How long has * lived in Texas

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

I'm told he's not a real Texan because he was born in Connecticut. To play devil's advocate (personally I totally despise the man) I have to say I was born in the state of Maryland but have lived in Washington state since 1961. Because I grew up here I would defy anyone to say I'm not a real Northwesterner.

[carpetbagger]

1. It looks like at least 38/54 years.

It looks like he lived there from 5 to 14, then 1968-73, and from 1975-2001.

He's as real as rich Texans come, endlessly whining about how they have to pay the Paris Hilton tax on their hard-earned birthright.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

4. So you're telling me he grew up back east?

Doing the math that's the impression I get. He sounds like a transplant to me.

[izzie]

2. As a kid I only recall living in Maine but we were those "Mass People"

By the end of high school it was not so bad. Guess people are the same every place.

[Carolinian]

3. I wonder what electoral-rich state he will move to?

I bet he'll move to California to set up for Jeb's Pres run.

[Barney Rocks]

5. Born in Connecticut,

family moved to Texas when he was 2 and 1/2 years old. Family moved around a lot, but he lived in Texas continuously until he was 16. At the age of 16, he went off to prep school (Andover)--then to college (Yale), he was gone from Texas for slightly more than 6 years. Since then, he has always maintained that his residence was Texas, and he has maintained a legal residence in Texas and voted there in every election (even though he has technically been absent from the state quite a bit--he has spent lots of time on the road, living in Washington for extended periods, and serving in the Alabama National Guard).

I think he definitely considers himself to be a Texan. I don't blame the Texans for not wanting him--but he has gone to great lengths to associate himself with Texas--so in my opinion they are stuck with him. They should not feel too bad--California got stuck with Reagan. These things happen.

[CatWoman]

6. So how does Jeb claim Florida?

[Barney Rocks]

10. No idea!

I just read a book about Bush--so I am fairly up on his biography--but I am not up to date on Jeb's history. All I know is that Jeb spent most of his youth in Texas--while George Sr. was moving his way up in the world he left Barbara "raising" the kiddies in Texas during a lot of their growing up years.

I think Jeb is probably more of a carpet bagger than even George W is. But once again--Florida is probably stuck with him. When someone decides to make a state their home--what can you do about it? Once again--look at California--stuck with Reagan AND the Arnold. It hardly seems fair for other states to complain when California has suffered so much....

[carpetbagger]

11. Good post, but Texans love the guy.

His approval ratings run around 57-61% here. He gets something like 58-33% in head-to-head polls.

I don't think most people here give the time of day to the argument that he's somehow less "Texan". He is as Texan as they get, and you can take that to the bank from this native New Yorker. He arm-twists like Johnson, steals like Perry, and is at least as much of an ignoramus as Ma and Pa Ferguson. He's JR Ewing and Yosemite Sam all rolled up into one.

[Freddie Stubbs]

7. TX voters would not have elected someone they considered a non-Texan

as their Governor. Twice.

[Lisa]

8. * spent a lot of time at eastern-style prep schools

Granted, one was in Texas -- but in Houston, not Midland. His campaign played up the Midland public school thing, but really he spent Grade 8 and up in private schools away from that city, since the family was only there from 1948 to 1959. Then Yale, and after being in the National Guard or whatever, Harvard.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/wh2000/stories/bush072699.htm

I guess it depends on how important one thinks the years from 3 to 12 are. Given that his folks were from the East Coast themselves, and not Texans, unless he hung out in a lot of other kids' homes when he was growing up, I'd say that the major influences on him would still have been Eastern. A lot of his parents' social circle were also rich Eastern businesspeople -- plus they'd go back to Kennebunkport for summer holidays -- so his exposure to Texans across the social spectrum may have been limited. Note that when he did buy his own spread, it was in central Texas, not the more arid west (although he'd claimed affiliation with Midland and claimed he wanted to be buried there). And he's apparently installed a new well at the Crawford property, and an artificial lake, and is trying to get rid of the native cedar scrub. Looks to me like he's secretly trying to re-create a more pastoral Eastern landscape to romp around in!

If you've lived in Washington State for more than 3 decades and haven't been slipping back to Connecticut (Bush's home state!) for annual holidays -- and you didn't spend most of your teenage years at Andover -- plus most of the people whom you consider your friends are long-time Washington residents, and they're not jet-setting upper crust types -- and you catch yourself saying "ya sure, you betcha" when you stop for gas in Ballard ... I think you're a Northwesterner.

[crispini]

9. My viewpoint on "where are you from?" is

"Where is most of your family buried?" In Shrub's case, it's BACK EAST!

[Barney Rocks]

12. that is a pretty tough

standard! If I use that one, then I am Italian, and I have never been out of this country at all. My grandparents came over as children, but were dead before I ever met them. I don't even know a word of Italian.

I am sure that Italy would not jump to give me citizenship. So do I have no home at all? We are a nation that is fluid, people choose where they want to live and be from. We are not tied by where our ancestors lived. I feel sorry for the Texans who don't want the association, but even * has to live somewhere and we can't stop him from calling Crawford his home--so what is the point?

[crispini]

13. Well, I guess what I meant is

the emphasis on "Where are you FROM." Not where do you live. More like, where do you go for family reunions? I mean, the geography of your parents & grandparents has something to do with your mentality, your history, donn't you think?

I mean, my grandparents came over from England, but they, and all of their children, are buried in Louisiana. I have never lived there, grew up all over the States and so did not develop an early-childhood attachment to anywhere. I currently live in Texas, and most "Native Texans" do not consider me a "born Texan" despite the fact that I went to high school and college here. (this is also the standard they apply to Shrub, btw.)

Around here, when someone asks me where I am from, I say "Well, I'm from Louisiana, but I went to high school here." So I count as approx. half a Texan. :7

...but I have enough attitude for a whole one. ;)

[Barney Rocks]

14. I can understand

where you are coming from. I am one of those people who is rootless. I have never been to a family reunion. My family is scattered around in nearly every state of the union and I have lived in 12 of the 50 states myself. I only lived in the state I was born for a few months, so I don't remember it at all. Where I live now is my home because it is where I have choosen to live--but none of my family live anywhere near here and none ever have. I have only lived here for 14 months myself. It is the closest to a "home" that I have ever had--but I am not really that attached to it.

So--I guess if I was running for office there would be no place in the world that would claim me. No matter where I ran, people would consider me an outsider forever. And that is a little sad to me.

[crispini]

15. Well...

no place in the world that would claim me

Naw... maybe you're not "regionalized" like some people... but you're an AMERICAN! Best thing of all IMO. :D