Throughout the Davis/Abbott campaign, Wendy Davis exposed the fact that Greg Abbott believes in government for some of the people all of the time. The focus of Davis’ latest ad is to chronicle Abbott’s history of believing in justice for some while denying it to others.
The message behind the ad is that Abbott, like other Republicans, believes he got his so screw you.
Nothing exemplifies this more than Abbott’s efforts to deny people with disabilities the very benefit he got. It’s the same mentality that came with Paul Ryan’s effort to deny others access to the same social security benefits Ryan enjoyed once upon a time.
It’s par for the course for people who subscribe to the Ayn Rand theory that they are entitled to government help, but anyone else in the same position is just a lazy taker.
Abbott recovered millions of dollars in lawsuits after a falling tree injured his spine and left him paralyzed. No one faults him for that. The issue is his on-going battle to deny others the same benefit.
Wendy Davis’ latest ad documents this sordid history in what has been an on-going theme of Greg Abbott looking out for himself and his donors to the detriment of everyone else in Texas. The ad documents the fact that Abbott claimed a disabled woman really isn’t disabled because she has a prosthetic leg. Abbott ruled against a rape victim who sued a corporation that didn’t do a background check on a sexual predator.
Predictably, Abbott and his defenders tried to spin the ad into being about his disability. After all, we know just how much energy Abbott dedicates to defending minority rights. (sarcasm) We see Abbott’s defense of minority rights in laws that disenfranchise minorities and in his on going fight to deny women access to reproductive care, including abortions. When Abbott pals around with Ted Nugent and seeks out the white nationalist and misogynist, Charles Murray, to advise him on education policy, it’s all about protecting minority rights.
The reality is Abbott is a great advocate for that 1% who line his pockets be it to get government contracts, handouts, or simply keep their toxic chemicals a secret from the public.
Naturally, when Abbott runs interference for a hospital that continued to employ a socipathic neuro-surgeon after he botched several surgeries and left patients paralyzed it’s all about protecting a donor’s interests to the detriment of patients.
So when Wendy Davis calls him out for his history of denying rights to disabled Texans, Abbott whines that she’s being mean to him because he’s disabled.
In reality, Abbott is the one who exploited his disability for political gain. Davis’ ad was about Abbott’s history of fighting to deny other disabled people the justice that he got after his tragic accident. As my mother used to say, this is about Abbott wanting to sit on two chairs with one behind. On one hand, Abbott used his disability in several campaign ads for his advantage. On the other he claims that an ad attacking his hypocrisy when it comes to justice for people with disabilities is really about attacking his disability.
The moment Abbott decided to exploit his own disability for political gain, he opened the door to a public discussion about how he treats other people in the same position. Or as Fox Houston’s Legal Analyst, Chris Titico put it:
Greg Abbott can’t use his disability as a sword and a shield in this campaign. And he’s had several ads talking about his disability. That really makes it kind of fair game I think for Wendy Davis to talk About it.
Titico went on to say that Wendy Davis’ ad chronicles how Abbott “spent the rest of his career ensuring that others can’t get the same benefit he got.”
Mustafa Tameez nailed the politics behind Abbott’s attempt to spin the ad’s purpose and content. Throughout this campaign, Wendy Davis has steadily narrowed the gap between her and Abbott. In a race that began with Abbott being 20 points ahead, the gap is now a mere six and a half points. The fact that he is using his money to attack Davis proves this race is far more competitive than Abbott is willing to admit.
Watch the exchange between Titco and Tameez here.
It’s never good news for a Republican candidate when Fox takes their opponent’s side.
Texans are slowly seeing through the smoke and mirrors of Abbott’s war on disabled Texans who only want the same access to justice that Abbott had.
Image: KXAN
Former contributor.
WOOHOO Wendy!
Abbott is typical of Republicans these days. When called out on their hypocrisy, they whine and cry about how everyone is being mean to them. Yet nothing for them is out of bounds, whether it be Davis’ personal choice to terminate a pregnancy, to her struggles as a single mom to make something of herself. I hope the people of Texas wake up and realize that a vote for Wendy Davis is a vote to advance what’s in their best interest.
Abbott at this point is desperation on wheels. Six point lead, two weeks from the election, is the time for a “hail Mary” pass — but Wendy’s in the backfield, waiting for an interception.
To be fair, Wendy Davis spoke about her past in public. So it was fair game for Abott to speak about it. Its how he did it that was bad.
Wow. It shocks me to hear Chris Tritico say this. It is completely out of character for him.
Of COURSE the R’s called “foul” on that ad. When it comes to other people’s protections he’s a foul man and he hopes no one noticed. No one likes it when they got caught doing something nasty they’ve been getting away with for decades and all of sudden someone is going to publicly call them on it.
You can tell when a campaign ad points out the truth about a GOPTPer–s/he goes into whining, crying, and complaining mode. How rich of Abbott to feign sensitivity about issues when he’s one of the most mean-spirited persons on the planet who cares not one whit who he hurts, as long as he gets his way. Ms. Davis’ ad is NOT about Abbott being disabled, it’s about how he benefited from a previous law, and after he got in a position of power, he decided to make sure than if something that happened to him happened to anyone else, s/he wouldn’t be able to be adequately compensated for his/her disability. It reminds me of Paul Ryan who used Social Security payments from his father’s death and now wants to privatize Social security, placing it in the hands of Wall Streeters, which could mean that if survivors were to need benefits, there would either be none or the payments would be so small as to not be of much help to kids. Kudos to Wendy for exposing the real Greg Abbott.
Meanwhile on FOX NEWS, they are raking her over the coals. This is an affiliate station and won’t get as much coverage.
This ad has nothing to do with being mean spirted, but only to showcase how the man is hiding behind his handicap and is using it as a weapon. What’s good for him seems not to be good for anyone else. However, programs like Morning Joe will bring this up only to say how mean Wendy is.
“Paul Ryan who used Social Security payments from his father’s death” Not only did Ryan received SS at the age of 16, he didn’t need them to survive for his family had a thriving business. Instead, he saved his benefits to be used for college two years later. What a hypocrite. Most people need SS benefits to survive but he want to deny them that. Yet he calls them “Takers”????
I was watching Ed’s show one day last week and he had an actual GOP donor on the show. Quite honestly, this man stated that the problem with the Republicans is they do not recruit intelligent people, unlike the Democrats. He went on to say the Conservatives need to start electing intelligent people to run for office.
I suppose he is saying one thing and doing another. You are not that bright yourself if you keep donating to a party that elects dumb people to run for office.
He should have added that he wished the Republicans would also obtain a heart, conscious, and soul! The party is made up of sociopaths! Everything is me, me, me, with them, as this article demonstrates.
I tire of waiting for the people of Texas to ‘wake up.’ Move the fence north and throw them out of the union. All or them. Right now.
I tire of waiting for the Texans to ‘wake up.’ Texas should be thrown out of the union. Right now.
Davis will be decisively defeated. Sorry. The numbers just aren’t there (which may explain her campaigns choice to run this ad.) It’s really not explainable any other way…it’s too risky and might even hurt down-ballot Dems.
C’mon…this is Texas we’re talking about.
There isn’t a single significant state wide office currently held by a Democrat. Not the governor, lt. governor, atty. general,
9 justices on Texas Supreme Court, 9 judges on the Court of Criminal Appeals, the Texas house and senate are both controlled by the GOP, and both U.S. Senators are Republicans.
Now the mud is REALLY starting to fly and pile up – so I’ve brought an ample supply of hip boots, slickers and helmets. Yes, I know everything is pink (because it’s my favorite color) but you’ll be glad over the next few weeks you’re wearing some PPE. So, help yourself and stay safe out there.
I’m still looking for a pink panzer for myself….anyone know where you get one of those?
It’s Chris Tritico, not Chris Titico.
He is saying the Repubs should have more intelligent people, but also be saying that these less intelligent Repubs are still smarter and better than the “give away the country for a vote” Dems.
Say what? Fox “News”, the cable TV propaganda arm of the Fascist GOP, defends Wendy Davis against a Republican?!? Say it ain’t so, Roger Ailes! LMAO
If the situation was reversed and it was Wendy in the wheelchair…
Abbott would be using it against her and blaming it on President Obama & Abortion.
The ad points out the obvious. After receiving a just settlement from his insurance company Abbott worked diligently and ferociously to protect it from ever having to do that again. There’s no difference between his doing that and Paul Ryan using his dad’s social security benefits only to turn around and call others who would do the same the entitlement generation, saying social security is going broke because it’s too generous. Fortunately the ad speaks to those who think beyond the end of their nose, you know, Democratic voters. It’s a refreshing break from past candidates who wasted their time, energy, and resources, trying to get the non existent cross over vote.” Maybe it’s time Democrats fired up their hard core base instead of pandering to the “middle”, the moderate”, the what ever.
Democrats are masters of blaming and distorting the truth from George Wallace, Lyndon Johnson, Bill Clinton to Barack Obama. Republicans aren’t any better but Democrats have the art of distortion mastered.
Do tell
Examples
And the hypocrisy just flies right past your head Dumpster, like a little songbird.
Apparently Mr Abbott isn’t handicapped either as he has mobility via a wheelchair. He is also eligible for a scooter at little or no cost to himself. Curiously, in the TV commercial where he wheels across a floor map of the US from California to Texas, he’s able to raise both of his feet and then lower them to help stop the chair at just the right place. He is certainly using his wheelchair as a sympathy grabber. Since 1846 Texas has had 39 Democratic Governors, 5 Republicans including GW Bush and Rick Perry, 1 Unionist and 1 Independent. Yet you would think that Texas has been the bastillion of conservatism for ever. Abbott is part of the good ole boy fraternity and will not serve Texas well at all.
Perhaps Charlie, but let’s remember that since 1846 Texas has had 39 Democratic Governors, 5 Republicans including Clements, GW Bush and Rick Perry, 1 Unionist and 1 independent (Sam Houston). With the enormous hispanic population we just might find Texas leaning back to a blue state.
Sorry, the Republicans promote a Neofeudalism. They and the 1% are the Lords and the rest of us are the Serfs. That’s their twisted idea of utopia.
The main difference with the Republicans is they feel if you tell the same lie over and over again, it becomes the truth.
The Republicans will even do it to each other. Does anyone remember the brutal smear tactics that Rove used, via Bush, to defeat McCain during the primary? Rove borders on the psychotic and all is fair game to him.
I remember Chaney railing against the LGBT community and then we find out that his daughter is a Lesbian. Kerry brings Chaney’s hypocrisy up during the VP debate and the GOP goes wild calling a foul. Really??
You purposely left out the context of the cases.
Just because someone won a malpractice suit doesn’t mean they can sue everyone.
BTW, Fox 26 is a local station.
Not Fox News.
Fail.
You really need to STFU because every time you post it just shows how stupid you are
KRIV, virtual channel and UHF digital channel 26, is a Fox owned-and-operated television station located in Houston, Texas, United States
Perhaps Charlie, but let’s remember…
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And let’s also remember that Hispanic and Anglo residents in Texas identify with the Republican Party far more than the national average…not to mention the percentage of Hispanics in Texas who lean or self-identify as Democrats DROPPED from 53% in 2008 to 46% in 2013. That would call into question how soon demographic changes in Texas could help Democrats running for state offices.
Democrats in Texas are on a 20 year losing streak and have a very uphill climb changing the voting habits of Texans statewide.
Davis will lose.
Because secession worked SO WELL the first time.
As a Texan myself, I’m fully committed, 110% to the UNITED States of America. And Texas is a part of that country, whether you like it or not. I share your frustration with the “herp derp” out there, believe me, but frankly the notion of getting rid of one of the largest states in the Union, producing a massive amount of energy, having one of the healthiest state economies in the US, with one of the largest populations and an unexpected emerging leader in math and science industries, as well as having the fastest growing city in the entire United States four years running (Austin – source: Forbes), is just plain stupid.
Instead of kicking people out, let’s try to educate them. Arrogance and exclusionary elitism, such as you’ve displayed here, have no place in a country this great.
Being a jerk doesn’t change the world. Taking a stand and refusing to give up DOES. Don’t give up on your fellow Americans. I sure won’t.
The Davis ad pointing out that Gregg Abbott, although in a wheelchair as a result of an accident that damaged his spine, AND collected 10 million afterwards, is or has been against (non-sympathetic) towards other disabled people in his State is SPOT ON! The typical Republican: I got mine. Go get yours. And If I can stop you from getting it I will. Abbott is the poster boy for that thinking. And should not be whining about Davis’ ad. It exposed his hypocrisy. Ouch!
I wonder how many Rs will see his defensive response and decide he really is a weakling in a wheelchair. We know he has concerns about it, because both debates had the candidates seated. If he wants to show he has powered through his struggle, he needs to suck it up and address the real issue instead of crying, “look, she made fun of me because I’m a cripple!”
I’m hoping Texans will finally wise up, but I will frankly be surprised–HAPPILY surprised–if Davis wins simply because of the stubborn, foolish and outdated Republican mentality in this state. However, as I was walking out of Lowes this afternoon, an older man was walking behind me and saw my “Wendy Davis for Governor” bumper sticker. He yelled, “Wendy Davis, yes sir!” and gave me a thumbs up. There IS hope. It will all depend on who gets the most lazy people to get their butts out there to the polling stations and do their civic duty. Of course, with all the gerrymandering done in time for Rick Perry’s last hurrah, it will continue to be tough.
Indeed, dealing with a mentality that thinks secession is a good idea will make this an uphill battle.
Rick the DICK Perry and Greg AB-BUTT are two CRIMINALS of a kind and need to be booted out of Tax-us, along with the rest of the republicons!
BOOT OUT ALL republicons, NOW!
WENDY DAVIS WILL BE THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF TEXAS! HURRAY, WENDY!