Chad’s Morning Brief: Rick Perry on Mitt Romney, Obama and Pot, & More

Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of June 14, 2012. Give us your feedback below and tune in to Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty for these and many more topics from 6-9 am.

1. Perry Confident in Romney (link)

Rick Perry believes that Mitt Romney will win in November and believes that Romney can win the Hispanic vote.

Robinson, a former speechwriter for both Vice President George H.W. Bush and President Ronald Reagan, asked Perry how he reconciles his endorsement of Romney with his conservative reputation when Romney has not proposed any reforms “as sweeping and deep” as Perry and other conservative governors have implemented.

Perry argued that the president should not be making sweeping reforms, but that those decisions should be left up to the states.

“We need a president that respects the 10th Amendment and Constitution, and starts rolling back programs imposed on the state. President Romney is going to roll back Obamacare,” Perry said. “He understands that is a great move into the states' sovereign rights to deliver services they should be doing, not the federal government.”

Robinson also asked Perry about Romney's chance at winning over more Hispanic support leading up to the election, citing a poll that put President Obama ahead of Romney 70 percent to 14 percent among Hispanic voters.

Do you think Rick Perry is being honest about the chances Romney has?

2. Cruz Steps In (link)

U.S. Senate candidate, Ted Cruz, jumped into the middle of an online fight between one of his more vocal supporters and Team Dewhurst. According to the Statesman:

U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz on Wednesday waded into a Twitter fight over a supporter’s online comment that the campaign of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst had exploited a “deformed disabled vet” by featuring the retired Marine in a video at the state GOP convention last weekend.

After two days of tweets on the issue, Cruz posted a statement on his campaign blog in which he acknowledged that the initial comment from Garland tea party activist Katrina Pierson was inappropriate. But he also called the subsequent Twitter deluge an unfair assault on an unpaid volunteer.

“Following Katrina’s tweet, the Dewhurst campaign staff has begun relentlessly attacking her. Katrina is a grassroots tea party activist. She is an unpaid volunteer and a single mom who has devoted thousands of hours to fighting to defend liberty and restore our Nation,” Cruz wrote. “If the Dewhurst Attack Machine must attack somebody, let them level their vitriol at me.”

3. Is Legalizing Weed Obama's Secret Weapon? (link)

Will younger Democrats show up to the polls to vote for Obama if legalizing pot is on the ballot?

In 2004 George W. Bush's re-election campaign worked to put anti-gay marriage ballot initiatives up for vote in several swing states in order to turn out more hard-core conservatives to the polls. This year the question is whether marijuana legalization measures will turn out young voters for Obama.

This year there's another incumbent president with modest approval ratings who could turn out his base with controversial ballot measures. But this time, the issue features no biblical or scatological imagery. In 2012, voters in swing states will decide whether they'll allow their fellow citizens to bear joints. Unlike the gay marriage votes, there's no indication that Obama's re-election team is behind any of the pot legalization initiatives, but there are Democrats who are hoping that it will boost turnout among weed's biggest fans: young people.

Short answer? Nope. I don't think you will see a lot of young people vote at all in this election.

4. France Wants Obama (link)

92% of the French want President Obama re-elected to another term. This according to a new poll out that took a look at Obama's numbers in 21 nations.

An overwhelming majority, 92 percent, of people in France want to see Barack Obama reelected president of the United States, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center.

The 21-nation survey, conducted by Pew’s Global Attitudes Project from Mar. 17 to Apr. 20, found that “despite disappointment with Obama’s policies, there is still considerable support for his reelection in many countries, especially in Europe.”

Of course, France just elected a socialist as President so is there any surprise that France loves Obama?

5. Dumb Story of the Morning (link)

It looks as though NYC hasn't learned much.

The board hand-picked by Mayor Michael Bloomberg that must approve his ban of selling large sugar-filled drinks at restaurants might be looking at other targets.

The New York City Board of Health showed support for limiting sizes of sugary drinks at a Tuesday meeting in Queens.  They agreed to start the process to formalize the large-drink ban by agreeing to start a six-week public comment period.

At the meeting, some of the members of board said they should be considering other limits on high-calorie foods.

One member, Bruce Vladeck, thinks limiting the sizes for movie theater popcorn should be considered.

"The popcorn isn't a whole lot better than the soda," Vladeck said.

Another board member thinks milk drinks should fall under the size limits.

"There are certainly milkshakes and milk-coffee beverages that have monstrous amounts of calories," said board member Dr. Joel Forman.

6. Good Brews Good News of the Day (link)

Paralyzed student walks a graduation.

A Scripps Ranch High School senior who has been paralyzed from the neck down since he was a toddler walked across the stage to receive his diploma Tuesday.

Patrick Ivison received a standing ovation at a packed Viejas Arena during  the schools graduation ceremony.

“He has definitely been an inspiration,” said another graduate.  “Just being able to do something like that is a huge accomplishment, so I am proud of him.”

Everyday, Good Brews Coffee & Tea Lounge brings you the Good News of the Day!

Other Top Stories:

Texas Officeholders Give Thoughts on Sagebrush Lizard Ruling

Taxpayer Funded Cell Phones

The Education Bubble

No New Trial for John Edwards

These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty. Tune in mornings 6-9am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com.