Orlando should just stick to what he knows: running failed businesses further into the ground. It's obvious he will never be elected Mayor of Houston with his distinguished career of being a failure in every thing he has ever tried. His response? Negative potshots. Why am I not surprised? If he ran on his record, he'd be run out of town! http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/2236080 Mayor, 4 predecessors endorse White By JOHN WILLIAMS Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle Political Writer Mayoral candidate Bill White won the unusual endorsement Wednesday of Mayor Lee Brown and the four living former mayors of Houston. With White and Brown at the event on the steps of City Hall were former Mayors Bob Lanier, Fred Hofheinz and Louie Welch. Former Mayor Kathy Whitmire did not travel from her home in Hawaii, but sent a statement Brown read. Welch, who served as mayor from 1964 to 1973, said it is the first time in his memory that all living mayors have thrown support behind the same candidate. Welch, Hofheinz and Lanier said that White has attempted to run a bipartisan campaign, attracting Republicans and Democrats. White's runoff opponent, former City Councilman Orlando Sanchez, has gotten his strongest support from Republicans. All five of the mayors said White, with business experience as CEO of the Wedge Group, is most qualified to replace Brown, term-limited after six years in office. "I urge people not to be taken in by any plea for party loyalty," Welch said, "but to seek the person best qualified to serve Houston as mayor. "Houston is too great, too big and too important to let it be dragged down to the area of political partisanship that has plagued so many American cities." Sanchez said the endorsement represents the grip "the same old folks at City Hall" have had for the past 12 years, since Lanier was elected in 1991. Sanchez, who has run advertising linking White to what he characterizes as the failed administration of Brown, noted that Lanier also supported Brown when he was elected to succeed Lanier in 1997. "Today is the public anointment of White as the hand-chosen candidate of former Mayor Lanier and it just corroborates what we have been saying all along," Sanchez said. "If the city is ready for change, a new direction, a new course, a new philosophy, I am the candidate they should be looking at. "If people are happy with the course of activities, in the last 12 years particularly, I am not their candidate." Sanchez has endorsements from Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson and other top GOP state officials. Brown, who defeated Sanchez in a 2001 runoff, said there is "no comparison" between White and Sanchez in the ability to lead Houston. "Bill White is an independent person who is not controlled by any interest group," Brown said. "He has earned his position as the leading candidate for mayor by going out into every neighborhood and communicating his plans for Houston's future." Lanier, mayor from 1992 to 1997, echoed Brown's comments, saying that White has become the rare citywide candidate to do well in all ethnic, geographic and partisan groups, though he did not take a majority of any. "It gives him a wonderful base to have a nonpartisan administration and I think that's the best for this city," Lanier said. Hofheinz, mayor from 1974 to 1977, said White is intelligent and has a plan to move Houston forward. "In Houston, the strong mayor we have sets our goals," Hofheinz said. "Bill White has shown me he has an agenda for Houston, he has shown me he has strong ideas about the direction he wants to take the city. "Houston has historically been blessed by having successful businessmen coming out of the private sector offering their services. Bill White fits that mode." Brown read a statement from Whitmire, mayor from 1982 to 1991, who lauded White for supporting light rail, working for quality of life issues and being a hands-on manager "He is the only candidate prepared to take the tough stands and the long-range view needed to move Houston to the next level," Whitmire wrote.
Lee Brown endorsing White is the best thing that could have happened for the Sanchez campaign. Let's just hope White doesn't bring in the heavy hitters and have Jesse Jackson stumping for him in Houston. Let's also hope White doesn't pay thousands of dollars in under-the-table money to keep Sanchez off the ballot -- White has done it before! Let's also hope White doesn't sell his soul to the special interests that have financed his outrageously expensive campaign.
Keep squawking, T_J. The fact of the matter is, Orlando is going down in flames, and there is nothing you nor your buddies at the Harris Country Republican Party Headquarters can do about it. Their marionette is turning into a pumpkin at midnight, and it is 11:59 PM. After Orlando's abysmal record in City Council and his penchant for using city money for trips and expensive evenings out, there is only one thing we will be able to call him on December 7th...the same thing he has been known as throughout his life: LOSER
Just don't come crying to me when Bill White starts doling out contracts to the special interests who have financed his campaign. Don't come weeping when your property tax bill skyrockets or when Metro runs this city's transportation situation into the ground. Bill White has proven himself to be unethical with his covert deal with Brenda Flores. I don't want to be here to witness these ethics on a much larger scale.
Don't come crying to me when Bill White gets this city moving again. By the way, he's used his own money to finance his campaign. Special interest money? Drop the crackpipe, T_J. After your little puppet loses, don't let the door hit you in the ass as you move out of the city.
It's a shame that you bought into that line HOOK, LINE and SINKER. Bill White shamelessly latched on to the Metro plan and used that as a single issue that many voters looked at. He completely refused to talk about the cost-effective nature of the plan, and he did not address how the plan will exacerbate Houston's congestion problems. He essentially ran a campaign based on pure demagoguery -- you saw those ridiculous commercials with him in *Dallas* standing next to their failure of a rail model. Ludicrous. I would have thought that Houston voters would have been smarter than to buy into his shameless propaganda. They were an insult to the intelligence of anyone who actually has the facts on rail. Bill White will be a disastrous mayor for any Houstonian than operates a motor vehicle.
Bwah! Orlando Sanchez will be a disaster as mayor for any Houstonian that has a freaking heartbeat. T_J, I'm looking forward to your posts after Bill White wins the runoff and you relocate to the Happy Valley Trailer Park in southwest Arkansas. MOVING
Actually, the best thing that could have happened for the Sanchez campaign would be if he invented a magical machine that was able to turn sh-t into gold because at least he would have something to fall back on once he gets destroyed in the runoff.
hey...i saw orlando sanchez yesterday in the new building my firm is moving to. that's all. thank you.
we're doing a ton of work on the new office...they're telling us mid-December it will be ready. i'll believe it when i see it...we're knocking down walls...laying down hardwoods...and moving water. it took forever to negotiate the lease and i'm sure it will take forever for them to finish the build-out. he wasn't wearing makeup that i could see...but he was with a guy that looked like a bodyguard...so i'm assuming that's what he was. his eyes are really, really distinctive. like a vampire...almost creepy. someone wished him good luck and shook his hand...he said "thanks, i really appreciate it." and then he left and got in the passenger seat of a car parked right next to mine...he and the guy he was with sat there and talked for a second so i had to walk right by him to get in my car...i looked over and he blew me a kiss!! (JUST KIDDING!!!) but i didn't learn anything new about the man...just a passing, really.
