It’s business as usual. True to his word, Texas Gov. Rick Perry is forging ahead despite his indictment for abuse of power which has mesmerized the news media. Yes, Mr. Perry had a date at an Austin courthouse late Tuesday afternoon to “turn himself in” as a formality, complete with mugshot, but no warrant for his arrest. His staff says his schedule is not affected; some observers say the legal hubbub actually could help his political image.
Meanwhile, Mr. Perry will be, in fact, in the nation’s capital this very Thursday.
Mr. Perry will appear at the Heritage Foundation discussing the topic, “The border crisis and the new politics of immigration.” He will be joined by National Review editor Rich Lowry, among others. Yes, you can watch the proceedings online beginning at 11 a.m. ET at Heritage.org.
The governor then moves on to the Granite State for a Saturday “victory rally” with the New Hampshire Republican Party in a small town near the Atlantic seacoast. It is truly grass roots. “Coffee and donuts provided” the organization advises.
Meanwhile, there is some empathy among governors. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has stepped up to support Mr. Perry during his legal challenge. It has given a former Alaska governor great pause. Sarah Palin can relate to Mr. Perry
“I can value my own experience as a conservative governor dealing with left-wing activists who would stop at nothing to take out a successful Republican. I was riddled with countless frivolous ethics complaints and lawsuits after being nominated as the GOP vice presidential candidate, all in an attempt to derail my governorship and personally bankrupt my family,” Mrs. Palin recalls in a Fox News editorial.
“One by one these complaints were tossed out on the basis of their frivolity, but the activists got what they wanted via the complicit liberal media’s consistent headline: ’Palin Charged With Ethic Complaints!’ ” Mrs. Palin writ’s.
“The media breathlessly reported on every one of the liberal’s complaints with bold font, front page coverage. But when each one was overturned, most times we never even saw one mention about our vindication,” she adds.
“I have no doubt that Rick Perry will weather this storm because he’s better prepared for this kind of B.S. than we were up here in Texas’s big sister state, when the politics of personal destruction ramped up to unimaginable levels,” she says.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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