Honor is a characteristic in short supply during these polarized political days, days in which political success seems to depend not on honor, but on the lack of it. Too many candidates show a willingness to sacrifice truth and the well-being of their fellow citizens to get elected or re-elected. There are more important ways to measure success. Tom Schieffer demonstrates them daily.
In his statement of withdrawal from the Texas governor’s race, former Ambassador Tom Schieffer showed us again what the word honor means. He’s no longer a candidate, and his short, simple and eloquent statement won’t get much attention from the press as all eyes turn to another man of integrity — Houston Mayor Bill White — and other candidates. Tom’s months as a candidate were marked by his commitment to Texas and by his refusal to stoop to the petty and the irrelevant. Here is his full statement. We are lucky to have Tom in Texas.
Yesterday, my treasurer, Lyndon Olson, and I met In Houston with Mayor Bill White. I urged Mayor White to consider running for Governor instead of the United States Senate. I told him that I thought our state was facing a crisis of leadership and if we did not have a new governor, Texas could wind up being a third world state.
I also told him that I thought the Democratic Party offered the only chance for real change in Texas and we had to have a candidate that was thoughtful and serious and could draw from a broad range of support. I told him that I thought he could be that candidate and that I was prepared to withdraw from the race in order to make that happen.
So, I am announcing today that I will no longer be a candidate for Governor. I hope my actions will be a catalyst for others to reassess their intentions and to join me in supporting Mayor White for governor. We simply must get behind one candidate that can unite our party and offer a credible alternative to the Republicans next fall. I think Bill White is that candidate, and I hope others will join me in urging him to run.
Before I answer your questions I want to thank the folks who went out on a limb to support my candidacy. So many of them have been my friend for thirty and forty years. To them it was always more about friendship than politics. But there were countless others that supported my candidacy and said they wanted to help because they thought I could take our state in a different direction. Old friends or new friends, I was deeply touched by your willingness to help, and I thank you.
Finally, I want to thank my family for pitching in. They have always been there for me. I wish that I could have saved them from the pain of this moment, but I love them and appreciate very much their sacrifice in my behalf.
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About Glenn W. Smith
Glenn W. Smith has spent the past 30 years in journalism and politics, where he’s made a name for himself as a writer, campaign manager, activist, think tank analyst and, as Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas says, a “legendary political consultant and all-around good guy.” “There’s no one like him,” says author George Lakoff. CNN commentator Paul Begala says, “He has unmatched experience, a graceful pen (or pixel nowadays) and deep insight into the best and worst of us.” Novelist Sarah Bird speaks of his “lucid and lyrical” prose. And, she says, he’s fun. Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington says Glenn writes with “grace and abundant humor” and “uses his colorful experiences in Texas to enlighten us all.”
Smith led Ann Richards’ successful 1990 campaign for Governor of Texas. He worked for former Texas Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby and U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen. Earlier, Smith was a political reporter for the Houston Chronicle and the Houston Post. He’s coordinated national campaigns for groups such as MoveOn.org. In 2004, he authored the highly acclaimed book, The Politics of Deceit: Saving Freedom and Democracy from Extinction. He also wrote Unfit Commander, a book that detailed George W. Bush’s mysterious disappearance from military service.
In 2004, Smith was featured in the film, Bush’s Brain, a documentary about Karl Rove. Smith provided commentary on Rove’s role as then-President Bush’s senior advisor. He has made numerous media appearances with Chris Mathews on Hardball, Joe Scarborough, Brit Hume, and many others. He writes a regularly for top national web sites, including FireDogLake and Huffington Post.
As a senior fellow at George Lakoff’s prestigious Rockridge Institute in Berkeley he studied, wrote and taught on the power of metaphor and narrative in political communications. He also lectured on religion and politics at the Starr King School for Ministry in Berkeley. As a sponsor and organizer, he has pulled together numerous national events with progressive religious leaders. He also organized a celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King at Riverside Church in New York City as well as “Freedom and Faith” bus tours, which was a nationwide campaign for social justice and progressive values.
Smith’s play, Double Play, which explored American Western myths and legends, was held over to sold-out audiences. He’s even written and performed songs in the Americana tradition, such as his best-known song, “Helping Marty Robbins,” a tribute to his hometown, Houston.
Most recently, Smith is the creator of DogCanyon, a political and cultural web site covering state, national and global issues from a Texas perspective. DogCanyon is an exhilarating and unique site that gets the connections between politics and culture and explores both the personal side of politics and the ups, down, craziness and beauty of “life its ownself,” as humorist Dan Jenkins would say. DogCanyon offers heartfelt personal essays, hard-hitting political analysis, and, most importantly, laughs.
As Paul Begala said, Smith writes in “the finest, firmest, fearless tradition of Texas essayists like Molly Ivins.”
Glenn, some of us have some wretched memories of what happened last time a moderate Republican beat the drums for a millionaire Democrat to run for Governor. I suspect the way for Dems to beat Perry is to have an extremely popular professional football player or coach as the candidate.
But I won’t argue with you on the points you make. You are much too more experienced than I in such things.
However, if Mr. White decides not to get into the Democratic Primary, what do you suggest Democrats do when primary day comes around?