Burnt Orange Report

February 29, 2004

Endorsements...by Karl-T.

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

After some thought and much hand wringing, I have come to a decision on a number of endorsements on everything from national on down to campus politics.

President: I have been since the beginning, a Howard Dean supporter. Since he is out of the race, I have had some thinking to do. He will remain on the ballot here in Texas and is still trying to gain delegates but I know that my Senate District out in the Hill Country is probably not going to meet the 15% marker. Maybe it will here in Austin, but not likely out there. So I have reached the following conclusion.

I will now endorse John Edwards for President. But, if Dean supporters in Austin want to try to get those delegates, by all mean, vote for Dean. Back home, I will vote for Dean barring Edwards needing my help statewide on March 9 if he is still around. I will try to caucus for Dean but will go with Edwards if I need to in order to make it through the convention process. I know that doesn't seem like much of an endorsement, but if I'm going to give money or time to anyone, it's going to be Edwards because he represents to me at least a fresh positive face in politics, wheras I do not see Kerry doing much new for the party other than using it.

U.S. Congress: I endorse Lloyd Doggett for the new district he is running in that goes to Mexico. While I didn't get to enjoy him for but a year (and will soon be represented by Lamar Smith, the same one I had back in the Hill Country, even though 'back home' has been put in the Midland-Odessa District). He's the best chance for Austin to retain some chance of a congressman because it ain't happening in the other two seats and I believe it is more important to keep Austin values represented in some fashion than be forced to go with a Hispanic candidate just because that's how the seat was Perrymandered.

County Commissioner Precinct One: Celia Israel is my choice. I cannot speak for the precinct as a whole, but those here on the University Campus would be best served by Celia who represents new leadership for Austin. Her primary opponent, Ron Davis, did not spend near the time she has in talking to students and came across as very defensive in his speeches, even when no one was attacking him. In addition, I think it would be a shame for Austin to have no openly gay officials with the departure of the sheriff so Celia gets my vote.

I defer to the University Democrats endorsements (listed to the right) on the rest of the local races. I voted for all of them at our meeting and believe that they are the best candidates for each of their races.

Student Government:
I will post these on Election Day.

Posted by Karl-Thomas Musselman at February 29, 2004 04:15 PM | TrackBack

Comments

As for SG--Reprezent looks like a conservative freakshow, with 3 exceptions--Ali Puente, Zach Neumann, and Andrew Dobbs.

Posted by: Leodem at March 1, 2004 12:13 AM

Y'all vote Tuesday? We do in California, also. I'm disappointed at not getting to see or hear any of the candidates. I would love to have had the opportunity to rub elbows and ask a couple of martini-inspired, pointed questions. Nah, I'd just smile and gush like everyone else. I'm voting for Edwards because he's just so darn cute and he talks the talk. He grew up in the same Democrat-Populist tradition as did I. I know where my roots are.

If he doesn't win, I'm fine with John Kerry. He'll be a good candidate and a reasonably good President. At least he and his advisors will have an idea as to what is invovled with governing the entire country.

It must be tough for you True Believers [Democrats] left in Texas. I played politics there in the 60s and early 70s before being exiled. The biggest difference I see is that all of the Republicans are now in the Republican Party. Back in the 60s, half of them still called themselves Democrats.

Hey, Karl. I'm getting to know you from your writings. Cheers.

Posted by: r. Houston Bridges at March 1, 2004 01:39 AM

Dr. Bridges, regular voting is March 9, but we can vote "early" (replaces absentee voting).

I voted "early" Saturday because my wife was to have a medical procedure 3/9 and it looked like too much to do in one day. That just changed, though, so it looks like I'll be able to caucus on primary night after all.

Not much on the Dem. primary ballot in precinct 2415. President, county sheriff, and a couple of non-binding referenda. Our neck of the woods is pretty heavily GOP.

My Presidential vote was for Edwards, but it was a "strategic" vote, just to keep the process going. (I prefer Dean but he's not going to get 15% and I didn't want to throw my vote away.) I don't have a problem with Kerry, and was quite impressed with his comments on Haiti; I just don't think he should be getting the "free ride" we Democrats have been giving him so far. Kerry will probably get 70% of the vote here in Texas, but Edwards should get around 25% and therefore earn some delegates.

I'll probably do what Karl's doing on primary night: try to caucus for Dean but switch to Edwards if (as is likely) the Dean group isn't viable.

Posted by: Mathwiz at March 1, 2004 10:30 AM

Andrea (Leodem)-

I really think its unfair to call people you have never met "conservative freakshows." Our President thinks he's a Republican but I'd say he's almost as liberal as I am. Our VP candidate is a former member of the YCTs that wrote a pretty courageous firing line last week decrying their activities. Three of our On Year at Larges- Coco Benitez, Summer Nance (both of whom are African Americans) and Ben Durham are all liberals. 3 of our Two Years- Zach, Danielle Rugoff and Verick Cornett (also an African-American) are liberals, I am our Two Year with 1 Remaining. We have two gay rep candidates- Nathan Sires in Natural Sciences and John Bazan in Communications. Our Fine Arts candidate is a writer for the left-wing magazine Issue. I could go on but in fact our ticket is so liberal that the YCTs refused to endorse us. I really think its unfair for you to slam my friends without having met them nor hearing what they have to say.

Posted by: Andrew D at March 1, 2004 11:15 AM

Categories

2004: Dem Convention (79)
2004: Elections (571)
2005: Elections (13)
2006: Texas Elections (219)
2006: US Elections (25)
2008: Presidential Election (9)
40/40 (14)
About Burnt Orange (149)
Around Campus (177)
Austin City Limits (239)
Axis of Idiots (34)
Ballot Propositions (57)
Blogs and Blogging (158)
BOR Humor (74)
BOR Sports (85)
BORed (27)
Budget (17)
Burnt Orange Endorsements (16)
Congress (47)
Dallas City Limits (94)
Elsewhere in Texas (41)
Get into the Action! (11)
GLBT (165)
Houston City Limits (47)
International (108)
Intraparty (52)
National Politics (595)
On the Issues (16)
Other Stuff (52)
Politics for Dummies (12)
Pop Culture (70)
Redistricting (262)
San Antonio City Limits (9)
Scandals & Such (1)
Social Security (31)
Texas Lege (182)
Texas Politics (784)
Texas Tuesdays (5)
The Economy, Stupid (19)
The Maxwell Files (1)
The Media (9)

BOR Edu.

University of Texas
University Democrats

BOR News

The Daily Texan
The Statesman
The Chronicle

BOR Politics

DNC
DNC Blog: Kicking Ass
DSCC
DSCC Blog: From the Roots
DCCC
DCCC Blog: The Stakeholder
Texas Dems
Travis County Dems
Dallas Young Democrats

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett
State Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos
State Rep. Dawnna Dukes
State Rep. Elliott Naishtat
State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez
State Rep. Mark Strama

Traffic Ratings

Alexa Rating
Marketleap
Truth Laid Bear Ecosystem
Technoranti Link Cosmos
Blogstreet Blogback

Polling

American Research Group
Annenberg Election Survey
Gallup
Polling Report
Rasmussen Reports
Survey USA
Zogby

Texas Stuff

A Little Pollyana
Austin Bloggers
D Magazine
DFW Bogs
DMN Blog
In the Pink Texas
Inside the Texas Capitol
The Lasso
Pol State TX Archives
Quorum Report Daily Buzz
George Strong Political Analysis
Texas Law Blog
Texas Monthly
Texas Observer

TX Dem Blogs

100 Monkeys Typing
Alandwilliams.com
Alt 7
Annatopia
Appalachia Alumni Association
Barefoot and Naked
BAN News
Betamax Guillotine
Blue Texas
Border Ass News
The Daily DeLay
The Daily Texican
DemLog
Dos Centavos
Drive Democracy Easter Lemming
Esoterically
Get Donkey
Greg's Opinion
Half the Sins of Mankind
Jim Hightower
Houtopia
Hugo Zoom
Latinos for Texas
Off the Kuff
Ones and Zeros
Panhandle Truth Squad
Aaron Peña's Blog
People's Republic of Seabrook
Pink Dome
The Red State
Rhetoric & Rhythm
Rio Grande Valley Politics
Save Texas Reps
Skeptical Notion
Something's Got to Break
Southpaw
Stout Dem Blog
The Scarlet Left
Tex Prodigy
ToT
View From the Left
Yellow Doggeral Democrat

TX GOP Blogs

Beldar Blog
Blogs of War
Boots and Sabers
Dallas Arena
Jessica's Well
Lone Star Times
Publius TX
Safety for Dummies
The Sake of Arguement
Slightly Rough

Daily Reads

&c.
ABC's The Note
Atrios
BOP News
Daily Kos
Media Matters
MyDD
NBC's First Read
Political State Report
Political Animal
Political Wire
Talking Points Memo
Wonkette
Matthew Yglesias

College Blogs

CDA Blog
Get More Ass (Brown)
Dem Apples (Harvard)
KU Dems
U-Delaware Dems
UNO Dems
Stanford Dems

GLBT Blogs

American Blog
BlogActive
Boi From Troy
Margaret Cho
Downtown Lad
Gay Patriot
Raw Story
Stonewall Dems
Andrew Sullivan

News, Politics, and Fun From Deep in the Heart of Texas

February 29, 2004

Endorsements...by Karl-T.

By Karl-Thomas Musselman