When Hank Gilbert announced he was going to run for Governor, I thought it would change the fundamentals of the race. That even if he doesn't prevail in his admittedly uphill battle, that he would make whoever did come out as the Dem nominee a better candidate.
I didn't expect it to play out as Tom Schieffer wholesale lifting the Gilbert platform.
Hank being Hank, the campaign didn't waste any time calling Time Warp Tommy out:
"While Hank is flattered that Tom Schieffer thinks enough of his 'Pledging Allegiance to Texas Public Schools' comprehensive pre-K - 12 education reform plan in order to adopt parts of it as his own, the larger issue remains that Schieffer is copycatting Hank in an effort to breathe oxygen into a moribund campaign.
I'm sure it's not as bad as all that for Schieffer. Somebody in that campaign must have a pulse.
Texas needs a leader who devises public policy through stakeholder involvement, thoughtful contemplation, and hours of work and preparation, not someone who simply knows how to use a copy machine.
It comes as no surprise that Schieffer has decided to copy points of Hank's plan. Since Hank launched his highly successful 13 media market tour of Texas, Tom Schieffer's campaign has done nothing but copy newspaper articles not even mentioning their own candidate and place those articles on their website in a sad attempt to make it look like their campaign is generating momentum instead of falling victim to inertia. This is a tactic typical of a campaign in turmoil and near death.
Um, ouch.
Here's one of the specific points the Gilbert Campaign claims are copycatted:
•Schieffer Swiped Hank's Pre-K Proposals: SCHIEFFER said he wants more Texas kids enrolled in early childhood development programs starting at age 3 because it will improve their chances of graduating from high school. (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Sept. 22, 2009). The day before, HANK said: "Because the foundation of good students is a quality education in the early years of childhood, I'm proposing universal pre-kindergarten statewide by 2013." (Hank Gilbert's Remarks As Prepared For Delivery, 9/21/09, Amarillo College Media Availability)
Hank has come out very assertively in this campaign, and is in the middle of a tour hitting 13 of the 20 media markets.
From the Gilbert Campaign Press Release:
Hank has, as of 1:03 a.m. on Wednesday, September 23, 2009, received the following coverage on his Road to Prosperity Tour alone:
•Been before 14 television stations in eight media markets, not counting TV coverage in his home Tyler/Longview media market.
•Been covered by 11 daily newspapers in eight media markets, not including Austin American-Statesman coverage on Monday or the Tyler Morning Telegraph on Monday, including one Spanish-language newspaper.
•Received coverage from the Associated Press.
•Received two mentions in National Journal's "Hotline" political column.
•Appeared on two statewide radio networks.
•Received coverage from five radio stations in four separate media markets.
•Been booked to appear on two television shows for in-depth interviews in two separate media markets.
Tom drove over to UT Arlington and said "What he said..."
