Perry's Rumsfeld connection
Washington (CNN) - Sometimes politics is conducted a bit at arms length and it appears that's exactly how former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld plans to keep it.
A source very close to Rumsfeld confirms that last week several former top Pentagon officials from Rumsfeld's tenure traveled to Austin, Texas to meet with Governor Rick Perry on national security and foreign policy issues. The source doesn't want his name used because he says Rumsfeld is not re-entering the political fray and that the arrangements were all conducted by "Perry's office" contacting "Rumsfeld's office" for ideas about whom to speak with.
The two men never spoke directly. "Rumsfeld is not advising Perry," the source insisted.
That said, Rumsfeld has met in recent weeks with a number of unspecified Republican candidates because he "stands ready to help any serious contender for the Republican nomination think through the national security challenges the country is facing," the source said.
Perry's office contacted Rumsfeld's office for a list of names of national security experts. That led to the meeting with the Texas governor which included Douglas Feith a former top official at the Pentagon involved in planning the Iraq war and its aftermath. Feith became one of the most controversial figures at the Pentagon during the Rumsfeld years, when violence in Iraq was at a peak. Also attending the meeting were other top former Rumsfeld Pentagon officials including Bill Lute and Dan Fata.
A spokesman for Gov. Perry refused to comment on any specific meetings. Mark Miner would only say "the Governor has always enjoyed meeting with a wide array of folks who bring unique experiences and views to the issues of the day."
Former Federal Prosecutor Andrew McCarthy, who is now a columnist for National Review Online, attended the meeting as well and wrote about it Wednesday.
Information about the Rumsfeld connection was first reported in Politico.
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Enough reason to keep him out of the White House. We can't afford another war, especially one brought about by lies. So using the "Rumsfeld Team" shows the guy has no clue.
Great. Perry is proving his incompetence yet again by seeking advice from a war criminal who cost America blood, money and our reputation around the world. Anyone who thinks Osama bin-Perry has anything to offer America beyond the usual GOBPbaggin' lunacy and devotion to his cult of corrupt corporatism is delusional.
that just goes to show what this perry person is about. bush 3.0!!!!!!!! don't want it. forget it. I have NOT recovered from the other bushes.
we must stop the coup that is creeping to a roller coaster pace and keep america. please do not kill this gift that was given to the world.
Great... The twits taking advice from the Rummy....
I'm glad Rumy is still committed to finding the WMDs . If any one could get us into another war it would be Perry !
Perry/Palin 2012
Log cabin GOPs for Perry !
A CROOK giving ANOTHER CROOK advice, this should make another skit on SNL soon. LOL
So they met and talked. Big deal. Maybe Governor Perry wanted to better understand what's gone wrong in the past so he doesn't repeat those mistakes. Try as the MSM might to scare voters and donors with "stories" like this, Perry's momentum continues to build. He's the one candidate who can and will win back the White House for the GOP.
Oh yeah - advise 2 MORE unfunded wars.
No No No No No HELL NO
Anyway no more J.B.W Perry same as J.B.W.
So the guys who brought us Iraq are biding their time, lurking around waiting to go into action again. The more I hear about Perry the less that I like him.
Doesn't make any difference, I am NOT going to vote for another loser from Texas to be president. We've had enough of them already.
The blind leading the blind....Now THAT'S hilarious!!
Can you say Bush junior?
If this guy gets elected, it's going to be Goerge Bush's 3rd term. He wants advice from a hack like rumsfeld?? God help us all.
Rumsfeld is the same man who said to our dying military men and women in Iraq "stop complaining, you use what you have to serve in the military" and that was referring to military personnel request better equipment because the old was getting them slaughtered in combat. Perry is a spoiled brat and I wouldn't expect any different from him than to reach out to someone like Rumsfeld for support.