San Antonio

Texas Standard: August 28, 2019

As fall approaches the political season heats up: and a shift in the role of Texas in one of the most consequential election seasons in modern memory. Coming up a conversation with Gromer Jeffers, political writer for the Dallas Morning News, on why the Texas factor in the 2020 election year goes way beyond the presidential race. Also the homeless crisis in San Francisco: most of those homeless are Texans, says California’s governor. Politifact takes a closer look. And an especially wooly war for survival in the Trans Pecos. Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: August 19, 2019

A partial win for the Trump administration’s new rule for asylum is affecting thousands of people on the other side of the Texas Mexico divide. We’ll take a look at whats happening. Other stories we’re covering: a ransomware attack paralyses 23 government computer systems statewide. Could it have been prevented? One expert says absolutely. Also, a man set to be executed by Texas this week. It’s his sixth scheduled execution date. Why questions about his actual innocence have haunted the courts for almost two decades. Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: August 15, 2019

After the mass shooting in El Paso, the governor announces a Domestic Terrorism Task Force. But what will they be doing and who will they target? We’ll explore. Plus how facebook may be snooping on our conversations. And get out of prison early? The story of the con man called the King of Dreams. Also, a major new dig at the Alamo, the shifting political geography of Texas and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: July 17, 2019

A Texas democrat in the race for president faces disappointing numbers and new calls to reconsider his political objective. That story coming up today on the Texas Standard. Disorder in the court? A commission set to reconsider whether Texas judges should have to run for office or whether partisan races undermine the independence of the Texas bench. Also amid boom times for oil, a warning of a petrochemical bust just five years away, and why Texas needs to take that into account right now. All that and a whole lot more on the national news show of Texas:

Texas Standard: July 3, 2019

Homelessness has been a hot topic in Texas cities lately. Two of the state’s largest metros have taken different approaches, with different results. We’ll explore. Also, in another of Texas’s largest cities, an increase in domestic violence and a mission to make the city safer for women. Plus, the invasive search for new energy sources. And how even the “green” ones are impacting West Texas. Plus, Black Pumas… you may not have heard of this Austin band yet, but chances are you could soon. We’ll introduce you to their psychedelic sound. And we run some of last week’s Democratic debate claims through the Texas Truth-O-Meter. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Teddy Roosevelt’s Texas Campaign

By W. F. Strong

The Menger Hotel in San Antonio may boast of hosting more U.S. Presidents than any other hotel in Texas. George H. W. Bush stayed there. Clinton stayed there, as did Reagan. Nixon stayed there. So did Truman and Taft and McKinley. Even Ulysses S. Grant slept there.

The most important name not yet mentioned, and if you know your Texas history you’re already writing a letter to remind me, but don’t hit send just yet because I’m coming to him: Teddy Roosevelt. He rates as the most important of the lot because the others just slept and left. Teddy did far more. He left a bar behind, or at least a bar named for him, and you can still get a drink at the Roosevelt bar to this day, 120 years later.

How did that happen you may wonder? Well, you know all about the USS Maine getting blown up in Havana Harbor in 1898. At the time it was blamed on Spain with battle cries like “Remember the Maine; to hell with Spain.” The loss of some 260 sailors in that blast marked the beginning of the
Spanish American War.

This is where Teddy Roosevelt enters. He was not yet President, but would be in three years. At this time he was 40 and Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He asked for and was given permission to put together a cavalry unit of 1000 men, cowboy soldiers he called them, to help push Spain out of Cuba. He didn’t name them the Rough Riders, though, That was a name their public admirers gave them and they resisted it at first, but finally adopted it themselves.

So where could Teddy recruit 1000 rough riders. Well in Texas of course. So he went to the Menger Hotel, right across from the Alamo, and recruited great horseman from across the Southwest – from Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona. Roosevelt said these were a “splendid set of men . . . tall and sinewy with weather beaten faces, and eyes that looked a man straight in the face without flinching.” He said that in all the world there were no better men for this cavalry than “these grim hunters of the mountains, these wild rough riders of the plains.”

His challenge was to take these fiercely independent men and teach them military discipline. That’s why he had a preference for ex Texas Rangers. He said, “we got our highest average of recruits from Texas because many had served in that famous body of frontier fighters, the Texas Rangers. Of course these rangers needed no teaching. They were already trained to obey and take responsibility. They were splendid horsemen, shots and trackers. They were accustomed to living in the open . . . enduring hardship . . . and encountering all kinds of danger.” Native Americans too, such as the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Creeks were also Rough Riders.

He did convert these independent men, with the help of General Wood, into a disciplined cavalry unit within a month. He even got most of the men horses from Texas, some of them unbroken, but that was no problem for these expert horsemen. Roosevelt named his own horse “Texas.”

As Roosevelt was always a showman, he had his commander’s uniform made by Brooks Brothers in New York. He also introduced his men to the blue bandana with white polka dots, which became the distinguishing feature of the Rough Rider’s uniform. To this day, in black and white photographs, the
Rough Riders look impressively stylish in their khaki pants, blue flannel shirts, trademark bandanas, and slouch hats.

The rest of the Rough Riders story is well known, but perhaps erroneously visualized. Most think of it as 1000 horses thundering majestically up San Juan Hill like a scene from War Horse. They did in fact charge up San Juan Hill and route the Spanish forces, but delete the horses from your mind. There were none. They did it on foot and on their bellies. Roosevelt was on horseback part of the time, shouting commands as they fought inch by inch through tropical brush and oppressive heat, dodging torrents of bullets to take the hill, but they did it as infantrymen.

Despite all their cavalry training in San Antonio, they weren’t able to get their horses to Cuba. Why? When they were ready to depart from Tampa to Cuba, the navy didn’t have enough ships for the horses, so they were left behind. Those with military experience will just shake their heads at this nature of monumental snafu.

Nonetheless, the Rough Riders and other U.S. forces pushed the Spanish out of Cuba and liberated the island. Teddy Roosevelt wrote the primary history of the campaign which launched him into national fame and a good way toward the Presidency. The road to the White House, for Teddy, started in Texas at the Menger Hotel, in the shadow of the Alamo.

Texas Standard: June 19, 2019

The President launches his re-election bid. How strong is his support in Texas? Who do Texas Democrats favor in 2020? A new UT-Texas Tribune poll offers an updated snapshot of where Texans stand on a variety of political matters as we head into the next election cycle. We’ll break down the findings. Also some claim that the cycle of boom and bust in oil country is a relic of the past. Is it? We’ll take a closer look. And claims about high maternal mortality rates in Texas: The governor says they’re lying. But what does Politifact say? Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: May 13, 2019

Tick tock… the clock is winding down on the Texas Legislative session. But there’s a lot left to be done. We’ll have the latest on what affects you from under the dome. Also, the big business of toy guns. So realistic, police can’t tell the difference. And that’s had deadly consequences. And if you take the back roads through rural parts of Texas, you’ll see towns dotted with dance halls. Many have been shuttered or lost to time, but there’s a renewed effort to get them swinging again. Plus, efforts to highlight and reframe the story of the Alamo keep bumping up against other important parts of Texas history. We’ll have the latest on that and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: March 21, 2019

With oil and gas revenues rolling in and the state’s savings account hitting record highs, Texas lawmakers get set to make a record withdrawal. Though the formal name for the fund makes no mention of rainy days, several days of rain back in 2017 will finally hit the Rainy Day Fund rather hard. We’ll hear where the money’s going. Also, If Joaquin Castro moves forward with plans to challenge John Cornyn for his senate seat, who’s in line to try to fill Castro’s shoes? We’ll play musical chairs. Plus why Google wants to play with you, and why it could be a real game changer. All those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 21, 2019

Tomorrow marks one month of the longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history. We’ll talk with correspondents statewide to gauge the impact on Texas. Also a new space race heating up, score one for the home team. Plus one of the deadliest tree diseases in the U.S. reaches epidemic proportions in the Lone Star State. An expert tells us what to do and what not to if we hope to save our oaks. All that and a whole lot more, today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 9, 2019

No emergency declaration yet. After the president makes an oval office pitch for his border wall, what if anything has changed? We’ll take a closer look. Also, on the morning after the presidential address on the border wall, the states’ top three officials try to send a message to Texans: they’re a united front when it comes to education. We’ll have a live report. Meanwhile the government shutdown continues into day 19. We’ll look at how it’s hitting home for Texans already hit by Hurricane Harvey. And the search for life as we don’t know it: two Texas researchers helping NASA rethink some cosmic questions. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: December 4, 2018

A Texas Representative is leaving the state house’s ultra-conservative group. We’ll take a look at what the move could say about the upcoming Texas legislative session. Plus, the Texas Attorney General is accusing San Antonio’s police chief of violating the so-called sanctuary cities law. What happens now? And a Texas-based non-profit has been making big money housing immigrant children. A new investigation explores. Plus we’ll introduce you to U.S. Representative-elect Veronica Escobar. Why she says El Paso is the new Ellis Island. And we’ll take a look at a list of 31 of the most powerful people in Texas. You might be surprised. All of that and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: November 8, 2018

Lost in large part in the immediate aftermath of the midterms: do you really know what’s changed in the Texas legislature? We’ll get you up to speed. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick may have held on to his partisan supermajority, but he may have a tougher fight over issues of social conservatism. Two state lawmakers, a Democrat and a Republican offer a reality check. Also, a gut check when it comes to probiotics. They’re all the rage, promising better digestion and better health, but a Texas researcher raises serious new questions. And did Texas shut down the world biggest marketplace for human trafficking? A politifact check and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: October 9, 2018

After Kavanaugh, the next battle royale on Capitol Hill puts Texas at the center of the conversation: a big push for the border wall. The Kavanaugh confirmation may have had an unexpected consequence: delaying a fight over the border wall until after the midterms. It looks like this one could get ugly. Also, a border battle of a different sort: fending off biological threats. How the Department of Homeland Security’s teaming up with Texas AgriLife. And on the last day for voters to register in Texas, how Texpats in London are getting involved in the biggest statewide race . All that and more, today on the Texas Standard.

Texas Standard: September 19, 2018

You’ve heard of the Friday night lights? On this September 21st, the main event across Texas: the Friday night fight: Cruz versus O’Rourke. It’ll be live nationwide, will you be tuning in? R.G. Ratcliffe of Texas Monthly joins us with a cheater’s guide to tonight’s first of three debates between democratic congressman Beto O’Rourke and the GOP incumbent, Ted Cruz. Plus, you’ve heard about the wall? As arguments continue over funding, legal walls go up in the nation’s most diverse city: we’ll explain. Plus the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: September 17, 2018

Less than a month do go before the deadline for registering to vote in the midterms, do you know if you’re registered? We’ll have a Texas primer. Also, a border patrol officer has been arrested and charged with the murders of 4 women. The victims all worked as prostitutes. We’ll tell you what authorities are saying. And with Florence and before that Harvey, the greatest threat: flooding. Has our current hurricane rating system left us twisting in the wind? Plus Texas beat USC this weekend, but once upon a time, USC pushed Texas across the line to desegregate the gridiron. We’ll hear how and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: September 30, 2018

Latinos tipping the scales this election year? Turns out its not just the Democrats who stand to gain from a get out the vote effort, we’ll look at the numbers. Also, a Texas city now topping the nation as the most dangerous place to drive in the U.S. A combination of high speed, heavy congestion and infrastructure to blame. We’ll have more. Plus oil prices rising, but why? We’ll look at the good the bad and the ugly. Also a photo of an emaciated Texas horse goes viral sparking questions about the real definition of animal cruelty. We’ll explore and a whole lot more on todays Texas Standard:

Defenders Of The Alamo

They other day I was looking over a list of those who died at the Alamo. The one thing that struck me about the list was that the men who gave their lives there were, collectively, incredibly young.

I saw John Wayne’s film, “The Alamo,” when I was a kid and for years I had in my mind that the men who fought there were mostly in their 40s and 50s. Legends like Crockett and Bowie who dominated the film, and dominated the actual siege, too, were rightfully played by actors who were about their age. Crockett was 50 in his last days at the Alamo and John Wayne was 52 when he played him. Bowie was 39 and Richard Widmark was 46. And many of the other actors who surrounded them on screen were also over 40.

But the reality was something quite different. Well over half of the defenders of the Alamo were under 30. Fourteen were teenagers. 14! Two 16-year-olds died for Texas’ liberty there. The typical Alamo fighter was 26 years old, which was the age of their commander. That’s right, William Barret Travis was just 26 years old and the sole commander of the Alamo, at least in the last days. Bowie was originally a co-commander but he was so very sick – bedridden from typhoid or pneumonia – and that left Travis fully in charge.

Eighty percent of the men at the Alamo were 34 and under. Today we would consider folks their age millennials. And the gift they gave was all the more precious because they knew in the last days, when Santa Anna raised the pirate flag, that no surrender would be accepted. They had to win or die. And as they looked across the prairie at a force ten times their size, they knew these were likely their last days. They could have left. There were chances to get out under the cover of darkness. But they stayed, knowing that they were giving up not just their lives, but all the long years that generally awaited young men. There were even men from Gonzales who actually fought through the Mexican lines to join their brothers in arms in the Alamo. Astonishing.

And the Alamo men came from all over. Numbers can be tricky with this history, but here’s what we know based on the Alamo’s official website, 32 were from Tennessee, 15 each came from Pennsylvania and Virginia, and 14 were from Kentucky. Eight were Hispanic -– born in Mexican Texas. And Europe was involved, too: ten came from England, ten from Ireland, four from Scotland, two from Germany.

Santa Anna was enraged that the Texans were rebelling. His plan was to launch a massive military campaign to crush the rebellion and make the Texans pay for it. I’m not making this up. The great historian T. R. Fehrenbach pointed out that Santa Anna planned to make the Texans pay for the military operation they caused by taking all of their lands and giving it to his soldiers and other Santanistas.

Meanwhile, William Barret Travis, though very young, wrote the most famous letters of the revolution. One letter, addressed ‘To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World,” asked for immediate reinforcements. He specified that his situation was dire. If they were not victorious, they would all be “put to the sword.” But he vowed he would “never surrender or retreat.” The letter was signed, “Victory or Death.”

Another that Travis wrote to the Texas government, which was more significant for what it prophesied, said this: “the victory will cost the enemy so dear, that it will be worse for him than a defeat.” And indeed, Santa Anna lost a third of his troops, about 600, which greatly demoralized the rest. This was followed by a forced march of 300 miles to San Jacinto, which so exhausted Mexican soldiers that they were actually caught napping when General Sam Houston attacked.

The Texans’ victory over Santa Anna after the fall of the Alamo and Goliad was so unlikely that it was similar to the odds of a baseball game in which the home team is down 29 runs to nothing. It’s the bottom of the 9th. Two outs. It’s a full count. Houston at bat.

Against those kinds of odds, the Texans rallied and crushed Santa Anna’s forces so decisively that it was all over in 18 minutes. Some say ten.

Without the men at the Alamo softening up, demoralizing and exhausting Santa Anna’s forces, it is unlikely that Houston’s army would have enjoyed such a resounding victory at San Jacinto. That is why we should always “Remember the Alamo,” and the mostly very young men who gave their lives for Texas’ freedom.

Texas Standard: September 5, 2018

A Texas federal courtroom is once again the stage for a legal challenge that could have enormous, nationwide impact. We’ll explain. Also this week marks a full year since Amazon started the search for a second headquarters. Dallas and Austin are on the shortlist, but what’s next? We’ll check in. And a woman held in slavery makes a new life for herself by posing as a man and signing up to be a soldier. The true story behind a new novel. Plus it’s campaign season and politicians are making claims about their opponents. We’ll fact-check one about holding town hall meetings. And Texans have long been taught to remember the Alamo, but what do we know about the defenders in that battle? We’ll dig in to some demographics. Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: August 22, 2018

Guilty: two former top aides to Donald Trump. But what do the convictions mean for the presidency and American politics going forward? We’ll take a look. Also, a felon can’t hold public office in Texas according to state law, but a man convicted of voluntary manslaughter is on the ballot for Austin city council. The how, why, and what it might mean for Texas elections. And the UNT professor try ing to set a Guinness world record for the longest history lecture ever delivered…Texas history, of course. Plus the case for a Texas monument to two heroes in a bass boat. Commentator W.F. Strong explains his rationale. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard: