Talkin’ At Ya
Here’s my speech to the convention. The audio is pretty bad but I’ll add the speech at the bottom.
The speech isn’t the speech I wrote. I cut four more minutes of jokes because of time limits. I decided to cut the Mitt Romney jokes. Don’t worry, I’ll use them later!
My name is Susan Bankston and I am from Senate District 18. I want to tell you a story about my friend que ganó mi corazón y mi mente, Gilberto Hinojosa.
I met Gilberto for the first time over a year ago in a bar in Laredo, you know, where women like me hang out all the time. I met a man filled with passion and determination. He is relentless for what he believes in and he believes that the Texas Democratic Party should stand for something.
I grin about folks who claim the title as THE Progressive. I was at an SDEC meeting where some members tried to pass putting some progressive referenda on the Democratic primary ballot – marriage equality, decriminalization of marijuana, and a moratorium on the death penalty.
I saw Gilberto Hinojosa stand in a front of the SDEC and make an impassioned plea for letting grassroots Democrats have a say about what the Democratic Party should stand for. He did not have to do that. He wasn’t even a voting member of the SDEC. He had the courage to take a stand when he didn’t have to. That is courage. Today, he stands as the only candidate for party chair who was there. That isn’t progressivism on paper. That is progressivism in action.
And he’s determined to beat Rick Perry.
Y’all remember when Rick Perry ran for President, right? It didn’t last long, but I was hoping you remembered. He acted so goofy during his presidential campaign that afterwards, his campaign manager released an official statement denying that Rick was on drugs during the campaign, which I didn’t think was the right answer. Are you saying that he’s just naturally that goofy? Oh dude, I would have gone with the whole “he was stoned out of his mind” angle. At least you can fix that.
Rick says he’s for a flat tax plan. You know, flat — like the earth.
I know that’s mean to say about Rick Perry, but that’s okay because tomorrow he won’t even remember it.
I also brought my birth certificate today in case Donald Trump was here. Or Greg Abbott. Although I hear that Gregg Abbott not only wants to see my birth certificate before I vote, he also wants my driver’s license, my handgun permit, my firstborn, the keys to the magic hot rod, the yellow submarine where we all live, and the heads of a couple of tort lawyers.
I have been a Democrat all my life. And when the Lord calls me home to shake Franklin Roosevelt’s hand, I want to be buried in Tom Walker’s Duval County, where I can continue to vote Democratic.
In the Bible, which by the way, contrary to what you’ve heard, the Republican Party does not own exclusive rights to, man’s first question to God was, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” That was our first question. And the answer was yes, you are.
There is no religion on earth, with the exception of Republicanism, that says to worry about the rich at the expense of the poor.
We need a leader who has the passion, the progressivism, and the people. Elect Gilberto Hinojosa.
Wow! Well done!
1Awesome speech!! Wish I was there! 😉
2I love it!! I hope they ALL paid attention!! And, it’s nice to put a face and voice to the blog!
3THIS….>>>>>
“There is no religion on earth, with the exception of Republicanism, that says to worry about the rich at the expense of the poor.”
…should be tatooed on the foreheads of every Republican in America.
4And we now have Judge Hinojosa as our State Chair! At least part of the credit has to go to an outstanding nominating speech, but having a terrific candidate makes it nice all the way around. Good on you, Susan.
5Wonderful speech! It gives this grandfather with a bilingual grandson hope for the future. We joke that my 11-year-old grandson speaks better Spanish than me and better English than his Colombian-born grandmother (mi esposa amorosa, mi zumo de cielo, y mi gota fria). I know someday he’ll live in a Texas with all the progressive values we love and cherish–hell, someday he even might be head of the damn Texas Democratic Party (with his grandfather pushing him along). Thank you Susan & Juanita for all your work, humor, and love.
6What a great speech. We need more like Judge Hinojosa as party leaders, more who aren’t afraid to be real Democrats.
7Rock on….. you nailed it, Girlfriend!
8Susan. Me too, many times over.
9Fabulous. You make me proud to have been born in Texas. Thanks for standing up and speaking out.
10I don’t know what the hell it is with Texas Republican men, but I do love me those Texas Democratic women!
11I hope the election comes out as well as your speech did!
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