Well Conservatives have been waiting around patiently for a leader to rise to the surface of the Republican Party.   Someone that would speak out boldly and radically in defense of our Nation, the Constitution and Conservatism.  Yes we need impetuous radicals in the Republican Party, too,  to counter the multitude of progressive radicals in the democrat party and main stream media.  The time for timidity, over-caution and “the new tone” are dead and buried.  

For the longest “this watchman” thought that maybe Sarah Palin might be “the” GOP leader.  I truly hoped that it would be this attractive and dazzling GOP Star. But she turned out to be a shooting star that arced high and then descended into the sea extinguishing with a fizzle.    

Of course, it isn’t over till its over.  She still has time to recover but its obvious that after the MSM bloodied her,  she became rattled and hence made some extreme bad moves.  Decisions made out of fear, confusion and desperation.  Chief among these bad decisions is the one that caused her to employ very bad advisers  who  [themselves attached at the hip to the MSM] are trying to convince her to moderate toward the middle on some issues and avoid other, more critical issues altogether.  And, sadly, she seems to be following that advice.  

But this is what happens to Republican Politicians when they get mauled by the media.  They convince themselves that they must work harder to win those in the MSM over to their way of thinking.  Hence they begin to turn their backs on the voters and devote all their attentions toward pandering to the media and other special interest groups.  This all to prove that they are just normal, likeable folk.  They want to be liked more than they want to lead.  This is what, I fear, has happened to our lovely Sarah.  Such a tragedy.    So the GOP was Sarah’s for the taking after 11/4/08 but she apparently didn’t want it.  So the vacuum caused by the tremendous leadership void is still pulling.  There remains the “giant sucking sound”, as another famous Texan phrased it.  

But wait,  “lo and behold” look what has  been pulled into the vacuum hose!  Is it a hair ball?  No, not exactly, however “Gov. Good Hair” is one of his nick-names coined by the late and notorious Texas progressive, Molly Ivins.  Yes, the large lump halfway up the vacuum hose is our very own Texas Governor Rick Perry (yeee hawhh!).  Who, shall we all agree,  has been in the news lately for his rousing comments regarding the 10^th Amendment and Texas Secession.    

Even though I could not attend the Tea Party on the steps of the State Capitol  in Austin, when I viewed the you-tube video I kicked my chair back, stood and started to applaud.   And then I caught myself.  “Dude!”  This is the same Rick Perry that flip-flopped on all of his promises after his extremely thin (38%) victory on 11/7/06!  (yes that’s right-over 60% of Texans voted against him)  He talked tough action on illegal immigration/securing the border before the election and then afterwards he called those who wanted to build the fence, “idiots” and did next to nothing.  

Under his watch there are now millions of illegals that have freely strolled into Texas, siphoning off massive amounts of government service dollars and “our” high paying jobs.  Oh, and lets not forget “HPV-gate”.   Another bold move by Perry that didn’t set well at all with Texas Conservatives.   

I did write a blistering essay on Gov. Perry’s  inconsistencies  back in September ’07 that I’d like to invite you to read, here:  ( link ) Therefore, one could understand the average conservative Texan’s consternation at seeing Gov. Perry’s political star rising dramatically over the past week or so.  And knowing what “we” know about him and his tendencies to speak like a tough, principled leader just before an election and then after the victory, well he just sort of becomes a wall flower of sorts.   That all having been said, let me say that I did, respect what Gov. Perry said.  Especially his not-so-veiled threat of secession.  That took some big brass ones and it has already brought him extreme grief from certain of those in the MSM. 

That alone is enough to make me want to give the man a 2^nd chance. And what about his “ambitions”?  Well what politician isn’t ambitious?  A politician can be ambitious and retain integrity and honor.  I think.  The fact is, if Gov. Perry would continue to speak with this sort of audacity, he could easily and quickly “own” the Republican Party – Nation Wide.  Michael Steele might have a job called RNC Chair but it’d be meaningless.   If I were able to advise Gov. Perry… I’d tell him not to be intimidated, don’t hold back and - make no apologies!  This is exactly the sort of in-your-face combativeness that the conservative Base is looking for.  And combativeness is what we need right now.  We’re losing our Constitution;  soon to be nothing more than some artifact in a D.C. museum!   Its time to step up and this time, Governor, follow through with bold leadership after winning the election.   

Darvin Dowdy