Nugent calls Abbott 'my blood brother'

Musician and gun rights advocate Ted Nugent (C) attends U.S. President Barack Obama's State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress February 12, 2013 in Washington, DC. Rep. Steve Stockman (R-TX) invited Nugent as his guest for the President's speech. less Musician and gun rights advocate Ted Nugent (C) attends U.S. President Barack Obama's State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress February 12, 2013 in Washington, DC. Rep. Steve Stockman ... more Image 1 of / 53 Caption Close Nugent calls Abbott 'my blood brother' 1 / 53 Back to Gallery

DENTON – Rocker Ted Nugent and Attorney General Greg Abbott, the presumed GOP nominee for governor, praised each other as fighters for freedom at a Tuesday campaign event.

The two gave short shrift to Democratic criticism stemming from Nugent's incendiary comments about President Obama, women political figures and immigrants.

"We don't have to question Greg Abbott's courage – because he invited me here today," Nugent told the crowd at El Guapo's restaurant in Denton. The two were scheduled to appear again later in Wichita Falls.

Nugent called Abbott "the epitome of what our founding fathers wanted as a representative of 'we the people,'" and said Abbott has an understanding of individual rights and has fought "the enemies of these freedoms." He introduced Abbott as "my friend" and "my blood brother."

Abbott called Nugent "a fighter for freedom in this country."

Sen. Wendy Davis, the presumed Democratic nominee, kept up the criticism of the joint appearance in a statement, saying, "Greg Abbott's embrace of Ted Nugent is an insult to every Texan – every man, woman, husband, and father. If this is Greg Abbott's idea of values, it's repulsive."

Nugent said "liberal Democrats ... destroy everything."

"We had a Wendy Davis in Detroit. We had a Wendy Davis in Michigan. Her name was (Gov.) Jennifer Granholm," said Nugent, who's known as the Motor City Madman after his Detroit roots.

Asked about Nugents past comments, Abbott repeatedly said that he was unaware of them, including a 2008 appearance on Fox News in which Nugent was asked if he would want to kill people who come illegally into this country.

"If they're armed, and they're attacking our country, yes," Nugent said then, according to a transcript on Fox News. When it was suggested that the immigrants would not be attacking, but simply coming over the border, Nugent said, "In an unauthorized entry, armed, like they are right now, invading our country, I'd like to shoot them dead." He suggested Monday he was talking about drug cartels.

Abbott said, "I know nothing about that."

More generally, he said, "I don't know what he may have said or done in his background. What I do know is that Ted Nugent stands for the Constitution."

On Monday, an Abbott campaign spokesman said Nugent may say some things with which Abbott disagrees, but cited the rocker's advocacy for "individual liberty and constitutional rights, especially the Second Amendment rights cherished by Texans." Democrats have highlighted Nugent comments, including those in which he referred to President Obama as "a Chicago communist-raised, communist-educated, communist-nurtured subhuman mongrel."

They have pointed to a 2013 column by Nugent in which he said people here illegally should be treated like "indentured servants" until they "earn their citizenship."

Critics also have cited him referring to Hillary Clinton as a "worthless bitch." Nugent said in a Monday interview that a 2007 concert appearance in which he made the latter comment is entertainment in the vein of performers like 1960 comedian and satirist Lenny Bruce.

Nugent said the criticism is "hateful" but does not bother him.

"I'm a rock and roller," he said. "I wrote 'Wang Dang Sweet Poontang.' How are you going to offend me?"