#WendyDavis now shooting herself in the foot over fear, or control issues

A political candidate barring media from an event is never good. A candidate doing that but then making one special, select allowance for one media outlet is usually even worse.

But, that's just what Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis did down in Austin.

When someone as progressive, and as politically plugged in as James Moore is, tells you you're making a big mistake, it's time to learn. 

At the same time, Moore said this isn't new with Davis:

From the beginning of her campaign, Wendy Davis has exhibited an interest in "controlling" her message. Subsequent to the Dallas Morning News story about her climb out of difficult circumstances, she made the statement that she needed to speak with "tighter language." If ever there were a cue to reporters that there is a reason to get busy, this kind of statement is it. There is more than a suggestion she does not want to completely share her personal and political narrative.

I know that some fellow progressive bloggers, like P.Diddle, have raised my eye over my blog post rhetorically asking Davis "where's your mom" in your life story, but it fits, IMO, with Moore's last line — a last line whose observation I have already made myself.

P.Diddle's got more details of last night and the media's take here.

Via a previous post of his, he also observes that the Dems' Lite Guv candidate, Leticia Van de Putte, has joined Davis in endorsing closet pro-lifer David Alameel.

And, this isn't going to go away, either, for either of you.

Plus, if he doesn't make the runoff, both of you are going to look stupid for not being good "pickers."

The fact that this is all happening either shows how far the likes of Battleground Texas and Lone Star Project have to go in their work ...

Or, how much they've already screwed up.

Let's not forget that most national Democratic consultants' answer on how to close any actual or apparent gaps with Republicans is "track right." In light of this, VDP's claim that Alameel would be the most viable candidate against John Cornyn? I honestly believe that idea didn't originate with her but is the talking point that the national handlers are giving her, just like Davis' claim that she endorsed Alameel because he was such a good businessman.

P.Diddle likes to hammer on the issue of big money flooding politics. I agree. And, right alongside of that is the issue of transparency, or lack thereof. I'm going to be taking more of a look at that in a future post.

And, per Moore's observation about Davis trying to control her life story's narrative, or even declare it off limits? I've already started something of a blog post about her suing the Fort Worth Star-Telegram shortly after she lost her initial run for the Fort Worth City Council. It fits in squarely with these control issues.

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And, per the Observer, good effing doorknob, it gets worse. She used the phrase "pro-life" about herself? Per a Facebooker who tried the same, this is nothing but Grade-A bullshit. "Pro-life" and "pro-choice" have publicly defined meanings.

When Davis did arrive, she met with reporters for 10 minutes. Sanchez asked the candidate about her statement, at an earlier event in the Valley, that Davis was “pro-life.” This was a predictable question given the campaign’s reluctance to even say the word “abortion.” Sanchez documents what happened next: “[Davis] looked at me and shook her head. But before she could articulate, her new press aide Rebecca Acuña jumped in and said ‘that comment was taken out of context.’”

That said, we do now have more of a clue on how and why she endorsed David Alameel.

Black is white and up is now officially down. (And I'll do a separate blog post about this at some point.)