"Clark in the Park The weather smiled on Gen. Wesley Clark’s first campaign appearance in Austin with a blast of fall sunshine. It was day 12 of the former NATO commander’s bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. The incipient nature of the Clark campaign could be seen in the signs it distributed, urging people to “draft Clark.”
When the general marched onto the stage at downtown Wooldridge Park, he was joined by about a dozen state representatives. They ranged from south Texas stalwarts like Richard Raymond (D-Laredo) to East Texas good old boys like Barry Telford (D-DeKalb). To date, more than 19 state reps have endorsed the general, more than have backed any other candidate.
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The candidate blasted the Bush Administration for its economic and foreign policies. Even as his rhetorical guns blazed, the subtext of his attacks was an appeal to patriotism and a recognition of his own service. “I don’t see a government that embodies the principles I was fighting for during 34 years in uniform,” he said.
Before leaving for a series of Texas fundraisers, Clark promised to return. That same morning, presidential contender U.S. Sen. John Edwards was also fundraising in town. Sen. John Kerry was expected later in the week. In Texas, all are playing catch-up to Howard Dean. The Dean campaign, run here by former Austin state Rep. Glen Maxey, is far ahead in fundraising and organization.
Conventional wisdom has the Democratic nomination sewn up before the Texas primary scheduled for March 2. In this view, the most important contribution Texas can offer the Democratic hopefuls is money. But for many in the crowd, eager for a comeback, the hustings have brought new hope. “Between Clark and Dean we’ve got some energy in this party for the first time,” said Walter Hinojosa, political director of the Texas AFL-CIO. "
http://www.texasobserver.org/showArticle.asp?ArticleID=1461 The current issue has a story about Ted Kennedy's visit to the state to accept an award from GHW *u*h.
"GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER "It is a well-known political fact of life, particularly here in Texas, that when you want to fire up a Republican crowd–and give them a little ‘red meat’–nothing works quite like jumping on Ted Kennedy," Bush joked. He admitted successfully employing the tactic himself on a number of occasions. Kennedy laughed and feigned walking off stage in protest, inciting more laughter. The scene recalled the days when there was a difference between campaigning and governing; in the former, one could sling mud but it was expected that upon taking office, the candidate would put the country first and work at building consensus.
Outside the auditorium, today’s prevailing political tone of sneering partisanship raged in full force. Four dozen members of the Young Conservatives of Texas (YCT) gathered for a protest of Kennedy’s appearance in College Station and of Bush’s decision to honor him. Some wore anti-Kennedy t-shirts, others toted homemade signs whose messages–"Absolut Kennedy: 80 proof," and "Go Home Yankee"–demonstrated the elevated political discourse at work.
A scorching speech by Kennedy in October on the Senate floor questioning the truthfulness of George W. Bush’s case for a preemptive war in Iraq had further inflamed the conservative shock troops at A&M. The notion that the president’s father would now honor such a traitor was apparently more than the protesters could stand. "While YCT certainly respects former President H.W. Bush and his role in selecting the recipient of this award, we have too much respect for Texas A&M, the state of Texas, and the current President of the United States to not make it clear
Ted Kennedy does not represent Aggie Values," said chapter Chairman Matthew Maddox in a press release. In making its case, the group accused the senator of being a drunk, a socialist, an abortionist, an obstructionist, and a murderer. For good measure, they also dredged up an alleged cheating scandal at Harvard nearly 50 years ago.
==snip== 1 para
In his speech, Kennedy offered a subtle shot at the current president by comparison. Bush Sr., Kennedy said, was a "caring" and "inclusive" president who constructed a multilateral foreign policy in the post-Cold War "new world order." He then said, perhaps with Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, and Paul Wolfowitz in mind, "In this new world order, we need to take a wider view. No one has all the answers." Kennedy was interrupted by two hecklers in the auditorium. One older man stood and shouted, "You’re hurting America," before being escorted out. Another man pithily yelled, "Shut up."
After Kennedy’s speech, everybody headed up George Bush Drive to the presidential library, where Bush and former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft presented Kennedy with the award. As the ceremony drew to a close, it became clear what Bush and his inner circle were hoping to get across by honoring Kennedy. "The senator from Massachusetts has often reached out to form consensus where possible. He is a true point of light," said Scowcroft, one of Bush’s closest confidants. "The message of tonight…is bipartisanship. That’s what makes us so strong as a country." Judging by the reaction of protesters, hecklers, and radio talk show hosts, that’s not a message the radical right cares to hear. "
http://www.texasobserver.org/showArticle.asp?ArticleID=1502
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