Weekend Treat
One of my favorite Texas news guys is Joe Holley, who can spin a yarn into a dandy memory. And he also has the best hair of all the news guys in Texas.
This morning, Joe turned on a light bulb in my head. He compares Donald Trump’s election to Pappy Lee O’Daniel, a Texas Governor who has been memorialized in the Coen brother’s O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Pappy was a radio personality who had never voted before he was elected governor. Hell, he hadn’t paid his poll tax so he couldn’t even vote for himself. He ran for governor to advertise his flour, and he got elected.
So, if you’re looking to grin, let Joe lead the way.
And, just because I like you so much, here’s one of Pappy’s campaign songs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2RlFA8tSq0
My favorite description of Pappy’s senate term is “ineffective”. Thus the DNA of ineffective US Senators from Texas gets us to today. Difference is Pappy’s common touch and contagious smile have been replaced by the unsettling leer of current Texas US Senators.
In the sense that Pappy was about his brand and never participated even slightly in politics before running for governor, Pappy is the Drumpf of the 1930s.
Oh and Pappy campaigned against a sales tax in 1938, then supported a “transaction” tax once in the Governor’s Manse. Of course a “transaction” tax is wayyyyyyy different than a “sales” tax. Flip, meet flop.
1Texas, all will be forgiven, if you give Teddie Crooze the boot!
2While I’m sure that he was a dreadful governor, the Inauguration/Barbecue sounds pretty appealing. At least folks got a good meal out of it. Even more appreciated in the 1030’s, I’ll bet.
3According to Kathleen Parker, conservative Wapo columnist, the cocksplat is not a latter day Pappy. He is a Russian spy.
“If Obama is a Muslim, then [cocksplat] is a Russian spy.”
https://goo.gl/K0RpSH
4I can’t read the article because there is a pay wall. Oh well, I guess newspapers need to make money, but too bad they don’t allow a couple free views.
5They don’t call it Lone Star for nothing. Of course we had some weird governors in my home state of Louisiana beginning with Huey Long.
6Debbo–
I got into the Wapo link with no problems, and you might if you try again. Maybe. I don’t understand firewalls all that much.
I used to read Kathleen Parker’s stuff pretty regularly, but I decided she was too far right for my tastes, but she has really reeled it back in lately. I’m not convinced that she believes Trump is a Russian spy (she makes a strong point against conspiracy theories), but it’s pretty clear she won’t be among his cheerleaders; she even makes some good points here on Obama’s behalf.
Count 1 who seems to have gotten the wake-up call!
7Debbo–Oh, the Chronicle link…no, I can’t go there, either…
8But Pappy didn’t have nukes.
9That is a thought provoking comparison. Decades ago, a former district judge from Hill County Texas, midway between DFW and Waco, told of wataching the crowd, the Hill County Courthouse, respond to O’Daniel when he was campaigning for governor. He recalled being stunned at the large turnout and the money contributions. He watched farmers he did not think had $5.00 drop fives into the flour barrels that O’Daniel operatives passed around.
10There is one big difference between O’Daniel and T-rump. The governor of Texas is relatively weak compared to the president. We have had some very bad governors and have survived. I hope we can survive T-rump.
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