Where in the World is Martha's Vineyard?

I have long been thinking that Texas Gov. Rick Perry is starting to come off as someone not particularly interested in his fellow Americans – unless of course, they are EXACTLY like he is. Unless they have lived the same exact life experience he has. I also believe strongly that unless he changes that perception, he will start to be looked upon as not-a-particularly-likable-guy. And that’s not going to fly.

From an interview he did on Laura Ingraham’s radio show Thursday:

During an interview on the Laura Ingraham radio show on Thursday, Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry characterized the nation's capital as a "seedy place."

"Look, I am not an establishment figure, never have been and frankly I don't want to be," said the Texas governor. "I dislike Washington."

Former president Bill Clinton recently jabbed Perry over his posture toward the country's capital city.

“He’s saying ‘Oh, I’m going to Washington to make sure that the federal government stays as far away from you as possible -- while I ride on Air Force One and that Marine One helicopter and go to Camp David and travel around the world and have a good time,'" he said while speaking at a fire fighter’s conference in the Big Apple, according to the New York Observer. "I mean, this is crazy."

If I may take a moment to remind the good governor that should he become President, he will be the President of all the people – including the residents of Washington, DC. Including the residents of lots of places he probably doesn’t much care for. And that while plenty of people don’t like Washington DC, it is still a city full of people who want to serve their fellow citizens. A city populated by young folks who come to live there because they care about service to America. Even if you don’t exactly agree with them.

He seemingly has a problem with folks who frequent Martha’s Vineyard, too. Also from Laura Ingraham’s radio show.

As the smoke cleared, Perry offered a final parting shot. Asked by Ingraham to pledge that he would never vacation on Martha's Vineyard, Perry replied, "I'm not even sure where it is." Ingraham laughed and concluded, "That's good enough for me."

Not sure what’s worse – the prideful, anti-intellectualism associated with pretending to not care enough to know the geography of the country you want to lead, or the your-are-not-as-American-as-I-am meta-construct that just won’t seem to die.

I have said it before. Unless he is careful:  a divider, not a uniter.