Posted on 03/01/2006 4:50:28 AM PST by Theodore R.
95-year-old former newspaperman joins political fray to oust Texas congressman ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN (AP) - At his age, Sid Smith's campaign slogan seems obvious: "At 95, who needs term limits?"
That's right. The 95-year-old former newspaperman, real estate agent and current artist, who scoots around his hillside home with the help of a cane, is running for Congress in Tuesday's Democratic primary.
"I'm the oldest guy in this race," said Smith, cracking that his Dec. 24 birthday makes him "one day older than Jesus."
His main goal? Boot Republican freshman Michael McCaul, who won the District 10 seat two years ago after the redistricting effort led by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. The district stretches from west Austin and Travis County eastward to include a portion of Houston.
Even at his age, Smith is a political novice. He's never run for office before but figures he wanted to give it a shot before it was too late.
He is a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat whose platform is essentially to work to defeat all Republicans. He's also adamant about protecting abortion rights.
"I don't think this country should leave to nine old people whose arteries are getting older all the time the idea of whether a woman gets knocked up should have an abortion," he said.
If elected, he would automatically become the oldest member in either the House or Senate.
West Virginia Democrat Robert Byrd is the oldest senator at the young age of 88. In the House, Rep. Ralph Hall of Texas tops the list at 82, a young'un compared to Smith.
He's already outlasted the original "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," movie star Jimmy Stewart, who was born in 1908, two years before Smith, and died in 1997.
Smith is one of four Democrats vying for the seat and is by far the oldest. The others are Ted Ankrum, 63, a retired government engineer and military veteran; Paul Foreman, 62, a poet and business owner; and Pat Mynatt, 68, a retired emergency room nurse.
Wonderful - he's not FOR anything, he's just AGAINST everything. Reall cool platform.
But The Sheep will vote for him, because that's what Sheep do.
There is nothing more amusing than a dyed-in-the-wool TX Democrat upset with the current political alignment in his state. Many are convinced that 2006 will be the year that they reverse their 10-year losses. And for many, it is about abortion, first and foremost, even this old geezer, who was born so long ago would keep the unborn from being born if he could. He is an Austin version of Herod.
That IS the democrat plateform, isn't it? I wouldn't worry too much of him winning. He'll kick the bucket before election day, the excitement and pace will be too much for him, falling asleep during speeches won't go over too well either. Who ever steps in to take his place will not have time to campaign.
I am reminded of the Toricelli/Lautenberg bait-and-switch of not too long ago.
Any chance of this happening?
What a microcosm of the Dem party in general. Candidate and platform older than dirt, his only goal is to unseat a republican, and no other ideas. This guy is not only pre-911, he's pre WW1.
Anything is possible in democrat politics. Reminds me of a Missouri election where the wife of a dead congressman, was allowed to steal the election.
Your daddy's liberal =-)
At 95, he remembers why the Republicans were so hated and it didn't start with abortion. It began with Reconstruction and everything that happened after the Civil War. There is a good chance that he remembers his parents moving to Texas from some southern plantation and all the former slaves following the wagon because they didn't know what else to do. I was told such a story by another die hard democrat personally. He just grew into an old liberal fart.
This guy wants to make sure his seat in Hell is all warmed up for him!
He wants to spend his last days engaged in a hateful vendetta against the grown-up party rather than enjoying it with his family. Sad.
Wonderful - he's not FOR anything, he's just AGAINST everything. Reall cool platform.
But The Sheep will vote for him, because that's what Sheep do.
2 posted on 03/01/2006 4:55:28 AM PST by Old Sarge
Right you are.They will vote for him because he is a Democrat. The same people will also vote for Satan himself, a confirmed child molestor, or a convicted murderer. All they would have to announce is:"I am a Democrat and I am running for office."
""I don't think this country should leave to nine old people whose arteries are getting older all the time the idea of whether a woman gets knocked up should have an abortion," he said."
"I am reminded of the Toricelli/Lautenberg bait-and-switch of not too long ago.
Any chance of this happening?"
Smith is one of four Democrats vying for the seat and is by far the oldest. The others are Ted Ankrum, 63, a retired government engineer and military veteran; Paul Foreman, 62, a poet and business owner; and Pat Mynatt, 68, a retired emergency room nurse.
I didn't know that Congress was meant to be a rest home.
That would be the Senate.
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