The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

It seems like spring is just around the corner.

Soon it will be time to get the Bucket Farm going.

Maybe this is the year for a bumper crop.

Gardening is like fishing; you set the bait and hope you can land a good crop.

Today is so nice out that I hate to be strapped indoors but I have been away a few days and way behind.

There is plenty to write about plus my review on the upcoming March primary.

Early voting starts Feb. 19.

I best get going.

Come along, it won’t do you no harm.

THE BIG PRIZE IS UP TO US IN TEXAS Texas voters are key to the Democratic nomination.

Sen.

John McCain has the Republican nomination sewed up, even though he’s losing some states to Huckabee.

Locally, I’m finding that Huckabee has a lot of support among my Republican friends.

I reported nearly a year ago that they didn’t trust McCain.

I believe that has more to do with it than Evangelical issues.

Don’t be misled by Barack Obama’s symbolic victories in red states.

McCain will win most of the states Obama is winning, even if he doesn’t set foot in the state between now and November.

On the other hand, Sen.

Hillary Clinton is building a base of support in all the blue states that will help her win in November.

No Democratic candidate has ever been elected president that didn’t carry New York, New Jersey and California in the primaries.

I said never and she’s carried all three.

Also, over the years no candidate endorsed by Ted Kennedy in the primaries ever made it to the White House, McGovern, Mondale, Dukakis, Kerry, Brady, Howard Dean, etc.

Kennedy, John Kerry and Caroline, and the governor of Massachusetts all did their darndest to defeat Hillary in their state.

She field dressed them by 23 points.

They loaded up Oprah and the gang and even picked up Marie, first lady of California.

The pollsters predicted Obama would win California by 13 points.

Clinton trimmed his ears by 10 points, a 23 point turnaround.

Besides that, she carried Tennessee, a red state that Gore, Kerry and Harold Ford couldn’t carry.

Then throw in the states she’s won that are in play in the general election plus Texas, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Super Delegates are part of the rules but now some are screaming that they don’t want them to count.

The voters in Florida and Michigan can’t be disenfranchised; they are states that favor Hillary that Demos must carry in the general election.

I believe Obama’s values platform doesn’t fit the voters of Texas, most certainly in Southeast and East Texas.

He’s more liberal than George McGovern and would be in Ted Kennedy’s pocket.

Together they would give the White House away and Obama would never veto a Kennedy bill.

The choice is who would you rather have advise the president, Kennedy or President Bill Clinton, who had the most successful administration in modern times? Bill balanced the budget, left a surplus and created 22 million new jobs.

Obama is an inspirational speaker; Hillary has the substance and experience.

Obama sells rhetoric because he only has two years experience.

He just now learned where the parking garage is.

Would you make a two-year employee of Dupont the plant manager? A two-year teacher the school district superintendent? Really, it’s akin to being a snake oil salesman, smoke and mirrors and he’s good at it but where’s the beef.

Hillary is tough, specific and reliable.

She has a plan for everything, He has a dream and a ‘Yes we can’ call to black people, much the same way Karl Rove and Bush used the fear factor and Evangelical rhetoric.

The older, wiser black voters like Ms.

Essie and other black political astute voters who know how government works, won’t fall for the hype.

I haven’t spoken with her but I do know how politically savvy she is.

Where is Obama getting his money and what is his base? He has 500,000 collage age kids on his email bankroll.

In Jan. they provided $27 million of $32 million.

I understand he has gone back to them to send $50 apiece in February.

The problem that could come back to haunt him in a general election is how he keeps up the hype on those youngsters for six months between May and November.

Many would have graduated and moved on.

They don’t study qualifications they are just caught up in the movement.

His base is 80 percent to 90 percent black voters, 60 percent under age 45.

With no local races in November, will they return in such big numbers? Obama will be ‘Swift-boated’ you can book it.

Lack of experience is only one attack coming.

McCain won’t fear attacking him just because he’s black, like Hillary is doing, knowing she needs black votes in a general election.

They will wrap indicted landlord Antoine Rezko, in jail now on a bond forfeiture over receiving $3.5 million from an Iraqi oil billionaire, around his neck.

Obama and wife report their net worth at nearly a million dollars yet they live in a house worth several million that they supposedly bought from Rezko.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Hillary can go toe to toe with McCain on any issue plus there is nothing new they can hit her with.

The media has given Obama a free ride because of race yet they have piled on Hillary.

It’s a gender thing but she’s proved she can take it.

Why is it important to Texas that Sen.

Clinton be the nominee? Because in November she can help elect Democrats.

She can win Texas, Obama can’t.

She can put Texas in the blue column again.

Redistricting comes up one year later and if she brings state representatives along, like Larry Hunter, we will have redistricting that frees Orange County and rural areas from being hostage to Houston and Dallas.

It will be up to women to step up and support her to overcome the college kid vote.

Obama will open ten offices.

He’s already in Houston’s predominately black Ward 3.

He’s doing the same in Dallas and San Antonio, also at the University of Texas, Houston and other colleges.

She must carry Texas to win the nomination.

Anyway, that’s how I see it BOUQUETS FOR SPECIAL VALENTINES Remembering a few of the special ladies on this Valentine’s Day, ladies who are special year round.

I have space for just a few so in no particular order Karen Jo Vance, Nancy Vincent, Judge Janice, Glenda Thompson, Ann Segura, Gena Mannino, Dee Aven, Joyce Dowdle, Bonnie Pepper, Betty Harmon, Mary Alice Heartfield, Rosalie Clark, Brandi Slaughter, Marlene Merritt, Dayle Gunn, Sharon Dunn, Josie Choate, Karen Gros, Donna Reiley, Joyce McGraw, Virginia Cox, Donna Scales, Tammy Yawn, and Skipper Free and also the Bonin twins, Audrey and Flaudry, or is it Flaudry and Audrey? Happy Valentine’s Day to all.

TURNING BACK THE HANDS OF TIME 30 Years Ago-1978 Jeanne Wood, Bridge City High School speech and drama teacher, named ‘Woman of the Year’ by the Business and Professional Women’s Club.

The banquet was held at Wayside Inn.

Guest speaker was Glenn Pearson, superintendent of BCISD. *****Harold Beeson and Bill Maddox have received word from their publishers that their book ‘Rags and Patches’ will be released Sept. 4.

The book cover features Beeson and his Lab Bernis.

*****Kay and Charles Sexton, both lawyers, are the parents of a new son Scott William Sexton, born Feb. 3.

*****Cynthia Hooks, head of the child support office, celebrates her birthday, Feb. 10.

*****County Court employee Essie Hayes celebrates her birthday Feb. 18.

*****Joy Ham will celebrate on Feb. 21.

*****The Vidor school race is heating up as Buddie Hahn, a well-known attorney, throws his hat in the ring against incumbent Joe B. Foster.

*****Ken Johnson holds grand opening at his pharmacy in Pinehurst.

*****Sharon Bearden and Pat Clark, dressed in their angel wings, are in the follies.

Bearden insists on wearing his boots.

*****The Opportunity News has exclusive interview with Muhammad Ali and Kris Kristofferson.

Leon Spinks, contender for the heavy weight title, called Dunn at the OVN from Las Vegas.

Roy wrote a story about their conversation.

Leon predicted he would beat Ali.

(Editor’s note: Leon did win.

For the return match Sept. 15, in New Orleans, Roy and Phyllis, Butch and Edna Lusignan and Lucky and Gert Lusignan were guests of Ali’s with complimentary seats.

Ali beat Spinks.)*****Three Bridge City basketball players are named to 9-AAA all-star team.

They are Acy Duhon, Bill Godwin and David Jones.

*****Jackie Mathews celebrates a birthday Feb. 16.

*****James Briggs, Sr.

named bailiff of the recently created 260th District Court. Briggs, a Bridge City resident is retired from Dupont.

A FEW HAPPENINGS One of our favorite buddies, the lovely Shirley Dukes, will take Pete Lynd, a good guy, to be her husband on Sat.

Feb. 23.

We send them best wishes for a long, happy life; He’ll sure have his hands full.

*****Ms.

Ivalyn Anderson has put up with Rev. Leo 49-years on Feb. 18.

Happy anniversary.

For your 50th we will put the little pot in the big one.

*****The Wednesday Lunch Bunch had a big outing at Robert’s last week.

It was a gathering that had been planned by the late Joe Burke.

Glenn Oliver, according to Joe’s wishes, picked up the tab for the 30 in attendance.

The only stipulation was that whoever spoke politics would have to pick up the bill instead.

No one did, which they usually don’t, so Glenn got the pleasure.

Good folks, good food, great fellowship.

This week the Lunch Bunch will dine at Van Choate’s Tuffy’s, 12 noon.

Everyone welcome.

*****A debate between Sen.

Clinton and Obama will be held in Austin next week, Feb. 21 and will be carried by CNN.*****We received a lot of response last week and a lot of website hits on the John Tarver invention.

Check our website daily for breaking news and other surprises.*****Happy anniversary to Skeet and Yvonne Boehme and Jerry and Beth Ann Windham on Feb. 13.

Congrats.

*****Happy birthday Feb. 15 to Dan Batchelor***** Best whishes also on Feb. 16 to a very special lady, Betty Jo Spence.

*****Our friends Sue and Gus Harris celebrate their anniversary on Feb. 17.*****Feburary 8 was a great day for the Dunns.

Mark and Sharon’s first granddaughter, Delilah, was born in Framingham, MA. She weighed in at 6 pounds, 6 ounces.

A beautiful baby who apparently has her mother Jenna’s good looks.

She is also the first great-granddaughter of Roy and Ms.

Phyl and first niece of Jenna’s sister Amber.

Five-year-old Nate welcomed his new sister.

Jenna is Mark’s younger daughter.

Congrats to all.

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK Alayna Walles, Sara Childs, John Hall, Judy Ford, Lee Ann Jaarah, Liz Fontenot, Jeremy Delano, Judy Harrison, Dan Batchelor, Drew Domas, Betty Jo Spence, Inez Jones, Judy Brownlie, Mandy LeBauve, Patircia Davis, Vicky Stanley, Ann McDuff, Helen Vincent, John Chauvin, Kim Harmon, Mellisa Tuttle, Rolf Schulz, Shorty Taylor (now deceased), Tom Edwards, Ashley Floyd, Bernice Say, Betty Drachenberg, Betty Smith, Leah Gunstream, Charlotte North, Christy Faulk, Darrin Havens and Jason Clark.

CAJUN STORY OF THE WEEK One cold night after Clovis and Marie had gone to bed dem, Marie became aware her, dat Clovis was touching her in a most unusual manner.

Clovis ran his hand across Marie’s shoulders and da small of her back.

Den he run his hand over her chest, touching her lightly.

Clovis run his hand gently down Marie’s side, den slide his hand over her belly, den down da other side to jus below her waist.

Marie her, she moaned, “Mais Yea.” Clovis continued on, gently feeling Marie’s hips, first one side and den da utta.

His hand ran further down da outside of her tighs.

His probing den started up da inside of Marie’s left tigh and returned to do da same to her right tigh.

By dis time Marie was squirming her to better position herself.

Clovis stopped abruptly him and rolled over to his side of the bed.

“Why you stopping Cher?” Marie whispered.

Clovis whispered back, “Well me, I found dat damn remote.” C’EST TOUT I’ve always, in the past years, considered David Shuster a good newsman but then NBC threw him in a couple of those hack shop programs on MSNBC. He appeared mornings on ‘Morning Joe’ with Joe Scarbough and on the show ‘Hardball’ with Chris Mathews, who is probably the worst of all chauvinists.

He has constantly bashed Sen.

Hillary Clinton and other powerful women, like Sen.

Barbara Boxer, Madelene Albright, Condi Rice, Nancy Pelosi etc.

The negatives in the media, according to an oversight committee, is running three to one against Hillary and Obama is getting 83 to 51 favorability.

On the ‘Morning Joe’ show Mikki is an Obama supporter.

Her dad and brother both work for the Obama campaign.

Snide remarks up and down the NBC line have been prevalent.

Last week, maybe to gain points with his boss Mathews, Shuster went too far by saying that the Clintons were pimping their daughter Chelsea by campaigning for her mother.

No one ever critized the five Romney boys for working for their dad.

Shuster has been temporarily suspended by NBC. For years women have been treated as second class citizens.

Shirley Chisholm, a black woman who ran for president in 1972, said, in ‘USA Today,’ “I met more discrimination as a woman than for being black.

Bashing women is part of our culture and only an outcry from women will slow it down.” They should contact NBC and any media doing it.

Mathews was bashing Hillary so bad the women on the ‘View’ called him on it.

He apologized.

That lasted a week.

The media is giving Obama a free ride because of the black issue but not giving the same consideration to the female candidate.

Had the ‘pimping’ statement been made about the black candidate it would have made headlines in every media market but since it was just about a woman it was swept under the rug.

NBC has apologized to Hillary for the one incident but it’s the entire news network.

Hillary may refuse to debate on MSNBC in Houston with Tim Russert and Brian Williams.

Can’t blame her.

In my lifetime, I would like to see more tolerance toward women.

If not, none of us will ever live long enough to see a lady become United States president.

If Hillary fails, it will be many years before another woman tries, black or white.

I’ve said enough but it’s wrong and I resent it.

*****Take care.

God bless America.