Sen. Frank Antenori has a message for what he calls the "food police'': Don't get between him and his red meat.
The Tucson Republican launched into a self-described "rant'' this past week on the Senate floor defending his right to life, liberty, happiness -- and the Egg McMuffin.
"I love Egg McMuffins,'' he said in his floor speech.
What set him off, Antenori said, was listening to a radio report one morning while waiting in the McDonalds drive-through about how some people -- he included the Obama administration -- were giving a hard time to Food Network star Paula Deen, pressuring the chef known for her recipes that do not skimp on the sugar and fat to promote more "heart healthy'' items.
"By the time I got to the poor girl at the drive-through, my blood pressure was going up,'' the senator told colleagues. Antenori said what he and other's eat is no one else's business.
"I spent 20 years fighting and getting shot at for this country,'' he said, including that right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
"So those of you that hate things, just hate them to yourself,'' Antenori said. Don't try to impose your hatred and despising of certain things that those of us like.''
And if there's any doubt about what Antenori likes, he made it clear.
"If I want to go out with my wife and buy a big 24-ounce chunk of charred mammal flesh and a baked potato smothered with butter and chives, I earned the right to do that,'' the senator continued. "So, please, stick to your own little issues and leave the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness to those of us that like to defend it.''
Antenori said that philosophy extends beyond what he shoves in his mouth.
"If you don't like guns, don't buy a gun,'' he said. "If you don't like a big truck that fits two elk in the back and three tons of sand, don't buy a big truck, OK?''
Deen revealed earlier this month on the Today show that she has Type 2 diabetes which is kept in check with injected medications. But she also said she has no plans to change the types of food she cooks on her show.
Antenori said he is 5-foot 10-inches tall and weighs 215 pounds. But he said his cholesterol levels asre very low for a good reason.
"I walk out in the wilds, I go hunting, I seek more charred mammal meat,'' he told Capitol Media Services subsequent to his floor speech. Antenori described himself as one of many "red-blooded Americans that like red, bloody meat.''
CooperG posted at 8:00 pm on Fri, Jan 20, 2012.
I don't suppose it doesn't matter that neither of the Obama's or their administration actually said what Antenori heard on the radio?
Heck, no reason to let facts get in the way of ideology...
shrinkingviolet posted at 9:18 pm on Fri, Jan 20, 2012.
If you don't like an abortion, don't get an abortion.
LarryCroft posted at 9:56 pm on Fri, Jan 20, 2012.
Good for the senator.
mwmike posted at 4:57 am on Sat, Jan 21, 2012.
Thanks for being such a shining example for the obese and diabetic children in your district and the state. Whatever you do, make sure you criticize the President and the First Lady for their unselfish efforts.
junglebunny posted at 5:39 am on Sat, Jan 21, 2012.
Article states that the Senator said that he spent 20 years being shot at....well that was some sort of long war wasnt it.....I wonder what war that was that the valiant senator served in....I served 2 times in Vietnam and only got shot at once and they missed. Maybe I get an extra egg mcmuffin for that.....LOL this guy is a jerk
Masterrogue666 posted at 5:59 am on Sat, Jan 21, 2012.
CooperG: Actually, you are wrong.
http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2012/01/first-lady-michelle-obama-will-unveil.html#more
mwmike: I guess you want to give up some of your personal liberties, like freedom of choice......
lectricheart posted at 6:08 am on Sat, Jan 21, 2012.
His Majesty Obama wants to get his fingers in all of our liberties.
wdgnas posted at 7:22 am on Sat, Jan 21, 2012.
so if the state senator is for the pursuit of happiness, does that mean just his pursuit of happiness or everybody's pursuit of happiness. how does he feel about gay marriage? isn't that the pursuit of happiness? or was he taken "out of context"?
Juggernaut8000 posted at 8:24 am on Sat, Jan 21, 2012.
George Orwell 1984.
retired03 posted at 8:36 am on Sat, Jan 21, 2012.
first of my dear senator, excercise does not reduce cholesterol in the blood. Some folks just naturally flush it out of their system. My dad ate a half pound of bacon and 3 eggs every morning. His cholesterol was normal.
Secondly to you, and the rest of you in here hating on the Obamas. Whats wrong with encouraging Americans to stop obesity? whats wrong with encouraging a healthy lifesyle? kids do not excercise today and allowing them to eat unhealthy foods causing obesity is a very real problem. This Food police my rear end. If he gets this out of control over a radio add, how is he when he is on the senate floor? This guy is nothing more than another media hound politicion and a blow hard.
PeacefulCat posted at 9:54 am on Sat, Jan 21, 2012.
I am all for healthy...I am also for not letting someone tell me what to eat or what I can put into my body!
shrinkingviolet posted at 10:39 am on Sat, Jan 21, 2012.
This is just another typical blowhard buffoonish "I want to run your life, but you can't run mine" Arizona Republican. Except he's from Tucson, so nobody gives a flip what he says or does.
DrJCA1 posted at 3:03 pm on Sat, Jan 21, 2012.
Why do Americans always confuse and mix up points of view. There is a huge difference between people in power asking, or even cajoling, others to be healthier, drive properly, don't abuse alcohol or drugs and other items, and the legislating bodies actually passing laws to stop these trends. I'm all for everyone pushing for healthier lifestyles, but dead set against the government forcing me or any of my patients to do it. This guy is simply looking for some free publicity and when he drops dead of a heart attack or stroke at 57 years old (give or take a few years), his family will be so proud and happy that he scoffed at eating decently. Idiots. By the way, he should weigh about 175 at his height, so he's already overweight.
mwmike posted at 5:28 am on Sun, Jan 22, 2012.
You too can be fat and bald in your mid 40's. And this idiot claims he has a degree in Health Sciences.
jezzabella posted at 5:59 am on Mon, Jan 23, 2012.
Just another Arizona embarrassment. How ignorant do you have to be to believe raising nutrition standards for school lunches means "food police"? The man is proud he is in line for his egg mcmuffin which has a whopping 820mg of sodium? Have a couple and add a hash brown and he is eating 1950mg of sodium just to start his day. Stupid is as stupid does. But guess who has pay for his stroke? The tax payer.
jstack6 posted at 9:22 am on Mon, Jan 23, 2012.
As long as he pays for his own Health Insurance he can eat what he wants. Just don't make all of us pay for your poor habits. There are lots of health studies that show you make a big effect on your heath by what you eat and how often you exercise.
WylieDog posted at 9:53 pm on Tue, Jan 24, 2012.
Not a whole lot different than someone telling someone else what they can and can't smoke, is it Senator?