Blue Dog Will Run For Governor

Another professional politician has entered the Democratic primary wanting to be the party's nominee to run for governor. Houston's Mayor Bill White has been term-limited out of his current job. He had tossed his name into the race to replace Kay Bailey Hutchison in the U.S. Senate. But then Hutchison decided she wouldn't resign, so White had to look for another political job. He has decided to run for governor.

The really bad thing about this is that White's decision has run a really good progressive candidate out of the race. Hank Gilbert announced yesterday that he is withdrawing from the governor's race, and will instead make another run for Agriculture Commissioner. Hank will make a great Agriculture Commissioner, but I think he would have made a much better governor than Bill White.

Gilbert's withdrawal leaves the race without a true progressive. Gilbert threw his support to Houston hair care magnate Farouk Shami. He said he couldn't support White because he doesn't trust him. Before entering the governor's race, Gilbert asked Bill White twice if he might be getting into the race. Both times, White assured Mr. Gilbert that he would not enter the governor's race. By entering the race, White has now exposed himself as a liar and someone who cannot be trusted.

I am a Kinky Friedman supporter. But if Hank Gilbert had bested him in the primary, I could have supported and voted for Mr. Gilbert in the November election. I cannot say the same for Bill White.

Several Democratic-leaning blogs have already jumped on the White bandwagon. One even referred to him as a pragmatist and a problem-solver. For those of you who don't know, that's Democratic code-talk for a right-wing, business-oriented, BLUE DOG! He's Tom Schieffer with a better campain chest.

I honestly don't know why some progressive blogs are so happy about White entering the race. One even referred to his "star quality". The truth is that he's another boring Houston politician who's a complete unknown outside of Houston and South Texas. He reminds me a lot of the "empty suit" Democrats chose to run in 2006 -- Chris Bell, who couldn't even hold the Democratic base.

I know there are Democrats who believe a Blue Dog Democrat is better than a Republican. I can't agree. What's the point of electing a Democrat who'll govern like a Republican? If that's the best the Democrats have to offer, then they don't deserve to govern (and nothing would be changed if they did).

The only way I could support or vote for Bill White next November is if he could somehow convince me he's not just another Blue Dog. I doubt that will happen though. I think he's blue all the way to the bone.

This makes Kinky Friedman's candidacy more important than ever.