 pounds, Mr.Craddick doesn't physically dominate most other House members. By his own description, he tends to skip lunch and socialize with friends outside the Legislature.
"I have a life outside the House," he said.
David Walden, the Houston political consultant who worked for Mr. Craddick during the speaker's race, concurred.
"There are those kinds of guys who say, 'Let's go out and knock down a bottle of Scotch and work this thing out.' And there are those who say, 'Let's get up for an early breakfast and work it out over some orange juice,' " Mr. Walden said. "He's more of the latter."
Statesmanlike or peevish
House members speaking privately said the crucial question to be answered about Mr. Craddick is whether his leadership will be statesmanlike or peevish, and whether he will carry a grudge against people who didn't support him.
They recalled a nasty public feud between Mr. Craddick and Rep. Buddy West, R-Odessa, in the late 1990s: Mr. Craddick took steps to kill a library project in Mr. West's district after Mr. West killed a hospital project in Mr. Craddick's.
Both said that dispute is over and forgotten.
The primary source of the speaker's power is his ability to appoint committee chairmen and members. Historically, appointments have been based on members' desires, their expertise, their seniority, party affiliation and loyalty to the speaker.
Mr. Craddick has seen how those factors work together as a senior member of the minority party. When he was supporting Democrats for speakers, Mr. Craddick held powerful chairmanships. He has held no such plums since he led efforts to unseat Speaker Pete Laney, D-Hale Center, in the 1990s.
Republican takeover of the House in November's elections slammed the coffin lid for Mr. Laney's hopes of holding together a bipartisan coalition. The subsequent defection to Mr. Craddick of a bloc of black and Hispanic lawmakers nailed the lid shut.
Members - especially those who opposed Mr. Craddick's speakership - say they are nervously awaiting committee appointments.
Their concerns were heightened by recent proposed House rule changes that would free the speaker from appointing members of the powerful Appropriations Committee based on seniority.
"Craddick came up under Democratic leadership, and he's been a committee chairman during a great number of those years," said Rep. Ron Wilson, D-Houston, who is black. "I can't see him turning into an unyielding partisan."
Staff writers George Kuempel and Christy Hoppe contributed to this report.
E-mail pslover@dallasnews.com
His speakership will be the first for a Republican since the Civil War era. The House has gone from eight GOP members when he arrived in 1969 to the current 88 out of 150 members.
What a great achievement for the GOP. And what a great day for Craddick.
In that time period since 1969, wasn't there a conversion/flow of Texas politicians from the Democrat party to the Republican party to more properly reflect their true principles and values? And wasn't Phil Gramm one of those?...
I thought that was interesting as well. It sounds like he likely has respect on both sides of the aisle and hopefully this will translate into success for him and for the GOP and the state of Texas. Or am I just dreaming/hoping?...Supporters describe him as an uncompromising purist, a man of conservative principles.
Detractors describe him as an uncompromising purist, a man of conservative principles.
January 15, 1963 -
January 21, 1969
|
George W. Bush |
|
|
|
January 17, 1995 - |
 |
|
Driving to GOP victory on November 5, 2002. |
Check out what these Texas Reps get for retirement.
Dole Willis told me he gets $98,000 a year.
When legislation fails, the taxpayers win!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
