Jesus "Chuy" Reyes
<|:)~
Posted on 06/03/2002 6:26:17 AM PDT by PetroniDE
EL PASO, Texas -- National Democratic leaders bowed out of the Texas convention later this month amid concerns that they could hamper the Democratic effort in Republican President Bush's home state.
"It was caused by all the flak -- should they come, should they not come," said Jesus "Chuy" Reyes, who is active in the political operation for his brother, U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-El Paso.
Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt and the other national Democrats didn't want their presence in Bush's home state to "cause any problems for anyone," Chuy Reyes was quoted saying in the Times. "They want to support the Democratic ticket. They want to make sure that Tony Sanchez wins in Texas."
Daschle has deleted his attendance from the schedule, as has Democratic Party National Chairman Terry McAuliffe, the El Paso Times reported in Sunday's editions. Gephardt, once a tentative speaker, now has a scheduling conflict and can't make the convention. Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn, also cited a scheduling conflict.
Spokesmen for Daschle, the Democratic National Committee, Gephardt and Lieberman did not immediately return phone calls from The Associated Press on Sunday.
The convention is June 13-15 in El Paso.
Some party leaders have been concerned that bringing national party leaders into Texas could alienate independent voters who support Bush. Republican U.S. Senate nominee John Cornyn has already characterized his contest with Democrat Ron Kirk as a choice between Bush's team or Daschle's team.
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Tony Sanchez and lieutenant governor candidate John Sharp have said the meetings should focus on state Democrats.
"When you are invited and then you hear you are not wanted, it makes you say 'adios,' " said Blanche Darley of El Paso, a member of the Democratic National Committee. "I feel bad for our congressman because he really tried hard" to get national leaders to attend.
Longtime El Paso Democratic leader Bob Neill said it's a mistake not to bring Daschle and others to El Paso for the convention.
"But I don't think it's the end of the world," he said. "Everything we can do, we can still do whether they come to this convention or not. It's just that it might have been a good jump start -- certainly for some of the party activists."
Invitations to the national Democrats were never withdrawn, said Texas Democratic Party spokesman Mike Hailey.
"It's true that there's a very small group of people who would rather fight within the party than stay united for the battle in the fall," Hailey said. "The truth is, the vast majority of Texas Democrats are in this together and united like never before. That's a clear and resounding message that we are hearing all over the state -- from the grass roots to all levels of leadership."
The Democrats might as well have held the convention in Boise.
Jesus "Chuy" Reyes
<|:)~
Why are they holding the convention in El Paso of all places? (scratching head)
You'd think the Demos would hold their state convention in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio or Austin.
I guess they want to accomplish that without publicizing to the rest of the state that they are bunch of liberals.
That's why I'm still shaking my head wondering why the Demo state convention is out in the boonies of the state; they could have gotten way better press in Austin.
That's because no one wants to go there. This is one point on which I agree with the media.
The RATs in Texas are done. When all the yellow dogs die out (soon, probably), Texas will be a one party state again.
That message should be reverberate across the state and will finish off Kirk.
The tougher challenge is to beat Sharp.
PLEASE call the LEFT...the "Left Wing", "Far Left Wing" and/or "Communists".
The only thing "modern day liberals" are all about is "liberty" for sex and drugs. The Democrats WE have come to know are for "government control and economic leveling" and liberal amounts of sex and drugs. LOOK at their most successful leader "Bill Clinton".
Every Republican or Conservative that USES the word "LIBERAL" perpetuates the MEDIA'S game of insulting the "Right Wing" and the "Far Right Wing" with name calling while they pat their friends on the head with the quaint name of "liberal".
WE must stop the madness and call these people LEFTISTS!
His techniques included a "knock-and-drag" effort to intimidate voters to go to the polls (stopping by some houses 3 times on the runoff election day, hard to say "no!" to that group of paid "volunteers"), a racist "Orlando Sanchez is Anti-Hispanic" poster campaign in hispanic neighborhoods, a racist taped phone campaign to black neighborhoods with a message from one of Byrd's relatives about his dragging death, ad nauseum.
Don't think for a second that the Dems are staying away from Texas in 2002. They plan to win and know that they must appear "moderate" and keep the national figures in a low profile. Clinton and other figures will still come to Texas for fundraisers, operatives will work from behind the scenes.
To those that it applies, I openly call Anarchist-Socialists. I find many on the extreme left-end of the radio dial to fit this description. Some are honest about it. Others use the term "progressive".
The only way that they ever seem to sway people over to their side is through lies and deceptions.
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