Rick Perry: Leadership or Scholarship

Recently, our friend Steve, at SteveBussey.com, asked if we'd seen the article in the Huffington Post about Governor Rick Perry's grades while a student at Texas A & M University - College Station.  We had not, and knowing that Steve had written about it in his blog, we read his post and read the story in the Huffington Post.  We recalled having read Perry's biography in Wikipedia, and at the time his grades had not been posted.  Now when searching Wikipedia again, we noticed that his grades and his academic probation were part of the story.  Naturally, this fact sparked our interest.

What came first, we wondered, the Huffington Post's article, or the Wikipedia addition?  Unfortunately, we'll never get confirmation, but we don't doubt that the two are somehow connected.  Anyone who has access to the Internet can be a contributor to Wikipedia.   Who did? The contributor had to be someone perhaps inspired by fear of Rick Perry's rapid ascension into the national scene.  Would making his   academic records public would be of great interest to the public, and perhaps help Obama's sagging ratings?  The  liberal media certainly has embraced the news and publicized it ad nauseum, hoping that it would make a difference to voters.

Having been an "Aggie Mom" really gives us a first hand knowledge of the many possibilities for Perry's low grades.  We doubt that the reason for his academic scores are due to lack of intelligence.  There have been  many honor students who have gone on to Texas A & M University and have either had to go on academic probation, or have had to leave the university.  Certainly the university is not to blame. The academic curriculum at Texas A & M is one of the best and most rigorous in the country.  However, each individual student makes a choice to either hit the books and concentrate on academic achievement, or take advantage of all the activities that a thriving, energetic, and vigorous university and city offer. One must also consider the difference in a college campus and the small communities where some students grow up.  It can be overwhelming. We are not excusing Perry's lack of application.  Whether Rick Perry partied at school, is not something we know, but the fact that he was able to pull his grades up to remain a Yell Leader, hints at his priorities at that young age.

The hypocrisy of the media is what really  confounds us.  Are we to presume that all of Perry's detractors were honor students at school and never gave in to the temptations of having fun?  Are college grades really that important a prerequisite to be president?  If so, we want to see Barack Obama's grades, NOW!  Valerie Jarrett, herself has asserted that the president's academic records will never be revealed! We know nothing about Obama's academic achievement.  We've seen nothing that he wrote for the Harvard Law Review which he supposedly edited.  The only thing of which we are sure is that he no longer has a license to practice law.  Why?

Let's take a look at some previous presidents' academic endeavors.  Abraham Lincoln had about 18 months of schooling as a child, yet he passed a test to become a lawyer.  He was self taught.  Harry Truman never did get a Bachelor's degree.  Of the earlier presidents George Washington, Zachary Taylor and Andrew Johnson never really had formal schooling, other than tutors and apprenticeships.  Woodrow Wilson on the other hand was a Princeton graduate and ranks at the very top scholastically.  We'll let the reader decide  if and how his intelligence and academic achievement  influenced his presidency. 

We must also consider all the documented instances of plagiarism by politicians, one who easily comes to mind is Vice President Joe Biden.  Others were United States President John F. Kennedy, and American Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King.

Then of course there are other Americans who went on to be investors, industrialists,  and philanthropists, who had very little formal schooling.  That group includes, Thomas Alva Edison, Henry Ford,  and John D. Rockefeller among many others. There are also many others who left college and never graduated, but made their mark on American history nonetheless.

Why then at a time when Rick Perry, the longest sitting Governor in Texas history, a strong proponent of states' rights, a man who has had the courage to challenge President Obama's policies, and who appears to be on the verge of announcing his candidacy for the Republican nomination, are his college records so important? 

We will answer that question as we did Steve Bussey's article on the same subject:

"The Huff-Po’s breaking news about Perry’s academic achievement came right out of Wikipedia where anyone can read the information about his grades. As a Texan I’ve seen many high school honor student flunk out of Texas A & M, mostly because they weren’t focusing on studies. Once they matured and got their act together they did extremely well. They were basically young fun loving kids who got caught up in Aggie non academic activities.        Pfffft!

What is important, and neither the Kenyan Barry O nor the Greek Arianna Stasinopoulos can claim, is what is true about Rick Perry: Upon graduation, he was commissioned in the United States Air Force, completed pilot training and flew C-130 tactical airlift in the United States, the Middle East, and Europe until 1977. He left the Air Force with the rank of captain, returned to Texas and went into business farming cotton with his father.

Perry managed to graduate, he served his country and he has governed Texas successfully, while Obama has brought the country to its knees.

“Nuff said!"

As we have previously stated, we are not endorsing any candidate yet, but as conservative Republicans we feel that it is our duty to correct the spins that the liberal media puts on the character, personality, integrity, and worthiness of the GOP candidates and potential candidates.  Tomorrow we will address a political leader's right to practice his religion.  Stay tuned.

Two Sisters