CD 10: Larry Joe Doherty Is No Civil Rights Leader, Asks If He Can ‘Speak Dog’ At Prairie View
By Vince Leibowitz on Feb 20, 2008 in 2008 Texas Elections ![[Post to Twitter]](/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-twitter.png){kind=icon}
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This afternoon, the campaign of Larry Joe Doherty for Congress sent out a campaign email about Doherty walking with Prairie View A&M Students in Waller County for voting rights. The email noted:
“It means so much that Larry Joe came and marched every step of the way on behalf of students like myself,” said Evelyn Woodard, a Prairie View senior majoring in Computer Engineering & Technology. “I believe this shows he cares for us and it shows he’s determined to stand up for our rights. If he’s here now, he’ll be there for us all of the time.”
Outside he Waller courthouse, Doherty explained why he felt it was important to complete the entire route.
“This march symbolizes a very important step in the history of our state,” said Doherty. “Today I saw young people making history by standing up for justice. You don’t get respect until you walk the walk. These young Americans walked the walk and voted the vote. Today, these folks earned the respect of everyone.”
Although Doherty’s campaign email seeks to make him out to be some kind of civil rights leader, the fact is that he is no civil rights leader and that some of his previous behavior is far from that of someone attempting to don the mantle of “civil rights leader.”
What’s worse, during his campaign appearance yesterday at Prairie View, in front of thousands of people and at the mic, Doherty said, “I guess I should speak ‘dog,’ right? It’s ok to speak ‘dog’?” One has to wonder what in the hell that is supposed to mean.
His behavior on his former TV show “Texas Justice,” has several examples of Doherty behaving in a way that makes one wonder about him. In particular, he opened one case by asking a female African American litigant, “Tell me how you made a booty call in Brooklyn and ended up with a wrong number?” In the same case, he told the opposing African American male litigant, “You are the one dipping your biscuit in that gravy, pal.” (video). These aren’t exactly “racially sensitive” remarks.
In another episode, he mimics a charismatic African American minister (video).
While his trip to Prairie View may have been well-intentioned, a dog can’t change his spots. And, even from his remarks yesterday, one has to wonder if Doherty is really the right man for the job in CD 10.
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Your post is heavily offensive to a Democratic voter. Campaign politics aside, it is a serious allegation to insinuate that someone is a racist.
A “fair and balanced report” would have pointed out that Larry Joe Doherty was endorsed by the Black Austin Democrats and the Houston Black American Democrats.
Which according to Dan Grant’s most recent press release, Grant does not see as “major endorsements.” Just because they’re minority groups doesn’t mean they’re not major endorsements.
Maybe Mattress Mac clued him in as to how to address the crowd…
After all, Mac’s a Romney supporter that quoted the rap song, “Who let the dogs out?” at a campaign appearance in front of a largely African American crowd.
Sorry MeanRachel, this article wasn’t about endorsements, but about racial insensitivity on the part of Mr. Doherty.
“Just because they’re minority groups doesn’t mean they’re not major endorsements.”
Your allegation is highly offensive. Dan Grant has received endorsements from the Latino, Tejano, Asian-American, GLBT groups, as well as civil rights leader Senfronia Thompson.
Dan’s proud of those endorsements and sends press releases when he receives these endorsements.
Larry Joe hasn’t. Fact. Check his web site (of course, now that it’s out in the open, I’m sure it’ll get fixed…That’s why I saved a cached version of the page so his campaign or his supporters can’t say I’m lying.)
Wait, Dave. This is no “allegation.” It’s the truth.
On the front page of Grant’s website, in a letter written by Dan Grant himself, it says “with every one of the major endorsements .”
So that would mean one of two things.
Either Dan Grant does not consider the Black Austin Democrats and the Houston Black American Democrats major endorsements, since he didn’t get them.
Or he is lying and he doesn’t have every one of the major endorsements.
Care to explain on his behalf? I’d love to know which.
Not to mention SEIU’s endorsement of Larry Joe Doherty as well.
In politics, Rachel, it’s called “framing”. If I had written the press release, I would have worded it differently…I’ll grant you that. Larry Joe got the SEIU endorsement because Dan got the AFL-CIO endorsement first. Those two unions have a rivalry that’s existed since the SEIU broke away from the AFL-CIO to become a separate entity.
I still wonder why the Doherty camp didn’t issue a press release when he received the endorsements of those African American groups because they ARE important endorsements! Not only did he not issue a press release, those endorsements weren’t even on his web site until over a week after receiving the endorsements.
He received the SEIU endorsement AFTER those African American endorsements and was able to get a press release out and on his web site within a day or so of receiving that labor endorsement.
Dan Grant, for good reason, has a far larger number of official endorsements from prominent politicians, activists and groups (both labor and political). Doherty? Not so much.
Meanrachel at (1) noted:
How would that change anything? It doesn’t matter who a candidate is endorsed by if they do something like that. Surely, he doesn’t use being endorsed by those groups as some kind of lame excuse for “street cred” to make offensive statements like that, does he?
Since we’re talking endorsements, also, Rachel, how about that Greater Harris County Democrats’ endorsement? Seems really odd that the group’s only lately announced treasurer also happens to have been the person who was a Doherty supporter–and drew for him at the Harris County ballot placement drawing, no?