Rick Perry: Man of Faith

News Flash! Rick Perry’s a Christian, and he’s not ashamed to say so!

Thank God we all know that now, and good thing there’s no lions on the loose! Did anyone somehow think the guy was a Muslim? In his latest TV spot, Perry stands on a grassy hillside before a winding creek (or as they say in Texas “Creck”). The spot is beautifully shot and Perry proves that despite what some people may think of him based on his recent gaffes in debates and in his public misunderstandings regarding the voting age in New Hampshire, he can in fact walk and read a teleprompter at the same time.

Wearing his Marlboro Man hunt’n jacket and a pair of freshly starched jeans, Perry treats us to 30 seconds of social and religious red meat designed to bring the moral majority back his way. This spot would work better in Iowa with social conservatives than in New Hampshire where voters are far more libertarian in their view of religion, but Perry’s proven that while the economic premise of his candidacy (touting his alleged creation more jobs in Texas than Obama has in created in America, granting free tuition to illegals, and failing to remember the third point of his three point plan to eliminate federal agencies in Washington) may have missed the mark with voters, religion might be just the thing that will stick! Well maybe, but probably not.

Perry misses the fundamental issue of this race: jobs and the economy.  His claim in the spot that “there’s somethin’ wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military, but our kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school.” Gays in the military? School prayer? And who’s trying to steal my kid’s celebration of Christmas? These are interesting talking points for his next speech at Liberty University, but not to the vast number of Republicans, Independents and even some disenfranchised Democrats who are fed up with Barack Obama’s fundamental failure as President. Does Perry actually think he can run to the right of Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich? Doesn’t he know that with Callista’s help, Newt has found God and that his new found “redemption” is part of the Newt narrative? Does he assume Ron Paul worships false idols? Maybe he thinks Mitt’s Mormonism is in fact “cultish.”

Perry continues over a bucolic background right out of “A River Runs Through It” proclaiming: “As President, I’ll end Obama’s war on religion.” How about fighting Obama on his role in destroying our economy, America’s place in the world and ultimately the kind of freedoms that allow folks to practice whatever religion they choose? Perry looks presidential in this spot in a “Robert Redford playing a guy in a barncoat running for president” sort of way. But his message panders to social and religious conservatives in a manner that is more insulting than engaging. People of faith don’t need to be lectured on religion and the important freedom it represents in America. Republican primary voters already know and appreciate our religious freedoms and have fundamentally rejected the politically correct Loons who spend all of their time trying to prevent the erection of nativity scenes on public property, eliminate Santa Claus and arrest the Easter Bunny. This spot is literally a final “Hail Mary Pass” which attempts to tear religious conservatives away from Gingrich, Romney, and Paul. The last time I looked all of those guys were religious in their own way and like most of us each one human and imperfect. Pastor Perry need not lecture us that he and he alone will “end the war on religion” as the country’s “Minister in Chief.” Seems that whatever Perry tries sellin’, America ain’t buyin’, at least not from him!

Amen!

Letter grade: D