As I write these words, the Governor of my state, Rick Perry, has been a declared candidate for a little more than a few days. The pundits have been following him all around Iowa and have been speculating on the effect that his candidacy will have on Romney, Bachmann, Paul and perhaps others. And yet--although he has been in the race for just a few days, Rick Perry has already become the front runner.
I cannot be more emphatic on this point:
The GOP race for the nomination is over.
I am from Texas. My state has suffered greatly under Rick Perry. He is a bigger liar than Richard Nixon and probably just as crooked. He is to the right of George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, and Barry Goldwater.
We need to prepare now--not in a few months--but right now.
Because the President will soon endure a contest that he has never faced in his entire political career--no previous opponent has ever had the capacity to stoop as low as Rick Perry will stoop.
I am a Texas Democrat and I beg you folks--please--the absolute worst thing in the world that we can do is to make fun of Perry--assume he will get defeated in the Republican primary--or that the media will expose him and his lies for us and that the President will skate to a second term.
I believe the stakes have never been higher in our lifetimes.
Some background for those who may not know much about Perry's history.
Rick Perry was first elected to the Texas Legislature as a Democrat.
Karl Rove convinced Perry to become a Republican in order to round out the GOP slate of candidates years ago as Texas Agriculture Commissioner against the Democratic Incumbent Jim Hightower.
Back then--we really didn't think he had a chance. And--we were proved wrong.
Later--he had an opportunity to move up the ladder and became Lt. Governor. We really didn't think he had a chance--and we were proved wrong.
Then--George Bush decided to run for President. Once the Supreme Court stopped the recount and Gore conceded, Rick Perry moved up to Governor.
A bunch of us scratched our heads and wondered--how in the world could this moron become Governor of the great state of Texas?
So--we went out and recruited a "dream team"--a slate of candidates that we figured would help Democrats win back statewide offices in 2002.
Because of the growing Hispanic population in Texas, Democrats nominated Texas banker Tony Sanchez. Sanchez was the richest candidate who ever ran for public office in Texas history.
And he spread his wealth.
Every Democratic activist was on payroll for Sanchez. The largest cities--San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Austin--had headquarters that were brimming with help nearly 24 hours a day for months prior to the election.
Perry enjoyed a slight lead over Sanchez most of the summer of 2002.
Then--all hell broke loose like you would never imagine.
It seems that there were some banking irregularities with one of Tony's banks. By the time that Perry's media people got finished, Sanchez was portrayed as a terrorist--a rich banker that allowed his banks to launder drug money.
In a word, Tony Sanchez got "Swiftboated" by the same people who funded the swiftboat attacks against John Kerry in 2004.
It got so bad that even in San Antonio--with the huge Hispanic population--went with Rick Perry.
Since then--Rick Perry has beaten every Democratic Contender that came after Tony Sanchez.
WE NEED TO CONSIDER RICK PERRY'S CANDIDACY TO BE THE MORAL EQUIVALENT OF WAR...
Ever since the wars in Iraq and Afghanastan, I have avoided that phrase. Describing a political contest in war-like manners just did not seem right when we have men and women losing their lives in actual wars right now.
But I cannot stress this enough to you--forget Mitt Romney, Michelle Bachmann, Ron Paul--everyone else--they are totally unimportant.
Imagine a candidate who would make Richard Nixon uncomfortable--who would make Barry Goldwater ill--who would have convinced Ronald Reagan to become a Democrat once again later in life.
That candidate is Rick Perry.
Whatever you usually do in your local communities in the last few months before an election--whether it be in the form of voter registration drives, walking your precinct, raising money, etc--do that right now.
Take this man seriously.
Very seriously.
Now...