My longtime Democratic fighting buddy and regular customer here, TexasEllen, sent me this picture from the State Capitol last night.

I have some business to take care of this morning but  I will be back this afternoon with more commentary on The Hooter Toter Wars in Texas, but THIS is the most important visual image of the day.

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It makes me tear up.  We will not forget.

I need to say something about Paula Deen and this is it.

Screw you, Paula.

Okay, here’s how Paula Deen hurt me personally.  All week long I have been hearing commentators on teevee say that using the N word should be expected from “Southern white women of a certain age.”  I even heard one say it was “understandable.”

Hell, no.  I don’t know where these commentators got that but they need to put it down right now and never touch it again.

I am Paula Deen’s age and I live in the South.  I have not used the N word since I was 6 years old (I heard it at school) and my Irish grandma swatted my bottom for saying it.  I was told that words like that do not come out of a lady’s mouth and that Jesus loves all the little children — red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. I was told to say “colored.”

I never said it again.  I was 17 years old when Dr. Martin Luther King won the Nobel Peace Prize.  So was Paula Deen.  So, if she used that word after 1964, shame on her.  She knew full well that she should not be saying that.

But now, when people look at me, they think I talk like Paula Deen, but should be forgiven for it based on my age and my birthplace.  No.

Paula Deen knew for a damn fact that those words were hurtful and not acceptable.  My grandmother, rest her precious soul, would have stomped her said indignantly, “And she calls herself a lady?”

My friend Laura sent me this to read.  You will feel far less sympathy for Deen after reading this.

So, Paula, screw you.  Not all Southern women of a certain age are a bunch of classless witches.

That’s what I have to say about Paula Deen.

UPDATE:  If you want to follow along on Facebook, go LIKE the Texas Democratic Party.

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Click right here to Draft Wendy!

Heads up – if you can’t be there, you can watch live.

If you are anywhere near Texas, you are needed in Austin today.  They are voting on whether to deny access to a legal and safe medical procedure for Texas women.

Here’s how it works:

We can’t predict exactly when the debate will begin but we know we want it to go late into the night. Come when you can. Stay til the end. Wear orange.

What: Texas House Debate on SB 5, HB 16 and HB 60

When: Sunday, June 23rd

Doors to the House Gallery open at 1pm

The House convenes at 2pm

Debate on the bills is not expected to begin until late afternoon

Where: Texas House of Representatives

Texas State Capitol

Austin, TX

Who: All Texans who oppose these bills and are ready to end Rick Perry’s War on Women

Doors to the House Gallery are scheduled to open at 1pm

The House convenes at 2pm

Debate on the bills is expected

I am not going to be there this time for several reasons.

Today is my birthday.  If I live 600 more years, I will officially be the sign of the devil.  That would explain a lot of my weird behavior.  But, for now, I am 2/3rds the sign of the devil, which is close enough and ought to scare you anyway.  My son has planned a perfect day for me.  My kids have had to live with a weird mother their entire lives so I don’t want to screw this up.

It’s hot as hell.  No, hotter.  I am old.  I used to have to worry about my garter strap melting into my leg.  Now I have to worry that the wheels on my walker will melt.

I fought like hell for these rights and I figure it’s up to the younger women to fight to keep them.  I cannot believe that I have been fighting this crap since 1967.

Go if you can and tell us about it.

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Thanks to customer John A. Kwitkoski for the above graphic.

My buddy Glen Maxey just sent me this picture of the overflow crowd!

Up until this minute, I thought things like this only happened in Texas.

It is rare when you find a story with a 70 year old impotent male, his 41 year old wife who is a blackout drunk, her 32 year old lover, living room floors, guns, murder, stand your ground, acquittal, and the damn Waffle House.

If you can’t love a story like that, there’s something wrong with you.

After her husband was acquitted of murder for shooting her lover while they were sparkin’, the joyful wife spoke to the press.

When Wald is released from jail, Flores said, the couple plan a celebration. “Because my husband puts me first,” she said, “he’s taking me to Waffle House.”

That story cannot happen outside the South.

Waffle House is McDonalds with grease for breakfast.

It is rare to have people who have been your friend for 30 years.  I kept Suzy Allison for reasons like this.  She sent me an email this morning.

I got a letter in yesterday’s mail from Greg Abbott.

Yes, that Greg Abbott. He wants me to send money because he will soon make an announcement about his political plans, will be mounting a major campaign, and needs my support. He does not specify the office he seeks, but gives some strong clues. Here are the clues . . .

“27 times I have sued the Obama administration. And I am not done.”

“I have fought the Obama Administration’s assault on our Constitution, including the ObamaCare plan that forces Americans to purchase a product or pay a tax.”

“Working with a great team at the Office of Attorney General, we successfully defended the 10 Commandments displayed on the lawn of the Texas Capitol. We have defended prayer in school. We have fought to protect life.”

No other candidate or officeholder is mentioned by name. So it’s clear. He’s going to run against Obama. So all we need to do is find out what office Obama plans to seek in 2014, and we know Abbott’s plans. 🙂

Paging the White House . . . We’ve got a weird question.

Abbott is running for Governor.  Now the question is — is Rick Perry also running for Governor?  They say we will know at the end of next week.

They are going to lock us out of the room, not allow any recording, and pass it anyway!

Get outraged.

Here ya go.  They approve it nice and quietly.  And another view.

Byron Cook, the committee chairman, is a thug.