These days, what a politician says in public is like a parachute that has been deployed during a jump: it can’t be pulled back into its pack. It is something that plagues some politicians more than others, as it did Dan Quayle, Howard Dean and Sarah Palin. If the comment is benign enough, it gets referred to as a gaffe, as with Vice President Joe Biden. With his relative surge in the Republican polls, so it is with Texas Governor Rick Perry. His campaign managers and apologists must be staying up late.
A Texas reporter at the Iowa State Fair recently asked Perry how he thought he could beat former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann in the upcoming 2012 GOP nominating contest. “We’re running against Obama, that’s who we’re after,” Perry said. To that point Perry confirmed his position. But then he unzipped the parachute-pack by suggesting that U.S. military personnel do not respect President Obama.
"One of the reasons that I’m running for president is I want to make sure that every young man and woman who puts on the uniform of the United States respects highly the president of the United States," he said. "The military men and women respect the commander in chief, regardless of who it is." he said. Then he added, "I think they'd really like to see a person who wore the uniform in that office."
He did not use the word “veteran.”
Many observers took it as a political shot at Romney by the former Air Force captain. Perry’s campaign communications director Ray Sullivan explained, “The governor spends a great deal of time with active duty military and retired military… He’s heard a lot about concerns about the direction of the country.” That may be good procedure by a communications director after a comment is out there on the air. However, it begs a question.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - David Paladino
We need Voter ID laws in EVERY state to keep the Left/Democrats from stealing another election like they have attempted and done in the past. Veterans, like myself, have other forms of ID (drivers license, etc.) so that's not an issue.
2 - Clavos
As a veteran (and VA patient for more than a decade) myself, I fail to see where Texas SB14 constitutes an "insult to veterans," either conscious or unconscious, on the part of Gov. Perry or anyone else connected with the bill.
Perry did not author (or sponsor) SB14, and his office notes on their website, that:
SB 14 requires a voter to show as a valid form of photo ID, either a driver's license, Department of Public Safety issued photo personal identification card, U.S. military ID card, U.S. citizenship certificate that contains a photograph, U.S. passport or Texas concealed handgun license. The bill creates a free election identification certificate with a photograph issued by DPS for registered voters who need a photo ID. (emphasis added). In the unlikely event that some tripwire Nam vet living in a tent out in the middle of the west Texas Guadalupe Mountain range wants to vote, and has no drivers license, the state, as noted above, will issue him a voter ID, free.
No, Tommy, I think what you've created here is a sob story without merit, a strawman aimed not at the non-existent "Disenfranchising [of] veterans," but at the whole idea of voter ID, which is anathema to liberals and other Democrats.
It's worth noting that these laws are not aimed at "disenfranchising" anyone, they are aimed at ensuring the integrity of our election process, which has come under fire several times in recent years, most notably here in Florida where the Democrats sued for recounts in the Bush-Gore contest a few years ago, and lost.
Reason enough, one would think, for Democrats to support reinforcing the integrity of elections.
3 - roger nowosielski
We should all support the integrity of elections, Democrats or Republicans alike.
Hell, I'd even let the illegals vote, especially if they're Mexicans. The more the merrier.
Sorry, Clavos, no disrespect intended. It's just tongue-in-cheek, prompting Tommy's response, I guess.
4 - Corpsman up 2-4
If I remember right the Texas Judiciary/Attorney General is now asking for an opinion to determine if the picture ID is acceptable. And by the way the law was crafted by the Legislature and signed by the Executive. I am not a Perry supporter, nor a Romney supporter. But, most of the military I know really don't care about who occupies the Office of President. But, they do have more respect for those who served. Especially when they look at what candidates were doing when the candidates were the same age as they (service members) are.
5 - Tommy Mack
The strawman is the non-existent problem of voter fraud that wave of GOP voter ID bills allegedly solve. Voter ID laws have a disproportionate and unfair impact on low-income individuals, racial and ethnic minority voters, students, senior citizens, voters with disabilities and others who do not have a government-issued ID or the money to acquire one. The bills are cynical and violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
I would think that the GOP would want more voters not fewer. That is before considering the cost of implementation of the voter ID bills, especially in states with existing economic shortfalls such as Texas.
The insult to veterans is Perry's “wore the uniform” line.
Tommy
6 - clyde h stagner
This retired Capt respects and admires President Obama and is disapointed that you Mr.Perry do not respectthr President of the people of the United States
7 - Clavos
I guess I must be stupid, because I don't see an insult in the "wore the uniform" line; we all did wear them. Upon my return from Vietnam in 1966, I was truly insulted by most citizens I met, and especially by the press. In fact, most of us who had served in Nam learned quickly to refrain from mentioning it, except among ourselves; particularly those of us who enrolled in college after returning, as I did.
You say, "He did not use the word veteran." And how is that an "insult?"
I say you're making a mountain out of a molehill.
Actually, the real strawman in this whole issue is this statement of yours in #5:
Voter ID laws have a disproportionate and unfair impact on low-income individuals, racial and ethnic minority voters, students, senior citizens, voters with disabilities and others who do not have a government-issued ID or the money to acquire one.
Since the various states are providing free IDs to anyone who needs one, this is a non issue.
And, with the possible exception of New Yorkers, nearly everyone has some form of acceptable ID these days.
Once again, a mountain out of a molehill; and a deception on the part of the Democrats, whose objections as you outlined in #5 have nothing to do with their discomfort regarding voter ID laws.
It's also interesting that you say that voter fraud is non-existent in light of the clamor Democrats raised about the Gore/Bush results in Florida. Every Democrat in the land claimed fraud then, and all of you revisit it every chance you get.
I reiterate: Strawman.
8 - Tommy Mack
“The clamor Democrats raised about the Gore/Bush results in Florida” alleged vote counting fraud not voter fraud, especially since Florida had Jeb Bush as its governor.
Voter ID legislation constitutes a change in state elections laws. As such that legislation is subject to "pre-clearance" by the DoJ under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. We will see what Attorney General Holder does with those changes in South Carolina and in Texas. What is more, the DoJ has to make sure that these laws are implemented in a way that does not discriminate against protected groups in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
I wrote about the new voter ID laws back in March when I researched new GOP backed legislation in about half of the states which could require people to show identification or swear an oath of their identity when they vote. I am sorry, but those new laws are against the law. They are solutions is search of problems that do not exist.
As to uniforms, I threw mine away as soon as I could, brass and all.
Tommy
9 - Dr Dreadful
No, the bill doesn't discriminate against veterans, most of whom, I'm fairly confident, will be able to locate a driver's license or some other form of state-issued photo ID if they rummage through their wallets for long enough (i.e. about 1 second).
Quite why a veteran's card isn't considered valid ID is anyone's guess, but I suspect the lawmakers simply forgot to include it on the list.
The insult is to active military personnel for suggesting (obliquely) that they do not respect their commander-in-chief, which is a slur on their loyalty and professionalism.
Veterans, especially those who have been in combat, have earned the right to disrespect anyone they choose.
However, as Tommy himself says, it was merely a gaffe - one of those purgings of liquid verbal poo that escapes from every politician's mouth now and then.
10 - REMF(MCH)
"Many observers took it as a political shot at Romney by the former Air Force captain."
But couldn't he also have been referring to Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Mike Huckabee, Rudy Giuliani, Bobby Jindal, Jeb Bush, Charlie Crist, Sarah Palin or Chris Christie?
11 - Baronius
I think this is Tommy's thing - headlines that aren't really about the article, and imprecise raising of suspicions without closing the deal. Tommy says that the insult in question was against Romney, not veterans. But by tacking the veterans' ID story on the end, in which he doesn't show any culpability on Perry's part, he makes it appear that there's a connection.
The law probably doesn't let you use Blockbuster Video cards either. That's an insult to movie fans!
And why would a Republican be plotting to disenfranchise veterans? It doens't even make sense on the face of it.
12 - Tommy Mack
I wrote, “Many observers took it as a political shot at Romney. . .” It is a shot people who are not veterans in the primary campaigns, to be sure. My objection is the inconsistency of such a stand and signing an “emergency” bill that disenfranchises veterans and other groups.
“Come and take it,” “throws Israel under the bus,” “military option with Iran,” that Texas could secede if it wanted, Social Security is a Ponzi scheme, and the ever popular shot at Ben Bernanke are well covered gaffes. It is no wonder he is doing so well in the polls, especially with the absence of Sarah Palin’s remarkable mouth.
Tommy
13 - Clavos
My objection is the inconsistency of such a stand and signing an “emergency” bill that disenfranchises veterans and other groups.
As american citizens, you (and we all) have the right to "object" to anything any government does, but as I and others said upthread, Perry is not "disenfranchising" anyone because:
1. It's not "his" bill; he didn't write it or sponsor it.
2. A number of government-issued IDs ARE acceptable for voter ID, including such universal ones as drivers licenses, so the mere absence of a VA card as ID for voting falls far short "disenfranchisement," especially because:
3. The bill provides for FREE issuance of a state ID card to ANYONE on request.
Nice try, Tommy, but this bill (and certainly Governor Perry) "disenfranchises" nobody.
As for the sound bites you've plucked out of context from his speeches:
Social Security IS a Ponzi scheme. I've long since been paid back all I put into it; at this point, those who are paying into it now are paying me, and that's the very definition of a Ponzi scheme.
And frankly, the country (as established) is a confederation of individual and independent states; if one of them chooses to secede, it's their right IMO -- it's certainly not without precedent in the country's history.
14 - Tommy Mack
Perry made the bill and emergency item and signed it. I doubt if it means anything to him as long as it sounds good and is a political expedient. Knowledge is dumb.
Yes, if you ask for a “free ID” you can get one. So much for voter registration drives that cannot ask for you and get you one. That free ID will cost the state extra bucks, though. That’s interesting in a state with a $10B budget hole, but knowledge is dumb.
A Ponzi scheme is criminal. It is fraud. The charge may sound great to some, but it is as irresponsible as suggesting that the idea of secession is alright.
Tommy
15 - Baronius
Clavos, you know perfectly well that Rick Perry steals veterans' driver's licenses.
And so far, Tommy has said that Perry's comment was a shot at Romney, at veterans, and at non-veterans in the race. Two of those make sense. Unfortunately, the one that doesn't make sense is the title of the article.
16 - Baronius
Tommy! Come on! Can political actions be criminal or not? You said in a previous article that politicians who misrepresent the budget are guilty of securities fraud. Now you're saying that Social Security couldn't be a Ponzi scheme, because Ponzi schemes are criminal.
17 - Tommy Mack
In the words of Charlie Brown, "Oh, good grief!
18 - handyguy
When Baronius feels the need to resort to word games, you've already won the argument, Tommy.
The underlying point is that Perry is a shameless huckster pol who will do anything to create red-meat applause lines for red state voters. He has not a sincere bone in his body.
19 - zingzing
"He has not a sincere bone in his body."
i've heard rumors...
20 - Clavos
He has not a sincere bone in his body.
You're surprised? He's a pol.
Like Obama.
They ALL lie.
21 - Clavos
...a shameless huckster pol...
Class, this is a perfect example of a tautology.
22 - Clavos
A Ponzi scheme is criminal. It is fraud.
Like a lot of what comes out of Washington.
Amerika the fraudulent.
23 - REMF(MCH)
"And why would a Republican be plotting to disenfranchise veterans? It doens't even make sense on the face of it."
Karl Rove/G.W. Bush, John McCain, 2004 GOP Primary...
24 - roger nowosielski
@13
If the original intent wasn't to defraud, then it wasn't a scheme. It may have a structure of a "Ponzi scheme," but that still doesn't make it a scheme (any more than any kind of insurance policy is a scheme).
25 - roger nowosielski
As usual, Baronius speaks from both sides of his mouth.