THAT'S NOT THE SPIRIT OF THE ALAMO

Democrat to leave N.M., return to Houston -- again: Whitmire says colleagues not happy with his decision (ARMANDO VILLAFRANCA and R.G. RATCLIFFE, 9/02/03, 2003 Houston Chronicle)

State Sen. John Whitmire said he is returning to Houston tonight in a move that could potentially end the holdout of Texas Democratic senators who fled Austin on July 28 to stop a vote on congressional redistricting. [...]

Whitmire indicated he would keep his options open as to whether he would flee again if Gov. Rick Perry calls another special session to deal with redistricting. [...]

Whitmire set off a firestorm among the self-exiled Democrats last week by saying that he planned to return to Houston for the Labor Day holiday.

That led to Democratic caucus Chair Sen. Leticia Van de Putte to declare loudly behind a closed door that Whitmire was betraying the group. Van de Putte said Whitmire agreed to stay in New Mexico and planned to spend the weekend in Santa Fe.

Whitmire, in a statement, said he did not abandon the group.

"I returned as I had always planned -- not a bolt from the group, but a planned return after sine die (the official adjournment of the Legislature) on Tuesday, August 26," Whitmire said.

Everything you need to know about the current state of the Democratic Party can be summed up by citing its two great triumphs in the W Era:

(1) Jim Jeffords becoming an Independent.

(2) Texas Democrats hiding out in OK and NM. Posted by Orrin Judd at September 3, 2003 11:47 AM