Articles about Politics
Where’s Cannaday?
Former Irving police chief and city councilman Lowell Cannaday made a big splash when he beat former Dallas County sheriff Jim Bowles in an April runoff election. The win secured the Republican nomination and a shot at incumbent Democratic sheriff Lupe Valdez in the November election. But is it just me, or have we not heard anything from him lately? (more…)
Obsessive Mental Father
Remember that Park Cities father who didn’t want to pay for his son’s college education unless he became a Republican? Well, he’s ready to tell you how to run your life now. “You can no more think and grow rich than you can think and grow tomatoes.” Good stuff:
D Mag Throws Real Estate Agent Shindig and I Hear a New Theory on the Bush’s New Home
My D Magazine brethren were gracious enough to invite me to last night’s Best Real Estate Agents of 2008 party to celebrate this year’s list of the best agents in town, (more…)
Re: Mike Snyder Responds
It is interesting, isn’t it Mike, how some people stoop to name calling instead of engaging in public discourse. Like, for instance, the headline of your post: “The toll of arrogance. The mayor of Highland Park does not get it.” Many people might infer that you are calling the mayor of Highland Park arrogant. (Personally, I don’t know the man. Maybe he is, maybe he isn’t.).
Actually, you went further to call Mayor Seay “arrogant at best, snobby at worst.” Again, I don’t know the man, so you could be right, but is there any doubt that you have engaged in name-calling rather than civil discourse?
Also, I’m glad that you are “capable of admitting mistakes,” like getting the mayor’s name wrong. God knows I make mistakes all the time myself, especially with names. But you point out that the “name callers” don’t do the same. Which mistakes did they make?
Runners-Up
And now the question becomes (other than the question about who will lure Hillary to Siberia by telling her there’s one more primary there and it’s full of poor, uneducated white people, and I’m just kidding, please), who will each nominee choose for a VP? Personally, I’d love to see Obama pick Bill Richardson. I wouldn’t presume to suggest someone for McCain, but maybe James can weigh in here. Colin Powell would be a canny choice, but I don’t see him doing it. Probably McCain will pick the Florida governor. What do you think?
Another Parkie for Obama
I’ve said from the beginning that I would hold on until the bitter, bitter end. And now the time has come. Charles, where’s my Obama sign? You could save me the pain by just putting it in my yard while I’m at work tomorrow.
Diehard GOPer Wants to Send Dems to Their Rooms
The fellow who was concerned about the Park Cities going Democratic shares some more thoughts:
It is interesting that we have entered the “hold my breath till I turn blue” phase of the political campaign so early in the year. We have the usual group of Hollywood stars threatening to leave the country and even some yellow dog Democrats threatening to vote Republican. Most people (with sensible parents) grow out of this phase about say - five years old? When I see them on TV or read about them, it makes me want to send them to their room and ground them until the end of November.
Have the Park Cities Gone Blue?
A reader is concerned:
Why do so many people in the Park Cities support either Hillary or Obama? Both propose socialist ideals that would completely destroy the foundation of hard work equals success that the Park Cities is built on. While some in the Park Cities are so rich that they will be able to ride out the change, most will suffer under the tax and legislate equality programs that they propose.
Hillary v. Hillary
Hey, Merritt, you’re a Hillary fan, so I have a question for you: which Hillary do you support, the one who pledged not to campaign in either Michigan or Florida and supported the Democratic National Committee in “punishing” those states for moving up their primaries, or the Hillary who campaigned in both places anyway and now wants to change the rules and count the
delegates?
A Thought from the Non-Working-Class
Does anyone else get tired of the euphemism “working-class voters?” Is it so un-PC (that’s “politically correct,” not Park Cites, in this instance) for the news media to just say what they mean by this term: non-college-graduate, lower-wage earners?
Parkies Presidential Politics
I like getting comments from James Tucker because he uses, as far as I know, his real name, and because he’s civil and likes to debate ideas. So, James, I hope you don’t mind my reprinting your comment to my earlier post about my support of Barack Obam
a, and my response to that comment. I apologize for the links not pasting here as they appeared, but interested readers can look back at James’ comment.
James Tucker @ May 12th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Sorry everyone, I have a policy about internet free weekends. I don’t particularly feel like defending John McCain, John Hagee, or the RNC at this time. However,
Outing Myself Graphically as an Obama Fan
My Obama yard sign went up today. I was going to wait until Barack Obama won the Democratic nomination before putting up a sign, but it’s apparent that someone will have to shoot a tranquilizing dart into the thigh of Hillary’s pantsuit before she can be dragged off
the stage. Not that I’m saying she doesn’t have that right, mind you.
Dan Branch Can’t Catch a Break
Dan-barino, I didn’t do it, Tim did.
Early Voting Ends Tomorrow
A reminder that early voting for the May 10 election ends tomorrow. Voting hours will be from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at the HPISD Building at 7015 Westchester Drive. There are 10 parking spots reserved for voters.
On the ballot are 2008 Board of Trustees candidates Joe Taylor (Place 6) and John Townsend, (a.k.a. “JT”) (Place 7) and John R. Bunten, Jr., (Place 7), and the HPISD’s
$75.4 million bond issue.
For more information on the bond, visit:
http://www.hpisd.org/SearchResults/hpisd/BondIssue/tabid/2524/Default.aspx
Sincere Apologies to the Good Folks of Deloache Avenue
The Preston Hollow half of our special Bush story contains a serious error. It pictures and identifes a home on Deloache Avenue as the former home of President George W. Bush and his family.
Trouble, the Bushes actually lived in a home on Northwood Road. The story has been corrected in the online version.
Sweeping Change?
If a petition from 14 UP citizens along Northwest Parkway can result in the spending of a ton of money by the city on a wall, and the attendant traffic mess and questionable aesthetic result we will face, I wonder how many signatures it would take for the city to outlaw leaf blowers?
As opposed to a project that would only benefit a few (and hey, more power to the 14 who got it done), the banishment of leaf blowers would be a boon to anyone with ears, a nose, and any concern for the environment.
Laura and Jenna Bush to Hit Up Borders
I know it’s not exactly in the Park Cities, but nevertheless, First Lady Laura and daughter Jenna Bush will be at Borders in the Preston Royal Shopping Center at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The duo will be reading from their new children’s book “Read All About It!”
I wonder which book will resonate better with North Texas readers, the Bushes’ book, or Terrell Owens’ gem, “Little T Learns to Share?”
If you’ve ever been around the first family, you know how tough security can be, so you might try avoiding the entire Preston Hollow area unless you have to be there.
HP Library Must Have VIP Parking
An HP Library loving Overheardian sends this photo of Dan Branch at the podium along with this note:
I went to the grand reopening of the Highland Park Library on Saturday. The town of HP put on quite a party: bouncy houses, face painting, clowns, etc. And stuff for the kids, too. The library itself is phenomenal. They did a tremendous job on the remodel.
I’m sure the library is super duper but did you happen to catch where Branch parked? Just wondering.
Re: Dan Branch Doesn’t Have to Follow the Rules?
Hm, turns out Dan Branch has an opponent in the Fall, Emil Reichstadt. Merritt, perhaps you should quiz Mr. Reichstadt on his position vis-a-vis abuse of state official parking priviliges.
He’s also 6′9″ for those who like their state reps on the tall side.
Some Guy Interviewed at Kuby’s
From Merritt in the field:
Kuby’s staff informed that Brad Watson just did an interview at Kuby’s of “some guy about 70 that has to do with the sherif (sic) race thing.”
You know where our paper’s editorial board stands on the race: no angry old men. I’d link to our editorial, but our site is temporarily down for maintenance.
Morning in America
I’m hanging out in New York City this weekend, in the Battery Park area. Here’s a view of Lady Liberty from the hotel, although it appears that someone has changed the wording on the statue from “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses … ” to “Only give us your engineers and technicians who qualify for H1-B ‘high-skilled worker’ visas; the ‘huddled masses yearning to be free,’ well, not so much.”
Ah, just a bit of election-year joshing.
Re: Trash Can Rules
With all due respect, Cassie, wtf?
“This Overheardian should know that outstanding citations have been put on hold because the council is trying to figure out how to modify the rule so that people won’t have to reconfigure fences, chop down trees or take other drastic measures.”
If I get a notice and I don’t go to city meetings where these things are discussed, how would I (or this Overheardian) know that? The city should have to contact people they’ve given tix to and tell them that things are on “hold.” They can’t assume that busy, and typically law-abiding citizens aren’t just running out to fix the prob. Really.
Snitch Wanted
Ace Preston Hollow reporter Austin Kilgore is hard at work tracking down information about Kay Bailey Hutchison’s alleged stalker, but he came across a problem: He can’t get his hands on the incident report. The DPD PIO, Kevin Janse, told Kilgore that the report “is not out there” because it’s being handled by criminal intelligence, which deals with high-profile people like dignitaries and KBH.
Kilgore wanted to know why the DMN had info on the arrest, and this is what Janse told him: “That’s the Dallas Morning News having connections and snitches in the department. It didn’t come through our office.”
Consider this a want ad: Kilgore needs a snitch. (Which reminds me of this.)
Sandra Crenshaw is an Overheardian, Who Knew?
Crenshaw comments in that personal style we love.