Here's the link of the archived debate video in case you missed it:
texasdebates.org/video.phpTexas Tribune 2/9/10Democratic Gubernatorial Debate: Liveblog, Video, AudioThe differences in the top Democratic candidates for governor are pretty clear.
In their first and probably only televised debate, Bill White sounded experienced, as you'd expect of a three-term mayor of Houston. And he kept his reputation for being sober and wonky. Farouk Shami, a wealthy Houston businessman, was more passionate, more animated, and much more prone to political mistakes. He offered several statements that will make simple work for anyone who feels the need to attack his candidacy...
AAS 2/9/10White, Shami try to win votes in only scheduled debateFORT WORTH — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White largely bypassed opponent Farouk Shami in a televised debate Monday night, instead attacking Gov. Rick Perry and seeking to appeal beyond his party to independents and Republicans.
Shami, meanwhile, criticized White and distanced himself from "career politicians" while making some big promises to Texans: If he's elected, they won't have an electric bill in 10 years, and if he doesn't succeed in creating 100,000 jobs in two years, he'll give the state $10 million.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram 2/9/10White skips primary talk and guns straight for PerryHouston Democrat Bill White launched his campaign against Gov. Rick Perry on Monday night.
Meanwhile, fellow Democrat Farouk Shami launched his campaign against himself.
Minutes into the only debate of the top contenders for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, White zeroed in on his true target: Perry.
Answering a question about schools, White said children need the skills to compete for jobs, "and we're not doing that under Gov. Perry."
An hour later, the former mayor had managed to turn almost every question into a commentary on The Current Occupant.
(snip)
The death penalty? White took a swipe at Perry's wholesale shakeout of the Texas Forensic Science Commission: "I will never introduce politics into questions of life and death. The Forensic Science Commission will be about science."
San Antonio Express 2/10/10(same as Houston Chronicle)
Houston Chronicle 2/9/10In debate with Shami, White directs his attention at PerryFORT WORTH — Former Houston Mayor Bill White largely ignored his main Democratic gubernatorial opponent in a statewide debate Monday to frame himself as the politically experienced candidate who can take on Republican Gov. Rick Perry in the general election.
White criticized Perry by name or inference six times during his face-off with businessman Farouk Shami.
“Governor Perry talks about holding teachers accountable, but he doesn't hold himself accountable for his job performance,” White snapped at one point while discussing electric rates.
White never mentioned the other Republicans in the race for the GOP nomination, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and activist Debra Medina. White has said he believes Perry will win the Republican nomination.
El Paso Times 2/9/10Texas Governor Race: Democratic debate centers on job creation, budgetFORT WORTH -- It was more like a conversation.
Former Houston Mayor Bill White and hair-care magnate Farouk Shami squared off in a debate Monday in Fort Worth that focused on job creation, balancing the state's budget, renewable energy and border issues.
There were no fireworks or insults exchanged by the Democratic candidates for governor. They are the most visible candidates among a field of seven Democrats on the March 2 ballot.
White, 55, asked voters to measure their answers and ideas against those produced in the two Republican debates for governor as he made his case for change.
"Compare that to the other debate when people were shouting over each other," White said. "How can we expect our leadership to bring this state together and to move forward if the candidates themselves can't treat each other with respect?"
White, who has racked up endorsements from many of the state's leading Democrats, focused his message on a showdown with a Republican opponent.
McAllen Monitor 2/10/10Top 2 Dem. gov. hopefuls talk jobs, death penaltyFORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Democratic hair care businessman Farouk Shami guaranteed Monday that he would create 100,000 jobs available to everyone, offer free electricity and an enact a moratorium on the death penalty if elected governor of Texas.
(snip)
White, 55, said the way to create jobs is to retrain unemployed people and ensure they have a job at the end of the training.
"I do not think the governor of Texas has control over the global economy," White said. "I think the governor can do what we can to prepare our work force for the future. As mayor of Houston, I brought businesses to Houston, but that alone won't be enough."
(snip)
He also turned the question, which was focused on energy deregulation, on Perry, saying the governor "doesn't hold himself accountable" for higher electric rates as a result of energy deregulation.
"Some of the politicians need to accept responsibility for advertising your (electric) bill would go down when it did not," White said.
(snip)
White, responding to a question about voter ID laws, called it a "wedge issue" and continued his emphasis on Perry.
"That is a classic illustration of where Gov. Perry has brought partisan politics of Washington to the state house," he said, adding that under former governors George W. Bush and Ann Richards, "people did work together."
DMN 2/9/10White, Shami spar on death penalty, gas tax in Texas Democratic governor debateFORT WORTH – The two main Democratic candidates for governor clashed on the death penalty, increasing the gasoline tax and halting Barnett Shale energy production Monday night in their only statewide televised debate.
Shami, a political newcomer, concentrated on surviving the March 2 primary. Sounding populist themes, he wooed key Democratic constituencies and cast himself as the change agent in the race.
(snip)
White also managed to get in a dig at Perry on the question, criticizing the governor for reshuffling a state forensic science panel that was scheduled to hear experts on flawed arson science used to convict and execute Cameron Todd Willingham for the fire that killed his three daughters.
White is considered the front-runner in the race, and many Democrats hope he can avoid a runoff and prepare for a battle against Perry or perhaps U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison while the two go to a protracted runoff. But Shami is spending millions of his own dollars on the race, and with five little-known candidates on the Democratic ballot and low turnout expected, it's unclear whether White can top 50 percent to avoid an extra round of his own.
Interesting that Lubbock news made it all about Shami.
Lubbock Avalanche News 2/9/10Shami vows to create jobs, death penalty moratoriumFORT WORTH - Democratic hair care businessman Farouk Shami guaranteed Monday that he would create 100,000 jobs available to everyone, free electricity and a moratorium on the death penalty if he's elected governor of Texas.
In the first and possibly only debate involving Shami and three-term former Houston Mayor Bill White, the two most well-funded Democrats running for governor, Shami made sweeping promises while White mostly ignored him to focus on Republican incumbent Gov. Rick Perry.
Both Democrats, however, agreed on the importance of jobs - a key item in their campaigns.
"Creating jobs is my specialty," Shami, 67, of Houston, said in the debate broadcast statewide before a small audience from a TV station in Fort Worth. "When I am governor, everybody is going to go to work."
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