First there were charges that Gov. Rick Perry was filming B-roll for his patriotic gubernatorial campaign just days after the Sept. 11 attacks (Perry spokeswoman Kathy Walt vehemently denied the allegation.) Now we have David Dewhurst chest-thumping his role as head of the Guv’s Homeland Security Task Force in the text of a political ad prominently featured in this month’s Texas Monthly.
Using the attacks to further political goals is certainly questionable, and it seems the law of instant karma has pinched ol’ Dewhurst on his lily-white Republican patootie. You can almost hear the bombs bursting in air behind the ad’s text: “As chairman of the Governor’s task force on Homeland Security, David Dewhurst encourages you to support President Bush and the brave men and women of our armed forces as they fight to eliminate terrorism and work to restore confidence in our economy.” Aside from the patriotic flag-waving, however, is a blatant faux pas: The stoic military man standing in front of the American flag is actually wearing a German military uniform, evidenced by the little German flag on his name plate.
This article appears in November 2 • 2001.