Gramm's fiery farewell
Posted on 06/09/2002 5:48:22 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
Gramm's fiery farewell
06/09/2002
National GOP leaders dispatched the party faithful Saturday with a mission to win in November and a warning that "Democrats believe they can divide Texans based on race."
"That's their dream and that's their vision," said Sen. Phil Gramm, alluding to the ethnically diverse "dream ticket" on the Democratic side.
"This election is about rejecting that dream and that vision once and for all," he said, a fiery valedictory by the veteran Republican who is resigning after a quarter-century in Washington.
A Democratic spokesman called the attack an insult and said "Texans won't stand for it."
On the GOP's final convention day, delegates roared with applause as Mr. Gramm lambasted Democrats for trying "to sever the bonds that bind us together" by holding a televised primary debate in Spanish.
"We are first, last, always and forever Texans and Americans and we're damn proud of it," he said.
Reaction from the campaign of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tony Sanchez was swift and angry.
"This is outrageously insulting," said his press aide, Mark Sanders. "If this is an effort by [Gov.] Rick Perry and Phil Gramm to play the race card, they should be ashamed of themselves. This is a shameful political tactic to divide this state."
 Sen. Phil Gramm: "We are first, last, always and forever Texans and Americans --and we're damn proud of it." (BRAD LOPER / DMN) |
The Democratic slate is headed by Mr. Sanchez, a Laredo businessman vying to become the first Hispanic governor, and former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, who would be the first black senator from Texas.
Consultants for both have said they hope to tap minority voters as part of a blueprint for victory.
For Republicans, Attorney General John Cornyn is seeking the Senate seat Mr. Gramm is vacating, and Mr. Perry is running for election to a full four-year term as governor.
Mr. Gramm's toughly worded speech highlighted the second day of his party's pep rally at the Dallas Convention Center.
Delegates adopted a new platform, squabbled over a political purity test for GOP candidates and re-elected Susan Weddington of Austin and David Barton of Aledo as the state party's chairman and vice chairman.
'I'm on your side'
Mr. Gramm and House Majority Leader Dick Armey, both retiring, urged delegates to continue carrying the Republican message of less government, lower taxes and family values to voters in the fall.
"Mr. and Mrs. America, you are good, and I'm on your side," said Mr. Armey, who struck a bright chord by assuring delegates he went to Washington "as a young idealist" and is leaving with his idealism intact.
"I have tried each and every day at work not to embarrass you. I hope I haven't," said Mr. Armey, whose off-the-cuff remarks about gays and other issues sometimes made headlines.
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said it's important that Republicans replace Mr. Gramm with another Republican Mr. Cornyn along with the rest of the GOP slate.
"We must elect leaders who represent Texas values," she said. "We have a team for Texas. And with your help, we will elect them."
Noting that Democrats hold a one-vote margin in the Senate, Ms. Hutchison exhorted delegates that the way back to "a Republican Senate starts with a victory for John Cornyn in Texas."
Party purity
The most hotly contested debate Saturday came on a proposal to penalize GOP candidates who refuse to read the state party's platform and fill out a survey of their position on every plank.
Among the platform's more controversial provisions are arming pilots with guns, withdrawing from the United Nations, curtailing immigration to pre-1965 levels and abolishing the income tax.
The party already required candidates to review the platform, but compliance was voluntary.
In an hour of heated debate Saturday, delegates clashed then rejected strengthening the rule by denying party campaign money to candidates who failed to fill out the survey.
"Why even have a platform?" said delegate Stephen Casey of Longview. "We want some bare bones accountability."
Supporters wore badges with a slash mark through the letters RINO Republican in Name Only.
But Zeb Alford, a retired Navy captain and delegate from Houston, was among those who carried the debate with a vigorous objection to the loyalty test.
"I consider this an arrogant rule," said Mr. Alford. "It is contemptuous for any Republican to tell any other Republican how to think. Two presidents, including George Bush senior, have used the United Nations to our benefit. I don't want to see this rule stop anyone from doing what they should."
Much of the Republican hierarchy opposed the rule. Mr. Perry and Ms. Hutchison are among GOP officeholders who have acknowledged disagreeing with portions of the state platform and George W. Bush, when he was governor, said he hadn't even read it.
Acting Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff, who has run afoul of some of the party's conservative wing, dismissed the rule as ill-conceived.
"History is replete with elements that want to dictate exactly what people will believe," he said.
"For those of us who would not sign such a document, because such documents are always too simplistic, it's just a good thing we don't have the rack or burning at the stake anymore because they might be gathering firewood."
'What is in your heart'
For all the contentious debate over rules and platform, Mr. Gramm's speech ascribing racial motives to Democrats was by far the most partisan address of the convention.
"Let me give the Democrats a message," he said. "We look different. Some of us talk different. Our skins are not the same color.
"Our ethnic origins are not the same," he said. "But what's important as a Texan and American is not the color of your skin and not where your grandfather came from but what is in your heart."
He said Texans have ridiculed Mr. Kirk for expressing support for President Bush on some issues.
"George Bush has already got a lot of supporters like that in Washington and he doesn't need any more," he said.
Mrs. Weddington, who was backstage during Mr. Gramm's talk, said she didn't hear it but agreed that Democrats seek to divide voters.
"Democrats have traditionally divided Texans along all kinds of lines: economic lines, racial lines, gender lines," she said. "So it didn't surprise me that they're going to continue to use divisive tactics in order to prevail in November."
Staff writers Todd J. Gillman and Manya A. Brachear contributed to this report.
Email wslater@dallasnews.com
Sadly it's just an empty message without action...In fact the opposite is becoming more and more apparent with increased spending (resulting in higher taxes)and new tax sucking bureaucracies formed and proposed (resulting in bigger/ more government) ....
And THAT is from just one Texas Republican....Well, 2 counting his dad.
Texas, conservative?....HAH!
If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)
Anybody who endorses this has my vote. Now if we could only drum up enough support and get the government to act on it. Unfortunately, I just don't see that happening.
I say resist all efforts to divide by race.
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