Mayor Raul Salinas' Phone Rings

The Texas Council on Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke recently presented city staff with a gold level recognition for their work at promoting a healthy lifestyle.  They got a plaque and everything.  Naturally, the mayor was there to accept the award and say some words.  But what I'm about to show you is something quite peculiar.

Here's the mayor starting off (in this video, at least) by recounting an experience he had during an ambulance ride:  A paramedic tried to start an IV on him; He tried eight times.



Let's run it down, shall we?

• He decides to tell what he thinks is a funny story.  
• He thanks those who make up the partnership.  
• He throws in a mention of him missing a council meeting the day before.  
• Soon his phone rings.  
• He says that people see him coming and utter, "Ay viene el gordito."
• He mentions one of his pet peeves at the four minute mark.
• "People living in trucks."
• Education system is ranked low in Texas.
• "No tengo pelos en la lengua." 
• At the seven minute mark, he complains that people don't go out to vote.
• Greets doctor.
• Proceeds to speak away from the podium. 

I don't want to say that the mayor suffers from Attention Deficit Disorder, or experiences 'flight of ideas' because the job of diagnosing is better left up to a doctor.  Instead I'll just say that his rambling is due to being ill prepared for speaking engagements.

He was hospitalized the day before, but saw that it was too important to attend this event.  Unfortunately he didn't practice his speech, or so it looks like.  This man has been winging it for so long that it's not funny anymore.  When the camera pans back, I just see the crowd sitting quietly, probably stunned by the mayor's words.

All I can say is that I'm glad I wasn't there.