The other Texas political story from last week that had tongues wagging and social media buzzing.
Mayor Julian Castro
Why yes, since you asked, the Secretary did have dinner with the Clintons at their house, Julián Castro’s press secretary allowed.
Did they have a very vice, er, nice evening? Did they veep, ah, keep, talking late into the night?
“Secretary Castro and former President Clinton had a discussion about ways the agency can expand on the partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative to make public housing more energy efficient,” Housing and Urban Development press spokesman Cameron French said – the absolute echo of another HUD spokesman’s quote to the Washington Post about the dinner.
Last week’s repast took place at the Clintons’ 5,000-square-foot, 7-bedroom home just behind Observatory Circle – tantalizingly close to the Vice President’s official residence at the Naval Observatory.
It was just the latest manifestation of a warm, long-term relationship between the Clintons and the Castros – Julián and his brother, Rep. Joaquín Castro. And, of course, it served to bring the chatter about Julián as Hillary’s 2016 running mate to a rolling boil.
Julián worked as an intern in the Clinton White House. San Antonio’s twin political stars were in the Clinton camp in 2008, and remain there. That’s just the way Hillary likes it, as she realizes successfully courting the Latino vote is an absolute essential – both if there are substantive Democratic primaries and in the general election.
In fact, 2016 could be a history-making year in which both parties have Latinos in one of the two top spots on the ticket.
We’ve covered this ground before. I will just say again that the best thing Julian Castro can do to enhance his shot at being on the ticket with Hillary Clinton in 2016 is to do a good job at HUD and not screw anything up. If Democrats do well enough this November to make thoughts of Clinton carrying it in 2016 non-crazy, so much the better. Beyond that, this is the proverbial journey of a thousand miles, and we’re still at the starting line stretching our hamstrings. Chilling out in the meantime is advisable.