[Content Note: Disablism; entitlement.]
"I would recommend anybody running for the presidency make sure you're healthy. I'd had major back surgery, and I didn't prepare properly, and I think the real issue there was I thought being governor of the state of Texas for twelve years was enough preparation to run for presidency and the fact of the matter is, there's nothing like it, and until you've done it, you don't even realize what a challenge it is. These broad array of issues that you have to have more than just passing knowledge of. ...Number one, you gotta be healthy, and secondly, you gotta prepare, and it takes years of preparation, I would suggest to you."—Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry, explaining to Fox News' Chris Wallace why he was a terrible candidate in 2012.
This quote is getting some attention because it's so perfectly indicative of Perry's entitlement and ignorance. I've got news for you, Rick Perry: I have never even considered running for president of the United States, and I am nonetheless eminently aware of how immensely prepared someone who does want to run for that office has to be on a vast number of domestic and foreign policy issues.
But I also want to highlight how profoundly disablist this pathetic excuse for his incompetence is. While it may well be true that he, personally, was not in top form after having had back surgery, this idea that only "healthy" people are capable of running for president and/or effective governance is hogwash.
I'm guessing if he were asked directly whether he believes people with disabilities and/or chronic medical issues are inherently unqualified for the presidency, he would say no. (Or maybe he wouldn't!) But that's certainly what he's saying here: That health is a prerequisite for the presidency.
And he's marginalized people with disabilities and/or chronic medical issues all because he is too cowardly to own his mistakes outright.
Disability is not a disqualifying characteristic for the US presidency, but cowardice certainly us.
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