George Pataki, the current governor of New York and a potential G-O-P presidential candidate of the future, visited the Iowa State Fair today (Friday).
Like most politicians, Pataki made the traditional pilgrimage to the Pork Producers tent and ate a grilled pork chop. “It was fantastic,” Pataki told reporters afterwards. “You know we have a great state fair in New York but we don’t have pork chops. We don’t have pork on a stick. I’ve got to say this was very, very good.”
Earlier this week, Pataki called for more tax incentives for fuel-efficient cars and promotion of alternative fuels like ethanol and biodiesel that’re made from something besides oil. Pataki argues America’s dependence on oil is a threat to the nation’s security because the foreign oil supply has “undeniable ties to terror, to global instability and to continued environmental degradation.” Pataki stressed that theme during his state fair visit. “We were over at the Farm Bureau and they had these shirts about new energy and I think that’s important not just for Iowa and not just for agriculture in Iowa, I think it’s important for our country,” Pataki said.
Pataki praised Americans for calmly adjusting to new airline security rules enacted after an airline terror plot was disclosed on Thursday, and the New York governor called the incident a reminder that this is a country at war. “It’s a war against committed barbarians who would engage in suicide attacks and who have no qualms using terrror and killing civilians,” Pataki says. “We have to be aggressive and win that war.”
Pataki will appear at weekend fundraisers around the state to help other local GOP candidates raise money. Pataki went on a fairgrounds hand-shaking tour with the Republican candidate for state Ag Secretary. But Pataki was reluctant to talk about his own presidential aspirations. “People are great and I’ve just had a tremendous time. I’ve enjoyed meeting a bunch of people,” Pataki says. “More importantly, I enjoy the fair itself. You know, there’s going to be a million people here and they’re not here to meet the politicians. They’re here to have fun at the fair and have a pork-chop-on-a-stick…I hope I have a chance to do a lot of that, too.”