Tag Archives: Bill White

The first candidate forum

Posted on July 6, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

What do you get when you have a gubernatorial candidate forum without Governor Perry? Pretty much the same as what you’d have with him, but without the distraction of his pathetic attempts to defend his record. The League of Women … Continue reading →

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It’s all right, he wouldn’t have contributed anything to the debate anyway

Posted on July 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The first gubernatorial debate of the general election is today, and one person will not be there. Democratic nominee Bill White and Libertarian Kathie Glass, both lawyers, are scheduled to face off in a Kerrville Area League of Women Voters … Continue reading →

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EPA cracks down further

Posted on July 1, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Here it comes. The Environmental Protection Agency has formally denounced the state’s air-pollution permitting system for some of its biggest industrial plants — and reactions are pouring in. Texas’s system, the EPA said in its release, “allows companies to avoid … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Kinky/Strayhorn effect

Posted on June 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As I did my analysis of the Latino vote in the 2006 election, it occurred to me that I had stumbled across a framework for trying to understand what the effect was of Kinky Friedman and Carole Keeton Strayhorn’s candidacies … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Corpus coverage

Posted on June 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Due to unavoidable schedule conflicts, I’m not down in Corpus Christi this weekend for the TDP convention. Here are some of the places where I’ll be following what’s going on: The Trib’s liveblog Abby Rapoport Bob Moser John Coby David … Continue reading →

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PPP poll: Perry 43, White 43

Posted on June 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This will likely shake things up a bit. One of the biggest questions about the 2010 election cycle, which we still don’t really know the answer to, is whether it will be solely an anti-Democratic year or more broadly an … Continue reading →

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Rick Perry and the Latino vote, part 3

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Having looked at the 2002 election last week, I turn my attention now to 2006. This presents a number of challenges, thanks to the bizarre four-way contest that was the Governor’s race. In all my previous work on the 2006 … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2002, Election 2006, Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Republicans for White

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve said before that Rick Perry can win, or at least he believes he can win, on Republican voters alone. Bill White needs to draw crossover support. With 49 percent of Republican primary voters choosing someone other than Perry, that … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Maybe having a press conference in front of your opponents’ campaign HQ isn’t such a hot idea

Posted on June 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Especially if they’re ready for you to arrive. Chicken suits are the new black. That’s what happens when you’re afraid to debate your opponent. BOR has more.

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TCEQ versus EPA

Posted on June 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This fight between the TCEQ and the EPA, or more broadly between polluters and people who like to breathe, has been coming for a long time. Environmentalists are excited by the EPA’s new aggressive posture and hope it prompts an … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Dunnam to Perry: Give me some names

Posted on June 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

So as you know, there was a story last month about Rick Perry’s swanky and expensive rental mansion, which he and his wife have been using while the Governor’s Mansion is undergoing repairs. Turns out that the rather lavish lifestyle … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The TxDOT audit

Posted on May 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure you will be surprised to learn that TxDOT has a lot of issues. The Texas Department of Transportation should significantly alter its leadership structure, reshuffle its executive ranks and reduce the role engineers play in leading the sprawling … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Here comes the EPA

Posted on May 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

No one can say they weren’t warned. Objecting to how Texas regulates air pollution, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday it is taking over the issuance of an operating permit for a Corpus Christi refinery and could step in … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

White wants to “undo some of the damage” the SBOE has done to social studies

Posted on May 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Lord knows, there’s a lot of it to undo. Bill White wants to start with changing the Chair. Some Texans have called for a limited review to address some of the more controversial standards that will influence new history, government, … Continue reading →

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More on the UT/Trib poll

Posted on May 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

In response to my comments about the UT/Texas Trib poll, pollster James Henson was kind enough to send me the following: The number of independents is a function of how we present the results, not the methodology per se. We … Continue reading →

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Trib poll: Perry 44, White 35

Posted on May 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We finally have a non-Rasmussen result to discuss. Republican Rick Perry leads Democrat Bill White by nine percentage points — 44 percent to 35 percent — in the 2010 race for governor, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

More Enterprise Fund failures

Posted on May 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

There sure are a lot of them. Gov. Rick Perry’s office has rewritten three more contracts for companies that are struggling to create the promised number of jobs after getting millions of taxpayer dollars from the Texas Enterprise Fund. The … Continue reading →

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The clown show finally calls it a wrap

Posted on May 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some other state to be the national laughingstock again. The Court of Criminal Appeals gives it a good run for its money, but you just can’t out-embarrass the SBOE, and every … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

2010 Houston term limits survey

Posted on May 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Last month, I posted several links with information and research relating to term limits, including the results of a 2004 City of Houston survey about them and the proposed wording for an updated survey. That updated survey has been done, … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Rasmussen: Perry 51, White 38

Posted on May 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Last month, Rasmussen published a poll showing Bill White trailing Rick Perry by four points. This month, they claim a 13-point advantage for Perry, giving him his highest level of support and White his lowest since they started polling this … Continue reading →

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White tells the SBOE to wait till next year

Posted on May 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, the SBOE is set to take a final vote on their proposed revisions to the social studies textbook standards. They’ve received a lot of mostly negative feedback so far, but have said they’re still considering specific suggestions. … Continue reading →

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White and Parker

Posted on May 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not particularly concerned about this. Gov. Rick Perry has found an unlikely — and apparently unwitting — ally in his effort to paint Bill White as a liberal spendthrift who left Houston in arrears: Mayor Annise Parker. As she … Continue reading →

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The unemployment tax and the Enterprise Fund

Posted on May 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We know that unemployment insurance taxes have gone up, and we know that the increase is more than it would have been had Governor Perry not rejected $555 million in stimulus funds for unemployment insurance. But there’s another way in … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

It may take an act of God for Rick Perry to admit he was wrong

Posted on May 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Governor Perry is being questioned about his silly “act of God” comment regarding the BP oil leak in the Gulf, and he’s apparently a mite touchy about it. Look, we all know – clearly Perry does – that “act of … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Sixty thousand and counting

Posted on May 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

In March, the Dallas Morning News wrote about how Rick Perry was running a new kind of campaign. Rick Perry’s campaign has a radical approach that eschews traditional voter turnout efforts in favor of extensive use of social media networks … Continue reading →

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Will Texas make like Arizona?

Posted on April 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

If there’s been one small positive thing about the ridiculous Arizona anti-immigrant law, it’s been to remind the rest of the country that states besides Texas do crazy, inexplicable things as well. And I do believe that there’s a reason … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Debating about having a debate

Posted on April 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We will eventually have televised debates between Rick Perry and Bill White. But first we have to sit through the kabuki dance. Belo Corp., the company that owns WFAA and TV stations in Austin, Houston and San Antonio, sponsored a … Continue reading →

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White in West Texas

Posted on April 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

West Texas has not been friendly territory for Democrats lately, and won’t be any more so this year, but that doesn’t stop Bill White from seeking out support there. The Texas Panhandle town of Canadian, where morning weather reports include … Continue reading →

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Rasmussen: Perry 48, White 44

Posted on April 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Just in time for his closeup, Rasmussen has a poll result that shows Governor Perry with a four point lead over Bill White. A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely Texas voters finds Perry with 48% support. His Democratic … Continue reading →

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No anti-health care special session

Posted on April 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Thank God for small favors. Gov. Rick Perry tamped out rumors today that he would call a special legislative session to consider whether Texas should seek to exempt itself from federal health care law. Harris County Republican Chairman Jared Woodfill … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Happy birthday, Discovery Green!

Posted on April 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Two years old now. Two years after it opened, downtown’s Discovery Green park has drawn 55 percent more visitors than projected and has emerged as a key asset to Houston’s convention business, officials say. The 12-acre, $122 million park has … Continue reading →

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Early poll in HD134

Posted on April 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Despite the fact that they left her basically unchallenged in 2008, I get the impression that local Republicans are excited about the possibility of defeating two-term State Rep. Ellen Cohen this year. Certainly, she will face a stronger challenge from … Continue reading →

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White and Perry argue about the dropout rate; White wins

Posted on April 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

See for yourself. The major-party candidates for governor on Tuesday waded into one of the oldest and hottest debates in public education — what’s the real high school drop-out rate? — producing the kind of fireworks that suggest the state … Continue reading →

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You know what they say about free advice

Posted on March 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Back when Bill White first got into the Texas Governor’s race, the Texas Tribune asked me to engage in an email debate with David Benzion about his tenure as Mayor. At the time, I said I would not presume to … Continue reading →

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