My take on the Bell vs. Gammage discussions on this board

[WestHoustonDem]

Some of you know which candidate I support, but that is not the issue. Both candidates have strengths and weaknesses. But both candidates are good, committed Democrats, and committed to making Texas a better place for everyone.

What distresses me is real Democrats attacking other real Democrats. In a campaign, it's easy to impugn the credentials and motives of your opponent, but that takes away from the discussion we need to have about how to fix what the Republicans have set out to destroy.

This discussion has gotten way too personal and I hope we all remember that we must present a unified front starting on March 8, if we're going to unseat Governor Goodhair.

So I'm hoping that both sides in the Texas forum can refrain from personal attacks on either the candidates or their supporters so that we can unite behind whichever candidate prevails starting March 8.

There are some races that are local to Houston that have gotten ugly as well. I'm glad those discussions haven't found their way onto DU. Let's keep it that way.

[jobycom]

1. But that's no fun!

Everyone will support either candidate, I'm sure. What's the alternative? Kinky? Though he does have the best bumper stickers.

[Smarty Pants Liberal]

2. (big sigh) oh all right

GAH!

[Baby Snooks]

3. Curious timing

I find your timing curious. I've been reading the posts here for some time. Suddenly, you're concerned about the tone. My impression is that now that many are countering the very negative Bell campaign, you suddenly are concerned about the tone. Are you concerned about the tone of the counter or about the truth coming out?

[WestHoustonDem]

6. Welcome to DU Baby Snooks

There's been plenty of mud slinging from both sides on this one. I have never been one to run away from the truth.

The timing is simply my concern that we present a united front on 3/8.

I see this is your first post and that your profile is unavailable. Tell us more about yourself.

[WestHoustonDem]

7. self delete

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[WestHoustonDem]

10. self delete

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[Czolgosz]

4. Agreed. If we can't discuss the gubernatorial alternatives civilly, we

should change the topic of conversation to a discussion of how can we best educate progressive voters in Texas to stop the erosion of Democratic votes to Kinky's petition drive.

I'm working with all my Kinky-leaning friends to help them understand the importance of all the other primary races so that they will understand that skipping the primary is too high a price to pay just to preserve the right to try to get a joke on the statewide ballot.

Once we succeed in selecting our nominee (whether it's Bell or Gammage) and keeping Kinky off the ballot, then we can work to minimizing the votes we may potentially lose to 4Names/3Parties.

There is hope for a Democratic victory here; let's not blow it on intra-party fighting.

[MrTriumph]

5. When there is a DINO in the race, it should get personal

Listen, WestHoustonDem, when a candidate supports sending American soldiers off on a foolish war-of-choice, his judgement should be questioned and it should get very personal.

And one other thing, I don't want a Dem. candidate that wants to reduce partisanship in Austin. I want one who wants to go beat the Republicans at every turn.

[WestHoustonDem]

9. No it shouldn't get personal towards fellow DUers

You can to promote the candidate of your choice without getting ugly. Kerry wasn't my first choice for president in 2004 and I didn't like his vote for the war either, but after primary season was over, I gave my full support to his presidency.

The enemy here is the Republicans, not eachother.

[sonias]

8. Yes, let's not forget we have to work with each other after the primary

I can understand passions and even a good fight, but if we tear each other apart, then we won't be able to work with each other come March 8th. I like both guys and it is a tough choice. And I'll back either Democrat when they win. If we stay divided after the March primary, we lose. Best opportunity we've had in a decade - let's not blow it. The real enemy is Rick "MoFo" Perry and Carole 4Names.

I do think that having a Democratic primary with two good candidates running for Governor, will be good for the winning candidate. They're getting their fighting game on. Some of that is obviously spilling into the two camps.

Sonia

[crispini]

11. Yes mom.....

:D

But this hasn't really gotten all that ugly yet, honestly, at least I don't see it that way.

Of course, my standards for "ugly" are pretty high. :P

[Lisa0825]

12. Thank you.

I'll be glad when this one is over. :hangover:

[NoPasaran]

13. This is nothing like GD: Fight Club during the primaries

Now THAT was ugly.

Either Chris Bell or Bob Gammage has my support after the primary. Even if one of them is a poopyhead.

[WestHoustonDem]

14. LOL - I hadn't gotten to DU yet. I don't think either is a poopyhead! n/t

[Baby Snooks]

15. Sorry

I had supported Kinky before Gammage entered the race. Gammage will have my vote in the primary. But if Bell is the candidate, Kinky will have my vote in November if he's on the ballot. If not I'll write in Mickey Mouse. I would vote for Rick Perry before I would vote for Chris Bell. And I would have no problem doing so after having read the letter from Debra Danburg. He ought to be run out of Texas along with the Dirty Dozen who distorted the facts knowing that they were distorting them. I have told everyone I know never to mention Sissy Farenthold's name in my presence ever again. You talk about ugly? What she did was ugly. Truly ugly. It was a slap in the face to everyone ever victimized by Chris Bell. Both politically and personally. And Sissy supported two of his victims. Sylvester Turner and Al Green. And yet endorsed him.

Real Democrats are tired of smear campaigns. It turns people away from the party and from the polls. And the latter is one reason why the Democrats keep losing elections. Not enough Democrats voting.

If you want to have people run clean campaigns, WestHoustonDem, why not suggest to the Bell campaign that they run a clean campaign?

No doubt the week before the election we will be told that Gammage was caught in a gay whorehouse in Waco with a transsexual cow.

That is the level Chris Bell runs his campaigns. Gammage took the high road. Bell chose the low road. Again.

[johncoby2]

16. Kinky. Now that is intelligence at its finest.

[Baby Snooks]

19. Compared to Bush and Perry

Compared to Bush and Perry, he's an Einstein.

[sonias]

17. If Kinky gets your vote, then you're not a real Democrat

Since he isn't one either. Kinky is a republican running as an independent. Kinky is pro-war and he's for forced prayer in schools. I'm still betting the loser doesn't make it to the ballot, because he won't get enough verifiable signatures. If he keeps showing up drunk to organization meetings - he doesn't have a prayer.

Sonia

[Baby Snooks]

18. If I don't vote for Bell you mean

That is one thing I really am tired of. This "you're not a Democrat if you don't support Bell." That was going around on these blogs long before Gammage entered the picture.

Kinky Friedman is an Independent. Same as Sam Houston was. They found Sam Houston drunk under a bridge when they asked him to run for governor. I'd rather have a drunk than some of the slimeballs both parties have in Austin in the legislature. Although quite a few of them are drunks also.

The one advantage to both Kinky Friedman and Bob Gammage is neither is "tied into" the current political system. Which is corrupt. Not just the Republicans. The Democrats too. And that worries a lot of Democrats. Because the last time he "cleaned house" Bob Gammage went after the corrupt Democrats and THAT is why a lot of corrupt Democrats don't like him. They're afraid they may end up in prison along with the corrupt Republicans.

Take another look at that list of who Bob Perry has given to. He isn't giving to Democrats because he's a nice guy.

[PDittie]

20. Of course no one said

"you're not a Democrat if you don't support Bell."

You're no Democrat if you support Kinky. That's what we said.

[PDittie]

21. I've been on the receiving end of some of this

mudslinging (as any of you who are on Carl Whitmarsh's list are aware). I'm really pretty disgusted that a Gammage campaign operative would stoop to the level of insulting me personally (and my family) in order to 'advance' their candidate.

And I think these ideological purity tests are a recipe for disaster in November.

FWIW, everyone ought to know by now that David Van Os is exactly my kind of Democrat (which is why, when he asked, I joined his campaign). But so is Chris Bell, and the primary reason is that he is a FIGHTER. He took on the fight -- against Tom DeLay -- that no one else would at a time when even the Democrats in Congress told him it was hopeless.

He didn't wait for the conventional wisdom to shift, or the odds to improve, or the time to get right or because he sensed an opportunity. He fought because the fight had to be waged.

Bob Gammage is a terrific fellow; I've met the man and am impressed by him. But there have been moments in Bob's political history when he excused himself from the fight (for his own acutely personal reasons which I won't share). That was his right -- and perhaps even his responsibility -- to do so.

Bell didn't stop fighting for us even as his wife battled, and defeated, cancer.

As far as voting records go, Bob Gammage has publicly regretted some of his, just like Bell.

When my brother -- who is a GOP precinct chair -- held a fundraiser for Bell that raised nearly $10,000, that should NOT mean that Chris Bell is "Republican-lite" and to be vilified. What it DOES mean is that Bell is able to draw bipartisan support, which is going to be a crucial factor to getting elected in November.

So let's review: Bell knows how to fight, and he knows how to get along. These skills are going to be valuable when the newly-elected Democratic Governor is sworn in, along with what will likely remain an all-Republican Legislature.

Gammage's supporters seem intent on driving a wedge between the "progressive" and "moderate" factions of Texas Dems. (I despise these labels, BTW; I think they're useless.) That divide has existed as long as any of us can recall. Some of you will remember that John F Kennedy came to Texas in the fall of 1963, in part, to help mend a rift between Sen. Ralph Yarborough and Gov. John Connally over this same sort of squabble.

These backbites and infights never really solve anything, and seem ultimately to damage us all.

Or hadn't you noticed?

[crispini]

22. Ok, so it's your contention that Bell can draw R support in the fall

and Gammage can't? Interesting. Do you have anything other than anecdotal evidence to back up your point? What with Goodhair and C4N in the race, why would ANY Republican voter go for a Democrat?

I don't care about this 'more Democrat than thou' fight, I want to pick the one who can win. Honestly, right now I don't think either one of them can, but I'd like to be proved wrong.

[PDittie]

25. I've cited the evidence already, crispi

Of course, if anyone knows of any GOP precinct chairs who have organized fundraisers that netted thousands of dollars for Bob Gammage, feel free to speak up. Election contributions aren't anecdotal; they're public record.

why would ANY Republican voter go for a Democrat?

Well, this could be queried of why Nick Lampson instead of Tom DeLay, and elsewhere in Texas where you're more familiar than I with the greed and corruption of the GOP incumbent: "because we're tired of the greed and corruption".

If the Democrat can't win -- by your line of thought -- Grandma can? Kinky can? Surely you don't think this...

I believe there will be some erosion from the GOP base directly to the Democratic nominee -- whoever it may be -- because GOP voters in the suburbs and exurbs and rural areas of Texas have been casting ballots for the Pukes because the Dems haven't been giving them a choice. That's why there's so much buzz about contesting races.

And fighting back and all that.

But ultimately, with two protest candidates on the ballot, Rick Perry loses. He's hit his high water mark, and will only recede from here on.

[crispini]

27. One precinct chair fundraiser does not a hundred thousand votes make.

Are there more?

I just think that the Republicans are better at keeping their voters in line and turning out their base than we are. I think Kinky will mostly hurt the Democrat, whoever he is, because of the "independent" Dem thinkers. And, I'm a realist -- I think Rick Perry is going to win another term, regardless.

I really want to pick the Democrat that is the best campaigner, the most appealing to a crowd, the most capable of running a great campaign, regardless of their ideology. Honestly, neither one of the candidates has convinced me so far.

[Czolgosz]

41. For what it's worth, a Republican and former fraternity brother of Bell's

hosted a fundraiser for Bell in South Texas. I'm not sure that this illustrates Bell's ability to appeal to Republicans so much as Bell's ability to appeal across party lines to fraternity brothers, but I suppose it qualifies as another example of a Republican raising funds for Bell.

I will say this for Bell, I believe he will be a more aggressive fundraiser than Gammage. Also, I think that Bell is more likely to appeal to a certain segment of half-assed Democrats who might otherwise consider voting for 4n3p.

But I have to balance Bell's advantage among potential 4n3p voters against the idea, in my opinion, that Bell's candidacy will greatly enhance Kinky's petition drive. Bell's nomination is what the self-proclaimed "progressive" Kinky supporters I have spoken with are frustrated about when they say they are giving up on the Texas Democratic Party and working for Kinky. I have had more than one Kinky supporter bend my ear complaining to me that Bell dismisses Gammage as insufficiently liberal (based on Gammage's '70s era votes) and then, in the next breath, dismisses Gammage as too liberal to get elected in Texas. Obviously, Bell can jump on Gammage for not being liberal enough or for being too liberal, but to simultaneously claim both makes for a very ineffective message. This type of muddled thinking from Bell's campaign seems to be hurting Bell among that segment of the party which is on the verge of bolting to Kinky. I think Gammage has a much, much greater appeal for the potential Kinky defectors from the Democratic Party, and perhaps Gammage's stronger appeal with these voters might take the wind out of Kinky's sails and make the difference in whether or not his petition drive is successful.

As part of weighing the two candidates, I believe that Bell will have more appeal to 4n3p voters and Gammage will have more appeal to Kinky voters. In light of this, I'm going to have to come down with Gammage (which is how I have been leaning) for two reasons. First, I want to win, and I think either Democratic candidate will have a real fighting chance in a three-way race but we realistically have a substantially smaller chance of winning a four-way race, and I think Gammage is a strong step in the right direction toward a three-way race because he takes so much wind out of Kinky's sails. Second, if we don't win, I'd rather go down losing behind a candidate who more closely shares my beliefs on issues like the war and the anti-consumer bankruptcy act and a statewide minimum wage initiative, etc.

Not that anyone's counting, but if they were, you could move me from the leaning-Gammage group to the solidly-Gammage group. With that said, I'm all for Gammage until March 7, and I'm all for the nominee after March 7.

[Baby Snooks]

28. Merely countering

My impression is that the "Gammage operatives" are merely responding to the lies and misrepresentations by the Bell campaign. And any attacks on you most likely came as a result of your brother's "The Queen is Alive and Well in Montrose" diatribe against the Houston Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus (It may be the GLBT Caucus now) after it endorsed Gammage.

When your brother holds a fundraiser, for gay Republicans I assume, to raise funds for Chris Bell that raises questions. When your brother then attacks an organization simply because they didn't endorse Chris Bell, that raises further questions. Like Bell, you seem to believe that no one has the right to raise questions. Merely to do what they are told. And they are to support Bell. No questions asked. Doesn't work that way.

When Sissy Farenthold and the others misrepresented the votes by Gammage on abortion funding, implying he is not pro-choice when he merely voted to restrict federal funding for abortion, which many Democrats supported then and many support now, many moved to correct the misrepresentation. Including Debra Danburg. Who pointed out, again, this "Republican connection" of Chris Bell's as well as pointing out that Gammage was "pro-choice" long before the law allowed "choice" with regard to abortion.

What this really comes down to is that the Bell supporters like to sling it. They simply don't like, as you put it, being on the receiving end. My suggestion is they stop slinging it.

"But there have been moments in Bob's political history when he excused himself from the fight (for his own acutely personal reasons which I won't share)."

But no doubt someone will, close to the election, and misrepresent it in such a way as to make him look bad.

Again, my problem is with all these "Republican connections" and with his votes in Congress. Those votes do NOT reflect the Democratic platform or the Democratic philosophy. You can excuse them individually, perhaps, on the basis of representing a portion of his constituency, as some have with regard to the energy bill, or merely "going with the flow," as some have with regard to the bankruptcy bill. But you put all the votes together and you see someone voting for a Republican agenda. I don't excuse them at all.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[WestHoustonDem]

36. If that's the case,

I'm really unclear on your support for Sylvester Turner and Al Green. Especially with Sylvester taking money from Bob Perry. How do you reconcile that?

[Baby Snooks]

48. I don't reconcile it

I don't reconcile any Democrat taking money from Bob Perry. I don't know why you would think I would. The real problem is most votes are not recorded. So you don't really know who voted for what. That's why I don't reconcile it. I have a problem with Democrats taking money from Republicans. In case you didn't already notice.

[johncoby2]

23. I said it too.

Hell, you aren't intelligent if you vote for kinky.

Really get a grip on this. This is serious stuff. We are not voting for a prom king or queen. kinky has absolutely no business running for a political office. He has no experience and no experience learning how to gain experience.

Working to get a open door to government is what we need to do. Bell/Gammage would open the door. If you have a problem with a stand they have taken, you will have the opportunity to work with them.

kinky's door would never be open since he wouldn't know he had a door.

kinky is a joke. Lets leave it like that.

[sonias]

24. You know you have the option of not voting in a race

I've done that before, when the Democratic candidate is not someone I can stomach. The one thing I don't do is vote for the republican in the race. I've voted for greens and independents, but they were real greens or independents. They weren't repukes hiding under another name.

Listen I like Bob Gammage a lot, and I do think he's got a good chance of winning, but you're not doing your candidate any good spewing the vile you are against Bell. I really don't care who went negative first. Big fucking deal. You seem like you want a war, so you've got one. You should be happy that the level of campaign discourse has gotten so personal; you seem to thrive on it. You are one bitter dude. Why don't you tell us what other campaigns you have worked for. Tell us your history of supporting clean Democrats. Or tell us why this governor's race is the most important thing ever to you. You know the Governor is pretty much a figurehead. The real power is in the Lt. Governor's hands, so why are you going to go postal if Gammage doesn't win.

No one is afraid of cleaning house. Hey we took out Ron Wilson out of the TX legislature, we're taking on Henry Cuellar in San Antonio. And these are supposed Democrats.

I certainly don't like that Bob Perry gave money to those Democrats and if they were my Senators or Representatives I certainly would be raising a stink. I do want to see if they voted for things that Perry was pushing. Like that piece of crap tort reform bill. Truth is, with the current campaign finance system, all the legislators are for sale on both sides. I agree with that statement. You want to do something about that, then help us pass campaign finance reform, which is what we tried to do last session and we'll continue to do this next regular session. Don't just be a whiner, get in there and help change things. Voting isn't enough, and posting on web boards certainly isn't enough either.

Sonia

[Baby Snooks]

30. I may do that

I may do just that. Or as I said, write-in Mickey Mouse. I will wait to see if Gammage wins the primary and if he wins, I will vote for him in November. I have yet to see any reason why any Democrat should not vote for him. In the primary or in the election.

If he loses, I will wait to see where Kinky Friedman is as we near the election. I am not 100% on Kinky Friedman as I once was and feel his campaign has lost its direction. But as someone pointed out, he like everyone else at this point may be waiting to see who is on the ballot. His emphasis right now is getting on the ballot. And Carole Strayhorn may pull signatures away from him despite my being told he has committments for signatures far in excess of what he will need. You can call him a Republican if you like. I don't see him on a Republican ticket for governor. And I don't see Republican money behind him. I look at the money. More people should. Tells you who is behind the candidate. And whose interest is most likely going to be represented.

I have no problem with Kinky's platform. I have a problem with school prayer. But I don't have a problem with the Ten Commandments. It would be nice if everyone read them from time to time. Particularly in our courtrooms. And in our political campaigns. "Thou shalt not bear false witness."

I don't think he has all the answers. I think he has said as much. But I think his emphasis on teacher pay is the right emphasis. We lose more and more qualified teachers to other professions simply because they cannot pay their bills. I like his idea of a trust fund for our public servants. And teachers are public servants. Some of that trust fund could be funded by a surcharges on oil royalties. The same oil royalties that Chris Bell voted away while in Congress. Sorry but I disagree with the "tests need to be tossed" philosophy. I took tests. You took tests. I can't speak for you. But I had teachers who taught. Not teachers who worried about "performance bonuses" and spent all their time in class preparing us for tests. We passed the tests on the basis of what we learned. Not what we were drilled on in order to pass the tests. But the type of teachers I had are long gone. They are either teaching in community colleges or universities or have gone into other professions that pay better and which value their talents. We probably have sufficient funding as it is. The school districts themselves waste most of the funding. Time for people to address that. So far no one really has. Except for Perry. And he apparently backed off very quickly. I remember Strayhorn took on the appraisal districts when she was elected comptroller. She apparently backed off that very quickly as well. The Republicans, you see, listen to the money. Why I pay attention to it. The Democrats have started listening to it as well. And when Bob Perry starts spreading the money around to Democrats, watch out. But not just him. Lots of others.

And the solution of higher taxes is not a solution the taxpayers want nor is it one they will support. Not until the business interests in this state pay their fare share. But the business interests control the legislature. They do not control Kinky Friedman. And that right there is still a good reason to vote for him. He can veto, the legislature can override, and then they can answer to their constituents at the polls.

What you might get with Kinky is what you might get with Gammage. A governor who tells the legislature "No way, Jose." That's a lot better than a governor who tells the citizens "Adios, Mofo" which is probably what you will get with Chris Bell which is pretty much what he says to anyone who raises a question he doesn't like.

Out of sight, out of mind. Post a question on his website that he doesn't like and it's deleted. That's his answer. "Adios, Mofo." We already have that with Rick Perry. Thanks, but no thanks.

[WestHoustonDem]

26. Wow

Baby Snooks - You really have a personal axe to grind with Bell, so much so that you have sympathy for two Democrats that have come under fire from progressives for voting with Republicans.

I have not singled out either campaign as being dirtier than the other, nor do I have any influence as to how either campaign is conducted, but you assumed my original post, which was about the discussion on DU only, not the conduct of either campaign, was aimed at Gammage.

[Baby Snooks]

29. Timing dear

You only brought this up after Gammage began countering the smear campaign being conducted by Chris Bell and his supporters. If I drew the conclusion you were directing your comments at the Gammage campaign, it has to do with the timing of your comments.

My personal feelings for the Bells have nothing to do with my opposing his candidacy. His political record, particularly his voting record in Congress, provides sufficient basis.

And again, the letter from Debra Danburg just underscored it all and not just for me. For a lot of people.

[WestHoustonDem]

35. Timing is certainly interesting

You're a newcomer to DU and your profile is unavailable. One might conclude you joined DU for the sole purpose of slamming Bell. But that would be an unkind assumption, and not knowing you, I would not accuse you of that.

But my purpose in writing this post was not to point fingers at one campaign or another, regardless of how you choose to interpret the timing of someone you do not have any personal knowledge of at all.

[Lisa0825]

32. Hmmm....

Ya know, I haven't posted here as much lately, because it's just not much fun to me anymore. But I have to just toss this out there...

In all the events I have been to in the past year or so, many of which included Chris Bell, I have not seen him been welcomed less than warmly, and have not heard a single bad thing about him until Gammage entered the race. If Bell is as gawd-awful as y'all profess, then why was there no outrage BEFORE your man entered the race??? It just seems to me that some folks here liked him pretty darn well until he was an opponent and not just a candidate. In fact, I don't recall any negative remarks about Bell on DU prior to Gammage either. When Bell was figting Delay, it was all cheers and kisses.

Politics sure does bring out the dark side of people, doesn't it?

[Baby Snooks]

33. Some were in shock, some were just waiting

Some were in shock that Chris Bell was running for governor. Some were just waiting for an opponent and challenger. And waiting for the inevitable. Before Gammage even officially announced, Chris Bell tagged him "Cut and Run Bob." And it's been downhill ever since. For Chris Bell.

Rodney Ellis and John Whitmire have now endorsed him. And of course both are on the "Bob Perry" list. Who knows who will follow. Jesus Christ could endorse him and I and quite a few others still would not vote for him. I suggest again that people read Debra Danburg's letter if they want to know why.

[Lisa0825]

34. Oh, BS

I saw several people at Bell's announcement event, applauding him, and waiting to shake his hand, who are also Gammage supporters. They don't seem to have the kind of hate for him that you do. Personally, I think those I see yelling the loudest are just people with the attitude that whatever you can say to tear someone down gets you a step closer to your goal.

The sad thing is, this kind of behavior within a political party tends to turn off good people to the process. Why stay involved when you can look forward to this kind of bile by the same people you probably block walked with on a previous campaign?

It's looking ugly here. Very ugly.

[Baby Snooks]

37. Correction

"I saw several people at Bell's announcement event, applauding him, and waiting to shake his hand, who are also Gammage supporters."

You mean "who are NOW Gammage supporters." Not also. N-O-W. You might want to ask why they are.

These aren't people like Ginni Mithoff who signed the Dirty Dozen smear letter about Bob Gammage and endorsed Chris Bell and then ran off to Carolyn Farb's for a fundraiser for Kinky Friedman.

Nothing like loyalty, is there?

[Lisa0825]

38. It's people like you

with your persistent negativity that damage the party by pushing people away. If that's the kind of people Gammage attracts, you've got nothing to be proud of.

[Baby Snooks]

39. Excuse me?

It's people like you who damage the party by defending the real negativity of this campaign and its source.

Anyone you saw at the Bell announcement was not "also" a Gammage supporter. They supported Bell and then when Gammage announced, decided he was the better candidate and decided to support him instead. So they were not "also" supporting Gammage. They were supporting Bell. Then. They are supporting Gammage. Now.

When Bell attacks Gammage, it's positive? When someone who supports Gammage responds to the attack, it's negative?

[cosmik debris]

40. You are excused, you may leave now.

You said: "I had supported Kinky before Gammage entered the race." You are by definition a republican (Kinky supporter) I can't imagine why anyone at DU would give a flying fig what you think.

[Baby Snooks]

44. Such logic

So any Democrat who supports Kinky is a Republican? Wonderful logic. Any Democrat who supports Kinky may be on their way to becoming an Independent themselves. It isn't Independent Republican or Independent Democrat. It is Independent. As in tired of both parties and have had enough. And until Bob Gammage entered the race, I had also had enough and considered myself an Independent. He is breathing life back into the party. It may not survive. But it will go out kicking.

[cosmik debris]

45. Kinky is a republican

People who support republicans are, in my opinion, republicans.

You may redefine any title you wish to redefine, but the bottom line is that you have convinced me to vote for Bell.

Thank you and goodnight.

[NoPasaran]

42. It's actually possible for a supporter of one candidate

To give some polite applause and even shake the hand of an opposing candidate without being turned into a pillar of salt. I think it's referred to as "manners".

[Baby Snooks]

43. Are you referring to Ginni Mithoff?

If you mean running into an opposing candidate socially, absolutely. Deliberately attending a fundraiser for an opposing candidate is not "running into" them. Not by any stretch of the imagination. I suppose we will have to wait until July to see how much Ginni Mithoff contributed. Normally you don't walk through Carolyn Farb's front door for a fundraiser without giving to the fundraiser. Carolyn is "pay to play." Socially anyway. I don't think she is politically. Which is probably why she gave the fundraiser for Kinky. To get rid of the "pay to play" politicians. Starting with the governor.

[NoPasaran]

46. No, you're not even close

And frankly, your activities on this board make me, an actual Gammage supporter, wish you'd go back to shilling for Kinky. You'd do Bob less damage that way.

[johncoby2]

47. I agree Lisa! Well said!