david wogan

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David Wogan
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Austin, TX

The Great 'Debate'

Okay, I'm back at my computer and have had time to let today's interviews simmer for awhile, so here's a little more about today's Texas Tribune interviews.

Wow.

My main takeaway from the debate, woops, interviews, is how different each candidate is from each other. I went in to today's interviews with an open mind. I'm a Democrat and Bill White supporter, but I wanted to hear what each person said with an open mind.

Bill White took awhile to get going, but after a bit, he was comfortable up on stage and answering questions. He relied on attacking Perry a lot, but he really shined when he talked about his own programs and ideas for the state. It was clear from listening to Mayor White that he is intelligent and knows the issues. I'm just not sure how effectively his message is being communicated. I talked with several folks afterwards and they said they knew very little of Mayor White before the interview, but thought very favorably of him afterwards. Will these types of personal experiences translate to a win on election day? I'm not sure.

Even before Rick Perry took the stage you knew it would be a different show. Most notably, the very first row of seats were reserved. While expected for a sitting governor, it really made Gov. Perry seem elitist and better than the average Texan. And he's not called "Slick Rick" for nothing. Gov. Perry's answers were nice and glossy, but lacked depth, and even confidence, of a person who has been running Texas for a decade.

I would even say that Gov. Perry looked nervous throughout most of the interview, and got tripped on questions about abstinence (it's an effective policy, but effectiveness is in the eye of the beholder) and wrongful executions (Gov. Perry claimed that there haven't been any - Evan Smith of the Tribune immediately corrected him). I expected him to be confident and in charge, but he came off as defensive and patronizing at times. I'm sure his campaign staff wasn't too happy about that display.

I expected Gov. Perry to come in and steal the show, but all I got from his performance was a skewed view of reality in Texas, and more of the same from him. Hints of larger aspirations kept slipping through, too (e.g., taking on the federal government, not saving email records longer than 7 days).

I think Gov. Perry's strategy this election has been to fly under the radar and not get hurt by making public statements or engaging in debate. After today's performance though, I think it's a poor strategy. Gov. Perry seemed rusty on the issues and didn't handle follow up questions well. A healthy debate schedule might actually get him to the top of his game and rile up his base.

As for Mayor White, he could have focused more on his strengths than criticize the governor at every turn. Showing confidence in leading this awesome state would make him help voters envision him as the head honcho of the state.

And a quick reminder that early voting starts this Monday.

Filed under // austin elections politics texas

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Quick thoughts on Rick Perry's Texas Tribune interview

Here are some quick thought from Governor Perry's interview with Evan Smith of the Texas Tribune at the KLRU studios.

On the whole, Governor Perry seemed defensive, even patronizing at times. He actually stated that the state is facing a lot of problems, but wasn't too articulate (or even confident) about potential solutions.

He talked a great game, but didn't venture into specifics about programs, history of issues, etc. The Governor's energy plan seemed to be focused more on generating more electricity than reducing consumption (a la Mayor White). Nuclear, wind, and natural gas are favorites of the Governor because of diversity and independence of supply.

On the issue of the state's budget, Perry called the calls for more information irresponsible (and even "immature" in reference to Sen. Watson). I wasn't impressed with his answers or rationale for figuring out what the state's budget actually is. Transparency came up a lot, especially with disclosing financial records. However, the Governor seemed to have a double standard with his policy of deleting emails after 7 days. I could almost see flashes of a national campaign digging up old emails. After all that, I'm not sure what I learned about Governor Perry"'s vision for the state. It was like eating whipped cream. It was sweet going down, but not much substance.

Filed under // Austin Texas politics

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Quick thoughts from Bill White's TX Tribune interview ((tags: Austin, Texas, politics)

I just saw Mayor White's interview with Evan Smith of the Texas Tribune at the KLRU Studios Here are some quick thoughts and reactions:

It's immediately evident that Bill White is a smart guy. His training as a lawyer, contrary to what the Perry campaign says, actually gies Mayor White an advantage for understanding the complicated issues facing our state.

It took awhile for Mayor White to warm up, but once he did, he was very likable. He has a certain charm and sense of humor that you get when you hear him talk for awhile. I'm not sure how well his personality translates to print and the web though.

On the issues, Mayor White had plenty of examples about what the Governor has been doing wrong for the state.

In particular, I like White's energy plan, which consists of three things: 1) reduce building energy consumption, 2) reduce vehicle energy demand, and 3) substitute natural gas for base load, coal-fired generation capacity. Seems smart. I would like o hear more about transmission and CREZ infrastructure though.

Other topics that came up were tax increases (not ruling increases or decreases out), border security (more local law enforcement is needed), tort reform (frivolous lawsuits are a waste of money and energy, especially ones currently against the federal government), and Texas' growth and need for improved public and higher education systems.

Governor Perry is up next. I'll have thought in awhile. As always, check my Twitter stream for updates live from the interview.