DVO Whistlestops 9/12-15 (Panhandle, here he comes!)

[PDittie]

CanoFun has video of David from the Democratic rally last week in Erath County. There's also video links here to Hank Gilbert, Maria Luisa Alvarado, Dale Henry, Mary Beth Harrell, and many others.

Tuesday, September 12


Oldham County, Vega 8:15 a.m.

Channing County, Hartley 10:00 a.m.

Dallam County, Dalhart 11:30 a.m.

Sherman County, Stratford 2:00 p.m.

Hansford County, Spearman 4:00 p.m.


Wednesday, September 13


Ochiltree County, Perryton 8:15 a.m.

Lipscomb County, Lipscomb 10:00 a.m.

Hemphill County, Canadian 11:30 a.m.

Wheeler County, Wheeler 2:15 p.m.

Collingsworth County, Wellington 4:00 p.m.


Thursday, September 14


Gray County, Pampa 8:15 a.m.

Roberts County, Miami 9:45 a.m.

Hutchinson County, Stinnett 12:00 noon

Moore County, Dumas 2:30 p.m.

Potter County, Amarillo 4:15 p.m.


Friday, September 15


Carson County, Panhandle 8:15 a.m.

Donley County, Clarendon 10:15 a.m.

Armstrong County, Claude 11:45 a.m.

Randall County, Canyon 2:45 p.m.

Deaf Smith County, Hereford 4:15 p.m.

[PDittie]

1. Panhandle tour report by DVO

Friday afternoon Rachel and I completed our 194th courthouse stop in Hereford, Deaf Smith County. Tuesday through Friday the tour took us to the 20 northernmost counties of Texas in the Upper Panhandle. It was one of the most amazing and rewarding weeks of the whole campaign. We fell in love with the poetic beauty of the vast rolling plains, the sudden canyons and ravines, the horizon-stretching fields of wheat and corn, the endlessly wide blue sky and the spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Everywhere we went we were welcomed by extraordinarily friendly fellow Texans who seemed ready to give us the shirts off their backs in a heartbeat. In town after town we found both dynamically active Democrats and vigorously open-minded Republicans. We found everywhere a universal disgust toward the incumbent Establishment Republican political clique.

Whether Democratic or Republican, the local townspeople and elected officials opened their arms to us in a constant display of warm hospitality. We were given the same hospitable welcomes even in the 4 counties where there is no Democratic County Chair and no Democratic Primary has occurred in years. In every conversation we found an uninterrupted commonality of disgust and anger toward the arrogance and greed of the top levels of our state government and their unholy alliance with big business. Everywhere we found a common desire to get rid of those who have created government of, by, and for big business. The hosts of three radio talk shows who had me as a guest eagerly embraced my offer to fight the runaway corporate monopolies and political power grabbers on behalf of the people of the Panhandle, as did the editors and reporters of local newspapers.

Texans everywhere are FED UP with the reign of greed that is afflicting us all. My exhortations to my fellow Texans that we CAN FIGHT BACK through the processes of democracy against runaway corporate monopoly power and arrogant politicians who only care about their big-money contributors and let corporate interests run our government are striking resonant chords.

I urge my fellow Democrats to reject and/or abandon all write-it-off political philosophies. Reach to all your fellow Texans and offer to help them fight back. Do not write anyone off. They're all getting kicked in the teeth and they know it. It's not happening to them as Democrats or as Republicans or as Independents; they're getting kicked in the teeth as humans and as Texans. The time has come for a successful, trans-partisan people's revolt at the ballot boxes RIGHT NOW. As Chris Bell is saying, there is a new Texas Revolution rising and working together we are going to win it.

David Van Os