Posted on 01/23/2007 8:55:17 AM PST by weegee
Nugent insists Perry loved show Aide admits the governor may not agree with rebel rocker's attire
AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry to rocker Ted Nugent: "Give 'em hell."
Nugent insisted Monday that the governor loved his inaugural ball performance last week and never criticized his decision to wear a shirt emblazoned with the Confederate battle flag.
In a telephone interview Monday, he said Perry approached him backstage after the Jan. 16 event, complimented him on "the greatest rock and roll" and thanked him for coming.
The governor followed that up with a weekend telephone call that ended with Perry telling Nugent to "give 'em hell," Nugent said.
Nugent, who disputed news accounts that he made disparaging remarks about immigrants during his inaugural appearance, said he often wears his battle flag shirt on stage during concerts. "It's cute," he said. "It's a rebel flag and I'm a rebel."
Perry's decision to invite Nugent turned what might have been a simple Austin celebration into a national news item. Nugent's appearance in rebel attire, with machine guns for props, came just hours after Perry delivered an inaugural speech noted for its moderate, conciliatory tone.
Perry's chief spokesman, Robert Black, said he had no reason to dispute Nugent's statement that the governor congratulated the rocker on his performance. "The governor is very good friends with Ted Nugent," Black said.
He said that while Perry wouldn't have advocated Nugent's choice of attire, he defended the appearance on freedom of expression grounds.
When asked if Perry, who won re-election to his second full term with 39 percent of the vote, would have invited Nugent had he known what he would wear, Black responded, "Yes."
"If you're going to defend freedom of expression, then you're going to have to defend all freedom of expression," Black said.
Another article (different quotes) here:
Nugent: Perry supports waving Confederate flag [[TEXAS][WOW]
Kill it and grill it, baby.
Wow. Still going on about a t-shirt he wore. Crazy.
When asked if Perry, who won re-election to his second full term with 39 percent of the vote, would have invited Nugent had he known what he would wear, Black responded, "Yes.""If you're going to defend freedom of expression, then you're going to have to defend all freedom of expression," Black said.
This was NOT Governor Good Hair's position during the 2006 election when he tried to paint Kinky Friedman as a racist for some statements he'd made during the campaign.
You can't take the politics out of politics, no matter how ugly it looks.
Besides, Kinky Friedman was ear candy for populist loving morons people.
Texas is much better off with Perry than with a clown.
Perry halfway admitted a week ago he's interested in POTUS.
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