Bob Bullock: God Bless Texas

Dave McNeely; Jim Henderson

Published by University of Texas Press 2008

Bob Bullock

God Bless Texas

Dave McNeely and Jim Henderson

In the series Clifton and Shirley Caldwell Texas Heritage Series

https://doi.org/10.7560/714540

Overview
Contents

About this book

Renowned for his fierce devotion to the people of Texas—as well as his equally fierce rages and unpredictable temper—Bob Bullock was the most powerful political figure in Texas at the end of the twentieth century. First elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1956, Bullock held several key statewide posts before capturing the lieutenant governor's office in 1990. Though nominally the state's number two official, Bullock in fact became Texas's top power broker, wielding tremendous influence over the legislative agenda and state budget through the 1990s while also mentoring and supporting a future president—George W. Bush.

In this lively, yet thoroughly researched biography, award-winning journalists Dave McNeely and Jim Henderson craft a well-rounded portrait of Bob Bullock, underscoring both his political adroitness and his personal demons. They trace Bullock's rise through state government as Assistant Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Comptroller, and Lieutenant Governor, showing how he increased the power of every office he held. The authors spotlight Bullock's substantial achievements, which included hiring an unprecedented number of women and minorities, instituting a performance review to increase the efficiency of state agencies, restructuring the public school funding system, and creating the state's first water conservation and management plan.

Author / Editor information

Dave McNeely is the dean of the Texas Capitol press corps. A political writer for the Austin American-Statesman for twenty-six years, he continues to write a syndicated political column for Texas newspapers.

Jim Henderson is currently a freelance writer. He has been a reporter for the Houston Chronicle and the Dallas Times-Herald.

Reviews

Bob Bullock was truly representative of what it means to be a Texas politician. He was a definitive force to be reckoned with as Lieutenant Governor, which allowed him to be a highly effective leader. Bullock and I had many moments of heated debate, yet we were able to build a lifelong friendship full of the utmost respect for each other. Dave McNeely and Jim Henderson have done an excellent job of providing a narrative of an important period of Texas history in which they were front row observers. Their book is a must-read for anyone who is interested in Texas and all of its years of turbulent politics.

— Ben Barnes, Lieutenant Governor of Texas, 1969–1973, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, 1965–1969

Dave McNeely and Jim Henderson have done a masterful job of getting inside the mind of Bob Bullock--the most complex, colorful, powerful, and controversial Lieutenant Governor Texas has ever had.

— William P. Hobby, Jr., Lieutenant Governor of Texas, 1973–1991

Those of us who knew and worked with Bob Bullock either loved or hated him, and could easily do both in a twenty-four-hour period. Dave McNeely and Jim Henderson have done a masterful job of explaining who the real Bob Bullock was, and how his mood and attitude could change at the drop of a hat, and the impact he had on Texas government. Bob Bullock was an icon in Texas government, with a great depth of experience and understanding of all of the working segments from top to bottom. I was always surprised at the uncanny ability he had at hiring the very best people in the state to work for him. Without the talent of folks like Bob Johnson, Tony Proffitt, Bruce Gibson, Paul Hobby, and many others like them to help tame his bad side, I don’t think Texas would ever have had a chance to see state government work at such a high level.

— Gibson D. “Gib" Lewis, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, 1983–1992

Dave McNeely and Jim Henderson's 2008 Bob Bullock: God Bless Texas tries harder to project an aura of journalistic objectivity portraying the volcanic late lieutenant governor. McNeely, former longtime political reporter for the Austin American-Statesman, even refers to himself in the third person. Yet that studied sheen of objectivity does not undercut the authors' prodigious research or crackerjack narrative style. They tell it like it is.

— Austin American-Statesman’s Out & About blog

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Prologue. Personal Privilege Publicly Available Download PDF	ix
Introduction. “The Largest Texan” Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
Chapter 1. The Usual Suspect Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	11
Chapter 2. Political Baptism by Garden Hose Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	20
Chapter 3. In the Orbit of Power Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	27
Chapter 4. With Friends Like These Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	35
Chapter 5. The Path Back to Politics Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	44
Chapter 6. “Just a Washed-Up Lobbyist” Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	54
Chapter 7. A Turning Point in History Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	61
Chapter 8. Spoiling for a Fight Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	70
Chapter 9. Busted by the Senate Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	79
Chapter 10. Texas Gets a New Tax Collector Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	87
Chapter 11. Bullock’s Raiders Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	96
Chapter 12. A Bullock in a China Closet Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	106
Chapter 13. Whiskey,Women, Airplanes,and Guns Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	116
Chapter 14. No More Mister Nice Guy Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	124
Chapter 15. The Grand Jury and the FBI Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	134
Chapter 16. Drunk School and Beyond Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	145
Chapter 17. The Tax Man Cometh Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	155
Chapter 18. No Groundswellfor “Governor”Bullock Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	165
Chapter 19. The Oil Bust Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	174
Chapter 20. Eyes on the Lieutenant Governor’s Office Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	183
Chapter 21. King Kong’s Already in the Race Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	193
Chapter 22. I’m in Charge Here Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	206
Chapter 23. Ann Richards: Friend or Enemy? Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	216
Chapter 24. Second Session Is a Charm Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	226
Chapter 25. Here Will Lie Bob Bullock Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	236
Chapter 26. George W.Arrives on the Scene Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	246
Chapter 27. You’ve Got to Kiss Me First Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	257
Chapter 28. The Long Drum Roll Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	267
Epilogue Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	278
Notes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	282
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	301

Language: English
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Audience: General/trade;
Pages
- Main content: 328

eBook

Published: September 15, 2009
ISBN: 9780292794528