Perry Signs Family Leader's Controversial Pledge

The Iowa Republican ^ | November 21, 2011 | Kevin Hall

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Hoping to garner an endorsement from Bob Vander Plaats and his Family Leader organization, GOP presidential hopeful Rick Perry decided to sign the group’s controversial “Marriage Vow” pledge. Perry is only the third candidate to sign the pledge, which is a prerequisite for The Family Leader’s support.

Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum quickly took the oath when it was unveiled in early July. However, controversy with some of the wording in the document quickly arose. The preamble to the vow seemed to indicate that children born into slavery were better off than they are today. The backlash was fierce, eventually forcing The Family Leader to retract that language from the document.

Here is the line that has since been retracted:

“Slavery had a disastrous impact on African-American families, yet sadly a child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by his mother and father in a two-parent household than is an African-American baby born after the election of the USA’s first African-American President.”

Despite the retraction, Bachmann and Santorum remained the only candidates to take the oath until now. Perry did not become a candidate until a month after the oath was unveiled. The vow is made up of 14 separate promises, which include fidelity to your spouse, advocacy for the Defense of Marriage Act, embracing a federal marriage amendment, and rejecting Sharia Islam.

Despite the controversy that surrounded the pledge, Vander Plaats’ endorsement remains highly coveted. Rick Perry was one of six presidential candidates to take part in The Family Leader’s forum on Saturday. By most accounts, Perry did very well in the event, coming across as very personable and displaying a Christian worldview.

The Family Leader organization is holding an internal meeting today and endorsing a presidential candidate is one of the topics that will be discussed. Perry, Bachmann and Santorum are all struggling in the polls and the support of Bob Vander Plaats and his organization could greatly boost their chances in the Iowa Caucus.

The Iowa Republican is awaiting comment from Rick Perry’s campaign regarding the decision to sign the the “Marriage Vow” pledge.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has indicated he would sign it if he could make a few modifications.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Anita Perry, Rick's wife, now also organizing an Iowa Strike Force for him .........."While every campaign relies on grassroots get-out-the-vote efforts on election day, Iowa's caucuses present an unusually demanding challenge for candidates. They are no all-day drop-by-and-vote-before-work-during-lunch-or-after-work affairs.

They all start across the state simultaneously at 7 p.m. Central time on a typically cold night and can run until close to midnight as neighbors try to persuade neighbors to vote for their candidate in the successive elimination ballots."

[OldNavyVet]

One might wonder how Americans would take to Presidential candidates swearing allegiance to Sharia law.

[shield]

p> Perry Ping....

IF you'd rather NOT be pinged FReepmail me.

IF you'd like to be added FReepmail me. Thanks.

*****************************************************************************************************************************************************

Per SD
This is just how Rick Perry is. After Hurricane Ike devastated my community, he came here to survey the damage. He did not just walk through here surrounded by security and news cameras and then make a speech. That's not Perry. He showed up in jeans and a work shirt, no cameras, no press conference, and he walked among all of us who had been hit. A hug, a pat on the shoulder, a listening ear, and an encouraging word. He saw to it that emergency shelters were being set up and food and water were available to everyone. When Obama/FEMA refused to help us, Governor Perry set up state funding to help us rebuild our homes and our lives. My home is at 'ground zero' where Ike came ashore. We all took tremendous damage. FEMA sent me a check two months later for $600 dollars. Governor Perry set up the Recovery Fund to help us all rebuild. That is what a true leader and a true Christian does. That's my Governor! I can't wait to see America under the caring wing of Rick Perry.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Pro-Life, Marriage Groups Release 2012 GOP Scorecard “……Only three candidates – Perry, Santorum, and Bachmann – support every issue on the scorecard and have signed both pledges. The other candidates have either not signed one of the pledges or have not indicated support of one of the social conservative issues.”……

Rick Perry Gets A Grade on Abortion From Texas Pro-Life Groups “The big question in the Republican presidential race is whether or not Texas Gov. Rick Perry will throw his name in the hat for the GOP nomination to face pro-abortion president Barack Obama. If he does, Texas pro-life groups give him high marks.

“Governor Rick Perry has always championed the pro-life cause, tirelessly advocating for the sanctity of innocent human life in numerous ways,” Texas Right to Life executive director Elizabeth Graham tells LifeNews.com.

Governor Perry has worked alongside Texas Right to Life, helping shepherd our pro-life bills and eagerly supporting our measures,” Graham said. “As governor of Texas, he has intervened to stop anti-life legislation on a number of occasions, and he has helped clear obstacles when necessary.” ………….

Texas Gov. Rick Perry blasted pro-abortion President Barack Obama on pro-life issues "Perry said that, under Obama “our federal tax dollars can now be used to fund abortion all over the world. With the stroke of a pen, abortion essentially became a U.S. foreign export......."

”Perry has pleased pro-life advocates in Texas many times with signing pro-life legislation — most recently signing an ultrasound bill allowing women to see them before an abortion and hopefully changing their minds on it. He has been strongly supported by pro-life groups. Perry supported or signed into law the Women’s Right to Know Act and the Prenatal Protection Act in 2003, parental consent law in 2005, and funding for alternatives to abortions in 2007 and 2009."

************************

Perry's push for the sonogram bill has fortified his long-standing ties to family values and pro-life groups but it has also made him a target from other circles.

"We would aggressively work to defeat him [Perry], of course," said Terry O'Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, which describes itself as non-partisan but typically backs Democrats. Star Telegram

Margaret Carlson’s take on Perry She hoping he won’t run against Romney, so made an “ick” list about him including:

……”This year, Perry signed into law "emergency legislation" forcing a woman seeking an abortion to have a sonogram, after which she'll be told everything about the fetus. And after Texas's anti-sodomy law was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2003, he supported the state legislature's refusal to remove the law from its books and called the justices "nine oligarchs in robes."………….

[marty60]

Are you comparing Conservs and Evangelicals with Islamofascists?

FYI: Van der Plaats
Conservative leader is a force in Iowa caucuses
A visit with Bob Vander Plaats is a must for Republican presidential candidates. He can deliver social conservative votes, but he also worries the party establishment.

[Retro Llama]

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has indicated he would sign it if he could make a few modifications.

Newt's edited version:

The vow is made up of 14 separate promises, which include infidelity to your spouse, advocacy for the Defense of Marriage Act, embracing a federal marriage amendment, and rejecting Sharia Islam.

[bgill]

Oh, good grief. Not another pledge. Oooh, the kool kids signed it so if you don’t sign it you’re not kool!!! Enough with these junior high antics.

[Retro Llama]

You have a point.