Anti-Nigger, Anti-Mexican, Anti-Youth Austin, Houston (Rives Dyke of Houston) That Allan Shivers the Reasons for Sen
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
OBSERVER. pr4 A Journal of Free Voices A Window to the South Emni May 15, 1970 The Yarborough defeat Anti-nigger, anti-Mexican, anti-youth Austin, Houston (Rives Dyke of Houston) that Allan Shivers The reasons for Sen. Ralph used to produce "The Port Arthur Story" Yarborough's defeat at the hands of Lloyd in 1954. The film, which was shown on Bentsen, Jr., in the Democratic primary are television and at political meetings, linked multiple and complex. Maury Maverick, Yarborough to a strike in Port Arthur, Jr., summed up many liberals' feelings on which the filmmakers said was the election when he said, "It was communist-influenced. It showed empty anti-nigger, anti-Mexican, anti-youth, and city streets and implied that the citizenry of sock-it-to-'em in Vietnam." Port Arthur was so scared by the strike that no one dared to come outdoors. (It The day after the primary, Yarborough was later learned that the streets were and Bentsen agreed that the decisive issues empty because they had been filmed very were government spending, busing, law and early in the morning.) order, and Yarborough's votes against Carswell and Haynesworth. YARBOROUGH'S MEDIA people Yarborough said that during the last few say he spent $250,000 on radio and days of the campaign, Bentsen's charge television advertisements. "Our budget was that he had voted against a resolution to thin, spelled THIN," Yarborough aide allow prayers in public schools hurt him Larry Goodwyn emphasized. The television more than all other issues combined. The spots were shown with frequency only in Yarborough staff thought Bentsen's the last week of the campaign. No funds advertisements asking Yarborough, "What's were expended on outdoor advertising. wrong with prayer?" were so damaging Bentsen has not said how much money that they hurried the senator into a hs spent. Yarborough staff members insist he must have invested at least a million television studio at 9:30 p.m., the night before the primary, to tape a response. On dollars in radio and television. In addition television spots in Austin, San Antonio, to that, Bentsen's billboards were seen and Waco, Yarborough explained his almost cheek to cheek throughout the position on prayer and pointed out that state. almost every church group in the state had The most controversial of Bentsen's endorsed his vote against the bill in advertisements showed film clips of violent question. demonstrations in Chicago and Washington. "Violence-60" begins with Reflecting on Bentsen's campaign, approximately 15 seconds of the sounds of Yarborough said, "Anybody who lays five violence — screaming, people running in to ten million dollars on the line and the night along city streets. Then Bentsen's organizes his campaign this skillfully can —Photo by Larry Murphy voice says, "That was the violence in win. They did a smart job. They were Ralph Yarborough Chicago spawned by supporters of Eugene taking polls every few days and everything McCarthy during the Democratic they ran across that was unpopular with that came up unexpectedly. Bentsen convention. Sen. Ralph Yarborough people, they'd put on TV. They'd dredge accused Yarborough of running out on the endorsed McCarthy for president. Did he up one thing like Carswell and drum on it vote.) represent your views when he backed for three or four days, and by the time "When [your opponents] take a big lie McCarthy?" There are more sounds of we'd swing into position to answer it, technique . a new one every few days, violence — the noise of sirens, people they'd immediately jump into something you're put on the defensive," Yarborough yelling — as the film shows flames shooting else, like busing." (The senator said he explained. He said the primary was a repeat out of the second-story of some buildings. voted against compulsory school busing of his 1954 campaign for governor. Bentsen's voice continues: "That was but that one day he missed a Saturday, vote Bentsen used the same public relations firm violence in Washington during the moratorium last fall. Senator Yarborough those establishing national parks. He said The vote totals were not complete when endorsed the moratorium. Did he represent he has been reduced to tooting his own the Observer went to press, but they were your views on these demonstrations? I horn for years, and that this becomes complete enough to point up some don't think his actions represent the difficult for the public to accept when they interesting trends in Texas electoral viewpoint of the people of Texas. That's can't read about it in their own politics. This year 4.1 million Texans why I'm running for the United States newspapers. registered to vote. Approximately Senate against him." The campaign was a "perplexing thing," 1.6 million voted in the Democratic and Yarborough protested the use of the Yarborough said. "The apathy was very Republican primaries for senator. With violence spots to both the Federal great and it was difficult to get people to reports from all 254 counties, 230 of them Communications Commission and the Fair say they would turn out. Some people complete, Bentsen had 803,441 votes to Campaign Practices Committee. A few think it was the events of 1968 — the Yarborough's 714,692, a percentage of 53 television stations refused on their own to assassination in 1968 of Robert Kennedy to 47. Less than 40% of Texas registered run the advertisements on the basis that and of Martin Luther King. The war and voters went to the polls. they were in bad taste. riots caused people to be kind of Many counties that liberal-labor It was such treatment of issues that led shell-shocked and make political campaigns candidates traditionally have relied upon Chuck Caldwell, one of Yarborough's top seem relatively low-keyed." (lid not come through for Yarborough this campaign advisers to conclude: "They year. In 1954 when Yarborough was really sold fear and then people voted their running for governor, his strategists figured fears in the traditionally Democratic rural C ITING "LEAKS FROM financial that if he broke even in the state's four big and small-city counties." Goodwyn said circles," Yarborough said Bentsen's cities — Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, and that Bentsen, in effect, charged that the campaign budget was $6.5 million. Ten San Antonio — he could win the election. Democratic Party "is now the party of days before the primary ended, Bentsen They were relying upon strong support violence. How do you say you discriminate reported having spent $488,099; from the rural areas where populist between free speech and violence when the Yarborough reported paying $82,536, a sentiment prevailed. This year Yarborough other man is saying you can't and saying it spending ratio of approximately five to won Houston by at least 20,000 votes, lost effectively?" one. Dallas, San Antonio, and Fort Worth by Bentsen declined to estimate the full not terribly large margins. He did not break I n retrospect, reporters asked cost of his primary campaign. "I had a very even, but he did okay. Still, he lost the Yarborough what his thought processes difficult problem of identifying myself," election by almost 90,000 votes. were when he decided to endorse he said. "Obviously that takes money." He Texas has approximately 500,000 labor McCarthy, speak out against the war, and hopes his fall race ' against Republican union members, a strong majority of whom cast votes that he new would be unpopular Cong. George Bush will not be as traditionally vote Democratic. But this with many Texas voters. "Well," the expensive, but that is probably wishful spring Yarborough did . not sweep the labor senator answered, "you vote the right vote. thinking. Bush reported a preliminary vote. As Larry Goodwyn points out, labor You don't wait and say, 'Well, will I get expense account of $124,888, more than is now a part of the American middle class. elected on this.' You don't vote the venal RY's, and his primary opponent, Dr. Its members are protective of their new vote, you vote the right vote and hope you Robert Morris of Dallas, is an material well-being and fearful of the social can get the story to the people. And if they ultra-conservative who offered him no real and political upheaval that is convulsing have enough money against you, you challenge. Fund raising will be complicated the country. As a result, as one RY staff can't." in the fall by the fact that Bentsen and member complained, "The labor skates are The senator complained that over the Bush will be trying to tap the same going over the hills in droves." years, Texas newspapers have never told conservative tills. Liberal money, of course, In 1968, one could see cars in the about the good bills he passed, such as will be staying at home. labor-dominated counties of Jefferson and EDITOR Greg Olds BUSINESS MANAGER ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kaye Northcott C. R. Olofson THE EDITOR-AT-LARGE Ronnie Dugger OFFICE MANAGER Irene Wilkinson Contributing Editors: Elroy Bode, Winston Bode, Bill TEXAS Brammer, Gary Cartwright, Lee Clark, Joe Frantz, Larry EMERITUS BUSINESS MANAGER Goodwyn, Harris Green, Bill Hamilton, Bill Helmer, Dave Sarah Payne Hickey, Franklin Jones, Lyman Jones, Larry L. King, Georgia OBSERVER Earnest Klipple, Larry Lee, Dave McNeely, Al Melinger, The Observer is published by Texas Robert L. Montgomery, Willie Morris, James Presley, Charles Observer Publishing Co., biweekly from @The Texas Observer Publishing Co. 1970 Ramsdell, Buck Ramsey, John Rogers, Mary Beth Rogers, Austin, Texas.