More On Perry’s California Dreamin’
October 8th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
In early September, Gov. Rick Perry gave a so-called ‘blistering’ partisan speech to the assembled delegates of the California Republican Party. You can watch video of the speech on his site.
The California mainstream media used the opportunity to cast Perry as the ’stick-to-your-guns’ conservative alternative to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s appeal for moderation. It’s true that Schwarzenegger urged the GOP to address global warming and health care, while Perry mocked global warming and failed to mention health care.
We have noted Perry’s absurdism on global warming in the speech, here.
However, what Perry was really doing with the speech was establishing himself as a partisan attack dog—an ideal candidate for vice-president, especially for a nominee whose credentials in the culture war might be less-than-stellar.
What’s really funny is that Perry’s remarks could be taken as direct criticism of President George W. Bush and former House Majority leader Tom DeLay.
Perry said: “You know, it is sad. It is a sad state of affairs when liberals campaign like Republicans to get elected and Republicans govern like liberals to be loved. That’s a bad day.”
And: “Democrats aren’t the only threat… Our leaders lost their way. That’s why we lost.”
And once more with relish: “Theirs is an agenda of arrogance…”
The funny thing is, the whole time he was decrying ‘arrogance,’ Perry was planning to move into a western Travis County mansion, while sticking Texas taxpayers with the tab of almost $10,000 per month.
It remains to be seen whether Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, or any of the other weak-on-culture conservatives would have any taste for a governor who couldn’t even carry a majority in his home state in the last election, particularly when there are other Bible-belters like Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee in the VP hunt.
Huckabee is a second-tier GOP presidential candidate that at least had the guts to show up for a debate hosted by PBS’ Tavis Smiley—while the four frontrunners for the GOP nomination (Rudy, Mitt, Fred Thompson, and John McCain) stayed away.
So, what’s Perry’s message? It sounds to me like: hey, look at me, I’m rabid and as right-wing as they come (and I need to get the hell out of Texas). Pick me!
October 9th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Don’t forget our wonderful govenor finally restored CHIP back to where it was like ten years ago!! Now that’s a govenor that loves the kids of texas.
P.S. we also have the highest drop out rate in the U.S. with some of the lowest paid teachers too.
He would make a Great Vice President!!