Style, Substance, Perry, and the Media

Rick Perry gave a superb speech to NH Cornerstone, a New Hampshire conservative group.  The full speech is here and well worth the time to watch (about 25 minutes).  In fact, this partisan New Hampshire reporter considers the speech close to perfect for the audience. 

How did the left-leaning media react?  As could perhaps be anticipated, with ridicule and mockery.  For example, in a harsh piece by Brian Browdie of the NY Daily News titled "Rick Perry's unusually expressive 2012 speech in New Hampshire sparks rumors he was drunk," Mr. Browdie said:

During his remarks at the Cornerstone Action Dinner in Manchester, the Republican presidential candidate seemed to titter at his own jokes, gesticulate wildly, make odd facial expressions and go off on strange tangents.

A video, edited to about eight minutes, is included in a Politico posting by Alexander Burns titled "Rick Perry's Bizarre New Hampshire Speech."  There are several other similar edits.  A three-minute, forty-second version that appeared on the ABC News website was used to create a timeline for the comparisons that follow.  The edited versions went viral, but very few people took the time to watch the entire 25-minute speech.

Why did the media react this way?  Maybe because Perry is a conservative, and the media are liberal.   Maybe for Perry's exhibiting "unquestionably unpresidential behavior," as David Badash of the New Civil Rights Movement put it.  What is the current definition of presidential behavior during a speaking engagement?  The loud, monotonous rant we are witnessing so often of late?  The disingenuous or worse content of those rants?

Perry opened his remarks with the World Series.  He said that he had arrived in New Hampshire Thursday evening with the Rangers leading 7-4.  He gave an exuberant shout, with much arm-waving ("gesticulating wildly").  Texas was finally going to be a world champion after fifty years.  Then, in a much more subdued voice, Perry said that it was now Friday, and they were still playing.  This is where the edited version dropped out.  In the actual speech, Perry went on to say that Chris Carpenter was pitching, and he is from New Hampshire, implying that Texas had no chance.  Self-deprecating humor, timing that Jack Benny would envy, and audience involvement.  The crowd went wild -- cheers and applause.  He had them.

As an aside, President Obama snubbed the Cardinals (from the swing state of Missouri) by not giving the traditional presidential congratulations.  Presidential behavior, Mr. Badash?  Smart politics, Mr. Badash?

A Field of Flags

There is a field of American flags in Plaistow.  There are 6,295 of them to be exact.  There is one flag for each serviceman or woman whose life was lost in Afghanistan or in Iraq since 9/11.  God bless them all.



The Field of Flags

The field of flags went up a couple of weeks ago and I finally stopped to learn about it the other day.  I went into the Art Gallery located just in front of the field and was met by the proprietor, a charming young woman, Nicole DeClerck (see here and here).  She gave me permission to photograph the display and to use the pictures to illustrate an article on the Internet.  I took my iPad and wandered through the flags, snapping pictures.  Later, Nicole and I exchanged e-mails.  I sent the pictures I had taken and she sent a picture of the painting shown.  It is titled “Isaiah 1” and is inspired by a painting by Van Gogh. 

Isaiah 1 by Nicole DeClerck

The painting touches me inside and echoes God and country.  Thank you, Nicole.

The flag field covers about an acre.  The individual flags are the size used to mark the graves of service people for Memorial Day, some two feet high.  They are located on two-foot centers with a wider aisle for handicapped access every four rows of flags.  Each flag is identified with a card bearing the name of the service person, the branch of service, the home town, the age, and the date of death.  Flags of female service members are decorated with a small flower.

The Flag in Honor of Brian K. Van Dusen

The Flag in Honor of Chystal Gaye Stout

There is a stage at one corner of the field.  The stage is a field of blue with white stars.  The Flag of Honor flies from one corner of the stage, the American Flag from the other corner.  The Flag of Honor is similar to the American Flag but with the names of all of the victims of 9/11 printed within the flag’s stripes.  There are wreaths at the base of the stage honoring our fallen in all of our wars.

The Flag of Honor

For all of its physical beauty, the field of flags is more a stimulus for the psyche, an elicitor of emotions, and a probing of the soul.  It is intended to evoke contemplation, reflection, and introspection.  What does it mean to be an American?  What do we ask of our young people?  Can we adequately honor our fallen?

The field of flags is the loving work of the Rock Church Ministries and is located at the Rockingham Church, 90 Newton Road (Route 108 at the intersection of Sweet Hill Road) in Plaistow, N.H.  The Rock Church Ministries have other locations in Sandown, NH and Amesbury, MA.

The field is open to the public.  There will be a special services on Sun, Nov. 13 to honor our veterans.  All are welcome.

This post appeared originally in the Exeter Patch on 10 November 2011.