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22. "A handshake is a sign of trust. I withdrew my trust."
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The September upswing provided Claytie’s campaign team a welcome boost of confidence, but both sides worried that an eleventh-hour bobble could swing the election. As September rolled toaclose,Anncontendedshehadpulledwithinsixpercentagepoints of the lead—a claim not substantiated by the Williams pollsters. Claytie dismissed the figure, saying, “I hope she didn’t go back to drinking again.” Ann, a recovering alcoholic who had just celebrated her tenth year of sobriety, was not amused. “It is unfortunate that my opponent’s desire to be clever and cute in his remarks continues to cloud his judgment and behavior,” she said via a news release. Press spokesman Chuck McDonald was less tactful, labeling Claytie a “fraudulent, honking goose.” It was mostly a minor tempest in an antique teapot, and Claytie refused to apologize. But his campaign issued a typed statement quoting him: “I was caught by surprise with these phony numbers from the Richards camp, and it was a poor choice of words in this particular circumstance.” The final face-to-face meeting between the two candidates was looming, a joint appearance at a Greater Dallas Crime Commission luncheon at the Anatole Hotel. During the second week in October, just before the luncheon, a story appeared in Texas newspapers suggesting vaguely that Claytie’s Midland bank had laundered drug money and that the Richards campaign was demanding answers. A handshake is a sign of trust. I withdrew my trust.” 22 “ P O L I T I C A L A D V E N T U R E S 283 Although the story was without merit, it deeply offended Claytie, even hurt him, because drugs were a personal concern as they related to his elder son. Additionally, the drug issue had served as both catalyst and cornerstone of his gubernatorial bid. “The money-laundering story was not something people were talking about on the campaign trail yet, but it was something the campaign team was concerned about,” Todd Smith said. “And so we had a meeting that morning at the Embassy Suites Hotel by Love Field. . . . We had Dick Dresner and Jay Townsend, Buddy Barfield and Bill Kenyon, and we were sitting in the hotel restaurant strategizing about how we were going to deal with this issue.” Kenyon reminded the troops that the late Sen. John Tower, offendedonceatapersonalcommentbyBobKrueger ,famouslyrefused to shake hands with his Democratic opponent at a joint appearance. Tower went on to win the close 1978 reelection. “Well, what do you think?” someone asked, and it was decided that Claytie would refuse to shake hands with Richards at the Crime Commission luncheon. As they headed downtown, Claytie, in the front seat, leaned back and said to Todd, “I just don’t feel right about not shaking her hand.” Neither did Todd. “Well, Clayton,” he said, “I may not have been as forceful as I should have been during that meeting, but it’s a different scenario from the Bob Krueger–John Tower situation.” Todd cited three reasons. “Number one: She’s still a woman and this is still Texas, and we have spent up to this point $13 million trying to create the perception of you being what’s good about the old Texas. She’s running a campaign about the new Texas, and if we come in and do something that’s going to be viewed as discourteous violating the Code of the West, I think it’s not going to sit well with folks. “Number two: She’s the elected state treasurer. “Number three: We have the rape joke situation, and this just enforces it.” When Claytie repeated that he did not feel right about spurning her handshake, Todd said, “Clayton, your first instincts are usually the best, and if you don’t feel right about it, don’t do it.” [3.88.16.192] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 01:02 GMT) 284 P A R T F O U R “Yeah, but the campaign guys think we ought to do this.” “Clayton, you do what you think you need to do, but I don’t think you should do it.” Claytie said, “I agree with you. I’m not going to refuse to shake her hand.” As they pulled up to the hotel, Todd remembers thinking, “OK, we’re not going to do this no-handshake deal.” He was relieved. They entered the ballroom, one of the biggest in Texas, and Todd veered toward the media, where the line of cameras was the longest of...