'When You Look at the Way That He Governs, You See That He is Very Inclusive'

At the current rate of progress, the Washington Post hit piece series on Rick Perry may result in him being awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his stellar role in race relations. Judging by this article he's done a lot more to reach out to blacks than most any Democrats I can think of.

As governor of Texas, Rick Perry appointed the first African American to the state Supreme Court and later made him chief justice. One of Perry’s appointments to the Board of Regents of his alma mater, Texas A&M University, became its first black chairman. One chief of staff and two of his general counsels have been African American.

Perry, who is seeking the Republican nomination for president, also enjoys warm associations with many black leaders, who say he regularly reaches out to them and has personally backed some of their causes.

“When you look at the way that he governs, you see that he is very inclusive,” said Brian Newby, an African American who served first as Perry’s general counsel and then as his chief of staff before returning to private law practice in Fort Worth. “You see that in his appointments; you see that in his friendships; you see that in the way that he deals with minority legislators.”

Still, you know there's a but coming. There has to be. They've gone all in on painting him a racist and even after the humiliation of the racist rock story, they can't let go of their racism chew toy.

But many of those minority legislators say Perry has a long history — dating to his first race for statewide office more than 20 years ago — of engaging in what they see as racially tinged tactics and rhetoric to gain political advantage.

What they see as racially tinged. Not what his actual record reflects, but what one person sees as racially tinged, whatever that's supposed to mean.

Let's forget about the president marching with some of the most odious racists on the planet and attending a racist church for two decades. Rick Perry has supposedly engaged in racially tinged politics.

He could have an entire staff of African-Americans, could be married to an African-American, could call himself the First Black Governor of Texas and none of it would matter. He's a Republican and therefore must be destroyed.

I can't wait for the general election when the WaPo laments the politics of personal destruction any time Obama's faults are pointed out.