Don’t Hold Your Breath
Even on his best days, Rick Perry has to work at not banging his spoon on the tray of his high chair.
He’s now whining at over an editorial cartoon from award winning cartoonist Jack Ohman, syndicated from the Sacramento Bee.
Perry is outraged, outraged I tell you, that somebody would make fun of him. A cartoonist, dammit. A cartoonist made fun of him.
The cartoon was featured on our Friday Toons.
In a letter to the Bee’s editor Friday, Perry said he wouldn’t stand for “someone mocking this tragedy.”
He demanded an immediate apology for the newspaper’s “detestable attempt at satire.”
Fellow Republican and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst called for the firing of the artist, political cartoonist Jack Ohman.
Guess what is NOT going to happen? Something. Something will not happen. Nobody was making fun of the tragedy. They were, however, making fun of a governor who thinks this kind of mayhem is an acceptable price of doing business.
Rick Perry is as worthless as a three card flush. So sue me.
Thanks to Glynda for the heads up.
Rick Perry is probably less upset about the newspaper’s “detestable attempt at satire,” than he is at their completely effective use of satire.
sat·ire
1noun
1. the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, etc
I loved that cartoon – I figure he got nailed with it for saying less regulations were needed. You know you level a town and kill 14 people – all but one of the fire dept. because they have no clue what they are walking into because the company broke the law you are going to get slapped upside the head. Oh gov and lt. gov you might want to remember that we’re a blue state so as JJ would say kiss my big blue butt – we’re not firing anyone.
2Satire? Seemed to be the truth to me.
3He should be used to people making fun of him by now. The explosion was a tragedy. He is a sick joke.
4Hasn’t he seen any of the other cartoons on that subject? As my old college roommate would say, “He has the gall of a canal mule.”
5pRick Perry: Campion of Free Speech – NOT!
6Oops…Champion
7On Friday the Sacramento Bee’s editorial page editor, Stuart Leavenworth, defended artist, Jack Ohman – in effect delivering a swift kick to Perry’s privates.
“Jack Ohman’s cartoon of April 25 made a strong statement about Gov. Rick Perry’s disregard for worker safety, and his attempts to market Texas as a place where industries can thrive with few regulations. It is unfortunate that Gov. Perry, and some on the blogosphere, have attempted to interpret the cartoon as being disrespectful of the victims of this tragedy. As Ohman has made clear on his blog, he has complete empathy for the victims and people living by the plant. What he finds offensive is a governor who would gamble with the lives of families by not pushing for the strongest safety regulations. Perry’s letter is an attempt to distract people from that message.”
Rather than remain in Texas to spearhead urgent efforts to prevent this tragedy from being repeated in some other hapless Texas town – to other innocent Texans – Ricky Boy went ahead with his boondoggle business poaching safari to Chicago. As Mayor Rahm Emanuel wisecracked, “Let me say this to Gov. Perry: I hope when he comes he remembers all three of his reasons…because it will be a real test for him.”
The only mockery of the West, Texas, tragedy is the one Rick Perry has made. What a pompous, posturing barsteward …
8GOP poutrage is really pathetic.
9Umptydump, thanks for telling us about the editorial – it’s a great one and sure to sting Perry more than a little. The tragedy in West has shown the rest of the country that what we’ve been trying to tell them about the problems in Texas are true. All the problems can be laid right at Perry’s doorstep. The “Texas miracle” is a figment of his and his cronies’ stupid imagination.
10Along with no regulation, we have no safety and no water.
We do have the stupidest SOB of a governor, though. And a Lt. Gov who’s a perfect match.
11I was watching KPRC Channel 2 News at 10 to get the weather. After the weather they introduced the next story by saying Governor Rick Perry, (other politicians that I can’t remember) and “we here also” were offended by a political cartoon making fun of the tragedy in West.” Then they showed this cartoon. I paraphrase because I was so startled that they sounded incensed by the cartoon. It made me so mad I reached for the remote before I could see any more of it, so I really can’t tell you anything else about the story that had the tv station and all the Republican politicians in Texas so riled up.
12Dipsticks like Perry wave the Texas flag, and profess their love for all things Texan – but they ignore the real (and ugly) Texas history of industrial disasters. Like the Texas City blast, or Baytown, Home of the Refinery Fire. It’s OK, though, ‘cuz Ricky Boy leased his buddy the land to build a hazardous/nuclear waste dump, right on top of the Oglalla aquifer, and the land will revert to the taxpayers when the lease is up – what could go wrong?
13Perry, Dewhurst, Gohmert etc. make themselves appear as dolts. Unfortunately their perniciousness, and braggadocios comments, reflect badly on the many Texans who are wonderful, caring people.
14Wasn’t Rich Perry the Lt Gov with George Waste Bush? Looks like George trained him well.
15Poor Rick. He was ok with it until his wife finally explained that he was being made fun of.
16UmptyDump – great comment. Thanks for all that info. I also saw it as a knock on Perry’s head, not an insult to the victims. Of course, when you can’t remember three things that you are against, you can’t be very bright, and that is what the lobbyists and special interests want in a politician.
17In this cartoon,
18There was no disrespect shown to the town of West, Texas.
There was no disrespect shown to the first responders.
The disrespect shown to the Governor, was totally justified.
JMHO.
I miss Ohman’s cartoons in the Oregonian. Lucky Sacramento Bee readers!
19There’s nothing wrong with that cartoon. It is the simple truth, and it says a lot about Perry (not that any more needs to be said) that he twists it to find it offensive to West. *He* is offensive to West, and the rest of Texas as well.
20There are three things I have to say about Rick Perry: He’s dumb, he’s dumber, and…I forget…Oops!
21Just remember what Molly Ivins once said:
“In Texas, we do not hold high expectations for the [governor’s] office; it’s mostly been occupied by crooks, dorks and the comatose.”
As far as Gov. Goodhair goes, he fits all three categories.
22@TalG:
“As far as Gov. Goodhair goes, he fits all three categories.”
But can he remember all three?
23Perry compounds the tragedy of lost lives and homes by refusing to right the wrongs he himself has promulgated and deflecting the obvious criticism into “outrage” at the cartoonist. Perry is the outrage. His “business friendly” (citizen-be-damned) policies are the outrage.
24Congatulations to the cartoonist for so efectively making this point.
I thought the cartoon was spot on. The truth hurts doesn’t it Rick?
25Coverage of the Memorial Service here on Abilene TV was about 98% Gov Perry speaking, and a 2 second cut of the President. Friends on Facebook from Waco were more than tacky about President Obama coming to the Memorial Service. Just tacky. I worried all day about some idiot taking out his assault weapon….
26If Governor Goodhair wants to brag about low regulation, that’s fine. Don’t get upset when people point out the downside.
Because a small town losing its entire fire department is a downside.
27The bottom line is always the primary concern of business: out-of-state business interests have got to ask: what’s to prevent the rebuilding of that plant next to my business? This is what pisses of Perry. It blows holes in his program to atract business to Texas. (not that he’s all that succesful).
28Fox new headline: (they couldn’t find a better verb?)
Perry blasts California newspaper for cartoon depicting Texas plant explosion
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/04/27/perry-blasts-california-newspaper-for-cartoon-depicting-texas-plant-explosion/#ixzz2RgqNunzr
29Making fun of Icky Ricky is a full time job. Thanks to the cartoonist for an assist.
30http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/25/texas-explosion-fertilizer-ammonium-nitrate/2108571/ I think you might look at home land security and the Federal Regulations that should have been in place. Oh wait, everyone wants to keep the planes flying so no $$$$ for regulation. Both parties are to blame.
31The fact that Goodhair is upset by this cartoon makes me smile
32@ glf- of course there’s truth there. Good satire must begin in, and contain broad elements of the truth of a situation.
33Rick the dick is upset. Oh, please stop, you’re gonna get his panties all wadded up.
34What the teabaggin’ gov can’t understand is satire that and hypocrisy. Seems part of the conservanazi nature. ;^)