Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to skip NRA convention, return to Uvalde, instead

[j brown's body]

"Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will skip Friday's National Rifle Association convention and instead make a return trip to Uvalde, the rural town devastated by an elementary school shooting this week, his office said Thursday evening.

Abbott, who is seeking re-election in November, will record video remarks that will be shown at the NRA event in Houston, a spokesman for the governor told NBC News. He had been scheduled to speak in person.


In Uvalde, Abbott is scheduled to hold a news conference after a meeting with state and local officials, as well as town residents."

Link

I'm going out on a limb here and suggest that the speech will not be posted on the internet so we can all see what he has to say to the NRA. But it sounds like the Beto appearance at his press conference the other day has rattled him.

I'm sure his news conference will bring comfort and joy to the victim's families. He can brag about how important it is to fund mental health and then explain why he cut the mental health budget.

 

[Allan]

A politically astute move by the Governor.

 

[snakestretcher]

A politically astute move by the Governor.

Yes, just wait for the nauseatingly 'sincere' expressions of sympathy, closely followed by an analysis of how many potential votes his appearance might have garnered as a result. Venal bastard.

 

[JMB802]

"Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will skip Friday's National Rifle Association convention and instead make a return trip to Uvalde, the rural town devastated by an elementary school shooting this week, his office said Thursday evening.

Abbott, who is seeking re-election in November, will record video remarks that will be shown at the NRA event in Houston, a spokesman for the governor told NBC News. He had been scheduled to speak in person.


In Uvalde, Abbott is scheduled to hold a news conference after a meeting with state and local officials, as well as town residents."

Link

I'm going out on a limb here and suggest that the speech will not be posted on the internet so we can all see what he has to say to the NRA. But it sounds like the Beto appearance at his press conference the other day has rattled him.

I'm sure his news conference will bring comfort and joy to the victim's families. He can brag about how important it is to fund mental health and then explain why he cut the mental health budget.

RINO!

 

[Slartibartfast]

Well, he may not care about people, but he is not tone deaf.

 

[j brown's body]

A politically astute move by the Governor.

Provided they can keep the taped speech from being leaked.

 

[OrphanSlug]

Abbott, probably accidentally, made the right decision for once.

 

[americanwoman]

I don't know his motives but whatever, it's the right choice.

 

[j brown's body]

I don't know his motives but whatever, it's the right choice.

Its hypocritical as hell since he will be delivering a taped speech anyway.

But Beto and his crowd will be there protesting and imagine he did not want that kind of scene again.

 

[ElChupacabra]

"Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will skip Friday's National Rifle Association convention and instead make a return trip to Uvalde, the rural town devastated by an elementary school shooting this week, his office said Thursday evening.

Abbott, who is seeking re-election in November, will record video remarks that will be shown at the NRA event in Houston, a spokesman for the governor told NBC News. He had been scheduled to speak in person.


In Uvalde, Abbott is scheduled to hold a news conference after a meeting with state and local officials, as well as town residents."

Link

I'm going out on a limb here and suggest that the speech will not be posted on the internet so we can all see what he has to say to the NRA. But it sounds like the Beto appearance at his press conference the other day has rattled him.

I'm sure his news conference will bring comfort and joy to the victim's families. He can brag about how important it is to fund mental health and then explain why he cut the mental health budget.

What's likely the biggest driver is the bad optics of attending that kind of event more than Beto. If I'm not mistaken, those who have attended NRA events after a mass shooting had to deal with a lot of negative press, which I'm sure Abbott wants to avoid in an election year.

 

[j brown's body]

What's likely the biggest driver is the bad optics of attending that kind of event more than Beto. If I'm not mistaken, those who have attended NRA events after a mass shooting had to deal with a lot of negative press, which I'm sure Abbott wants to avoid in an election year.

Being a guy who pushed to block law suits by the disabled that he, himself benefited from, it is certainly unlikely he did it out of sympathy for the victim's families. And its telling that no suggests that is the reason.

What an ogre.

 

[Overitall]

A politically astute move by the Governor.

I've heard many are cancelling their appearance. If the NRA was politically astute they, themselves, would cancel the event.

 

[Allan]

I've heard many are cancelling their appearance. If the NRA was politically astute they, themselves, would cancel the event.

No happening. That would be too direct a connection between the mass shooting and NRA activities. If they wouldn't cancel their meeting after the Columbine shooting (especially considering it's proximity to that shooting), they won't cancel this one.

 

[Overitall]

No happening. That would be too direct a connection between the mass shooting and NRA activities. If they wouldn't cancel their meeting after the Columbine shooting (especially considering it's proximity to that shooting), they won't cancel this one.

No doubt they won't. I believe they should. You can still believe in your principles, but one principle should take priority and that is showing sympathy and respect after children have been killed.

 

[Slartibartfast]

No doubt they won't. I believe they should. You can still believe in your principles, but one principle should take priority and that is showing sympathy and respect after children have been killed.

I think Allan is correct, that would help cement the link between the two events in a way that the NRA would seek to avoid.

 

[tres borrachos]

Very smart move by the Governor. The optics would have been horrendous. And it seems that others are cancelling their participation, mostly entertainers.

The NRA should really consider cancelling this event altogether and rescheduling it for later in the year.

 

[j brown's body]

I've heard many are cancelling their appearance. If the NRA was politically astute they, themselves, would cancel the event.

The right-wing's whole modus operandi is to ignore the optics and show "strength."

Surely, Abbott has determined that the gun nut vote will not punish him for this.

 

[CaughtInThe]

what does it matter? he'll just go back to being himself the next day.


btw, i hope he has protection while in Uvalde. grieving parents can be unstable.

 

[Rexedgar]

Abbott will address the convention ”remotely” this is in character if he it the chief law enforcement officer in Texas.

 

[Overitall]

I think Allan is correct, that would help cement the link between the two events in a way that the NRA would seek to avoid.

Well, there is this.

Texans plan interfaith protest at Friday's NRA convention in Houston

(Interfaith America) — The protest, the organizers said, is meant to send a message to politicians who receive donations and support from the gun rights group.

religionnews.com

Civil and human rights happen when you have interfaith leaders that come together,” the Rev. Teresa Kim Pecinovsky of Houston said. “We have political power too.”

Maybe it will make a difference in what the NRA does going forward.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Well, there is this.

Texans plan interfaith protest at Friday's NRA convention in Houston

(Interfaith America) — The protest, the organizers said, is meant to send a message to politicians who receive donations and support from the gun rights group.

religionnews.com

I think those kinds of protests have been going on for a while now.

Maybe it will make a difference in what the NRA does going forward.

Probably not. The NRA has convinced itself that they are the last bastion of freedom (at least in terms of how they conceive of that concept) and that their cause is righteous. Plus the money ain't bad.

 

[Overitall]

The right-wing's whole modus operandi is to ignore the optics and show "strength."

Surely, Abbott has determined that the gun nut vote will not punish him for this.

Perhaps, but it shows greater strength when you are able to postpone planned events in recognition of a tragic incident. Doing so doesn't require giving up your position on guns.

 

[Overitall]

I think those kinds of protests have been going on for a while now.

Probably not. The NRA has convinced itself that they are the last bastion of freedom (at least in terms of how they conceive of that concept) and that their cause is righteous. Plus the money ain't bad.

And politicians luv that money.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Perhaps, but it shows greater strength when you are able to postpone planned events in recognition of a tragic incident. Doing so doesn't require giving up your position on guns.

Unfortunately, for this portion of society, all too often, the conception of strength is outwardly instead of inwardly focused. Whereas some would consider strength to be a character issue, all too often people conceive of strength as being unbending and belligerent, which is the more barbaric conception in my mind.

 

[Geoist]

The gun nuts will call him cucked but it was a no-brainer move.