Posted on 08/24/2011 2:35:46 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Honestly, some weeks I don't even have to write this column. It just falls from the heavens like manna. I pick it up and post it. This was one of those weeks.
Rick Perry. The name alone is enough to elicit chuckles. Big hat. Silly boots. Cowboy swagger.
The Texas governor likes to hold stadium-sized prayer rallies in which he fills a fraction of the stadium and talks to God. Two years ago he held a rally to ask God for rain. Today, Texas still bakes in a historic drought, suggesting that if there is a God, he's got better things to do than listen to Perry. Three weeks ago Gov. Perry did it again, holding a prayer rally to save the nation's economy. Two days later, Dow Jones tanked more than 600 points, inspiring late-night comedians and TV pundits to suggest that Perry's prayers felt more like a curse.
When he is not talking to God, Perry is running his mouth to the craziest people in America, the tea baggers, and in 2009 he seemed to be flirting with secession though the word never passed his lips. Two weeks ago he was in Charleston, the site of the original secession and the beginning of the Civil War, to declare his presidential intentions. Was this coincidence?
Coincidence or not, it has been like catnip to pundits and columnists. Writing in U.S. News & World Report Robert Schlesinger said, "And while talking about secession undoubtedly plays well among the three in 10 Texas voters ill-informed enough to think it's a serious political statement, it also makes the rest of the country (and likely the rest of the state) roll our eyes in bewilderment at the Lone Star Clown."
True enough, but Perry knows where his natural base is, and the Lone Star Clown is already planning a bus tour of the Palmetto State. I am confident he will get the welcome he came for. But what does that say about the people of South Carolina?
As I write this column, Gov. Perry has been a presidential candidate for less than a week, and he has already been caught in at least one screaming lie and one statement so outrageous that only a certified tea bagger or South Carolina GOPer could not be offended.
In one campaign stop he said he does not believe in manmade global climate change (as if his belief had anything to do with it) and went on to say that "hardly a day goes by" that some scientist is not caught faking data to support the global warming argument.
In fact, no scientist has been caught faking climate data and only the fools who live in the Fox News bubble could believe such a lie. But there are thousands of such people in this state, and they will be laying palmetto branches in front of Rick Perry's bus.
This is also be a good place for Perry to repeat Mitt Romney's statement that "corporations are people" with all the rights of humans. In this right-to-work state with the lowest level of union membership in the nation, this will be music to the corporate culture. What it means for people is unclear.
It will be interesting to see if Perry challenges the patriotism of native son and Fed chief Ben Bernanke while he's here. Last week he said Bernanke would be "treacherous" if he tried "printing money" to deal with the current economic crisis. He seemed to be threatening Bernanke when he said "we would treat him pretty ugly down in Texas."
I'm sure this schoolyard tough talk will play well in South Carolina, but I am also confident that most Americans would like a little more subtlety, a little more dignity from a man who aspires to be our president.
Leno, Letterman, Maher, Fallon and the folks at Saturday Night Live would love to see Rick Perry in the White House. It would mean for them the same thing it means for me: years of free material. But leading the United States of America leading it morally and politically is serious business. I see no evidence that Gov. Perry is up to the task. And it is easy to understand why. There is little in the backward and parochial political culture of Texas that would prepare a person for running a huge and complex nation such as the United States.
Like his predecessor, George W. Bush, Perry already seems to be in over his head. He does not understand that more people are laughing at him than with him.
Perry's candidacy guarantees that we will have an exciting campaign at least through the Republican National Convention. Let's hope it ends there.
Let me answer the author’s question.
It is likely that Perry does know that liberals oppose his agenda and he doesn’t care. He just wants to fix the economy.
LOL,you can literally smell the fear pouring off the author of this hit piece.
Its obvious... Wills mama didnt raise him right.
Don't undercut Texas higher ed - [personal transformation whine as Rick Perry pushes efficiency]
I can’t believe they pay someone to write this crap. It’s an unthinking childish screed. Complete with stereotypes and slurs.
They sound very afraid.
Falls Like Manna from Heaven? Just turn on your tv,look at any Liberal Rag and the Same Description and Platitudes from the looney Left appear,you are all reading from the Same Fax put out by the DNC,Another Phoney and Fraud
It’s all about throwing mud hoping it sticks. It’s well known that if you insinuate things,some people will tend to believe the insinuations whether they are true or not.
So, if you can portray Perry as simply a Bible-thumping simpleton, some people won’t question it, no matter what the facts are.
That’s the way politics are played. You win by finding reasons for people to not vote for a candidate.
Memo to Perry supporters: you'd better get your lampoon machine rolling...
Acorns are burying "bind pigs" -- EVERYONE can recognize that Obama has been a national disaster.
In one campaign stop he said he does not believe in manmade global climate change (as if his belief had anything to do with it) and went on to say that "hardly a day goes by" that some scientist is not caught faking data to support the global warming argument.
In fact, no scientist has been caught faking climate data and only the fools who live in the Fox News bubble could believe such a lie. But there are thousands of such people in this state, and they will be laying palmetto branches in front of Rick Perry's bus.
Suggested lampoon:
As I write this missive from my stately writing room, Governor Perry has been a presidential candidate for less than a week, and he has already been caught in one howler that everyone I know knows is a screaming lie! It was a statement so outrageous that only a certified trailer-park hick of a teabagger or the dumber kind of taxpayer could not be roused into high dudgeon, whups, I mean be offended.Grated that it's crude; I wasn't much a a humour writer in my prime and I'm rusty. But it should steer a good lampooner in the right direction.
In one campaign stop he said he does not believe in climate change - whups, I mean manmade global climate change (as if his skepticism had anything to do with our global sense of certitude and righteousness) and went on to say that "hardly a day goes by" that some scientist is not caught faking data to support the global warming argument. Or something like that around the quotes; I know you trust me to get it right.
In fact, there's been no such thing as Climategate and our hero Phil Jones was never asked to step aside from anything! Michael Mann was so innocent, his university roundly scoffed at the idea of even opening an investigation! Only fools of the Fox News sort could believe in a lie like 'Climategate'! They and twerps who like to sniggle throgh snippets of computer code that can mean anything. But there are thousands of such people in this state, and they will be laying palmetto branches in front of Rick Perry's bus as if her were a real hero like Price Charles - oops, I mean Al Gore.
Thaaaaaaat's right Mr. Atheist Liberal Democrat.
Go right ahead.
Mock God.
Mock those who pray to God.
Mock those who acknowledge God.
Mock those who humble themselves to God.
Mock God's even existence.
I have news for the Atheist Liberal Democrat: God will not be mocked.
It is obvious that Perry has sought the Lord before he decided to run. Appearing in that stadium, he put God first, and opened himself up to scorn.
If Obama is to be sent packing/and or exposed for the Social Security number thief that he is, it will take the hand of God to do it.
I'll put my money on God, not this "reporter."
The sad part is that feeeeeeeeeeelings pass for opinion.
Look on the bright side with these people. They honor our constitutional rights. The Constitution protects balderdash.
no scientist has been caught faking climate data and only the fools who live in the Fox News bubble could believe such a lie.
Does the newspaper employee feeeeeeeeeel that no one has ever been caught in the act of faking climate data?
Does he mean that technically the phony data were not climate data. Maybe the people who typed the phony data were not scientists? I wonder.
Man-caused global warming, er, ah, climate change (MCGWEACC) is very good solid science, indisputable.
Allow me demonstrate, using the exact scientific method used by believers in the MCGWEACC religion:
Will Moredock is actually spelled H-o-m-o-s-e-x-u-a-l. Now, discount ALL evidence to the contrary, it is indisputable, and millions and billions and TRILLIONS of scientists are in full lockstep agreement.
Do I really need a < /sarcasm > tag?
Read my tagline.
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