Standing With Wendy
Okay here’s the deal, Bubba and I had a reception at our house tonight for the three young Battleground Texas fellows. We raised a little money to help them pay for gas and got them some contacts to get to know the activists in the county. I think my county hit the Battleground Texas lottery. We have three great kids – Elizabeth, Brianna, and Larry. Adrienne Bell, the damn near perfect Battleground Texas organizer for 7 counties, including mine, also came and explained their plans.
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The entire time, we had one ear – and a good reporter, thank you Glen Maxey – tuned to Wendy Davis’s filibuster on the Texas Senate floor. Last I heard (about 9:00) there were 1,000 people waiting to get into the senate chambers.
The President tweeted that something special is happening in Texas.
No shoot, Sherlock!
Senator Davis has two points of order (strikes) against her. One for discussing Roe v. Wade, which the Republicans said was not “germane” to women’s reproductive rights. The second was for Senator Rodney Ellis actually touching her very briefly to adjust her back brace. Three strikes and she’s out. That, apparently, is their plan.
If they do, 1,000 Texans in Austin and thousands more at home are ready to stand their ground. Bubba just told me that 36,000 people are watching the filibuster on You Tube.
This is Wendy at 9:30 pm, with 2 and half hours to go. She can have no water, no bathroom breaks, no food, no leaning on the podium, no sitting. She’s gonna make it.
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I’m staying up. I’m standing with Wendy.
With 2 hours to go, Lt Gov David Dewhurt ruled that sonograms have nothing to do with reproductive rights. That’s 3 strikes. He says it is over. Shouts of Let Her Speak from the gallery. The DPS is removing people from the gallery.
Senator Kirk Watson appeals the decision of the chair. I think he’s hoping to keep the appeal going for 2 hours.
The parliamentary debate continues at 10:30. Lt Gov Dewhurst has left the chamber. I just heard that 103,000 are watching on You Tube. Senator Wendy Davis is still standing.
54 minutes left with the microphones off and all manner of cahooting going on.
Senator Leticia Van de Putte is everybody’s other hero tonight. There’s 3000 people in the rotunda yelling even louder. Republicans would be fools to railroad this now.
I am damn proud to be a Texas woman tonight! The citizens filibuster finished the job.
Nobody seems to know what is going on. My state rep just called and fears that the GOP snuck it through. There has been some wrestling in the gallery with DPS officers.
“WHO WOULD HAVE EVER DREAMED THAT THE AMERICAN SPRING WOULD HAVE STARTED IN TEXAS?” Margot Nielsen
I’ll tell you know what happened when I know. It’s 12:30 and nobody seems to know what happened.
As we wait to find out what happened, some of you have asked me where to send money. Contributions both small and large can be made here where I can personally promise you it will be spent wisely.
Okay, it all boils down to when did the vote happen. Republicans say 11:59 and Democrats (and everybody watching) sat 12:02. There will be a court battle.
i’m thrilled and mad at the same time. so petty……but that’s who they are. this is soooo huge! She is such a brave and brilliant woman, Texans must be so proud of her!
1I’m with Wendy till the bitter end. We will not sit this one out.
2It’s so very instructive to see what an empty suit Dewhurst is. He’s the very definition of clueless. Dog help Texas if he’s our next Governator.
(Also, as a side note, the parliamentarian is earning every single dime she makes.)
And yes, Senator Davis is still standing, so… Go Wendy!
3Dear Sybil (and the rest of you all) – these mule behinds are not so much as petty as they are just plain old mean, vicious, and evil. Sorry, but maybe next time I’ll tell you how I really feel about rethugs, Gov. Goodhair, et al.
State Senator Davis is indeed courageous. Fight on Girl!!
4God Bless Wendy!!
5She’s Texas Tough! She IS gonna make it. And if those microscopically endowed fluffy white boys find one more thing to whine about as the third strike, there will be a riot in the house. People are calling the speaker’s line to complain. It’s overrun!
6Except they called another point of order 9:30ish. She mentioned the additional burden this bill would add to women because of the sonogram bill passed last session. She was clear about the connection. But some called a point of order. She clarified on the question. The vultures went to the front and I haven’t had audio since.
753,000 + watching the live feed I understand.
8The Bas****s! They are getting her! Her colleagues are fighting this, and appealing the ruling of the chair, and the crowd is going wild. I’m sorry momma, at least I bleeped it!
9Wendy… Wendy. . .. .. … Those Bastards are having a hissy fit to get her. Sorry Momma
10Can’t wait to see how this ends….
And how we can use the video from tonite to show the people of Texas how we are represented by a whole lot of dildos.
11Yes, Republican senators, most assuredly the Eyes of Texas Are Upon You tonight. And you are being found wanting. And an aroused citizenry will make you pay.
12Dewhurst ruled Davis’ talk ‘un-germaine’ and moved to end filibuster. John Whitmire, Rodney Ellis and others ride to the rescue as the sausage machine grinds on. These old hands are walking arguements against term limits; somebody knows how to play this game!
13I’ve been dipping into this all evening (and watching the clock tick down), so I don’t know exactly who said what not when. But, I can’t help thinking a new Star has been born and, particularly after this awful day with the Supremes, could we be looking at the next Governor of Texas? Is that in the realm of possiblity?
14I really don’t know how they sound so polite. I’m so furious I’m shaking, so it’s a good thing I’m not a senator.
15who is the idiot with the country watching? It’s shocking to see the blatant crap…..Sens Watson and West are awesome!
16Watson just told the Prez to sit down and shut up! it’s in the rules…..I better pay more attention to the NM legislature
Watson got them on an appeal of Dewbutts ruling and then Dew Nothin bolted cause he new he blew it. and the streaming site I’m watching has 106,821 folks watching right now.
17I have it on reliable authority that the lady parliamentarian who contorts the rules to serve the Republican majority’s interests in the Senate goes by the name Flimsy Pretext.
18I am very pleased with Sen. Watson for his appeal and for keeping the motion to table off the floor. Good use of the rules against them!
1975 minutes to go…
20The person who knows parliamentary procedure rules the chamber, they cut the sound! The eyes of the world are on Texas and Dew need a hearse is cutting the sound!
21I hate it that they keep turning the sound off when they are having their “discussions.”
22God bless Van der Putte for coming back straight from her father’s funeral. How horrible this must all be for her. What a servant to the people she is being.
23In California cheering her on. Love the support of others on the floor~ very educational; from their individual knowledge, the community on the floor and the grasping and understanding of the underlying BASE of this bill and filibustering guidelines. Cheers! To those doing their job for the people that voted them into office & to be separating their own personal ’emotion’ over the reality of the whole and what this bill is about: Basic women’s rights; it’s not health care.
24Texas is the ‘New C-Span’ for pol-watching across the country. Either Lt. Gov. Dew-claw-whatever is so tired he’s ready to fall on his face, or he should be crowned ‘Most Boring Politician Ever’ in Texas. The question is whether Wendy Davis is the ‘NEW Ann Richardson’ for Texans. GO WENDY!!!
25Just to fill ya’ll in while waiting for them to turn the Mics Back on, Representative Edward J. Markey, a Democrat won a promotion to the Senate on Tuesday beating Gabriel Gomez, a Republican who has never served in elective office, Filling SOS Kerry’s Seat.
26Good grief! Texas legislative debate is more boring than watching prairie grass grow in Nebraska.
27With an hour to go, all’s quiet. The Republicans have the mikes off as they plot where to slap on the parliamentary Vaseline to slide through HB 5 before the midnight deadline. Boy, I’m glad these proceedings are live on the Internet. The clips from this debacle will play back a lot during next year’s campaign.
28Sorry. Make that SB 5. It’s late.
29I didn’t watch – not suppose to get stressed and this already has me p***ed. I know she won’t move so I’ll root real hard that you get Senator Wendy for your next governor!
You poor folks have such a large group of a$$hats. 🙁
30Kirk Watson has been a heavy lifter for us all
31I would like to add my voice as #30 to complement the positive remarks of the other 29 thoughtful comments. I’ve had a forgettable day. Wendy’s dedicated effort on behalf of the movement is memorable day brightener.
32When is this over – we still have someone speaking (bless his soul!!!) and it’s 11:24.
33How much longer will they allow him to talk?
34Is there a time limit on how long Sen Watson (?) can speak on the motion to table?
35That’s Kirk Watson… and let him freakin’ talk until midnight!
36No bathroom breaks? Damn. Stand there and piss yourself girl. No shame in that. No shame at all.
37Tick Tock Tick Tock
38Go Wendy Go! She is to be admired…and will she tell us her secret for enduring this ordeal physically…if you know what I mean!
39Just over 20 minutes to go~
40Mark, I hope she equipped herself with some adult diapers first. I wouldn’t count on being able to hold it for 13 hours.
Dang, that live feed isn’t working for me and I don’t know what’s happening! 22 minutes left!
41Wendy! Watson! West!
423 W’s!
Hopefully this will all be thrown out because it does seem that parliamentary rules were not followed – look for some serious lawsuits!
43tick tock
44More cahooting but 10 minutes to go – can we stall??????
45I stayed at the Capitol until 10 but was so tired I gave up. I wish I hadn’t though.
46Senator Van de Putte: “At what point does a female senator have to raise her hand or raise her voice to be recognized over her male colleagues in the room?”
47My computer clock shows 6 minutes til midnight, CST.
That courageous lady who stood for all of us today would make a darned fine governor for this state.
Let’s turn Texas blue with Wendy Davis.
48Oh man. You can tell Davis is hurting from the way she is waving to the gallery.
49The gallery is making so much noise that they can’t complete the vote. Can they run out the clock? Now that’s participatory democracy! Two more minutes!
50