"twoubles, twoubles, twoubles": with friends like these, redux

The Ghostly Voice^TM of the Amarillo Globe-News should change his word processor's name to "Lucille".

The most outstanding feature of this year's crop of endorsements was the half-assed quality of the writing. The text under each Republican's name read like it had been cut-and-pasted from a middle school current events report-- or perhaps like the forced platitudes of a hostage writing with a gun held to her temple. The Ghost could barely bring itself to even write down a reason Globe-News readers should vote for these Republicans. The text supporting gun nut Jerry Patterson was typical:

Republican Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson has earned re-election. His office has worked hard to protect veterans [sic] benefits. The Land Office has begun construction on the new Ussery-Roan Veterans Home in Amarillo. Patterson has been ambitious in his pursuit of the use of state land.

Patterson - who is running against Democrat VaLinda Hathcox and Libertarian Michael French - deserves a second term.

Rick Perry's endorsement this morning is no better. The Ghost struggles mightily to come up with a reason to endorse Perry, finally spitting out the highly questionable claim that he appoints good people. But even the Ghost has to note the Texas-sized messes under Perry misleadership: the CHIP fiasco and the gerrymandering. In this putative "endorsement" the negatives outweigh the positives by at least two-to-one.

The Ghost phones in the assessments of the other candidates, like this nonsense about Chris Bell:

Democrat Chris Bell - a one-time Amarillo television newsman - was barely on anyone's radar before a Houston trial lawyer plunked millions into his campaign. Bell now seems to be a player only for that reason, not because of his qualifications or his stance on the issues.

Self-fulfilling prophecy, much? We and others have badgered the Globe-News all year to give Chris, a candidate with a local connection, some ink, but they were totally unresponsive. So it's a bit disingenuous for them to now fault the candidate for being "off the radar."

'Spose if they actually gave a fair look at the other candidates-- any of the other candidates, honestly-- their case for voting for Perry would evaporate. But, Jesus Christ, they could at least try.

The Thrill is Gone for the Ghost-- as it is, perhaps, for all Bush Republicans-- and he should rename his word processor "Lucille."

spacedark