Perry uses inappropriate forum to criticize Obama

The Houston Chronicle reported Saturday that Gov. Rick Perry appeared at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth to promote his 2010 gubernatorial campaign’s sponsorship of a car in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Race.

While there, Perry offered up a few choice words for President Obama.

“The message there was, ‘You’re from Texas. We don’t care about you,’” Perry said in reference to a recent address by Obama, in which he discussed adding jobs at the Kennedy Space Center but failed to mention Texas.

“I tell people this president has put a target on Texas’ back. Whether it’s programs that he’s talked about from the standpoint of making Texas an example, if you will. And I don’t appreciate it,” Perry said. “If Washington wants to get it right, come down to Texas, and we’ll show you. It’s pretty simple, actually. Don’t spend all the money.”

Since he was at a NASCAR event, the crowd most likely ate up his words and was happy to hear a well-known politician criticize Obama.

Even Bill White, Perry’s opponent and Houston’s former mayor, was displeased with Obama’s decision to temporarily cancel manned space flight. However, he chose to address the issue without making a scene. He, too, is hoping Obama will reconsider. In a letter last month, White told Obama it was “a step in the wrong direction.”

White, however, doesn’t seem too worried about the matter.

“High-paying, quality jobs should and will stay in Texas because of the revised plans for the Orion capsule and the International Space Station,” White said.

Perhaps Obama is trying to make an example of Texas. Our state did, after all, say it will fight the health care law tooth and nail, and we are living in an influential, conservative state.

While we’re happy to see a conservative speak his mind, it’s a shame that it had to be at a NASCAR event, pandering to conservative voters. There’s a way to go about disagreeing with the president while still showing him respect. We think White is doing a good job at that, which is one of the reasons we endorsed him to be the Democratic gubernatorial candidate.

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