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babylonsister

(171,056 posts)
Thu Jan 19, 2017, 09:36 AM Jan 2017

Trump offered Rick Perry a job neither one of them understood

Posted with permission.

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-offered-rick-perry-job-neither-one-them-understood?cid=sm_fb_maddow

Trump offered Rick Perry a job neither one of them understood
01/19/17 08:00 AM
By Steve Benen


An official at the Department of Energy recently found it necessary to “carefully explain” to a Trump transition aide what the agency actually does. The official did so after the Trump staffer “aide asked a series of questions that indicated he wasn’t quite sure about the department’s portfolio.”

As it turns out, the ignorance is widespread in Trump World, as evidenced by this New York Times article on the man the president-elect chose to lead the agency.

When President-elect Donald J. Trump offered Rick Perry the job of energy secretary five weeks ago, Mr. Perry gladly accepted, believing he was taking on a role as a global ambassador for the American oil and gas industry that he had long championed in his home state.

In the days after, Mr. Perry, the former Texas governor, discovered that he would be no such thing – that in fact, if confirmed by the Senate, he would become the steward of a vast national security complex he knew almost nothing about, caring for the most fearsome weapons on the planet, the United States’ nuclear arsenal.


Revelations like these aren’t just scary for the public; they’re also deeply embarrassing for the amateurs who’ll tomorrow take over the executive branch of the world’s largest superpower.

For Perry, whose confirmation hearing begins today, this is obviously cringe-worthy. Four years ago, the then-governor was determined to eliminate the Department of Energy, despite not knowing what the agency does. The DOE has a major research laboratory in Texas, but Perry, who led the state for 14 years, still never learned anything about the department’s work.

If the Times’ reporting is correct, the Republican then accepted a cabinet post without having any idea what his responsibilities would be.

But as bad as Perry looks, let’s not overlook his future boss.

Donald Trump could’ve Googled “Department of Energy” while putting together his cabinet, taken 30 seconds to read an overview of the agency’s work, and considered qualified people. If the president-elect didn’t feel like doing any of this, Trump could’ve assigned this basic task to someone on his payroll.

But Trump and his team never bothered.


Who looks more foolish: Perry for accepting a job he knew nothing about or Trump for offering a job he knew nothing about?

Postscript: The Daily Beast recently noted, “n recent years, the trend has been to appoint a Secretary of Energy with real technical expertise. President Bush appointed Samuel Bodman, who had a distinguished career as an MIT-trained chemical engineer before making a fortune in the private sector. President Obama upped the ante, appointing Berkeley’s Steven Chu and MIT’s Ernest Moniz to the position. Both are physicists. Chu has a Nobel Prize.”

Perry, however, studied “animal husbandry and led cheers at Texas A&M University.”
11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Trump offered Rick Perry a job neither one of them understood (Original Post) babylonsister Jan 2017 OP
Joe Manscum is introducing him MattP Jan 2017 #1
As I pointed out in another thread... blogslut Jan 2017 #2
Well, he IS the dumbest Aggie. Dave Starsky Jan 2017 #8
No kidding. dalton99a Jan 2017 #9
because they're both fucking morons NewJeffCT Jan 2017 #3
He has a degree in farm animal fucking. Ilsa Jan 2017 #4
He has experience Dancing with the Stars wishstar Jan 2017 #5
Animal husbandry? panader0 Jan 2017 #6
I seriously doubt that the gropper madokie Jan 2017 #7
Governor Goodhair is too stupid for this job Gothmog Jan 2017 #10
Trump is the stupid one here...Perry used to be head of Texas Dept of Agriculture LeftInTX Jan 2017 #11

blogslut

(37,999 posts)
2. As I pointed out in another thread...
Thu Jan 19, 2017, 10:00 AM
Jan 2017

Perry was Texas' governor for 15 years. Texas has a DOE nuclear munitions facility. Even the dumbest Aggie should have picked up on this.

NewJeffCT

(56,828 posts)
3. because they're both fucking morons
Thu Jan 19, 2017, 10:05 AM
Jan 2017

excuse my french. Trump even said Perry was stupid before and only wore glasses to try to look smart.

Ilsa

(61,694 posts)
4. He has a degree in farm animal fucking.
Thu Jan 19, 2017, 10:15 AM
Jan 2017

Okay, animal husbandry is a little more than that, but selective breeding is part of the study, along with with farm animal care.

Nominating him, a C student, is a gross abandonment of judgment by the PEETUS.

madokie

(51,076 posts)
7. I seriously doubt that the gropper
Thu Jan 19, 2017, 10:41 AM
Jan 2017

even knows what google is for

Google don't know everything is something I've heard many times. Googles doesn't and doesn't claim too, its simply an index to the vast array of information out there

Dumbasses doen't know the difference though


LeftInTX

(25,258 posts)
11. Trump is the stupid one here...Perry used to be head of Texas Dept of Agriculture
Thu Jan 19, 2017, 11:04 AM
Jan 2017

Why didn't he just ask Perry to be head of USDA??

I think Perry may have some experience as a farmer, then I think he sold ag products.

I know Perry is stupid, but I think he does know a little bit more about agriculture than nuclear physics.

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