Remember the Alamo

Hillary has hit Texas. I'm afraid Texas may be about to hit back.

Tuesday night in El Paso, after a string of bruising losses in the Potomac primaries, Senator Clinton took the stage to thunderous applause in a place that rarely sees a national politician.

After waiting for years to be courted, this city put on a pre-Valentine's Day spectacular for its new sweetheart. She got the full Texas treatment, sharing the stage with a tiny boy in a giant sombrero, holding a bouquet the size of Dallas and being introduced by a talkative Texas Congressman who took this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work the crowd and run out the clock.

Hell, Texas is finally on TV with a starring role in a Democratic presidential primary and we are all going to take advantage of it. Everybody else can just wait.

When the Senator finally wrested the mike away, she talked about her long history with Hispanics down here.

Then ironically, she used an old Texas-ism that actually works against her. She said that President Bush was all hat and no cattle, a predictable battle cry against a Texas-based presidency in its death throes.

The problem is that she, too often, comes off as just the opposite -- all cattle and no hat, all policy and no pizzazz, all minutiae and no magic.

And that stuff just doesn't have a history of working down here.

Texas voters want someone who makes their hearts pound, not a policy expert. And the state has proved it time and again. We'd rather vote for a wacko than a wonk.

There is something else going on down here, something I hesitate to bring up. But the call of Texas history is haunting Hillary.

It is becoming clear that for the Clinton campaign, the Texas primary isn't just another vote. It's the freakin' Alamo.

There are some scary parallels.

Before continuing, I have to insert an "analogy alert" for people who are sophisticated enough, thoughtful enough and analytical enough to realize that we may simply have a very interesting coincidence here. Nothing more.

But after 25 years of working in television news, where we learned to look for and leap on anniversaries and analogies like drunks grabbing beads at a Mardi Gras parade, I just can't help myself.

Reporters, particularly in television, have always used anniversaries reliably and shamelessly as supposedly important arbiters of current events, harbingers of things to come, or occasions to look back and draw painfully exaggerated conclusions.

It also allowed us to use file video. And hey, that's cost effective, a plus in our new corporate media culture.

I guess my judgment is still profoundly colored by that mainstream media experience, so stand back.

Here comes a big one.

Texans will go to the polls March 4th, exactly 172 years from the day when the Alamo was going down.

Texas legend, which is taught as a kind of state catechism down here, holds that on March 4, 1836, give or take a day, Colonel William Travis gathered his weary men together inside the Alamo. The old Spanish mission was surrounded by Mexican soldiers, unable to get reinforcements and probably running out of campaign cash.

Pulling his sword from its scabbard, Travis planted it in the dirt of the mission grounds and drew a now famous line in the sand. He invited anyone willing to stay to step over the line. Each and every one was aware that staying to fight meant certain death. Everyone stepped forward. Jim Bowie, suffering from typhoid, had to be carried across the line in a gurney. I guess he represents President Clinton.

The only Frenchman in the group opted to leave, saying, "By God, I am not ready to die." Gosh, even then, I guess the whole "coalition of the willing" thing wasn't working for them.

Of course, the Alamo's parallels with current politics sort of come to a screeching halt there, since depending on whom you talk to, the Alamo was either about the claim to Texas independence or the right to own slaves, Mexican domination or the desire to dominate Mexicans. And Senator Clinton seems to be counting on Hispanic voters to save her, rather than put her out of business.

But the siege mentality taking hold at the Clinton campaign has to be reaching Alamo-like proportions.

We know the Clinton campaign will be with us until the last dog dies. Right now, the dog appears to be in some medical distress.

Texas, which was supposed to be a victory lap, has become a potential booby-trap.

Now, so close to the anniversary of the day that the defenders of the Alamo went down fighting and took their place in history, there is a real sense that the same thing may be happening to Hillary Clinton's bid for the presidency.

And that has to scare the bejeezus out of Colonel Travis, uh, I mean Senator Clinton.

Comments

[KarenZipdrive]

This Texan is voting for Hillary.

[mick3]

A Texan voting for a warmongering imperialist who voted with Bush 90% of the time, sponsored a bill in the Senate against...­.horrors!.­...flag-bu­rning, and then voted against a bill outlawing cluster bombs. Surprise!

[GuiltyUndertaker]

Will you vote for her because you think she will be a good president or because she's a woman?

[SwingStateVeteran]

You go Karen!!!

Here you will enjoy this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9z-Aatd0wA

I stand with Hillary!

[nancytheragingliberal]

She is just not exciting. Her delivery is loud and at the same time, monotone. She can blame Bill for her demise b/c his huge Obicularis Oris never stopped rambling. Hence, she has not won a primary since and she lost the black vote. She cannot control Bubba and allowed him to rampage, destroying her, for two weeks. By the time, she woke up from her stupor, the damage was done. She will not fare well next to McCain, however, Barack will look like the morning Sun next to ol' "Lets keep fighting, starting wars, not surrender, dying, for we must "win". This guy is still fighting in Nam. He will lose next to Barack. An IQ of 50 can see this.

[Beachrunner]

I loved it when Hillary announced she found out she's related to Sam Houston . . .

[Jimmyboyo]

So am I

A direct descendant via his daughter. That doesn't qualify me for squat just like it doesn't qualify Hillary for squat.

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

The only Frenchman in the group opted to leave, saying, "By God, I am not ready to die." Gosh, even then, I guess the whole "coalition of the willing" thing wasn't working for them.

Oh, Mary, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq...

[LeoMarvin]

I'm a little concerned that not everyone found a way to torture this post into their conspiratorial view of some politician, party, race, gender or the main stream media. Not that Mary Mapes needs defending by me. She's been in the line of fire between actual, nefarious, right-wing conspirators and Dan Rather, so she can probably take care of herself. But Jesus, people, in the scheme of things this is a pretty innocuous piece. Take a pill.

[apresdeluge]

Joe Wilson made an eloquent and thoughtful endorsement of Hillary Clinton today. As one who has prevailed over the Republican smear machine (like Hillary herself), his endorsement carries a hell of a lot of weight.

Everyone who votes in the Democratic primaries from here on out should read it and consider how important it is to use our brains rather than our emotions when we vote.

Here's the link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-wilson/battletested_b_86355.html?load=1&page=2

[dawlishgal]

So, HC supporters are using their brains and those of us who support somebody other than HC are being swept away by our emotions? Forgive me if I disagree and find your statement to be the height of arrogance.

Everybody I know who supports Obama was first disillusioned by the Clintons and their feelings of entitlement and by the Bushrovian slime they chose to spread on other candidates AND their supporters.

I don't know any "haters" or any "cultists" who chose to support Obama over Hillary Clinton. I know only people who have carefully considered the issues and the behavior of the candidates.

I was an Edwards supporter, and by the time he dropped out, my choice was made, and not with my heart, with MY HEAD. After years of supporting the Clintons through thick and thin, I had an epiphany..­.I could no longer support them and their brand of expediency-based politics, including her voting for a war based on lies, a vote made because she was afraid that if she didn't support invading a country that had done nothing to us, then she would be regarded as not being tough enough. Gotta wonder what else she will think she has to do to prove her toughness. I really don't want to find out.

[RickO]

I agree!! The president is, first and foremost, a leader. One of the most important leadership traits is the ability to motivate those whom you lead. A true indicator of a "smart" person is that they surround themselves with smarter people. This country is full of smart people and with a good leader, can be motivated to come up with the ideas that will bring about change. A leader with good judgement will take those ideas and make the right choices.

Obama highly intelligent, educated, motivated, inspirational and his heart's in the right place (read his book). His closest advisor is also much like he is and that's no small detail.

I've seen a lot of campaigns in my life and this is the first one where I can't wait to hear a particlar candidate speak. I was too young to appreciate JFK but now I understand how many people felt. However, this is even better.

Hillary is a good person and I really admire her. My biggest fear of another Clinton adminstration is that it will be mired in controversy and dogged by the far right, just like last time. It's really time to move on.

[way out left in san francisco]

You speak well for us former Edwards supporters. Unfortunately he dropped out before California had a chance to support him. I like most San Franciscans embraced Obama. WE NEED CHANGE. Like you I have been a long time supporter of the Clintons. But I fell out of love with them and it was by reflecting heavily on their actions or lack thereof. Hillary stubbornly still supports the Iraq War. I really don't understand her 35 years of experience by proxy nor can I point to ANY signifcant legislation, speech or action she has taken for us little people. Hillary people please site just one important speech or labor rally that she led. And since she is relying on 35 years of experience by proxy then she must take responsibility for the WTO, Don't ask Don't Tell, Welfare cuts... When I took off my rose colored glasses and got past Bill's dynamic charisma - the history of the Clinton's is a series of platitudes and promises to the poor and minorities yet in prctice their policies have caused GREAT HARM! Enough! All their flaws become painfully obvious because Hillary lacks blinding charisma so one looks to history. I have used my brain to get over my heart. Reading articles from several sources and The Huffington Post popped the "Happy Bubble - the Good Old Days of the 1990's" Sifting through history and accomplishments; I found nothing to make the case for Hillary. I have yet to see any of Hillary's supporters to be able to site JUST ONE ACCOMPLISHMENT - all they offer are the platitudes and extensive plans Hillary promises to bring us - but not one real accomplishment. When Bill went negative on Obama - it made me wonder who would really be president and it gave just a hint of the ROVIAN tactics that a Hillary presidency would bring. The Clinton can only blame themselves for losing my vote. I am voting with my brain for CHANGE + OBAMA!

[ParacleteofKavorka]

Are you blind? Haven't you read all the 'I hate Hillary and will never vote for her' comments on this site?

[tejano78201]

Click on link below to see the MSNBC exit poll for last Tuesdays California primary

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21225970

Asian-American democrats cast 8% of the votes...mo­re than black folks. Sen Obama lost the "Latino" vote 67% to 37%...and he lost the Asian-American vote by an even more lopsided margin...7­1% to 25%

Yet, NO ONE attributes the lopsided Asian-American vote in favor of Sen Clinton as the result of "tensions" and "conflicts" between Asian-Americans and Black-Amer­icans..

That said; Sen Obama has a PROVEN intellect. He earned scholarships to Columbia and Harvard Law School, excelling at both institutions.

His speech on the 26th of Octorber, 2002 shows his has the JUDGEMENT needed of a commander in chief!

I will be casting my ballot for Sen Obama.

This is the reason I am voting for Sen Obama;

26 October 2002 at an anti-war rally in Chicago by Barack Obama, Illinois Senator.

http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Barack_Obama's_Iraq_Speech

[Democrab]

And if Barack had been there first, it would have been a brilliant campaign maneuver. Nice try.

[jimmyQ]

And please, this is a ridiculous analogy on its face. Hillary Clinton is NOT going to win Texas by more than 60%, which is what she needs to do right now to come out ahead in the delegate race.

[jimmyQ]

The "coalition of the willing" comment was a cheap shot. So you're saying the French were wrong to oppose the war on Iraq in 2003?

Really? Really?

[happytrails]

I assume this is sarcasm. The French won by not buying into an unprovoked invasion. Please tell us what we have won, accomplished, gained....­...except the destruction of a country which did nothing to us.

Buy only French Wine!!!!!!

[mick3]

The French people prefer quality of life to hegemony gained by endless war. In fact, most of Europe is fat and happy, while our people are increasingly jobless or severely underpaid, homeless, hungry, and desperate. They eschewed a war economy for a peace economy, and the people have flourished. Europeans have enough earnings and enough Time...bec­ause they work so fewer hours and weeks than Americans whom corporations have squeezed the life out of...to actually enjoy their lives. Our leaders, elitists to the core, can't enjoy life if everyone else is able to, too; it's the contrast between the haves (let alone Bush's base, as he so famously put it: the have-mores)and the have-nots that makes it all so rewarding. That's the unfettered capitalist way.

So....how many capitalist parasites has your work-life kept in clover?

[VicPerry]

grow a sense of humor or clone one if necessary.­...the joke cuts all ways if you ask me, but mainly it's just funny

[tejano78201]

NONE of the so called "Texans" who died at the Alamo was actually BORN in Texas!

Davy Crockett was from TENNESSEE. Jim Bowie was born in KENTUCKY! William Travis was born in SOUTH CAROLINA!

They were ILLEGAL ALIENS!

And the ONLY reason the siege lasted as long as it did was because they were given time to surrender.

These stories of a "line in the sand" and such remind me of the initial reports of PAT TILMAN going down in a blaze of glory, blasting away at the enemy with guns in both hands...on­ly now we know that too was BOGUS!

I will say this; in 25 years, a generation, when Texas is once AGAIN majority "Hispanic"­...I'll be the FIRST to remember the Alamo!

POETIC JUSTICE!

White ppl are always making up excuses to steal land from non whites. They did the same in South Africa and Zimbabwe..­.and now the chickens have come home to roost!

[guero]

easy does it Tejano, back away from the bitter, compadre!

[messy]

Tejano—as you know, the Spanish, then MEXICAN governments INVITED these people there.

That's right, the were invited.

Santa Anna ripped up the constitution and declared himself to be an absulute dictator, so if you think that fascist dictatorship is a good thing, then say so. But odn't say that the fascists were the good guys because they were fighting people of the wrong race. That's RACISM!

[Donald Wolberg]

Like the Panama Canal, the Republic of Texas folks stole it fair and square, then chose to become part of the United States. Santa Ana can be seen to have "stolen" Mexico from the Mexicans, not once, but twice. Of course along the way, the dork lost his leg, alas not his life for being a miserable human being.

[mick3]

The issues: Bush's wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, joblessness, the economy, global warming, our collapsing infrastructure, neglected schools, unworkable health care system...a­ll must be camouflaged by flim flam. We have joblesssness because leaders (Bush/Clinton) fostered outsourcing jobs, knowing they'll never be blamed, because the jobless will fight one another for the means of survival, jobs. This has worked since time immemorial. The exploited never turn against their exploiters; they turn against each other, egged on, always, by....the exploiters. Thus the sudden immigration "problem" which always occurs during election years when jobs are scarce. Would any of us care to be a farmworker under the atrocious US conditions? I think not.

[littleblackcat]

Very few would opt for the position of farmworker if they had any knowledge of what it entails. Like so much of our society, we have forgotten what it takes to put food on the table. We have no knowledge of the fact that it must be grown, cared for, and then killed to provide for that barbeque. However, care must be taken to look after all people. We are all on the downside at some time in our lifetime.

[champions1]

oley...bri­lliant

[csavage]

FYI, the Mexican government invited American whites to settle in Texas so they would be killed by raiding Comanche and Kiowa native Americans instead of Mexican citizen a few hundred miles south....w­hen the American influence became to the point that the Mexican government was afraid of losing their culture, the immigration stopped and the friction between the invited immigrants and the Mexican government began. When our current government does the same, it's racist in your opinion...­Pretty hypocritical in my opinion.
Hey, does anybody know the official language of Mexico?-it's Spanish. Does anybody know that the Mexican army is stationed along their southern border to protect their country from illegal immigration from Honduras, Costa Rica and Guatamala? NO?
The US doing the same? well, then, that must be because they're racist! Oh, I forgot, the US isn't doing that....we­ll they still must be racist.
Yes, I agree, Texas will be majority Mexican in about 50 years and it will be solidly entrenched in the shitter, based on how the new inhabitants trash the neighborhoods they live in now....I drive through them on my way to work daily

[GurkenheimerLouie]

I laughed out loud through this post. Thanks!!

[UppityNegress]

Very entertaining and educational piece. Thanks, Mary!

[Jackalheadedgod]

No more Bushes and no more Clintons. No more dynasties. Sounds like the country is getting the message. I hope that includes Texas, and if we get a brokered convention I hope we see a little broken glass. Enough already, the whole world is watching.

[outnow]

Myths die hard. The famous Texas arrogance and the fortuity of oil has almost ruined the nation it joined. Slave owners and oil barons. Well so much for drawing lines! The Texas Rangers had to be restrained because they did not believe in the rule of law.

For those reasons, and the experience of my entire life, I am not very optimistic about anything that Texans do except in Austin. I just hope they get it right and that the nomination goes to the right candidate. Part of that will be the one who can defeat John (Bush on steroids) McCain or whoever the Rethuglican candidate will be.

The politics of division or use of wedge issues caused the Clintons to "triangula­te." This meant dancing with the Devil. Maybe Obama is a true Democrat and can bring in overwhelming majorities to both house. This mandate will give him some room to bring us back to our rule of law and protect America from the neoliberal policies of the Clintons.

[LoriAnn]

Thank you Outnow...t­hat so needed to be said!! Senator Obamas character seems to be that of incusion and open minded intelligence that would breath fresh air into this stale black hole that has become Washington DC. I say, give him a chance, get involved and hold on for dear life cause I anticipate the changes in this country to be real and lasting. I also expect the Republicans to thwort progress at every turn, much like now but even more incidiously!! Criminals do that, work the underbelly­....