Daily Archives: 10/16/2009

(Community Matters) Our niece Hilary flys in a 10am, then driving to College Station to see and hear President Obama. Who knows, maybe she’ll even get to shake his hand 🙂

(Community Matters) I hadn’t seen this piece by Alan Dershowitz on Jimmy Carter. Need to spend a bit more time understanding timelines before deciding how I feel about it.

Recent disclosures of Carter’s extensive financial connections to Arab oil money, particularly from Saudi Arabia, had deeply shaken my belief in his integrity.

(Community Matters) An overflowing fundraiser of Austin’s younger, happening entrepreneurial community last night for Jack McDonald. Organizers Bryan Jones, Mickey Milsap & Amanda Chiampi along with other members of their host committee: Amy Bryant, Sara Fox, Olga Garcia, Brett Hurt, Bryan Mennell, Emily Miller, Dave Shaw, Thom Singer & Stacy Zuinga pulled off the best showing of Austin’s high-tech community for a political event since Steve, Peter, et al in the 90s. I joined Jack there inbetween a Charles Duggan gathering at Westwood and AMOA’s Dolce Vita (wow, too many years since I’ve been to one – fantastic).

(Community Matters) I’ve always been a fan of Rep Edwards and we have lots of mutual friends. Totally surprised me he voted against protecting LGBT citizens by voting to strip the hate crimes provisions out of the defense authorization. I know Chet lives in a tough, otherwise R-leaning district. Nevertheless, I’d always imagined he was more open and committed to broader democratic inclusion. That he doesn’t believe for the LGBT community deserves – or is unwilling to standup for – this support or protections is a little heart breaking. I guess the latter is even more worrisome since we expect courage from our elected representatives.

(Community Matters) the truth from Gallup, the polling firm that correctly predicted the trend line late in the 2008 election resulting in then-Senator Obama receiving 78 percent of the American Jewish vote.