Regarding Ann Richards: how long has G.W.B. relied on election fraud?

[readmoreoften]

I always wondered how Idiot Son bested one of the most beloved Texans of the latter half of the 20th century.

From a Yahoo article on Ann Richards: "Throughout her years in office, her popularity remained high. One poll put it at over 60 percent the year she lost her re-election bid to Bush."

Now I know there was no Diebold back then, but it's not as if political corruption began with Diebold.

Has George W. Bush ever won ANYTHING without cheating and stealing? Has he ever had a moment of real success in his life? Or is his life a pathetic string of low grades, failed companies, cheated elections, backroom deals, and demolished great American cities? Is the combination of his collosal privilege and relentless stupidity one of the most destructive forces ever unleashed on American soil?

[ellenfl]

1. always, no, no, yes and yes. eom

[AndyA]

2. George Bush doesn't have an honest, caring, compassionate bone

in his body. He's never done anything the hard way, or earned anything by working for it. His family has always made special deals for him, manipulated others to make room for Georgie, and supported him in everything he's ever tried to do.

And in spite of all that, George is still a miserable failure.

Ann Richards had more honesty, love, compassion, understanding, and ethics in her cut toenails that she threw away than Bush has ever had, or will ever have.

[INdemo]

6. You are so correct

This guy has never had a real job..His income during the time of Arbusto oil was money he swindled from his investors..Google Arbusto oil.. interesting reading..

[Jack Rabbit]

11. I agree with you, however . . .

I have always assumed that he won his election as governor of Texas honestly. He won the election in 1994, a very good year for GOP office seekers. Governor Richards seemed to accept defeat graciously; if she had any doubts about the real result, she did not express them publicly. I can't imagine that woman being silent if she thought for a moment she had been robbed.

The mechanism used to steal Florida in 2000 involved disenfranchisement of voters, and that almost didn't work. Voter disenfranchisement and intimidation were present in Florida four years later and in Ohio there was use of Diebold machines and unequal supply of polling places so that Republican precincts had a easier time getting voters in and out than Democratic precincts. I really don't know if Bush won the election of 2004 or not, but if he did, it wasn't by 4 million popular votes; anybody who characterizes the elections in Florida or Ohio that year as free and fair doesn't know what they're talking about.

I know of none of these mechanisms happening on a large scale in Texas in 1994. Was Bush's victory there a real surprise? Did polls show that Governor Richards would win re-election comfortably?

And what does it mean that she had a 60% approval rating? What she popular personally but unpopular politically? She was a colorful old gal and you had to like her whether you agreed with her or not, much the same as some of us feel about Jerry Ford or even Ronald Reagan. But that doesn't necessarily mean that voters aren't ready for a change when the election rolls around.

I would like somebody here to present concrete facts that point to election fraud in Texas in 1994. The fact that Governor Richards was popular in some way and that Bush later used election fraud to win presidential elections isn't good enough. Give me some concrete facts about this election that a DA could take to court.

[OzarkDem]

3. Looks familiar in retrospect

You're correct, there have been many ways to steal elections before Diebold and its not beyond the realm of possibility that it happened that year.

[Richard Steele]

4. And I've heard the exit-poll statistics for that race are MISSING.

Supposedly, all the stats for races in every state that
year can be found online...except for Texas.

I can't find the link- My bookmarks folder is not
at all organized- can some more knowledgeable DUer either
confirm or deny this?

[vireo]

12. Found this from CNN

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/1998/states/TX/polls/TX94GH.html

[readmoreoften]

13. Thanks! I guess the exit polls match. I just don't trust Texas gov.

It's such a good ol' boy network.

So 7% of white males in Texas in 1994 swung the fate of the nation. Bastards.

[vireo]

18. This stat may further tell the tale

(Total/Richards/Bush)

WHITE MEMBERS OF THE RELIGIOUS

RIGHT POLITICAL MOVEMENT

WHITE MEMBERS OF RELIG. RT. 22 18 81

ALL OTHER WHITES 78 54 45

<On edit> I also submit this evidence in defense of Rosie O'Donnell's statement.

[mnhtnbb]

5. Would not surprise me in the slightest.

[me b zola]

7. I have thought about that for a while

Did KKKarl cut his teeth in Texas before he learned how to steal elections nation wide? If I had to wager a guess.....I'd say yes.

[Geoff R. Casavant]

16. Short Answer -- Yes.

Long answer -- read Bush's Brain and The Architect.

Karl was active in Texas and College Republicans for years.

[librechik]

8. He is a sick man--he needs treatment

I can't hate him, becasue of that. But his behavior is consistently hateful, insensitive, and cruel.
Not to mention dishonest and cheating. And traitorous.

It's just a fact. His behavior disgusts me, and he needs help, but I don't hate him.

[readmoreoften]

9. Can we get a 5th rec on this? We need to research that election!

Are the exit polls really missing? If we could get some data on this, it'd be great.

[vireo]

10. K&R

[Geoff R. Casavant]

14. Probably not a rigged election so much as a Rovian dirty trick

Shortly before the election there were rumors circulating in east Texas, which used to be a big Democratic stronghold, that Richards was having more than professional relations with her female staff members. Turned enough of them against her to tip the election.

Greater detail in The Architect, the recent book about Karl Rove still on bookshelves.

[newspeak]

17. I heard it was the absentee ballots that put * over

In the Ann Richards thread in LBN, there's a comment in there about Ann's statement about that election.

[napi21]

20. As far as I know, it was the first election Rove used the

"Have you heard" phone strategy, and it worked. They did a mass phone call effort, mostly in West Tx. asking people if they had heard that Gov. Richards was a lesbian. Im my opinion, Ann handled it as badly as Kerry handled the Swift boaters. When she was asked if she heard the rumors, she said it was foolish talk and she wasn't going to discuss it. She of course was right...it was foolish talk, but I think she should have used that sharp toung of hers and lashed the Bush campaign to shreads.

I lived in Tx back then, and I know we were a shocked when the vote gave the win to Shrub!

Remember when Nixonstood in fronnt of the cameras ans said "I am not a crook!"

Well, Shrub can't say that. He always has been and always will be!

[bobbieinok]

22. wasn't there some sort of a whispering campaign vs her + using

her drinking?????

[Geoff R. Casavant]

24. I don't recall her alcoholism was a factor in 1994.

After all, her opponent had a few DWIs under his own belt.

Her opponent in 1990 tried to raise the issue, but it backfired on him pretty quickly.

[Vidar]

15. As long as he's been in politics.

[Jade Fox]

19. You read my mind.....

I've been thinking this same thing all day.

[Aristus]

21. My question is: How could he lose?

I mean, wear cowboy boots and a Stetson hat, swagger around mouthing cowboy idiocies and: *instant Governor* They love that shit down there.

Ann Richards was over-qualified to be Governor of Texas. I think they sensed that.

[blogslut]

23. It didn't work for Clayton Williams

He wore the hat and the swagger but he also opened his mouth without thinking. That's why Ann beat his cowboy ass.

[samsingh]

25. i think she lost Texas because of bush's cheating