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May 23, 2006
On Lloyd Bentsen
Texas and the nation lost a great statesman today. The tall, patrician gentleman from the Rio Grande Valley was the last Democrat to truly dominate in statewide politics -- a notion that seems a pipe dream today.
Cragg Hines penned an excellent obituary in today's Chronicle.
As a young campaign staffer in 1992 for then-Congressman Mike Andrews, fresh out of the University of Texas and just entering the political scene, I had an opportunity to see a bit of Senator Bentsen up close as he campaigned for Mike and the Democratic ticket as his own life in politics was winding down. To this green kid he personified the elegant statesman -- my image of him hasn't changed at all 14 years later.
After Bill Clinton's victory Senator Bentsen would of course go on to serve the country as Treasury Secretary, but his departure from electoral politics in Texas sadly slammed the door shut for Democrats winning statewide. Kay Bailey Hutchison replaced him in 1993, and the rest is history. That door has not been reopened since.
On my desk is a picture of Senator Bentsen, Congressman Andrews and myself (the 22 year-old version) from that 1992 campaign. I looked at it with nostalgia today after hearing of the Senator's death. It will stay on my desk not only as a reminder of a better political time, but as motivation to bring a brighter day to our great state.
RIP Senator Bentsen.
- Keir Murray
Posted by houtopia at May 23, 2006 10:59 PM