Kay Bailey Hutchison: the 61-year-old United States senator on whether she's after Rick Perry's job, where she really stands on abortion, and the difference between men and women in politics.(Talks)

Publication: Texas Monthly

Publication Date: 01-NOV-04

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COPYRIGHT 2004 Texas Monthly, Inc.

ILLUSTRATION BY OWEN SMITH

What everybody wants to know is, Are you going to run for governor in 2006? I haven't made a decision. I'm thinking about it.

What thoughts are going through your mind? First, I've always been inclined to serve only two terms. That was what I said when I started running. I think that it's good to give other people a chance--you get new energy and new enthusiasm. Also, the timing makes a difference. I wouldn't have stepped aside earlier than this, after Phil Gramm decided to leave, and left Texas with two brand-new senators.

That's all very noble, but I'm wondering about the reasons that relate to your interest in being governor. I have to ask myself: Is that a job I want or one I could be effective in? Would it be a good thing for Texas for me to do something like that?

Do you think Texas is being well run? Texas is a huge, growing state on a border, so it has slot of problems that need leadership. We have some very basic issues that need addressing, and I don't think they're being addressed right now.

Can you give me an example? You went after the governor publicly a few weeks ago on the Children's Health Insurance Program. Well, I was asked a question about CHIP. I'm not looking for places to be critical, but I was asked about it. In general, the issues that I think are important for Texas to address right now for a solid future are quality public education, a fair tax system to pay for it, transportation, and quality higher education. Higher ed has been a concern of mine for a long time. Our founding fathers set aside public lands to make sure that we would have quality higher education, and we are not in the top tier of public colleges and universities in America. And we should be.

Why do you think we're not? I don't think we have made it a state priority. I don't think we've kept up with what it takes. If the University of Michigan can become a top-tier public university, why can't the University of Texas? Why can't Texas A&M and Texas Tech? Why can't the University of Houston? The largest city in Texas doesn't have a premier public institution. We need for U of H to be top-tier.

At whose feet should we lay the blame for that? Not at anyone's feet. You can't do it in two or three years. You have to build toward...

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