SHOW ME THE POLLS!

KHOU-TV (Channel 11) reads Commentary for sure because they came out yesterday with a poll in the H-Town mayoral campaign satisfying the thirst of The Nefster. At this point in the campaign, it looks like folks don’t give a rat’s arse about the race. At least for now we won’t have to hear from the candidate handlers that they are kicking arse because they aren’t. Annise Parker has run a bunch of times and she isn’t winning. Gene Locke has raised the most money, snagged some key endorsements, has insider support and he’s not winning. Peter Brown has run a week of TV ads and he’s not winning. Roy Morales hasn’t raised any money and is the only GOPer in the race and he’s not winning. Nobody is winning and nobody is losing. Heck, at this point I think Dante, J. Dominic, or Jake could file and do some serious arse whupping!

The H-Town City Controller is saying that the city is about $103 million short on revenue. Commentary is interested in seeing where she thinks we ought to cut since she wants to be H-Town Mayor. SHOW US THE BUDGET CUTS!

The Houston Texans tried to pull a fast one on its customers. They didn’t raise beer prices this season they are just selling beer in smaller cups so they did raise beer prices – got it. The Texans say they are doing it so they can be more responsible – yeah, sure. Then why don’t they shut down the tailgating area. FYI – Commentary is going with My Best Friend to check out Brett Favre and the smaller beers tonight.

I don’t think we’re going to reach Cecil Puede’s goal of 90 wins this season because we would have to go 28-4 the rest of the way which is darn near impossible since we still have three left against the Cards and seven against the Phillies – both first place teams – yikes! I don’t think next year’s team is going to look like this year’s team. Stay tuned!

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Latino politics,Texas Latino Politics,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,Houston Politics,Houston Elections,Annise Parker,Peter Brown,Roy Morales,Gene Locke,Houston Mayoral Race,Houston Texans,NFL,Texas Politics

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Polls, HISD, and Roy O

The Nefster wants me to ask H-Town to SHOW ME THE POLLS! Now that H-Town Mayoral candidate Peter Brown is fixing to wrap up Week One of TV ads, the The Nefster wants an entity or campaign to dribble out the latest poll results to see who is winning.

Commentary dropped by HISD Superintendent Abe Saavedra’s going away party yesterday at HISD headquarters. H-Town Mayoral candidates Annise Parker and Gene Locke showed up. Peter Brown was a no-show. I guess he figured if he showed up he might get booed by HISD Nation for opposing the school bonds in 2007.

“Dead in the water” is how a Parker higher up described the Locke campaign yesterday.

“She only had 90 people at her filing press conference at Noon …. rank and file of HOPE did not show up in huge numbers at press conference during their lunch hour….I thought she was grass roots” was how a Locke higher up described Parker’s filing for office rally outside of H-Town City Hall yesterday.

“Measly buy” is how a Parker higher up described Brown’s TV ad buy yesterday.

That is the reason The Nefster says SHOW ME THE POLLS!

According to the Chron’s Jesus, The Big Puma called a team meeting yesterday. That is what happens when Roy O calls out the team. Here are quotes that the Chron’s Jesus got and Commentary’s takes.

The Big Puma: “I don’t like to talk about players-only meetings in the media, but it was good. You never like to have too many of those kinds of things. I just think that communication is really important. I think it’s understandable that he’s (Roy) not happy with the way that his season is going or the way that our season is going. Roy’s a guy that has a lot of pride in what he does. That’s one of the reasons he’s been so successful. So I understand his frustration.”

On Roy O’s comment that “the team atmosphere is dead” this is what Cecil Puede said: “I don’t think that is the case. I would totally disagree with that. I think (Tuesday’s 1-0 loss and Wednesday’s setback) have been two of our better ballgames. We just haven’t hit. When people pitch well against you, it always looks like you’re flat and you’re not playing well and you’re not hustling. It always looks that way. Guys are pitching well against us. … It’ll make you look like you’ve never played before. We’ve seen really good pitching these first two days.”

Commentary is inclined to agree with Roy O rather than Cecil Puede on this one. Roy O is in the middle of the clubhouse.

On Roy O saying “we have an owner that pays us money to come play. We got to play. If you don’t give 100 percent, you’re cheating him and you’re cheating the fans of Houston. You got to come out here and give everything you’ve got” GM Wade said this: “If he feels that way, he should name names, either that or address the players privately. I just think that it’s something that if he feels strongly about that, so strongly that he feels compelled to make public, I think he specifically should point out players who he feels aren’t giving 100 percent. Because otherwise it’s an indictment of the other 24 players on the club. I prefer for those things to be dealt with in private.”

Commentary doesn’t think it is a good idea to name names and as a season ticket holder we can pretty much tell that things aren’t going so hot for the team so what Roy O said wasn’t shocking to us and isn’t a matter that should be kept top secret for your eyes only. How else do you explain three games under .500 and eleven games back?

Here’s what Joe Green Valley had to say: “It’s very difficult to see the team from the bullpen. Those who are here know how they see it. But I know 100 percent that if (Oswalt) said something, there’s a reason why he said it. I know he’s not going to say bad things. If the team looks down, maybe it does.”

Here’s what Wandy had to say: “Clearly, we’re bad. You don’t see our results? Somebody has to bring it up and put a stop to it. Sure, people like that have to step up and speak out and say we’re bad and make other people see it and call it to everybody’s attention.”

It looks like the team is being a team and standing behind Roy O. Commentary thinks what Roy O said is what a lot of fans think. Cecil Puede and GM Wade would be wise to just trying to figure out how to win and get better and not spend time debating Roy O. Debating Roy O is not a winning proposition. The fans will turn on Cecil Puede and GM Wade in a heartbeat.

In order to reach Cecil Puede’s goal of 90 wins, we’re going to have to go 28-7 the rest of the way which is going to prove difficult since we still have three left against the Cards and seven against the Phillies – both first place teams – yikes!

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Latino politics,Texas Latino Politics,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,Houston Politics,Houston Elections,HISD Superintendent,Annise Parker,Peter Brown,Gene Locke,Houston Mayoral Race

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None of the Above

Another Dem fella announced yesterday for Guv of the Lone Star State. Add another fella to an unimpressive field of Dems. The field is so unimpressive and boring that Vegas won’t even put out a line on the race – yikes!

43’s Pal got endorsed by four Dem State Reps yesterday. I don’t have a problem with that. Of course, it doesn’t really matter though.

For I think the third time this campaign season, Annise Parker will formally get in the race for H-Town mayor today. Meanwhile, Peter Brown’s ads keep running.

Just about every local endorsing group in H-Town has made their endorsements in this year’s H-Town mayoral, controller, and city council races even though the filing deadline is next week – huh! I guess we can expect the screenings for next March’s Dem Primary to begin any day now.

Roy O certainly didn’t hold back after last night’s 3-2 loss. Here is what you can find in the Chron or on the ‘Stros website:

"The team atmosphere is dead. There’s no fire. When you get on a streak, you come to the field expecting to win. When you’re dead, you come to the field just hoping to get by. That’s what it feels like around the clubhouse — just a dead feeling. We’ve got so far behind it seems like we’re going through the motions as a team. You’ve got to play it out. You’ve got to play all the games.

"We’ve got an owner that pays us money to come to play, and we’ve got to play. If you don’t give 100 percent, you’re cheating him and cheating the fans of Houston. You’ve got to come out there and give everything you’ve got, and if you don’t, you’re cheating the fans coming to pay [to watch us play] the game.

"It starts from the top. You’ve got to get it from the top, to come in and get us going. You can’t play dead, especially against guys in first place. They’re going to come out and give you everything you’ve got, and you’ve got to play it out."

Wow! It is that kind of year for sure. During the ‘Stros final home stand, one of the giveaways is a Pudge bobblehead – huh!

In order to reach Cecil Puede’s goal of 90 wins, we’re going to have to go 29-7 the rest of the way which is going to prove difficult since we still have four left against the Cards and seven against the Phillies – both first place teams – yikes!

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Latino politics,Texas Latino Politics,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,Roy Oswalt,Annise Parker,Peter Brown,Houston Mayoral Race,Texas Governor’s Election,Texas Politics

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EMK – The Dream Shall Never Die

Commentary has a cool poster of Senator Edward Kennedy called “To Sail Against the Wind” that was given to some of us that supported him in 1980 when he ran for President. The poster hangs in the front office. There is also a picture of me and Senator Kennedy when he came to Texas for a conference and his office asked that I accompany him while he was in the state. I also have a cool photo of Senator Kennedy and me getting off of a plane in South Texas while we were campaigning for Mondale/Ferraro back in 1984. He was a great campaigner and back then the only Spanish he knew was the words to “Jalisco” that he revived when he was campaigning for Senator Obama last year.

In 1980, some of us took a little heat when we supported him against incumbent President Jimmy Carter. We stood with our folks as Kennedy overwhelmingly trounced Carter in Latino communities across the Lone Star State. When he came to Texas right before the Democratic Primary in 1980, we had a crowd that overflowed into the parking lot at Denver Harbor’s Resurrection Catholic Church for an evening rally. That day at noon, we also filled the Reflection Pool area outside of H-Town City Hall. I always wanted Senator Kennedy to be President but we all know why he wasn’t.

A few of his speeches rank among the best in American political history including his 1968 eulogy of his brother Bobby. Here is a bit:

“My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it.

“Those of us who loved him and who take him to his rest today, pray that what he was to us and what he wished for others will some day come to pass for all the world.”

And of course, arguably the greatest convention speech of all time from 1980 – I was there and here is how it ended:

“For me, a few hours ago, this campaign came to an end.

“For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.”

I have his convention speech on an album that they gave us right after the convention. It is one of my most cherished political treasures.

I’m glad I knew him and supported him.

"The whole state of Texas should be celebrating with us. That was the biggest, most chaotic, moronic thing when they went through that Texas two-step." This is what a LULAC lawyer said after Latino groups kicked the arse of the Lone Star State Dem Party on the Two Step deal in federal court yesterday. Hey, that’s what folks were saying the night of Step Numero 2.

There is an article in today’s Chron on the H-Town mayoral race. Commentary got some run so check it out.

Here is what Annise Parker’s spokeswoman sent me about my take on texting while driving yesterday: “Annise did speak out against texting and driving on August 4 at the Young Leaders Mayoral Forum.”

In order to reach Cecil Puede’s goal of 90 wins, we’re going to have to go 29-8 the rest of the way which is going to prove difficult since we still have five left against the Cards and seven against the Phillies – both first place teams – yikes! It was worth watching as Wandy barely lost out to Adam Wainwright last night – 1 zip – ouch!

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Latino politics,Texas Latino Politics,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,Senator Ted Kennedy,Annise Parker,LULAC

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An Even Better H-Town Ad

Commentary caught H-Town Mayoral candidate Peter Brown’s first ad this morning during “The Today Show.” It’s a nice ad for an intro. Peter now has the airwaves to himself which is always advantageous. Now the clock is ticking for the other candidates…tick, tick, tick, tick.

Peter Brown also sent out a press release on the Ashby High Rise deal. He didn’t send one on Big K Environmental though.

In today’s Austin American Statesman there is a story about the City of Austin thinking about making texting illegal if you are behind the wheel. There is nothing weird about that. They must have seen that powerful and graphic British PSA about the lethal consequences texting can produce while driving. I couldn’t even finish seeing the PSA – it is that graphic. You can probably go fetch it at You Tube.

I think H-Town is ready for a texting ban while driving. I wonder where the mayoral candidates stand on this.

At Sunday’s game, in between inning they ran this jumbotron deal involving a ‘Stro player where they ask him some question about overexposed celebrities. I asked Dante who he was tired of hearing about. You guessed it – Michael Jackson. Speaking of, when I’m having a hard time sleeping, I just count how I caught all my foul balls.

One of Commentary’s favorites – Sean Connery – is 79 today. One of the all time lines from movies comes from his “Jim Malone” character in “The Untouchables” that I sometimes keep in my desk drawer. “They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue.” Great line! Happy Birthday, Bond, James Bond!

A little bit of trivia. He and Kevin Costner were in “The Untouchables.” In the 90s, Costner played Robin Hood in “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.” Connery had a bit part as “King Richard” at the end of the movie. In the 70s, Connery played an aging “Robin Hood” in “Robin and Marian.” “Lady Marian” was played by the great Audrey Hepburn who never needed touching up.

DeLay’s dancing partner was announced yesterday. Cheryl Burke also don’t need touching up.

In order to reach Cecil Puede’s goal of 90 wins, we’re going to have to go 29-9 the rest of the way which is going to prove difficult since we still have six left against the Cards and seven against the Phillies – both first place teams – yikes! It ought to be worth watching as Wandy goes against Adam Wainwright this evening to start three against the Cards in San Luis.

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Latino politics,Texas Latino Politics,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,Peter Brown,Houston Mayoral Race,Houston City Council Elections,Houston Politics,Houston Elections,Ashby High Rise,Big K expansion protest,Sean Connery,Kevin Costner

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Ashby High Rise Meet Big K

Last Friday, the City of H-Town said it was A-OK for developers to build a 23-story high rise (Ashby High Rise) next to the upper crust neighborhood of Southhampton and those affluent folks aren’t too happy about the city’s decision.  The Chron has a story so check it out.  Southhampton residents are upset because they think a high rise is going to alter their quality of life. They printed bumper stickers and signs and got the attention of City Hall folks but they still came up short. That is the way it goes in H-Town because we don’t have zoning like a lot of other burgs. One of the H-Town Mayoral candidates put out a press release opposing the Ashby High Rise.

Meanwhile, out on Little York Road in North H-Town, smack dab in the middle of a lower income and predominantly Latino neighborhood, Big K Environmental processes the stuff from portable toilets – yikes! How they set up shop in the middle of a neighborhood in the first place is a classic case of the Lone Star State and the City of H-Town dropping the ball. Big K now wants to expand to process highly odorous grease trap waste – ditto yikes!

Commentary was hired by some environmental conscious folks to oppose this expansion. I spent an afternoon in the neighborhood a while back and it took me a couple of days to clear the bad smell out of my car and clothes – it is that bad. Folks out there don’t grill outside or have back yard barbecues or BD parties.

I have to give credit to State Rep. Armando Walle, H-Town CM Ed Gonzalez, and the Harris County Attorney for opposing the Big K expansion request. There was a TCEQ hearing out there a couple of months ago and about a couple of hundred residents showed up to oppose. There were a couple of TV news crews out there but no Chron coverage and certainly no H-Town Mayoral candidates. The Mayoral candidate that sent out a press release on the Ashby High Rise didn’t send one out on Big K. It figures since Southhampton probably has a 20 to 25 percent higher voter turnout rate than the Little York neighborhood. The folks on Little York also probably don’t write campaign checks to candidates either.

Ashby High Rise opponents, let me introduce you to the Big K expansions opponents since you are both H-Town residents.

Congrats go to Matt Luna (My Best Friend and Julie’s kid) and the West University Senior Baseball Team for winning the Senior League (ages 14 to 16) Baseball World Series this past Saturday held in Bangor, Maine. The game was carried live on one of the ESPN channels.

Former ‘Stro Eric Bruntlett – now a Phillie – pulled off an unassisted triple play yesterday – cool! There have only been 15 unassisted triple plays in the history of Major League Baseball.

In order to reach Cecil Puede’s goal of 90 wins, we’re going to have to go 29-9 the rest of the way which is going to prove difficult since we still have six left against the Cards and seven against the Phillies – both first place teams – yikes!

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Latino politics,Texas Latino Politics,Houston Politics,Houston Elections,Houston Mayoral Race,Houston City Council,Houston Air pollution,Ashby High Rise,Big K expansion protest,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball

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On The Air

Now that H-Town Mayoral candidate CM Peter Brown will get on the airwaves next week with TV ads, the question is will he keep up the buy through November 2 or 3 or will it just be a teaser buy. How long do the other candidates sit on their dough before they join Peter and come into our living rooms. It is definitely advantageous to be the only one on the air. I’m sure there is a little bit of nervousness in the campaign offices of the other candidates. It will be interesting to hear what they spin to their supporters on why they aren’t up yet. The candidate that is the first to air usually gets a little extra attention and run. Commentary is kind of anxious to see what kind of ad Peter introduces to H-Town’s voters. Stay tuned!

HISD’s new superintendent says reducing the dropout rate is going to be a major priority. That means he’s talking directly to the Latino community so Latino leaders ought to be embracing and working with him.

Commentary hasn’t gotten into the deal about the quarterback fella that just signed with the NFL’s Eagles. Yesterday, I read a story about sporting good stores around Philly trying to figure out if they want to stock the gear with the fella’s name and number. Apparently there is a demand for his gear. I don’t know about that. Who in the heck would buy the fella’s jersey and wear it around.

Commentary forgot to mention that Dante had a BD yesterday. I have to talk to him about who he is supporting for Mayor this year. Commentary’s Dad has a BD today. Happy Birthday Dad and Dante!

After being shelled last Friday in Milwaukee, Wandy turned in a wandyful performance last night and got his ERA back under 3 (2.89 actually) as both Numero 45 and Hunter Pence came up with monstrous dingers. Roy O goes tonight to see if we can march toward Cecil Puede’s goal of 90 wins. We will have to go 31-10 the rest of the way as the D-Backs come in for three this weekend.

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Latino politics,Texas Latino Politics,Texas Latino Education problems,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,Houston Politics,Houston Elections,HISD Superintendent,Peter Brown,Houston Mayoral Race,NFL

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DAILY COMMENTARY – SPECIAL BULLETIN! – SHOW ME THE TV – AT LAST!

1:45 pm  -  H-Town Mayoral candidate CM Peter Brown will get on the airwaves next week with TV ads. Now things get very interesting. Now the other candidates will have to rethink, adjust, amend, or stay the course. And they’re off!

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Latino politics,Texas Latino Politics,Peter Brown,Houston Mayoral Race,Houston Politics,Houston Elections

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The TV Ads

UH’s Dr. Murray who knows more about politics than Commentary and everyone else combined put out his takes on the SHOW ME THE TV mantra.  Check it out.  Of course, what do I know but at least folks are talking about it. I’m also pretty sure that all the campaigns are nervously checking daily to see if their opponents are buying TV ad time because once one goes up, the others are sure to follow.

From the Smoke Them If You Got Them Dept.: Do we actually think that The President s going to tell The First Lady – “are going to wear that?” No guy I know would dare tell his significant other that unless he wanted to get smacked. Of course, I don’t know what the big deal is about The First Lady wearing nice shorts during her vacation. I don’t have a problem if she wants to show off her arms or her legs. If she’s comfortable then that is A-OK with me.

It looks like we have us a new Superintendent of Schools here at HISD. It is no longer a secret according to the Chron. One of the biggest education issues for local Latinos is the dropout problem. Guess what? The new fella is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the National Dropout Prevention Network – interesting.

The Chron hinted yesterday that H-Town Mayoral candidate Peter Brown had taken a few days off so he could spend a few days at his pad on the Mediterranean Sea. I don’t have a problem with that. So he misses a couple or three forums.

In order to get to Cecil Puede’s goal of 90 wins, we have to go 32-10 the rest of the way. Bourn certainly showed his identity last night as he led the ‘Stros to a win. One of the ESPN folks said a couple of months ago – “there is fast, and then there is Michael Bourn.” FYI: Yesterday’s mail included an invoice for playoff tickets – yikes.

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Latino politics,Texas Latino Politics,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,HISD Superintendent,Houston Mayoral Race,Houston Independent School District,Peter Brown,Houston Politics,Houston Elections

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Say Hello to Jake James Rodriguez

Jake James Rodriguez joined us yesterday at 1:22 pm at 8 pounds and 8 ounces and his mom, The Lovelier Wendy, is doing A-OK. She and James called me yesterday to let me know that Jake was ready to don the Brick Red and head to The Yard.

The Chron snatched up Commentary’s take on the H-Town Mayoral race yesterday and put it up on Chron.com for other folks to see. As expected, I got banged around a bit in the comments section. Some fella even hurt my feelings by saying I didn’t know squat about baseball – oh, yeah! I can recite the infield fly rule blindfolded – can you? I can tell you the starting eight position players of the 1960 Yankees – can you?

Let me do some ‘splaining. I don’t have a horse in the mayoral race. I get asked on occasion by a number of players in town what I think is going on in the race. They are asking because this race is far from being a slam dunk for any candidate. Not even the candidate handlers are saying it is a slam dunk deal for them. This thing is still wide open and that is what I tried to convey yesterday so SHOW ME THE TV!

If we can’t get health care reform passed with 60 Dem Senators and close to 60% of the House being Dems, then don’t think for a second that voters are going to look favorably at Dems in 2010.

President Bill Clinton is 63 today. Happy Birthday Mr. President!

In order to get to Cecil Puede’s goal of 90 wins, we have to go 33-10 the rest of the way. I don’t know about that. We returned the rental yesterday, errr Pudge. We put Hampton on the 15 day DL – we should have put him on the 45 day DL. We’re hurting real bad but at least we didn’t sign Brett Favre.

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Latino politics,Texas Latino Politics,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,Councilmember James Rodriguez,Houston Mayoral Race,Bill Clinton,National Healthcare Debate

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