Country music star Willie Nelson has criticized President Barack Obama for not going to the border last month to see the crisis involving thousands of children crossing illegally into the United States.
"I think he should have gone to the border," Nelson, who lives in Austin, Texas,
told Rolling Stone. "To be that close and not go is kind of crazy, I think. But I'm sure he had all kinds of advisers, and he quit listening to me a long time ago.”
Nelson, who’s had Obama and Michelle Obama on board his tour bus as visitors, also said he’s pals with Texas Gov. Rick Perry and that the potential Republican presidential candidate in 2016 is a good person.
"He and I are friends,” said Nelson, 81, adding that Perry has also been on his bus. "We probably disagree on some things, but we probably agree on some also. He's a good guy."
Although Obama was in Texas for two Democratic fundraisers, he refused Perry’s offer to tour the area where thousands of unaccompanied and undocumented kids from Central America are being apprehended, along with other illegals. Perry ended up taking Fox News host
Sean Hannity to the border instead.
Nelson also expressed sympathy for the kids, mostly from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, who end up living in government makeshift facilities.
"I've been watching, and the only thing we can do is take care of those kids, whatever it takes," said Nelson, who was raised by his grandparents when he was an infant, according to Rolling Stone. "Take them in, give them some medical attention. I'm sure there are homes all over the country that would be glad to take care of one or two kids."
The singer also lashed out in the Rolling Stone interview at the government for not achieving any goals in Congress.
"I'm not happy with any of it. Any of it. They're not doing anything, and a lot are blaming him for not getting things done and they're not doing anything either."
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