GOPer invites Obama mask-wearing rodeo clown to Texas

"Texans value speech, even if its speech they don’t agree with,” said Steve Stockman

Published August 15, 2013 1:53PM (EDT)

A rodeo clown, banned from Missouri State Fairs for life for wearing an Obama mask during a show, might just have the chance to perform again. Rep. Steve Stockman, a Texas Republican, invited the rodeo clown to perform in his state. "I’m sure any rodeo in Texas would be proud to have performers," he said in a statement.

"Liberals want to bronco bust dissent. But Texans value speech, even if its speech they don’t agree with,” wrote Stockman.

“Disagreeing with speech is one thing. Banning it and ordering citizens into reeducation classes for mocking a liberal leader is another,” he continued. “Liberals have targeted this man for personal destruction to create a climate of fear.”

“The liberal reaction is straight out of Alinsky.  They want to crush dissent by isolating and polarizing anyone who questions Obama, even if it’s a rodeo clown with a harmless gag,” he said. “The idea to create a state of fear and make people afraid to trivialize Obama.  No one tried to personally destroy the rodeo clown who wore a George H.W. Bush mask.”

Stockman is not the first to lend his support to the rodeo clown: Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan argued that it would be “classy" if the President defended the clown.


By Jillian Rayfield

Jillian Rayfield is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on politics. Follow her on Twitter at @jillrayfield or email her at jrayfield@salon.com.

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Barack Obama House Republicans Missouri Steve Stockman Texas