By Jerry Bullock
Daily Record Columnist
September 27, 2008 01:43 pm
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O. K. I am going to finish the story of last week’s Life’s Like That, Somehow in the editing the punch line …the whole point of the article… was left off. You may remember that I was writing about my own first political awareness during the 1948 senatorial contest between Lyndon Johnson and Gov. Coke Stevenson.
I had told about the Fort Worth caucus of eight minority candidates hoping that by choosing one among them and all throwing their support to the one they might win the seat in a runoff. While they succeeded in forcing the runoff, LBJ won the seat by a landslide 87 votes. History has cast the blame on the south Texas politicos in Alice and Pharr county, accusing them of fixing the vote by casting considerably more votes than there were voters.
History, however, has forgotten the role of Dallas politician and character, Cyclone Davis. Cyclone was one of the eight and bolted the caucus when they failed to choose him as their banner bearer. Cyclone threw his support to Johnson. It was at this point in last week’s article that the punch line was dropped.
A few weeks after the election I was in the little neighborhood grocery store across the street from my home. Cyclone was in the store holding forth on how he had won the election for Lyndon Johnson. I think it might be argued that he had in fact carried the election for LBJ since I doubt that Cyclone had many more than 87 supporters.
A man standing next to me said, “Every time that ole fellow talks it reminds me of the Bible story of Moses and the bulrushes.”
“How is that?” I asked.
“Oh, “ he said, “every time he opens his mouth a lot of bull rushes out.”
I wrote it again because with the happenings of the last few days I thought we really need that bit of homespun philosophy. Never have so many talking heads, bloggers and journalistic pundits said so much about which they know so little. A whole lot of bull has rushed out. I think it would do us all well to remember the words of Franklin Roosevelt in a similar situation about 75 years ago.
“This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror, which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”
America is a rich nation of good, honest people who know a lot more than most of the politicians give us credit for knowing. Recognize bull when it shows its face and remember this is America and Americans are rich in resources and in intelligence. We have the know how to make it through. Know your candidate, know what he or she really stands for and, above all, get out and vote. Let’s take care of America and she will take care of us. God bless America.
Jerry Bullock has written his weekly column for the Daily Record for more than 20 years. Jerry is a retired Air Force colonel, an ordained Baptist minister, professional counselor, military historian, speaker, and writer. He is a native Texan tracing his Texas roots to the days of the Republic.
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