Texas Time

We've been waiting for y'all.

Like the great big kid in the back of the classroom who has gotten used to being overlooked, Texas has not had a chance to make a difference in the presidential primaries for decades. This year, suddenly, we're hot stuff. Our primary on March 4th is going to mean something -- maybe everything -- in the Democratic race.

And in a campaign where voters are already defying some of the old demographic breakdowns, Texas promises to give the pundits and campaign planners a run for their money, beginning with the most basic characterizations.

Texas is not the South. It is not the West. It is not the Southwest.

Texas is all those things, a heady blend of magnolia blossoms and masa harina; a place big enough and complicated enough to treasure both the Alamo and the dreams of millions whose lives began in Mexico. It has memorials to Civil War heroes and civil rights legends, border towns without running water and the latest thing from Barney's.

Texas is home to both big oil and big hair; sometimes to big, oily hair.

It is a warm, fun-loving, forgiving state, the kind of place where the vice-president can shoot someone in the face and the victim apologizes.

Clearly, it isn't easy to embarrass Texas. But it appears George W. Bush has finally done it. In a stark change from the public's attitude here a few years ago, now there are bumper stickers on family cars in grocery store parking lots that proclaim "Bush wasn't born here" and "George W. Bush is a failure."

The rest of the country may figuratively turn disgraced politicians into piñatas, but in Texas, the transformation is literal. In fact, a party store in Austin will custom-make a George W. Bush piñata for you for only 23 dollars. Don't ask how I know this.

For Republican candidates in Texas, the president's precipitous fall from favor has made a particularly big splat. In 2006, voters in Dallas rejected every contested Republican officeholder on the ballot.

And if the GOP primary turnout on March 4th is low, it will be due to a combination of this Bush fatigue and the fact that the race is, as usual for Texans, already decided. It won't be because Rush Limbaugh doesn't like the leading candidate or because Romney decided to take his wallet and go home. It's that this year is not much fun for former Bush voters. Many Texas Republicans are no longer enjoying the party.

For those who hang around and actually vote in the primary, Huckabee will be attractive. He is witty and engaging, relatively gentle on immigration and religious as hell. I don't want to be accused of hitting below the Bible Belt on this, but the creation of the earth is still a source of argument among some Texans. The ground here may have given up some of the world's best specimens of dinosaur fossils, but state school officials are still under siege by parents who believe that the earth is only a few thousand years old and that carbon dating means taking a girlfriend to the Texas A and M bonfire.

McCain will probably do better in Texas than in other conservative parts of the country. The very elements of McCain's candidacy and personality that have conservatives and the religious right so righteously peeved at him will actually play well for him here. Most Texans, including the Republican governor, don't want a wall separating us from Mexico. And any hothead who uses the "F" word not only won't be rejected, he is gonna fit right in.

While the state's favorite (step)son Ron Paul probably won't be much of a factor in the primary, many Texans feel a perverse pride in his success. Paul is a natural outgrowth of Texas's deep libertarian streak, the only person in the Republican party with the guts to stand on stage in every debate and in a nasal twang commit a kind of blasphemy by constantly and eloquently criticizing the war and the president who put us there.

The Democratic race is going to be more complicated and more unpredictable because both candidates have huge built-in constituencies, good organizations and giddy support. Texas Democrats are almost hysterical at the heart-pounding possibility that the rest of the country will at long last pay attention to what they think. In addition to all that, no one knows how the hell the delegate count is actually going to work.

In typical Texas contrarian fashion, the primary rules read like a DNA chart. On the Democratic side, 228 delegates are up for grabs. But it's not that simple.

The state has both a primary and a caucus -- on the same day. And you can't caucus unless you voted in the primary. On primary night, 126 delegates will be determined based on voting results in each Senate district.

The number of delegates in each district is based on how many Democrats voted in the last two general elections in that district. Got that? Well, there's more.

The selection of another 67 delegates will begin at the caucuses that night and culminate at the state convention in June. The remaining 35 delegates are some kind of unique political life form that will evolve into actual delegates at the National Convention later that summer.

With rules like this, we may not know the division of Texas delegates until sometime after the new President is sworn in. Now that the state finally has its moment in the spotlight, it appears we will slowly drag our rear ends across the stage and reveal our delegate counts only when we are good and ready.

But as Democratic campaign workers and organizers flood the state in the next few weeks, they will find a pool of voters ready to rumble. Texans are ready for their close-up.

The candidates are already familiar faces. Barack Obama has been here raising money and making friends since long before he announced his candidacy. Hillary Clinton actually lived in Austin in 1972 while working for George McGovern. She knows the state and has racked up an impressive series of endorsements.

Hillary seems to be ahead in early polling. Texans, despite the state's conservative reputation, have never had any discomfort with women taking the reins. Texas women have been changing the world for a long time.

That creates a special challenge for Hillary Clinton.

Down here, she will have to live with the ghosts of Barbara Jordan, Ann Richards, Molly Ivins and Lady Bird Johnson. She will have to prove to voters that she has more in common with these iconic Texas political figures than with Ma Ferguson, the state's first female governor. Ferguson took over in 1925, several years after her husband was run out of office.

Actually, Hillary Clinton is nothing like Ma Ferguson. They have nothing but body parts in common. Still, by making that comparison, I get the chance to use a hilarious quote attributed to Ferguson during a debate on the use of Spanish in Texas public schools. She exhorted the state to require English, saying, "If English was good enough for Jesus Christ, then it is good enough for the children of Texas."

Which brings up another point. Texans expect candidates to be entertaining. They can be funny like Ann Richards, a charming rogue like Charlie Wilson, or personable like George W. Bush used to be.

Obama has that -- and something more. For Texans old enough to remember, he recalls Barbara Jordan -- not because of race, but because of the power of the spoken word. Decades ago in her campaigns for Congress, in small towns and large cities, in front of crowds who gathered at courthouses and on street corners, she became a political legend by reminding people of why they loved their country. She led old men in sweat-stained cowboy hats to weep openly at the beauty of the Constitution, the power of the American people, the depth of our belief in our own inherent decency.

Texans are still like that. They still like good speeches. They still like to cry in public. And they will always love politics.

To win in Texas, Democrat or Republican, there is really only one rule. Don't be dull. We certainly won't.

Comments

[ProfessorDuh]

If Texas and its gun-crazy, religious-nut, greedhead fascists would care to withdraw from the U.S., I don't think the rest of us would have any objections this time. And you can take all your Bush scum with you.

[gtt]

Cool down Professor,

There are a lot of wonderful Americans down here. Texans are a diverse lot, with a great tradition for liberalism.

As for those two President Bushes, neither is a real Texan. George W H Bush is a New England transplant. Geo W Bush is a Conn. transplant that has a fear of horses (ever see picture of GW Bush and a horse or a picture of a horse on his ranch?)!

[SallyMutant]

Thank you Mary. You gave a thumbnail sketch of Texas' schizophrenia with wit and color. You shouldn't be saddled with comparisons to Big Molly, she was snarkier, obviously more of a crusader; editorially she was on the opinions page and you are on the news and information pages. If comparisons must be made, you're the love child of Dan Rather and Liz Carpenter.
Y'all that are responding with hostility to Texas: is it brain surgery to separate the good guys from the bad guys? Texas liberals hate sphincter-faced-monkey-boy. It's just that we are a minority here. My theory is that we mutated from evil Texans. Isn't Mary's point is that the nice 'n' smart just might be noticed soon. Let's go--superior mutant Dems!

[lysistrata]

And there is Bill Moyers too.

[jsarets]

Best bumper sticker seen in Austin: "I don't have to like Bush to love my country". Texas isn't all bad, it does have Austin. I'm not sure if that makes up for Houston and Dallas, but it's partial vindication.

[vsign]

Edwards needs to sue MSNBC for giving affirmative action to Obama. The voters deserve more. Our democracy deserves more. No affirmative action for Obama.

[phlounder]

Don't kid yourself, Texas sucks from one end of it's oversized ego to the other.

As a native of Houston Texas who has traveled all across that featureless expanse of spoiled, degraded earth it's my opinion that any state that begats someone as inept and clueless as George Bush should be forever banned from having another of their bastard offspring become president again.

[flanardiente]

Uh--George was born in Connecticutt, like his dad. Though he was partially raised in Texas (when he wasn't going to preppie school and college in New England, hanging out in Kennebunkport, etc), and is certainly part of the big-hat big-oil crowd, he's about as representative of Texas as his dad, who votes in Houston but lives in Maine. The rules don't apply to the big dogs.

BTW, I am NOT a Texan. I was born and raised an Okie and we used to call your state "Baja Oklahoma," and if you're up on your state history, we actually went to war with Texas back in the '30s for about a day and a half. So I bear no great love for your great state--Oh, God, how I remember those endless flat empty miles!--but by God I do kind of have a soft spot for Texicans!

Well....some of 'em.

[PortiaElizabeth]

I don't believe you're a native Texan. I've run into Texans on every continent but Antarctica, and they were all proud to acknowledge the state of their birth.
As the saying goes,"Never ask a man where he's from. If he's a Texan, he'll tell you. If he's not, don't embarrass him."

[dstdenis]

Excellent post, Mary -- thank you.

I think it's great that the remaining primary states will have an important role to play, and I hope they receive lots of attention from the candidates, the media and the rest of the country. Maybe this will deflate the urge in future elections to be among the first primary states.

[peaceplumber]

Texas: With an open Democratic caucus any one from any party can caucus.Don't miss your chance to caucus against Hillary Clinton

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

Hear! Hear!

Miz Molly Ivins explains why: http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/1/2006/1304

[borderorder]

I live in Texas. Been here 12 years. Texas is indeed a huge state with diverse people. It is the fun place elicited in the post, it is also a backward place with many small minds. But Texas doesn’t have a patent on idiocy any more than anywhere else.

Texas is actually a purple state with a large democratic constituency. For democrats elsewhere to blame the state for Bush and Rove, the real schmuck behind the curtain, is to ignore that their coalition built out of homophobic rednecks and big corporate interests deluded, at least, 50% of the country. In other words there is a lot of blame to go around.

Having said that, I can’t but agree with those posters happy to see Texas lose influence on the national stage. George Bush brought out the worst the state has to offer and now the rest of the nation has seen all to well what those of us held hostage to these idiots have had to live with for 14 years.

I look forward to the state and nation coming back to its senses.

[rain39]

Mary Mapes lives in my front yard where what she said is true. I live a little farther north in Texas where EVERYONE is GOP but more like what borderorder says. It is lonely being a liberal here and when I identify myself the people look crazed! I am from the Barbara Jordan, Molly Ivins, Ann Richards branch of the party and Sen Clinton doesn't quite fit there, even though she is a feminist and so I am. It will be interesting to see what happens here!

[InOv8]

I believe that Texans will give fair audience to Barack Obama and recognize that neither Americans nor Texans want to be vilified either here at home or abroad. I believe that Obama's demonstrated ability to bring together Republicans such as Susan Eisenhower and Independents and Democrats will demonstrate to Texans that America's strength internally and externally derives from our sense of unity. I believe that no single political party has all of the answers to our nation's problems but I strongly believe that only one candidate, Barack Obama, has the ability to create a forum for us to speak with one another and adopt the best solutions to our problems with input from us all.

[Secure214]

Texas guy here, I'm voting for Obama. I talked to my Mom the other day. I asked her a hypothetical. Obama vs McCain - she would vote Obama! Clinton vs McCain - she would vote McCain! I think Obama will have a better chance against McCain.

[nypoet22]

so... ma ferguson wanted the texas public schools to teach all their classes only in Aramaic?

[tbone99]

No , Jesus was Texan.

[justmeinAz]

Texans are friendly. They're also more in love with themselves than any other people I've known. I don't know that too many people living elsewhere are holding their breath to see how Texas votes this primary season. Based on their prodigal monkey-boy's performance over the last seven years, I'd just as aoon y'all sat this one out.
Still, a democracy's a democracy, so have at it, just don't pretend that the fate of the free world sits in your hands alone.

[mommadona]

"Texans are friendly. They're also more in love with themselves than any other people I've known."

Very good observation.

Delusions of Grandeur run deep.

Into their minds they do creep....

Allowing "Delays" a free hand

Always talking to "Da Man"

Sauds love big belt buckles too

With their moola they do woo

The rednecks with tobaccy to chew

And an outhouse in place of a 'loo'.

"Wipe with your left, eat with your right"

It's going to be a long long night

Of BBQ eatin' and long-neck sippin

In the Tents of the Sauds where BUSHCO is sittin'

[Bittern]

Readers of this post might be interested in the La Opinion editorial endorsing Obama:
http://www.laopinion.com/editorial/?rkey=00000000000003199300

The first paragraph reads: El Partido Demócrata llega a la primaria de California con una oferta histórica entre dos candidatos extraordinarios. Creemos que entre ellos el senador Barack Obama representa realmente el cambio en una campaña en que "el cambio" es el tema central. Los puntos sobre inmigración del legislador de Illinois y su visión inspiradora es lo que necesita el país para salir del sentimiento actual de agotamiento político.

[CharlottesvilleVA]

sonofloud said "Texas is nothing but a bunch of bigoted, prejudiced, homophobic, sexist morons.If the fate of the nation rests on them, god help us all!"

I take it you've never been to Texas. I moved here last summer (Houston) and have found the people of Texas to be welcoming, warm, friendly, and genuine. I have also found them to have significantly more open minds than folks from the People's Republic of Charlottesville, which is very blue and very dismissive of differing opinions and where politicians will argue so long over the color of bricks that entire blocks of the Downtown Mall will remain vacant for years while the developer who bought the property sits and waits for a freaking answer.

Texans are, above all else, accountable. They own up to their mistakes (hence the recent disowning of W). And they're willing to change (exhibited by the 2006 elections in Dallas). They are proud (I'm not sure any state holds the same level of affection as Texans hold for LBJ). And by God they will listen to what others have to say.

I have found NONE of the qualities you seem to assign to the people of my new state. Quite the opposite, in fact. I live in a city where no race has the upper hand - and it's marvelous. And dog gone, people are just NICER here. Even to people who think they are bigoted, prejudiced, homophobic, sexist morons

My only disappointment so far is that I'll be out of the state on primary day and won't be able to vote (just found out about the trip, and it's too late to get a mail-in ballot).

As the bumper sticker says, "I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could."

[julianne]

I live in Houston but will soon be moving out of state. I was raised in Chicago and have visited many places in the world, always as a middle class person. Better people than I'll ever be pass me by on the way to work in Houston. I'm not a good guy. But, like many places in the South, if the people of Texas ever got up off their knees to the rich and their private institutions the world would spin off its axis. If it were up to the white people in Texas, we'd still be working 12 hour shifts with no Social Security and no minimum wage. They have absolutely no appreciation for the great labor and other political and human rights movements in our history. Texas is a Big Man culture with a streak of sadomasochism and cruelty that is palpable. The archaic laws and the judicial and penal systems here are beyond belief. It's literally a penal colony. I love many things about Texas and Texans, but I would not bring a child into the world here. Texas is one of the richest spots on the planet with one of the worst disparity of incomes among the western industrial democracies and among the worst (I think Kentucky is 1st) in the U.S. which is FIRST among all industrial nations. This year a survey reflected that 73% of the corporate executives in Texas still supported the Republicans. Brilliant patriots have come out of Texas but they are a very small minority. I guess the only thing the rest of the country can do is just try to protect themselves from the mericiless political filth that comes out of Texas.

[steamboat]

Nice comments. I live in the most SEGREGATED city in America, Chicago, although my neighborhood (one of the few that is) is a racial and ethnic melting-pot. What you said is correct. I go to San Antonio quite often. Its a lot more open than Chicago. No comparison. And oh yeah, that despite the fact Chicago is 100% democratic in its party affiliation. The mayor and the entire city council belongs to one-party. Also, probably because of the graft, prejudices, patronage, and nepotism of the politics in Chicago and Cook County, its left a bitter bad impression on me. To where I'm disgusted with BOTH major parties and, therefore, consider myself a 'social libertarian'. Back to Texas: Yes, people are nice there. Another fallacy and stereotype lie that had been perpetrated by the mainstream media and notherners who 'don't look in the mirror' when evaluating everybody else. So nice, being retired, I hope to relocate there (San Antonio) inside a year.

[docmandingo]

South Texass is a different animal than the rest of the god-forsaken place. Both Houston and San Antonio have had substantial non-caucasian populations that have political clout and have had it for decades. This explains the more open and tolerant atmoshpere in those places.

Try North Dallas and see what you think about the "warm, friendly, and open" atmoshpere there. Or go to East Texas, West Texas or almost any small town in Texas outside of your sheltered, urban, multi-ethnic enclave that is Houston. In fact, ask any Texan from outside Houston what they think about it and you'll get an eye-opener ... too many gays, blacks, latinos, vietnamese, etc. The fact is that the vast majority of Texans hate Houston and hold it up as an example of what unchecked racial diversity does.

What you will find in the majority of Texass is a throw-back to the nineteenth century where a woman's place is in the kitchen and a "negro's" place is at a separate lunch counter.

Most Texans (not transplants) are ignorant, arrogant, intolerant bible-beating bigots. Don't think because your corporation relocated you to a tony Houston suburb that you have a handle on what Texass is all about.

[clevelandtocali]

You forgot Austin...beyond that name a single state in the U.S., NY and CA included where there isn't a different culture in the cities than in the small towns. The reddest necks in America are in Central California farm country, and there's ALLOT of it. Oh, and just because a city has more ethno-diversity doesn't make it liberal or tolerant. Try being white and live in Miami. Don't get me wrong, I like Miami, it's so close to the U.S.A.

The red state/blue state difference is bullshit, this whole culture difference is urban/rural. Rural folk are afraid of the cities, urban folk are afraid of rural. I've lived in both, believe me, the only way it will be solved is for both sides to try and understand the other better, not make stupid generalizations about the other.

[steamboat]

docmandingo, I admit that while I go to San Antonio alot, the fact is I know very little about North Texas and Dallas.

[wolfgangmo]

Let me see if I get the gist of this article.

Texas has taken a back seat for years ... Hmmmm .... unless you count the Texan crooks currently soiling the white house.

Given the stupidity of politicians we have seen out of Texas over the years and just how much damage they have inflicted to this country and the world, I would vote to repeal the franchise to Texans for a LONG time.

Just my 2 cents.

[cambridgedude]

Nice idea, but I'd go one further: can't we sell it back to Mexico? Might get a good price too, givent he petrodollars flowing in down south of the border these last few years.

[clevelandtocali]

Any chance we could get the British to take back Mass.? It's cold, depressing, full of racists (don't deny it), and their sports fans went from being earnest in their love of the consistent loser to arrogant assholes like Yankee fans as soon as y'all started winning.