Let's assume, for the nonce, that a recent poll showing Mousse in Boots leading Willard in Nevada is credible. After all, polls are but a snapshot in time. Polling was probably credible last spring, too, when it showed Donald Trump ahead of the GOP presidential field.
Meantime, while Rick Perry is frequently compared to his gubernatorial predecessor who would go on to become the worst president in American history, Perry may have more in common, at least in one respect, with another Texan. Most of you think of former Sen. Phil Gramm, if you think of him at all, as a financial services industry whore on a truly world-historical scale, a vile, disgusting, filthy creature who surely would be hell-bound were there a hell. But Gramm was also a Republican presidential candidate in 1996. As the party's eventual nominee that year, Bob Dole, quipped of Gramm, the more people know about him, the less they want to know about him.
Might the same apply to Perry? Sure, some Republican voters, egged on by Perry's rivals for the nomination, are as yet unsure if Perry is the right-wing dream that he'd like to seem. But who can deny that the guy is a bona fide arrogant prick? (Btw, is it just my leftist sensibilities, or does Perry's body language in this NewsHour clip at about 2:40 give you the creepy-crawlies, too?)
Which of course brings us back to that other Texan, the one who sought and -- assisted by an intellectually perverse U.S. Supreme Court -- won the presidency. This week the media is doing 9-11 24-7, because ten being a symbolically round number, it's a time for reflection, or somesuch. Well, upon reflection, if the Iraq invasion had gone as advertised -- rose petals, etc. -- what nation would Bush and Cheney have invaded next? Cheney recently confided that he wanted to do Syria. Iran was/is a perennial candidate. Venezuela? North Korea? All of them, Katie?
Of course 9-11 Sweeps Week should also be a time for looking ahead. So here's an admittedly undocumented proposition, but one that seems worth posing: With the possible exception of John Bolton, and yes, including Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin, is there any current or potential presidential candidate who seems more likely to unleash anew unbridled military aggression, up to and including the insane use of nuclear weapons, than Texas Gov. Rick Perry?
Enjoyed the article, Gleanster. Also, that picture is priceless.
In answer to your question, I'd like to give my learned response.
(Ahem...clears throat...)
If Perry were to become President, he'd love to entertain the opportunity to partake America in the chance to get involved with another war for no reason at all. Just another in a line of creepy Republicans who talk tough but have no clue how to conduct foreign policy except to scream out loud, "RELEASE THE KRAKEN!!!!"
Perry is Bush Junior times one hundred shots of steroids and enemas (NOTE: Makes 'em mad and ornery both at the same time using steroids and enemas).
I bet he'd declare war on the entirety of Antarctica. And there's no one there except penguins. Perry hates penguins...they walk around with their beaks up in the air....all dressed formal and shit...fishy smelling breath and they don't clean up their act using breath mints....acting all mightier than thou all the time....NUKE THEM BASTARDS, DIE, PENGUIN HEATHEN COMMUNIST ISLAMO SOCIALISTS, DIE, SCREAMS PERRY!
Anyways, I really don't care which Republican gets the candidacy in 2012. I prefer to just sit back and watch.
Only thing I will say is I hope they pick the most batshit craziest crosseyed redheaded stepchild one they can find. Sort of like overlooking all the sane candidates and picking Sharron Angle to run against Senator Reid. I recommend the Republicans do that forthwith.
I do play drinking games if I choose to watch their debates though. The first one I watched, I decided everytime they mentioned some derivation of that overused Republican buzzword "Obamacare" (or "Obamneycare" or "Romneycare"), I would take a sip of my brandy.
Halfway through it, I realized I had taken 34 sips! I turned it off. THEM BASTARDS TRIED TO GET ME DRUNK!
Posted by: ColinFromLasVegas | 09/06/2011 at 09:40 AM
As long as wars are fought by poor kids looking for college money AND my taxes actually go down when my country fights, what the hell do I care?
Posted by: Goldy | 09/06/2011 at 02:16 PM
Perry. Hands laid upon. His hand in the hand of their god.
I. Perry pushed, on behalf or Phil Gramm to allow UBS (Phil's employer) to BUY life insurance on retired Texas school teacher! Teachers would not go along. Gramm has given tens of thousands of campaign $ to Perry.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/25/rick-perry-texas-life-insurance-scheme_n_935666.html
II. Rick Perry and the Moral majority:
(a) Do you know what Dominionism is?
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/08/14/dominionism-michele-bachmann-and-rick-perry-s-dangerous-religious-bond.html
(b) Are you familiar with the phrase "Reclaiming 7 Mountains of Culture"?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-wilson/ensigns-c-street-house-ow_b_230015.html
(c) Are you familiar with the American Reformation church?
http://www.texasobserver.org/cover-story/rick-perrys-army-of-god
(d) Did you know that 2 weeks ago in a remote part of Texas Perry met with just about every right wing christian group (small "c"), in America?
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-perry-christian-20110902,0,6904433.story
(e) Based on the above LA Times article which references Uganda and their homosexuality laws, we know that "The Family" (i.e. "C-Street"; John Ensign's 'religious group'; genesis of the "National Day of prayer" [the biggest fundraiser for The Family-of which Obama capitulated to in year 2 of his presidency!!!]; and pusher of Uganda's homosexuality law), we know that "The Family" and every right wing christian group in America, is pushing for Rick Perry.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-wilson/ensigns-c-street-house-ow_b_230015.html
I thought Romney was going to be the general election candidate; now that Perry is in the race, HE will be the GOP candidate.
America will finally have the straight up or down vote on the future of America; slavery or freedom---no, wait, crazy fu&^%(@ faux christians or the rest of us.
Time to mount a serious GOTV.
@Goldy: Spoken like a true GOPer would! LOL, but sadly.
Posted by: dave404 | 09/06/2011 at 03:12 PM
What do I like about Rick Perry? He denies global warming AND evolution. (Both are only theories, like the theory that the Earth is round). Also he ordered three days of official prayer for rain in Texas. The results were predictable. This week he had to interrupt his campaigning for President to hurry back to Texas to deal with some of the 20,000 wildfires raging over Texas. (This is not a misprint: 20 thousand wildfires so far this year.) Why are there so many wildfires? Because of the terrible drought, which is the main consequence for Texas of global warming. (Guess what? Not believing in global warming doesn't stop it.)
Perry is lucky in a couple of ways: Texas was spared the worst of the economic collapse a few years ago, because they never had the enormous housing bubble so they never had the drastic collapse of the bubble. What prevented a housing bubble in Texas? Various government regulations that (for example) limited mortgage loans to 80% of the value of the house. Don't county on Perry to brag about government regulation as a savior, however. He's not the type.
Perry is also lucky to enjoy economic growth in Texas because of the oil and natural gas in Texas. Did Perry's leadership put those natural resources in Texas? No. He got lucky. And he can brag about Texas' recent economic performance, as if he deserves credit for it. As if !
Posted by: Observer | 09/06/2011 at 10:46 PM
@Observer;
Texas had a $25,000,000,000 budget hole for FY 2012-13, one of the largest of any state on percentage of total general fund appropriations.
How did Texas deal with $25 bn "hole"? Took $9 bn from rainy day fund and they just went to the bond markets to sell $10 bn to operate their schools system.
Texas hired half of all the government employees put on payroll across ALL of America in the past 2 years.
About those wildfires, what does Bachmann say Texas is doing wrong that god is sending them a message?
Posted by: d4 | 09/07/2011 at 04:32 AM
Jim Hightower sets the record straight on Fairy Tales and "Perry Tales".
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/09/07-2
Hightower is a Texan who actually makes sense.
Posted by: Observer | 09/08/2011 at 12:02 PM