Speaking to a political television program in Florida today, Gov. Rick Perry walked back his recent flirtation with the "birther" movement and announced his opposition to license plates bearing the Confederate flag.
Perry made the comments in an interview with Political Connections, a Florida television program put on by Bay News 9 and The St. Petersburg Times, according to The St. Petersburg Times.
Perry told the news program that he has no doubt that President Barack Obama is a U.S. citizen and explained that he was only kidding when he made remarks recently suggesting he was not completely convinced that Obama was born in the United States.
Perry also said on the program that he opposed a plan to offer Texas license plates with the Confederate flag on them.
"We don't need to be scraping old wounds," Perry said.
The governing board of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Perry appointees, could decide on the controversial plate within the next month. Dozens of Democratic lawmakers have opposed the proposal. More than 22,000 people have signed petitions against issuing the plate.
The plate was proposed by the Sons of Confederate Veterans, which is an ancestral history group.
Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, now a candidate for lieutenant governor, is a member of the group and has been one of the most outspoken proponents for issuing the plate.
In July, Patterson penned a guest column for the Star-Telegram about the plates. In the column, he compared the Confederate plate to one he also supported to honor the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum:
"I am proudly a member of the SCV; my great-grandfather James Monroe Cole served in the Louisiana Infantry during the War, died in the Confederate Veterans Home and is buried in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin.
"As a statewide elected official, I sponsored the plate because of my personal heritage and my commitment to Texas history - even the history others might find offensive."
-Aman Batheja
If rick is elected President he will be a BIGGER JOKE in the W/H than gwb was. He is already the biggest joke that Texas has ever had as Gov.
Posted by: merritt | October 26, 2011 at 12:38 PM
If We Can Not Have The Confederate License Plate Then We Don,t Need The BUffalo SOldiers Museum How About That
Posted by: claude dennis | October 26, 2011 at 01:26 PM
Waaaaaaaaaaay too late Rick....
The time to start using your head was back in elementary school, where you apparently became a fundamentalist, non thinking, creationist prejudiced ignoramus.
Hoepfully Texas voters will now start to see how far out to the right this guy is. Despite his parties efforts to further dumb down texas education, maybe theres hope he'll be thrown out of the Governor's mansion next time. One can only hope.
To quote Rick himself
Adios MoFo
Will dallas
Posted by: William Fraser | October 26, 2011 at 01:39 PM
Hey, (p)Rick....
What about those rumors regarding you being caught in bed with another man?
Just kidding. ...Not. Yeah, really....just kidding. Not.
Posted by: Inita Goodwun | October 26, 2011 at 02:08 PM
Rick will do whatever it takes to get a vote or a buck!! He's only in this for his rich cronnies and to fill his pockets with the voters money. You're right, he will be the biggest loser that ever occupied the White House... Surely, we Americans deserve a better choice than this dude. Bye Rick!!
Posted by: Bill | October 26, 2011 at 02:09 PM
I didn't like him before and he continuously makes me dislike him even more. I'd never, ever, ever, ever vote for Perry in a million years. He screws teachers and never kisses them.
Posted by: Scarlett | October 26, 2011 at 02:29 PM
The Buffalo soldiers didn't go around killing people because of their race. The Confederates lynched many in Louisiana during Jerry Pattersons grandfathers heydey. We defeated Mexico at the Alamo do we allow the losers of that war to have official Mexican flags sponsored by the state?
Posted by: Billy Davis | October 26, 2011 at 03:24 PM
Hey, Perry, we were just kidding when we reelected you in 2010. Will you go away now?
Posted by: Patricia | October 26, 2011 at 03:31 PM
Claude, just a history lesson. The Buffalo Soldiers was given that name by the Indians during a period in history when Blacks were slaves but were required to fight in the civil war. The Conferate Flag represents a period in history when the South did not want to free the slaves; and therefore, chose to fight and die for economic reasons. It's all in the history books. Why would anyone want to relieve this part of American history less you would love to repeat it. It's time to move on as the United Statesof America.
Posted by: cyberbird | October 26, 2011 at 03:37 PM
Governer Goodhair . . . he was missing when brains were passed out; maybe combing his hair.
But, he was at the head of the class, when money, power, and screw the middle class was on the docket.
Posted by: Charley Mayo | October 26, 2011 at 03:40 PM
All these comments seem to be knocking Perry. If he's so bad, why does he keep getting re-elected as governor? Why does Texas still have one of the lowest unemployment rates, highest hiring rates and no state tax? If you hate Perry so much, leave!
Posted by: Bryan | October 26, 2011 at 03:52 PM
Douchey McDouche-Douche
Posted by: "The" OSU | October 26, 2011 at 03:53 PM
I was so excited! I thought,maybe,he was just kidding about running for President. Is this going to be his out everytime he sticks his foot in his mouth. Just Kidding, Do Over, By-gones!
Posted by: Vikki | October 26, 2011 at 04:11 PM
There is virtually no chance Perry will be elected...or even win the GOP nomination. But if he were elected, at least he couldn't be as big a joke as our current Incompetence in Chief.
Posted by: Yehudah | October 26, 2011 at 04:22 PM
"He screws teachers and never kisses them."
That's disgusting. Especially after the teachers just got done with the students and the taxpayers.
Posted by: Yehudah | October 26, 2011 at 04:25 PM
I'm just kidding when I say you're a friggin moron and have been amazed every time people here in Texas ACTUALLY voted for you for governor.
Posted by: Irish | October 26, 2011 at 05:17 PM
Let the Bubbas have the Stars and Bars plate...That way they easily identified and therefore can be avoided. If you stifle freedom of speech you won't know who the dangerous idiots are.
Posted by: Comeback Kid | October 26, 2011 at 05:18 PM
funny how fast politicians back track on themselves if they even think someone would be upset at their comments. All politicians are no better than the ladies of the night...well the ladies are one step above them...at least you know what you are buying when taking one of them to a motel room.
Posted by: Joel | October 26, 2011 at 05:21 PM
Uh, Billy Davis, the Alamo was lost, that is why we remember it. Texas won its Independence, due to the Alamo falling to Mexico. Guess your another victim of the dumb'ed down Texas Education.
Posted by: M | October 26, 2011 at 06:02 PM
this man was a cheerleader for gods sake and an poor students, is everyone in Texas smoking dope to elect him govenor
Posted by: newt | October 26, 2011 at 06:54 PM
The similarities to Rod Blagojevich are frightening. Both are obsessed with their hair and both have a hard time finding their way out the front door.
Posted by: Chris | October 26, 2011 at 06:55 PM
Teachers should be paid as much if not even more then RN"s
Posted by: s.cuidmore | October 26, 2011 at 07:22 PM
Perry...I'm voting for you...ahhh..just kidding
Posted by: Myself | October 26, 2011 at 07:48 PM
Bryan: Because IDIOTS like you keep voting for him. I have NEVER voted for him or gwb and never would, unless I was selected for a jury panel and they were on trial for all the $$$$$$$$ they have stolen from the tax payers.
Posted by: merritt | October 26, 2011 at 08:12 PM
first of all mexico won at the alamo. but were defeated by sam houston. near what it is houston,tx. jobs are high in texas because the state has a high turn over and pay low wages because of the right to work state. wish means ceo's are allowed to hired illegals from big factories that come from the north stated and are replace by of course illegals with fake id's. so, the ceo's make so much from the illegals with no overtime and no benefits. how's that for perry money under the table as we know it. so, now you know why perry will not allowed a fence by the borderlines of mexico. plus, cartels living in texas. with big houses and nice cars. see, perry loves the money. 77.5 million dollars for his presidential campaign. the end
Posted by: gilbert hernandez | October 26, 2011 at 08:17 PM