Thursday, November 02, 2006
Antagonizing Anita
Texas First Lady Anita Perry was greeted by a crowd of Democrats in Lampasas Tuesday.
Texas First Lady Anita Perry got some face time with Democratic activist T.J. Mabrey Tuesday.
Texas First Lady Anita Perry has been travelling the state lately, trying to convince people they need to vote. She's going from town to town, talking up the value of voting. Allegedly nonpartisan in her approach, she is making these trips while her husband is fighting for re-election. It's a campaign that finds Mr. Perry with about 35% support. That's a number that would scare most incumbents, but in a four-way race it's probably enough to win.
Mrs. Perry's stop in Lampasas (my hometown) this week, did not go as she expected. Upon arriving at the bandstand in the city's historic courtyard squire, she was greeted by a large group of Democratic activists. According to my sources on the ground, the Democrats far outnumbered the handful of local GOPers there.
The Democrats there share Mrs. Perry's belief that everyone needs to fulfill their civic duty and cast a ballot. Obviously, they do not share a choice of candidate. When faced by that many people carrying signs for her husband's opponent, Mrs. Perry decided not to carry through with her planned speech. My sources report that Mrs. Perry got off her tour bus long enough to shake hands with a few people in the crown (mainly the Republicans), then got right back on the bus and left town. Her podium and the signs and decorations that surrounded it were quickly taken down.
I think Mrs. Perry's decision to curtail her time in Lampasas says a lot. Apparently, if you're not a Republican, she doesn't want anything to do with you, and she doesn't want you to vote.
