Perry letter commending Clinton found

Houston Chronicle ^ | March 28, 2005 | R.G. RATCLIFFE

[YCTHouston]

AUSTIN - A week after Gov. Rick Perry's campaign tried to link one of his potential GOP primary rivals to U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a 1993 letter emerged in which Perry called Clinton's efforts at health care reform "commendable."

Perry's Republican allies circulated a videotape last week that has a shot of Clinton with U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, at a nonpartisan event on historic preservation.

The videotape played up a brief hug and air kiss between the women and featured then-first lady Clinton, now the Democratic senator from New York, saying she is "delighted that Kay is my partner on so many fronts."

On Monday, Hutchison's campaign aides said the Perry letter to Clinton showed he was a hypocrite in making the videotape.

"It's a double standard. It's the ultimate in hypocrisy," said Hutchison campaign manger Terry Sullivan.

"I'm glad to see in at least some instances the governor is willing to reach across party lines," he said. "Unfortunately, it's for Hillary Clinton's socialized medicine plan."

Perry campaign manager Luis Saenz said there is no comparison between Perry writing a letter on behalf of his constituents in 1993 and Hutchison accepting praise in person from "a rather liberal New York senator."

Perry's letter falls far short of actually being an endorsement of Clinton's health care proposal. But it was written at a time when some commentators already were describing her plan of government-sponsored HMOs and health care cooperatives as "socialism."

Perry was state agriculture commissioner at the time, a position he had won in 1990 after switching from the Democratic to the Republican Party.

"I think your efforts in trying to reform the nation's health care system are most commendable," Perry wrote.

Perry asked Clinton to take special notice of the health care needs of farmers, ranchers and people in rural areas as she worked on trying to overhaul national health care.

"Again, your efforts are worthy, and I hope you will remember this constituency as the task force progresses," Perry said.

Clinton's efforts at health care reform failed. Perry has since described her plan as "a government-run, one-size-fits-all health system."

Saenz said the letter is just evidence that Perry will work with Democrats and Republicans in trying to do what is best for the state.

"In March-April of '93, I don't know that anybody knew what the final efforts were going to be," Saenz said. "That someone would try to improve health care is commendable. To have someone try to have the government take it over, as they ultimately advocated, is not."

Hutchison has said she will not announce her political plans until this summer. She previously has promised to serve only two full terms in the U.S. Senate, a period of time that will conclude at the end of her current term.

Sullivan criticized Perry's campaign for shooting the video of Hutchison and Clinton and circulating it when Hutchison is not an announced candidate.

"It shows they want to drag people down in the gutter with them," Sullivan said.

Saenz said Perry's campaign wants to act aggressively against any potential opponent.

[dfwgator]

Perry used to be a Democrat, so why is this a shock?

[MeekOneGOP]

A lot of Texas GOP used to be Democrats.

[Liberty Valance]

"Surprise, it's hypocrisy!"

Doesn't surprise me a bit. Just one more reason i'm giving Kinky Friedman a chance to nail down his platform.

Paper or plastic?

Neither.

[Humidston]

Perry/Hutchison - BOTH RINOS, IMHO.

[af_vet_rr]

Kinky Friedman will get my vote, simply to shake things up. Plus, it's about time Texas had a Jewish cowboy as a governor.

[YCTHouston]

Is he going to give Little Jewford some posh appointment?

[BobL]

"RINO Rick alert!"

Too funny. You know if this guy wasn't shoving a $200+ Billion toll road scheme down our throats, and then telling us it won't cost us anything, I'd almost be able to tolerate him as governor.

But, at this point, I think all Texas Republicans need to really consider how much of an idiot we have in Austin. I mean seriously, to attack Kay for hugging Hillary, when you've got this skeleton hanging right in the middle of your closet. The next thing we'll find out is that one of his top transportation advisors used to be a lobbyist for Cintra (the toll road company that plans on robbing Texans blind, and was awarded a monopolistic contract in a secret negotiation). Wait a minute - that's true also.

Come on Kay - help send this guy to the lecture circuit.

[BobL]

"This letter was 12 YEARS ago."

The problem was that 12 years ago was when Hillary was at her most dangerous. She had huge Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, and her husband as present. She had just changed her last name from Clinton to Rodham. She was on a tear to reshape America to her Socialist dream - but this dingbat governor couldn't even figure that out.

[MeekOneGOP]

Even the Liberal/Socialist enabling Houston Chronicle concedes:

Perry's letter falls far short of actually being an endorsement of Clinton's health care proposal.

[BobL]

"Perry's letter falls far short of actually being an endorsement of Clinton's health care proposal."

Given Hillary's track record, especially in 1993, anyone who trusted her motives to the point of praising her efforts will NEVER get respect from this Republican.

Seriously, he could have simply kept his mouth shut. He didn't have to undercut Rush and virtually everyone on the right by supporting that animal's efforts. That plan came very close to passing, and Perry's behavior was much more damaging to this country than anything Kay ever did.

[MeekOneGOP]

I will not support Kay Bailey or Carol-Keeton-Strayhorn- (insert latest surname here) in a primary challenge.

If you choose to do so, fine. See my OTHER posts here, btw. (In case you haven't already).

[BobL]

"If you choose to do so, fine. See my OTHER posts here, btw. (In case you haven't already)."

I did. I'm most po'd at Perry over this toll road scheme - any way you add the numbers, it is going to more costly to Texans than even an income tax would be. That's enough for me to want to dump him on its own.

I would agree that Carol is a total loser and I'd have a tough time voting for her over Perry, as bad as Perry is. Kay also has some weaknesses, particularly when her feminist streak shows up out of nowhere (like with Tailhook), but overall she's a pretty decent Republican, and you don't see her siding with the Dems much at all on critical issues (like taxes and judges).

I guess we just see differently.

[MeekOneGOP]

Well, that's a little different. The Toll Road thing a lot of folks
have issues with.

We're dealing wiht internal politics here. I think Perry may be
more vulnerable on that issue (Toll Roads) than this diversion.

[BobL]

I won't argue that. This toll road fiasco could really be shoved in his face by a strong opponent. I don't know if his opponents will do that, however.

[YCTHouston]

" it is going to more costly to Texans than even an income tax would be. "

Just be patient...with two full months left in the session, we may be treated to both!

[af_vet_rr]

I'm most po'd at Perry over this toll road scheme - any way you add the numbers, it is going to more costly to Texans than even an income tax would be.

Even ignoring the fact that he basically gave it away to a European company (way to put Americans first Perry!), you really have to wonder what went on behind the scenes with this boondoggle. There was a lot of money changing hands somewhere. Then again, Perry was a liberal at one time, and they do like their large and costly projects. The fact that a lot of Texans are going to basically lose their land to private companies is probably icing on the cake for people like that.

[BobL]

What really ticks me off is the $200 Billion (at least) debt that this plan envisions. While technically (at least for now) no government or taxpayer money will be at risk, whoever holds this debt is expecting to get paid back, and guess who's got the money - us.

The $200B comes out to $8,000 for every man, woman, and child in Texas, and I would have preferred it if the governor had checked in with his constituents before allowing us to be the expected re-payers of this debt.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Perry/Hutchison - BOTH RINOS, IMHO.

My dear friend,

You may not like KBH but she's no RINO. Her lifetime ACU rating is within 5% of DeLay and better than a third of the Texas Congressional Delegation - almost all in the 90% so no real RINO's unless you count Ron Paul who is 8 % behind KBH.

[af_vet_rr]

The $200B comes out to $8,000 for every man, woman, and child in Texas, and I would have preferred it if the governor had checked in with his constituents before allowing us to be the expected re-payers of this debt.

If I described the whole TTC plan, how much debt it incurs, how invasive it is (in regards to emminent domain), etc., and didn't tell you the political persuasion of the governor pushing it through, you'd swear it was a democrat.

A good example that Perry never really left the DNC. A true Conservative would never put this kind of burden on his constituents, without first making sure they were behind it (preferably through a vote).

Surprisingly, Oklahomans have remained quiet about this issue, even though it will affect them.