President Obama is actually going to Texas on Friday. Is that a good idea?

[LovinLife]

I just saw on politico. That's one of the last places he should visit.

[Thrill]

1. Not to mention who he was invited by

Pappy Bush

[elleng]

2. Why? Have they Withdrawn from the Union???

[Dreamer Tatum]

3. Is that a threat?

He's the goddamned motherfucking President of the United States of America. He can go wherever the hell he damn well pleases.

[LovinLife]

5. Yeah I hear u, but I don't think he should go to Texas. I'm just saying nt.

[krispos42]

4. Dallas? n/t

[ccharles000]

6. it is good.

Texas is changing and it will be in play in a few years.

[DrToast]

7. Standard Obama

Meet with your enemies...even Texans.

[LovinLife]

8. I'm interested to see the reception he gets. Now all that is next is going to a Nascar race. nt

[Cha]

25. PO has had Nascar

supporters. I know the SS detail in Dallas better be damn good.

[cliffordu]

9. Poppy bush was in Dallas that day, wasn't he??

Tinfoil hat in place. ready to worry.

[NYC Liberal]

14. Obama being involved with anything relating to "Poppy Bush in Texas"

is worrisome enough.

[windbreeze]

40. yes, but his story is...he can't remember what he was doing that day...

but there's proof he was there....wb

[busybl]

46. the only person in America that doesn't know what he

was doing that day.

[windbreeze]

48. and that IS a fact!!

anyone who was alive and old enough to remember...will never forget what they were doing that day...never...wb

[SoCalDem]

42. you decide (pic)

[pinto]

10. Yes. A great idea. Texas is trending Democratic. It's a great state and a great prize, politically.

:kick:

[Obamacare]

11. Texas really?

Why did Bush invite Obama to tx? And how is tx trending blue?

[ccharles000]

13. ...

growing Hispanic population and more young people turning out.

[sayso7]

19. I honestly beleive TX will go blue in 2016

Obama lost it by only 10% and if you look at the data from 2008, 2004, 2008 and then do some conservative projections you see the possibility of a toss up state in 2016. With a strong candidate and good get out the vote campaign, it can go blue.

[TexasObserver]

15. That's a refreshing post.

Thanks for giving us a break from the usual fare we get.

[juajen]

12. That's dangerous IMHO. He shouldn't go. There are a lot

of crazy Texans out there and racism is rampant.

[murielm99]

17. I didn't want my daughter to go to grad school there

because she is gay. I was afraid for her.

Maybe I am provincial. Maybe I am an overprotective mother.

[RoyGBiv]

37. Yes and yes ...

We have gay people here too, lots of them.

[jbnow]

16. I yelled "NO!" when I heard it bit I am very protective

The connections to past are scary...and all the 'leaving the union' because of how bad Washington is now encourages crazies.

But there are crazies everywhere.

Plus so far I am not the boss of him and there is nothing I can do about it.

[slackmaster]

18. Unrec for gratuitous Texas-bashing

:nuke:

[jonnyblitz]

20. hell, how about unrec for looniness.

:crazy: :crazy:

[Cha]

26. Yeah, just make sure you unrec if it has anything

to do with President Obama.

[blogslut]

21. Yes. That is a good idea

Contrary to commonly held biases, the state of Texas is home to millions of intelligent, tolerant citizens. College Station, the city that houses Texas A&M, was rated the most educated in Texas by Money Magazine and 11th most educated in the entire US. Texas contains three of the top ten largest cities in the nation. Not only is Texas a major US agricultural producer, we are home to the Nasa Space Center, Texas Instruments, Dell Computer and we lead the nation in wind farm capacity and energy generation. As well, Texas is a majority minority state - meaning that our minority population is right @ 50%.

In the last general election, Barack Obama garnered 43% of the vote - compared to John Kerry's 38% in 2004. As well, Barack Obama won the vote in all of Texas' major cities: Austin, Dallas, Houston & San Antonio. In 2008, the Texas Democratic Party gained 11 seats in the state House, won 100% of offices in Dallas County & 85% of offices in Harris County. In 2008, in my own extremely red Panhandle county, Democratic voters increased 4 times over 2004. Mind you, we gained all of this with practically zero support from the national party.

In other words, Texas is far from wingnut, racist, intolerant state others would portray. We are trending blue and trust me, you're going to love a blue Texas.

Just the same, I'm no fool and neither is old man Bush. He's invited Obama because he knows good and well that our president can make anybody look good, even the father of Dubya.

Think about it. GHWB could have invited anyone he wanted to come and speak at his library. He could have invited his son, for instance. Personally, I see this Obama invite as a big ole' slap in the face to GWB.

Your fears are based on old prejudices that simply do not apply in this day and time.

[fugop]

22. Thank you!

Texas has more than its share of crazies, and I (an A&M grad) never need to live there again. But I have many progressive friends there - the younger they are, the more progressive. It IS changing. But it's got some time to go before the redneck contingent is overruled. But the cities, as always, give me hope! The changes in my own family (my lifelong Republican sister voted Obama thanks to her Texas college-educated daughters; my devout Catholic mother actually caucused during the primaries for Obama, which she had NEVER done) give me hope as well!

[busybl]

45. but don't you see

it wasn't texans that murdered him. It was outsiders and political insiders. The texans treated him nicely
from what I could see of the films of that day.

[Cha]

28. Thanks for that info, blogs..

Good to know. Probably some signs ala bech but the President will go into the Lion's Den and do us proud.

[iceman66]

30. Do you think we have a shot in the governor's race next year?

A good part of the reason why Texas is seen by many as so backward is the current governor, and of course his predecessor.

[NavyMom]

32. If we have a strong Democratic candidate we can win Texas and

Gov Goodhair executing an innocent man is once again in Dems favor

[blogslut]

34. It's up to us

I suggest you give this man your money and your support:

http://hankgilbert.com

[SIMPLYB1980]

23. Yes it is a good Idea.

Obama's got guts.:thumbsup:

[ksoze]

24. He's been to Chicago and Iraq and did fine.

[Occam Bandage]

27. Why not?

Texas is winnable, maybe as soon as 2016. It's trending progressive and Hispanic, and turning Texas blue would make Dems practically unbeatable.

[iceman66]

29. I disagree.

He should spend as much time as possible in red states, even if he has no chance of winning them in 2012.

Thake the fight to the enemy's backyard. Keep them on the defensive.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

31. More American citizens voted for Obama in Texas than Vermont

[harkadog]

36. Twice as many people voted for McCain in New York

Than voted for him in Arizona. What's your point?

[WI_DEM]

33. Why? If it is an assassin you are worried about it can happen anywhere--there are nuts everywhere

it seems.

[treestar]

35. +1

The Secret Service is on its toes. As it should be, anywhere.

[JamesA1102]

38. Hope he's not doing a motorcade in Dallas. nt

[windbreeze]

39. no...not just no...hell no...especially considering who invited him...n/t

[Vidar]

41. No.

[polichick]

43. Another yes to a Republican?? imo we've had enough of that. nt

[busybl]

44. it scares me a little

JFK was invited there and was warned not to go. A long time ago, but I for one am still traumatized.

[Hippo_Tron]

47. Yes, he rides around in an armored tank not an open car

Secret service is a lot more sophisticated than in JFK's day whereas would-be presidential assassins haven't really improved much. Actually they're arguably even worse at it since now they usually have hate websites that the Secret Service can log onto and monitor.