(Editor’s note: As I mentioned earlier, I had the privilege of speaking at the Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club today. A moving speech against the tactics of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst’s campaign was given by Judge Bill Henderson. Although readers will be unable to see the passion with which Judge Henderson delivered this speech, I asked him if I could republish it in full for you.)
First and foremost I want to tell you that what I am saying today is my opinion and I am not speaking for my employer, County Judge Ed Emmett. I have reason to believe that he will agree with a lot of what I am saying, but I want to make it clear that I am not speaking for him.
The issue of mental health has been put in play by the Dewhurst campaign. The accusation that Sen. Patrick sought treatment for depression 30 years ago and had to be hospitalized is despicable. It does not matter whether it was Commissioner Patterson or Gov. Dewhurst who made the accusation, the Dewhurst campaign has sought to benefit from the accusation. I personally believe it has backfired on the Dewhurst campaign because there are so many of us who have personally been treated for depression or have had close family members that were treated. In fact, I believe Sen. Patrick should be congratulated for seeking medical treatment for a medical condition and then following the advice of his doctors.
It made me angry that Gov. Dewhurst would do this. He has been an ardent supporter of increased resources for treating mentally ill Texans and to do what he has done is beyond inconceivable. But it was not until I read Susan Fordice’s article in yesterday’s Deer Park Broadcaster that i realized why I was so angry. I have placed copies of Ms. Fordice’s article on every table and anybody who doesn’t get one, I have more with me.
Let me read one paragraph in her article:
Stigma is a powerful and unnecessary deterrent to care for a person experiencing symptoms of a mental health concern. it is especially important for not only our families and friends, but also the media, elected officials, and others in leadership positions to view and to portray people with mental health issues sensitively and realistically; and to challenge the use of stigmatizing language which is common, often accepted and rarely questioned.
I am here today to challenge the use of stigmatizing language by the Dewhurst campaign. We are not talking about discouraging good people to run for public office because they have sought treatment for mental illness, although that may be one consequence. More importantly, we are continuing the stigmatization of seeking treatment for mental illness. Those veterans who come home from the battlefield who feel like they will be less of a person for seeking treatment. Or the mother who suffers from post partum depression but doesn’t believe she should seek treatment. We as a society owe it to those who are suffering from depression, whether temporarily or permanently, to encourage them to seek treatment. Senator Patrick has always included people who are unable to take care of themselves as one of the four groups that the government must care for and that is just part of the 80% that Sen. Patrick and I agree upon. To show him and others that I support individuals who seek medical treatment for their depression, he will get my support in this election. I thought I would probably support Gov. Dewhurst but I must make this statement.
Bill Henderson
Isn’t it also true that everyone who keeps publicly talking about this in editorials, speeches, blogs, publishing articles, etc Day 2, Day 3, Day 12 is also just giving the stigma more legs, not less?
To un-stigmatize something, just act like it’s no big deal.
So Jerry Patterson thought this was a great idea and it would help Dewhurst. I question is mental abilities. How can anyone think this type of attack would help? It’s beyond reason.
The difference here is that Dan Patrick’s extreme swings in positions, calling Cruz a liar and supporting Dewhurst before opposing Dewhurst, or carrying a bill in one hand then killing it with another, raise serious questions. Suggesting that this is due to mental disability instead of deceptiveness could be a plus for Patrick. I might be more supportive of Patrick if I knew this were due to a chemical imbalance rather than a character flaw.
I was already leaning toward voting for Dan Patrick as Lieutenant Governor, but I was finally convinced to do so by this new revelation that he was feeling suicidal during the mid-1980s. Back then I worked as a corporate finance lawyer in Chicago, before moving to New York in 1986 to join the leveraged buyout boom, and I knew that the economy in Houston was weak. The recession of the early 1980s and the strong U.S. dollar had undermined the value of oil and gas reserves, and Houston’s economy then was not as well diversified as it is today.
Accordingly, in those days many of Houston’s business and professional people were feeling suicidal. I remember hearing: ” ’84, out the door, ’85, stayin’ alive, ’86, into the ditch.” If Dan Patrick felt suicidal back then, he was in good company, and his bouncing back from such depths also tells the story of the resilience of Houstonians. Dan is a genuine and authentic Texan, and he deserves our vote.
First off, in defense of Jerry Patterson, this had nothing to do with depression or mental illness. It is about Dan Patrick’s character. Specifically his lack of it.
State Senator Dan Patrick has played hardball from the moment he announced his intention to run for Lt. Governor. Understanding that perhaps he was trying to make an impression in a crowed field, he campaigned aggressively, attacking his opponents. When his opponent responded in kind he balked like the chicken he is, claiming he was being unfairly singled out.
It made him look weak.
Dan Patrick has announced his intention to cut the Democrats out of the legislative process by preventing them from chairing state Senate committees. Even thought this has been tried before by Democrats and failed. He wants to bring Washington-style deadlock to our state legislature.
Quite frankly, the state GOP–torn between those who responsibly want to take care of the present and future needs of the state and the extremist Tea Party types who do not–already had trouble getting their act together last legislative session. And as a matter of fact, were it not for those Democrats, important legislation such as the water and transportation bills would not have passed.
We need a state government that can act when the needs of the state call them to do so. It cannot with a Lt. Governor who has announced his intention beforehand to create more division in the state government.
Dan Patrick’s Tea Party extremist beliefs and tactics are not going to move this state forward.
I agree it is time for some new leadership in our state executive offices but Dan Patrick is wrong for the state of Texas.
I think this race for Lt. Governor is not so much about issues as much as it is about leadership style and temperament. David Dewhurst has done much to forward a conservative agenda in this state during his time as Lt. Governor and, for the most part, it has been done wisely.
http://vulturepolitics.wordpress.com/2014/05/21/mild-depression-exhaustion-gop-run-off-candidate-dan-patrick-lied/
You are correct – this is not about depression, which is generally a medically treatable condition, which is temporary. You are also right – it IS about character, specifically Jerry Patterson’s and David Dewhurst’s. I have no problem with aggressive campaigning – if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen. I also don’t have a problem with those who think Patrick is not the best choice for Lt. Governor. I disagree, but hey, that’s what makes a horse race.
I do however have a problem with the fact that Dewhurst (with Patterson as his stalking horse) has continued to slander Patrick in such a contemptible fashion. Deliberately mischaracterizing his failed business in the ’80s, totally lying about why he changed his name, and now this stupidity about his depression. Dewhurst has gone from being a solid choice to being a despicable coward.
If this race is truly about leadership style and temperament then I can’t imagine how anyone could look at Dewhurst campaign and imagine that it would translate into something positive.
Just as an aside – I think it’s hilarious that Dewhurst (in those rare times when he tries to run a positive commercial) keeps bragging about how he “balanced the state budget 6 years is a row”.
Since the state constitution requires that the legislature balance the budget, that’s kind of like bragging that he paid his income tax 6 years in a row – he really didn’t have a choice. LOL.
Dewhurst is desperate because he, like any rational person, doesn’t want to see someone as evil as Dan Patrick become LG. Unfortunately, Patrick’s lead is so large, that Dewhurst and his supporters dug into the dirty tricks bag.
Having said that, Patrick should have seen this coming and released the information himself.
@filmmaker01 It would be nice to know if Dan Patrick paid his taxes 6 years in a row. He is the only candidate who has refused to release his tax returns. What is he hiding?
Probably the fact that he’s making a lot of money. Seriously, what is this newfound desire on the part of the public to pry into every aspect of other people’s personal lives. If he’s not paying his taxes, I suspect that the IRS will be taking strong exception. Otherwise, to be frank, it’s none of your business.
If you want to be elected to a high political office, the public has every right to know how you make your money. It’s one of the means we have to judge who a candidate is, his honesty, desirability, susceptibility to corruption, etc.
The Houston Chronicle’s editorial page (Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down Feature) had a very interesting tidbit today (Saturday). It reported that Dewhurst was personally asking others to check out Patrick’s health records in very early May or well before Patterson dropped the issue that hit the political fans.
“As evil as Dan Patrick”. I am truly envious Ross. To have lived such a blessed life as to have never seen true evil is rare. I would suggest that you might want to look around at some of the things that happen in the world today before using that term about somebody that you don’t know personally. Dan Patrick isn’t evil, you just don’t agree with his politics.
On the other hand, while I would never call David Dewhurst evil, I would say that some of the false accusations and muck-racking that he has been part of during this campaign have certainly been evil actions.