Can Perry’s prayer event meet expectations?

[sonias]

First Reading blog AAS 8/3/11
Can Perry’s prayer event meet expectations?

What if you threw a prayer rally and nobody came?

That won’t be the case Saturday at Gov. Rick Perry’s Response event at Reliant Stadium. So far, about 8,000 people have registered. But the stadium holds 70,000, and it appears Perry will fall far short of his stated hope of filling the place?

Did Perry and organizers of the event set expectations that were too high? Why did his team not see that governors would be unlikely to attend before he publicly invited every one of them? And why not hold it at a smaller venue — a basketball arena, perhaps, instead of one of the largest stadiums in Texas?

Members of Perry’s team will say the event shouldn’t be seen through a political lens because it is about prayer and reflection, not Perry and not politics. Organizers are trying to make sure that the event is not political, and Perry is certainly someone who has talked openly about faith throughout his time in public office. But the country will be watching the Response because of Perry, who is likely to soon announce he is running for president of the United States, and with his highly visible role, you just can’t take politics out of the event.

(snip)
The Houston Chronicle reports this morning that Reliant Park officials say they are planning for a “small arena configuration” that would accomodate about 10,000 people.

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[tanyev]

1. "Uh...hi...we're looking to rent 60,000 blow up dolls for one weekend....

The party I represent needs to remain completely anonymous. Can you help with this? Oh yeah, we'll need several air tanks, too."

[sonias]

2. Day of Debauchery & Gluttony

The D&G event has more than 50,000 reservations. Ok so it's a national event but I bet there are quite a few Texans in that mix. More than Perry's 10K I bet.
facebook.com/dayofdebauchery

In response to Governor Rick Perry and the American Family Association's "Day of Prayer and Fasting".

For those of us who think there's more to fixing the nation's problems than just skipping a couple of meals and praying to the man in the sky to get rid of the sodomites, non-whites and poor people.


:kick:

[CoolOnion]

3. lol! Great that the D&G event is drawing more people!

And, I believe, Rick Perry had intended for his to be a national event. He's just had to back off a bit since only 2 of the other governors are interested (and it looks like Brownback is backing out).

[sonias]

4. Yes the other Governors are running away from it like rats on sinking ship

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[white cloud]

5. K&R

:toast:

[TEXASYANKEE]

12. Pray, pray, pray.

I'm of the mind that God has turned on the furnace because of Perry firing so many teachers.

[mh74562]

10. haha

[TxVietVet]

6. Yeah, right. The conservanazi bible thumpers will have to give away tickets.

They'll get some rich goofy reichwing wacko to provide money. I think Prettyhair wants to make a good show for his "coming out" party in the race for the conservanazi candidacy for president.

All the kockroaches will be coming out of the trash pile.

[sonias]

7. Plus they will pay for some benchwarmers

You know that in addition to "giving away tickets" they'll find some manufactured crowd to make it look bigger. Just like the bushies used in the 2000 recount protests. Paid protesters were bused in to Austin.

Would not surprise me one bit to see the kockroaches pick up the tab for hundreds of buses of fake worshipers. :puke:

[sonias]

8. A Wingnut & A Prayer

Texas Observer 8/4/11
A Wingnut & A Prayer

With each passing day, Rick Perry's Christian prayer-and-repentance rally, The Response, seems like more of a mistake, a classic act of hubris by a politician still learning his way around the national stage. First, the backlash has been fierce, not just from the "usual suspects" like the ACLU and Americans for Separation of Church and State, but also a wide swath of American faith leaders as well as gay rights activists. Just today the Houston Chronicle reported that:

On Tuesday, more than 50 Houston-area religious and community leaders disseminated a signed statement drafted by the Anti-Defamation League expressing "deep concern" about a prayer rally "not open to all faiths," while the Houston GLBT Political Caucus and related organizations announced a Friday rally at Tranquility Park to protest the event. The groups that represent gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered individuals accused the American Family Association and other sponsors of the prayer event of hatred toward the GLBT community.

With competing events planned for Saturday, The Response is likely to be remembered as much for its sweaty supplicants as those calling Perry out for intolerance and religious bigotry.

I love that headline. Sounds like something the Daily Show would come up with! :applause::applause::applause:

[onestepforward]

9. Great headline!

It goes well with this picture!



:rofl:

[sonias]

11. Did you know he got cloned?

Texas Tribune 8/4/11
Perry's Adult Stem Cell Treatment Was Doctor's First Attempt

The doctor who performed a controversial adult stem cell infusion on Rick Perry during a July spinal surgery said Wednesday night that he’d never done the procedure before he did it for the governor, who could announce a run for the presidency any day.

(snip)
The adult stem cell procedure Jones performed is the subject of fierce debate, largely because it isn’t FDA-approved, has had mixed success and can cost tens of thousands of dollars (insurance doesn't cover it). Some doctors are firmly convinced the therapy has near-miraculous effects and can regenerate muscle and tissue in sick or injured patients. Others say there’s scant clinical evidence that it’s effective and that the success stories are largely anecdotal.

:shrug:

[onestepforward]

13. No, I didn't

Yikes! I'm glad it was just his back and not an attempt to make another little Ricky :D