Minor Observations

A quote from Texas Governor Rick Perry, referencing a campaign contribution from Merck Pharmaceuticals. "It was a $5,000 contribution that I had received from them," Perry said. "I raised about $30 million, and if you're saying that I can be bought for 5,000, I'm offended."

A real straight-up dude.

In fact, he's received closer to $30,000 from Merck over the years, but who's counting? The point most people seem to have missed here is the way he replied to the suggestion that he had been bought by the drug company, and that their contributions to his campaigns led him to issue an executive order requiring the HPV vaccine for young girls in Texas. Note that he doesn't argue that he can be bought, but instead objects to the implication that he could have been bought for such a paltry sum. It takes way more than $5,000 to buy Rick Perry. Apparently, it takes more like $30,000.