Texas Justice

Rick Perry’s comment about Social Security being a “Ponzi” scheme at the recent debate at the Reagan Library is currently overshadowing what I believe was a defining moment for this Presidential election – and further defined Governor Rick Perry as the best hope for conservatives to retake the White House in 2012. The MSNBC sponsored debate featured Brian Williams as one of the two moderators. It’s no secret MSNBC a liberal news network, having been ‘in the tank’ for President Obama for years. Late in the debate, Mr. Williams tried to paint Governor Rick Perry as a “mad killer” over Texas’ death penalty laws – and it backfired on him, much to Mr. Williams’ amazement and surprise. For those of you who missed it, the exchange when like this:

Williams: “Governor Perry, a question about Texas. Your state has executed 234 death row inmates, more than any other governor in modern times. Have you . . .”
(APPLAUSE from the audience interrupts Brian William’s question)
“Have you struggled to sleep at night with the idea that any one of those might have been innocent?”
Perry: "No sir," pointed out that death-row convicts are entitled to extensive appeals, and crisply declared: "In the state of Texas, if you come into our state and you kill one of our children, you kill a police officer, you're involved with another crime and you kill one of our citizens, you will face the ultimate justice."
(More applause from the audience)
Williams: "What do you make of that dynamic that just happened here, the mention of the execution of 234 people drew applause?"
Perry: "I think Americans understand justice. I think Americans are clearly, in the vast majority of cases, supportive of capital punishment. When you have committed heinous crimes against our citizens--and it's a state-by-state issue, but in the state of Texas, our citizens have made that decision, and they made it clear, and they don't want you to commit those crimes against our citizens. And if you do, you will face the ultimate justice.”
This exchange, to me, was the ‘moment’ that defined Governor Perry from the rest of the Republican pack – and why he probably will end up with the nomination next summer.
So all I can say to Brian Williams for his attempt to embarrass Governor Perry is “Thanks”. And just in case you forgot what the Governor told you, Mr. Williams, he, and most all other Texans, sleep just fine at night.