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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

Watching Mouths

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  August 17th, 2011 at 11:29 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Rick Perry’s biggest problem to getting the Republican nomination and winning a general election is Rick Perry. He is going to have to overcome attacks both from Karl Rove acolytes helping Mitt Romney and also from Democrats painting him as the second coming of George W. Bush. He will have to appeal to swing, independent voters, women, and people who are still a bit tired of the last Christian/military pilot/Texas Governor.

But all the people saying Rick Perry’s comments on Ben Bernanke hurt him have some serious Beltway-itis.

Dude got the President of the United States to respond personally and directly to him — not to the field, not to the generic Republican, but to Rick Perry.

Even more importantly, Barack Obama’s comments were on how Rick Perry, in effect, needed to do his job. Imagine that, the man who has killed more jobs than saved wants to lecture an opponent on how to do his job.

More so, Ben Bernanke is not exactly Mr. Popular.

In 24 hours, Perry managed to get Karl Rove to attack him and Barack Obama to attack him. About the only down side is that most Americans are probably getting their kids back to school this week and did not notice.

It was an attention getting moment for Rick Perry from the President of the United States that the other candidates might wish they had gotten.

I would, however, say one thing to Perry supporters who deliciously say all this is because “they fear Rick Perry.”

They don’t fear Rick Perry. They are hoping Rick Perry might actually have a shot. They had the same hope of Reagan in 1980, but also of Goldwater in 1964.

This has nothing to do with fear. It has everything to do with hate. They hate Rick Perry. They hate his values. They hate his accent. They hate his boots. They hate his state. And their calculus will be that America hates him as much as they do. Put another way, the Democrats will play Perry for Goldwater. Perry will need to be Reagan.

And for reasons I’ll get into later, it is still Mitt Romney’s race to lose, so go take a cold shower, Perry fans.

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COMMENTS

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  • jkines

    Let’s look at this logistically: Romney will lose in Iowa, win in New Hampshire, and then get eviscerated in the Southern primaries. By then his delegate gap will be so large to be nearly insurmountable and he will be forced to play catchup the rest of the nomination cycle against a candidate who is better on the stump and incites far more energy. Romney’s support is a mile wide and an inch deep and the speed with which front runner status changed hands is telling.

  • Toby Calvert-Lee

    In odays political candidate, he’s jus the devil we know. He does not fit tea party mentality, and I actually see him losing EVERYWHERE, including New Hampshire

  • clintonformccain

    I don’t know that I agree, Eric. I certainly agree that the beltway politio and media types hate everything about Rick Perry — especially his boots and his accent.

    I disagree that it is Romney’s race to lose. He’s had eight years of running for President to try to light a spark and has failed to do so. He just doesn’t have it in his personality.

    If he ends up beating Perry for the nomination, he will probably have had to stir a little passion and even a whiff of authenticity and he’ll be a stronger candidate as a result.

    Frankly, I think it’s Perry’s race to lose right now. As an outside observer with no dog in he hunt except a rooting interest in somebody beating Obama, I see a very effective use of Reagan’s “aw shucks” style by Perry. If he survives the next 30 days, this thing is over, IMO.

    Will he be knee-capped like Sarah Palin? I’m sure that the effort will be made. The difference is that Perry is very experienced politician with an objectively strong track record. Just purely from a resume standpoint, it is difficult to make the case that he is not a legitimate candidate.

    We’ll see. I’ve got my popcorn ready and plan to sit back and enjoy the show. It’s finally starting.

  • http://theundergroundconservative.wordpress.com pdigaudio

    Have to respectfully disagree. While it may not be Rick Perry’s race to lose, I don’t think it’s Romney’s race to lose any more.

    Why? Conservatives have been looking for an alternative to Romney, who’s the GOP Establishment choice (think Charlie Crist without the tangerine tan). Romney gave us the model for ObamaCare, believes in global warming and has flip-flopped on just about every issue one can name. There’s no there there with Romney.

    Rick Perry is a principled conservative ? I can visualize Roasted Paulnuts’ heads exploding with that ? that will take the fight to Obama. The GOP Establishment is terrified of Obama. They pee their silk panties at the thought of standing up to him. Why? Fear of being called “Raaaaacist!” no doubt.

    That explained the flash popularity of Donald Trump. He told it like it was. I would never have supported Trump but it was refreshing to hear someone saying what needed to be said about the Empty Suit in Chief.

  • Hugh

    Elitists do not fear much. They are too intellectually dumb to fear. They hate anything that they cannot control. Their belief system is such that they can have a better outcome if they can make decisions for us. Never mind history. They are so intellectually dumb as to ignore the history of central control and planning. Please not the quote from Thomas Sowell below.

    PS You forgot to mention that they hate Texas A&M. They believe that no one that went there could possibly be intellectual enough to be president.

  • z06gal

    as I would vote for Donald Duck over the fraud we have now. BO is THE most arrogant, narcissistic prick to have ever graced Washington DC with his presence. He is an EPIC failure. My dog could do a better job

  • jaykali

    I can’t tell you how many times I have mis-calibrated my words and wish I had calibrated them differently.

    Sometimes I just say, honey “I know I regret that I didn’t calibrate my words differently the other day.” And that usually smooths things over.

  • gekster

    I don’t see anywhere in the article that implies that.

  • clintonformccain

    I just don’t see any great connection there. It seems more like a hold-your-nose default position to me. The best evidence is the continual efforts of the beltway poo-bahs to enlist a Mitch Daniels or Paul Ryan into the race.

    The irony is that Romney would probably be a competent technocrat in the White House. I just think he’s in the wrong place at the wrong time.

  • tankertodd

    My sense is that in addition to all those other factors pulling for Perry, that don’t parties tend to alternate between moderates and more left/right oriented? Not that Perry is necessarily not a moderate, but Romney clearly has been oriented with the moderate/pro-choice wing, whereas Perry has aligned with Tea Party/fiscal conservatism that is on the rise.

    Of course, a Romney candidacy doesn’t upset me – from what little I’ve heard he’s saying all the right things, which is ironic since he portrays himself the businessman but sounds more like a politician.

  • victrola

    I would be ecstatic at the idea of a President Perry, but right out of the gate I’m having real reservations about his style of campaign. It’s not a good sign when even solid conservatives are starting to cringe. He needs to tone it down, he’s doing the media’s work by making himself a caricature, coming off like Donald Trump with cowboy boots.

    Perry still seems to still be running for the Republican primary for Governor of Texas. The type of tone he’s taking MAY win the GOP nomination, but it will NOT play well in places like Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Florida, etc.

    Our nominee will be either Perry or Romney. I like the idea of a more conservative Perry as President, but unless I see some real change in direction, Romney looks to be far more electable (warts and all) and my biggest priority is denying Obama a second term, even if it comes at the hands of a center-right moderate.

    Perry needs to take a look at Rubio if he needs a style. Rubio comes off as strong, conservative, knowledgeable AND a statesman that doesn’t indulge in over the top rhetoric.

  • Scope

    that so many Republicans have found offense with Perry’s Bernacke comments. Everyone flocked to Chris Christie precisely because of his bold and audacious statements. Palin and Bachmann seem to be in competition in their one line zingers against Obama himself. So Perry says it like it is, and he gets crucified for it, from our own side.

    By the way, I think little Chrissie Matthews has a new secret leg tingle, despite mocking Perry as being a redneck that wears a tuxedo and boots. The nerve of him. As someone said, in Texas they wear boots with a bathing suit.

  • free2smooze

    Probability (right now) suggests Iowa(proportional) goes to Bachmann. New Hampshire(20) to Romney and South Carolina(47) to Perry. Perry should take the Montana(12) and Louisiana(20) caucuses. That leaves Florida(99) where you have to figure Perry has the edge. So the likely delegate count going into Super Tuesday puts Perry way out ahead 178(+%IA)-Romney 20(+%IA)-Bachmann %IA. Holding all other variables equal, the calendar and momentum suggest the probability that Perry can wrap this up by early February and start a run against Obama.

  • johnt

    B B is Obama’s enabler. The media created this non-man in the WH, Bernanke keeps him going. When next month O descends from the clouds to gift us with his latest stimulus, the one that does literally everything, bet your tocus Bernanke will lay out a few more hundreds of billions. Media slaves will chatter like happy monkeys, “the Nation is saved”, That’s if he ever returns from vacation.
    O is stupid beyond comprehension, but even he knows who butters his bread. I regard his ill advised comments as a reverse ringing endorsement of Perry, for the Normal People.

  • clintonformccain

    “Romney looks to be far more electable (warts and all) and my biggest priority is denying Obama a second term, even if it comes at the hands of a center-right moderate.”

    ——-

    I don’t know if you can beat a sitting US President without being able to stir some anger in the electorate. At the end of the day, it has to be a “throw the bums out” election for the Republicans to win.

  • quill67

    For more than a year now monetary policy has been…..well insane. The value of the dollar has been erode d. Investors and governments worldwide have been forced to find other assets to hold to maintain their purchasing power. The effects of this have spread to commodity prices creating potential bubbles in other markets, have upset the normal flow of capital, made investment decisions more difficult to manage, added to the turmoil in the europe, hurt consumers in the US and have created the potentiial for serious moral hazard problems in the banking industry in the future.

    America needs to know what is happening. Thank You Rick Perry.

  • Scope

    but Obama and the liberals can have at it. Do you think that what Perry said was worse than the times that Obama has agitated his base to get in Republicans faces. Sad part is is that some of them have. At lease what Perry said was true, unlike every word coming out of Obama’s mouth is another lie.

    I look at it as Perry getting some free advertising. As was said above, Bernake is not exactly Mr. Popular right now. More than highlighting Perry’s meaning, it highlights the weakness and secrecy of the Obama admin. and puts a magnifying glass on their actions. Someone just said that those million dollar printing presses can be destroyed with $5 worth of bullets. I loved that.

  • BA Cyclone

    I don’t think one Rasmussen poll makes Perry “the frontrunner” in the GOP field, although it is a striking mark and one point along a line that very well might make Perry the frontrunner.

    The “positive energy” bounce is absolutely there for Perry. But in truth it takes more than a few days to determine if Perry’s support has depth and staying power.

    Romney’s path to victory still very much exists, I think to the chagrin of conservatives like me. The only thing that has changed with adding Perry is that there is now another governor in the race who has formidable support besides him.

    Romney still has the inertia of the previous campaign (“next in line”) going for him. While this is certainly not the average campaign cycle, those old habits among the primary voters at large, and the Party elite specifically (including donors) still exist. There is a lot of green between here and the nomination.

  • BA Cyclone

    I don’t think one Rasmussen poll makes Perry “the frontrunner” in the GOP field, although it is a striking mark and one point along a line that very well might make Perry the frontrunner.

    The “positive energy” bounce is absolutely there for Perry. But in truth it takes more than a few days to determine if Perry’s support has depth and staying power.

    Romney’s path to victory still very much exists, I think to the chagrin of conservatives like me. The only thing that has changed with adding Perry is that there is now another governor in the race who has formidable support besides him.

    Romney still has the inertia of the previous campaign (“next in line”) going for him. While this is certainly not the average campaign cycle, those old habits among the primary voters at large, and the Party elite specifically (including donors) still exist. There is a lot of green between here and the nomination.

  • JimmyGee

    but…I hope and pray you are wrong. I will support ANY candidate (yes, even the Alien-from-another-planet..Ron Paul) that removes our Leader-from-behind commander-in-chief BHO.
    However, that said, if I have to vote for the poster child for vanilla, Mitt Romney….I WILL break out in hives! I will have to take a bath in oatmeal! I may even go into anaphylactic shock! It won’t be pretty.
    It grates me that my vote would be going to a glass of water with perfect hair, and an orange (I’m not saying it is sprayed on tan…I’m just saying orange is not natural) tan!
    When will the GOP establishment get out of the, “It-s their turn to be President” mode? Look how well that worked for us last election!

  • ghostship

    Perry was a Goldwater or Reagan.

    Sadly for those of us who want a strong small government Conservative the GOP presidential field is pretty lackluster.

    Living in NC as I do I usually get a bit grumpy that by the time the nomination process gets to me the whole thing is over a done with. With this bunch there really isn’t anyone to get excited about so it doesn’t matter as much that I don’t get add my two cents to who I think should be the GOP Presidential nominee.

  • BA Cyclone

    I think the Tea Party and general population in flyover country sees very little issue with the remarks. Or with a Tea Party guy asking the Caudillo if he really thinks Tea Party = terrorist.

    The elites are “uncomfortable” with confronting the President head-on like this.

    That, ladies and gentlemen is precisely the problem.

    If Perry can skillfully do this without marginalizing himself, he will be the nominee.

  • acat

    … and it’s the same thing he lacked in the 2008 cycle … is a good political ear.

    Romney should have taken out John “economy’s not my strong suit” McCain by making the primary more about the economy… but he couldn’t close the deal.

    My guess is a good bit of Romney support is because “he’s inevitable”, or at least “he’s better than these other guys”. Perry’s narrative, regarding success in governance as opposed to success in business and running a sporting event, could greatly damage Romney’s support simply by asking the question “Is he inevitable?”. I don’t expect it to crack easily, but once it does it’ll go fast.

    That said, of the candidates still in, *only* Perry has the power to do so, and he can only do it if he can also avoid a “Dean Scream” moment.

    Mew

  • streiff

    I don’t know how you can say he’s “electable” after 2008.

  • acat

    It’s a distinctive phrase, to me. Acted. Stupidly.

    “I did something stupid” or “I did stupid things” or “I’m an idiot”. That’s what my pointed midwestern ears are used to. Acted. Stupidly.

    Do you suppose Perry should invite Bernanke to a beer summit?

    Mew

  • Donald Ayotte

    seeing a Rick Perry/Michele Bachmann ticket. It’s a little early to call that one but it sounds like a winner in this anything goes election.

  • http://www.ArchitecturalShots.com mdyou

    I’ll agree that Romney has been playing the cards he’s been dealt, and being very cautious about it. He even was fortunate with the timing of the ‘plants’ at the Iowa State Fair last Friday, and he responded well. Everybody saw it.

    It remains to be seen who else gets into the race, and Palin, Ryan, or Christie would turn everything on its head. And it remains to be seen if Perry can continue the intensity and variety of his attacks on Obama’s record, personality, lack of truthfulness, and petulance.

    There are unlimited resources of O’s words and actions to use against him. Most people think that the Republican establishment won’t attack him personally. There’s really only one establishment candidate, and that’s Romney. The others are anti-establishment as hell, and the MSM will be so outraged at what they say, they won’t be able to help themselves. They’ll cover it for all the wrong reasons (for them), and many independent voters will see what they didn’t see before 2008. Rev. Wright, Bill Ayers, you name it – it’s as important today as it was then. Only it won’t be ignored this time.

    The MSM could unwittingly become our allies. Their rage will identify them, and enough people could notice and bounce this clown out of office.

  • Hugh

    Even though I think that McCain won because it was somehow his turn. I hope we don’t have the same thing with Romney.

  • streiff

    but my point is that on paper Romney was more conservative and accomplished than McCain yet he couldn’t win the primary in a very weak field.

    Unless Perry AND Bachmann implode I don’t see how Romney wins a GOP primary contest.

  • msctex

    The sole reason there is a sense Perry in any way, shape or form overstepped his bounds or was in any way improper is because the Media is spinning it as such.
    They decided to pretend there was a collective Gasp from the nation, when in fact there was a nod and a muttered, “Damned straight.”

    Perry said nothing that any intelligent person paying attention hasn’t been thinking for years now. Get used to it. The grownups are back home from vacation.

  • clintonformccain

    is that he’s not Sarah Palin.

  • http://www.veronicaestrada.com Veronica

    .. and they’re waiting for him to pay his dues.

  • Repair_Man_Jack

    The Grover Norquist Wing is concerned about not having a job in 2012. Not because of BHOs reelection, but rather because of his overwhelming defeat.

  • Bill S

    Truer words were never spoken. This is spot on. I’ve seen it first-hand. The responses from the Left, in particular, reek of sheer hatred.

    That paragraph needs to be framed.

  • Matthew Morris

    And for reasons I?ll get into later, it is still Mitt Romney?s race to lose, so go take a cold shower, Perry fans.

    And here it goes… Ed M. At Hotair is receiving emails from the friends of strippers down in Austin. Should get exciting! Man do I hope the Trusty Team Perry took care of any sort of potential “issues” like that. I know they are a smart bunch… Of not just yes-men.

  • victrola

    Was Ronald Reagan weaker then Gerald Ford? Then how come he lost to him in the ’76 primary?

    Romney lost to McCain for a variety of reason, but you can’t extrapolate that he would therefor do worse than McCain in the 2012 election. McCain would have easily won in 2000 (instead of losing the popular vote like Bush did) I’m not a McCain fan (in fact I despise him) but he was FAR stronger general election candidate that Bush would have been.

    Much of politics is simply timing and being at the right place at the right time.

  • dajeeps

    I think it reflects much of the frustration many people are experiencing as they are trying to get by in the Obama economy, especially if one considers statistics like median income and the skyrocketing prices at the grocery store. It might enjoy a broader range of appeal than it seems at first glance. Although, when it comes to actually being President, having taken shots at the Fed Chairman might pose a bit of a problem, because like all else govt, that post is political and we all seem like nothing more than ants at the 50k foot view to whomever occupies it.

    What is more telling, however, are the comments made by the White House – something like it’s not a good idea to abuse the Federal Reserve. I agree with that in a sense, it is probably better to make friends rather than enemies, but there is plenty of evidence that those in the White House have not accomplished that either and are too timid to even challenge the Japanese style of monetary management that appears to have been adopted. Why else would the Fed invert the yield curve on treasuries? The more I think about it, Bernanke might not be as bad as people think.

  • perry4prez

    Just so, msctex. The American people are sick and tired of Socialism and government programs this, government programs that. That is why Governor Perry’s announcement was so exciting. The man does not pull punches.

    At the end of the day if you are a true conservative you have to agree with Governor Perry’s statement that “I want Washington DC to play as small a role in your life as possible.”

  • rubb

    I have been sitting down here in Texas watching it all, and looking for the right candidate. I love Bachman’s heart and positions, I really like Romneys appearance of competenece. I thought T-Paw might be the guy, if I ever could have seen more of him, his positions looked good, but the press makes it difficult to compare candidates when they are busy ridiculing one of them out of fear, hate, whatever it is. Earlier this year, I never thought Perry would run. I missed that by a mile. But here is a guy that has shown he can take on people in a hard fought campaign. What he and his team did to the campaign of Hutchison (she was backed by Bush, Rove, and the Ntnl Party Establishment) should go down in history. KBH had the full backing of the press and all the “moderates”, Perry had to fight off a challenge from his right in Medina, and still smoked them both. Then we heard about how close the general was going to be, the democrat was closing the gap, the Republican strangelhold in Texas might finally be over! The Democrats had nominated a strong “centrist” mayor that was all about pragmatism and getting things done. I bet not many of you know his name now, bacause Perry smoked him too. And he still has a campaign bank account that most would be very proud of.
    Being an effective president requires a person to be a bit of SOB at times, if nothing else to ride herd on all his hangers on and people looking after themselves instead of their boss. A combination of earned loyalty and a willingness to castrate those who need it. A person that has shown they can make a decision when everybody is counting on them, and go with it. Combine that with a personality that allows a person to talk to normal everyday people without feeling the need to lecture them and you have somebody that can be an effective president. I don’t think those qualities are found much in Senators and congress critters. I don’t want a person out of congress that never ran the show. I want a person that had to run a government at some level, and been held responsible for it’s performance. I believe a lot of the problems we are facing now are becasue the nation elected an untested neophyte that can’t find his own butt with both hands. Right now, I think he is my guy.

  • perry4prez

    The country does NOT want more center-right moderates like the Bush family. Why do you think the Bushes were so unpopular? Those center right moderates gave us more Big Government in the form of No Child Left Behind, the TSA searching grannies, entitlements (Medicare prescription drugs), etc. The country wants a Constitutional Conservative.

  • perry4prez

    Mitt Romney CREATED MORE ENTITLEMENTS in Massachusetts. We need a candidate who will rollback spending, not create new spending. The whole country is angry at Obamacare, and we want to annoint the person who inspired him as our nominee? That’s insane!

  • Justin Spagnolo (standardcandle)

    I hope the Rasmussen poll is the sign of things to come for Gov. Perry.

    It may be a sign that Perry is to likely voters the ANTI-ROMNEY they’ve been looking for.

    Additionally, if Romney loses IA, but handily wins NH, he’ll downplay SC again like he did in ’08 and go after places like MI, NV, MT, to try to build delegate steam before FL. Since the primaries have not been set in stone there IS A LOT in play.

    Perry needs to knock out all the other ANTI-ROMNEY’s and garner support before the NH Primary to effectively punch a hole in Romney’s ship. The fractious ANTI-ROMNEY situation bears well for Romney… if he keeps his head low, and claims total overall delegates (as some states are winner take all, but some are earned by county/disctrict wins)… then he’s still the candidate to beat.

    Romney isn’t stupid. He knows his weaknesses, and will play to his strengths. I think his game plan is execute only when necessary, which is his advantage being the “frontrunner”… in ’08 he had to do a lot more talking to unseat others, and get name recognition… which led to a lot of his “Mitt flops”. If he can manage expectations, and win his “must wins” and come out as the “most delegates to date” candidate before Super Tuesday, then he’s got a shot at the nomination.

    I followed Romney VERY closely in ’08 as a supporter… I’ve changed my views on him… this is why I think he’s still formiddable, not because he’s the right guy, but because he has some advantages that others do not, or are working against that he doesn’t have to retread from last time.

    At this time I’m supporting Rick Perry as far as the field of declared candidates goes. Like I said, I’m optimistically cautious… I think Rick Perry is the right person at this time.

  • acat

    It’s not that they love him, it’s that they hate him less.

    Mew

  • Toby Calvert-Lee

    N/t

  • funwithknives

    they literally hand us the way to defeat them, each and every time their words carelessly tumble out. We as active conservatives should “Conserve” what is handed to us and Use These Suckers.
    We are being given a message and a way forward, yet it is apparently not considered and minimally used. Was “..let a Thousand Flowers bloom.”, a phrase to be disregarded? Battles are fought on many fronts and this one seemingly gets Short Shrift. In many martial arts you are taught to absorb the blow and force it back on your attacker. This ain’t happenin’ and needs encouragement, and Allies. Thank you for any interest you might have. (“If I can change just one mind…”)

  • BA Cyclone

    Romney is the frontrunner yesterday, today, and until further notice because of the prince analogy. He is next-in-line and the most well known from the last cycle. He didn’t win, maybe we should have nominated him last time, and the voters AND the party elites know him better than the rest of the field. Thus, he is naturally “less risky” than all the rest.

    But there is absolutely a tip-over point where Romney’s support craters, if there is enough movement in one or more alternative candidates that they acheive a level of support that says they have a real shot at winning. That is a really fuzzy target, but it’s the inertia thing. The point where the people who lightly pay attention are suddenly comfortable with choosing among Option B or even Option C, versus the Default Romney option.

    Perry in my view is still much of an empty vessel. He has the perfect resume for a great candidate, but there is a lot of green between now and the nomination. People like the general idea of him without fully knowing his vision for President Perry. There will be a lot of retail politicking to be done, and thus many more stumps by which candidates and stub their toes. Perry seems to at least be savvy enough to navigate that, even if he does say something “controversial” but that is not an endless well a candidate can draw from and still win.

  • Hugh

    What happens if Ryan, Christie, or Palin show up?

  • Hugh

    nt

  • aesthete

    in the ’76 primaries — a sitting President in the Republican Party, no less. This was despite having less funding and virtually no support from established Republicans.

    Romney spent more money than any of the other candidates in a crowded primary, and lost to the guy who lost to Bush last time around.

  • aesthete

    I have an economics degree (though I’m not working as an academic in the field), and anecdotally, I’m hearing a lot of concern from academics that mirrors the scorn voiced by Perry. Our economist at the UA who specializes in monetary economics told me recently that Bernanke “scares the hell out of him” (direct quote). What the Fed is doing, and what it was doing under Greenspan, is dangerous as hell — and while I see a role for a central bank, I’m amazed that so many people continue to pretend that Bernanke or anyone else is an old, seasoned hand. We’re in no man’s land, and what is being done is truly dangerous.

  • streiff

    Ryan has said he’s not running

    Christie’s staff has denied he’s running

    Palin is making too much money… and has too much influence… to run.

    The first two are Establishment stalking horses recruited to help Romney.

  • sowa1

    Obama is on a three day campaign trip. Don’t care what he says but the DNC should be paying for the trip. If he mentions Republicans or the Tea Party, it is definately capaigning. Who checks out that stuff anyway?

  • snowshooze

    Furthest from the front lines… and complaining the loudest.

  • Hugh

    Just wondered what you thought. Thanks for responding.

  • victrola

    when he took on Jimmy Carter in ’76 and nearly beat him. Or Pat Buchanan with Bush Sr in 1992. Neither of these figures would have done well in a general election.

    Ronald Reagan would have likely lost in 1976 to Carter had he got the nomination, and Gerald Ford would have easily won had he been the GOP nominee in 1980.

    Another example, Obama would have been crushed had he been a Senator for two years and was the Dem the nominee in 2004 instead of winning a near-landslide in 2008.

    The point is, a primary is not a general election, and timing is everything in politics.

  • jaykali

    It is not always appreciated in my posts. I don’t know if Perry acted stupidly or not but I like making fun of Obama’s so-called apology in the way liberal professors apologize is by wishing they could have calibrated their words differently.

  • acat

    (this space for rent, inquire within)

  • aesthete

    nt

  • luvnthebigsites

    The “blamstick” is wielded by veteran moderators to cull the heard… Weed out the riff-raff if you will.

    The magic of Moe Lane’s posts is he can balance analysis, Ideas, and sarcastic zingers with pizazz.

    If we ask nice he may agree to write the concordance… ;)

  • lineholder

    May the saints preserve us if the man lets all this flattery go to his head, you jokesters!

    Uhhhmmm…now, where do I sign up?

  • luvnthebigsites

    .

  • superrooter

    He also lacks the “South” voters. Voters south of the Mason-Dixon have always voted for the “Conservative” not the “Establishment conservative” , like Romney. Also, don’t forget “Palin” (TeaParty) backed Perry for re-election for Governor 2010. Maybe that was a move designed to keep Perry out of the run for POTUS, maybe not. Proof is in the pudding and the ticket could read (Perry-Palin) or not. Palin would be a better SOS since she would probably make all the cronie countries offers they couldn’t refuse. At least the Middle East would stop burning down all around Israel. Then the troops can come home to our borders and stop the Mexican Mafia (Drug Cartels) from spilling on to our borders.

  • Tbone

    I’ll see Moe gets his cut.

  • http://moelane.com/ Moe Lane

    Seriously, if the man had lived in the 18th century – pretty much the Golden Age of Epigrams – he’d be taught in schools.

  • Aaron Gardner

    When Shakespeare wrote that brevity is the soul of wit, he had just got done reading an email from Dan.

  • BA Cyclone

    It would be a new position:

    Secretary of Chopping Block. You probably don’t want to get a “meeting request” from this member of the Cabinet…

  • acat

    I would like Palin for Dept.Energy, as that matches very well with her background, or Dept.Interior. Both departments need a *lot* of cutting, but … unlike The Donald, I think Palin would know to stop when she hits bone.

    I want The Donald to start at Dept.Ed and, when he’s fired every single employee, to move on to NEA. As a reward for his service, he gets to oversee the privatization of NPR and PBS.

    Mew

  • audax

    Guss not enough RSer’s have read this old Diary yet….

    http://www.redstate.com/audax/2011/06/16/romney-he-tries-hard-to-sound-like-ronald-reagan-but-he-thinks-like-nelson-rockefeller/

  • davesinsanantonio

    primary ala Rush’s Operation Chaos. That should be fun, And, it might prove interesting if enough people did it.

  • CJB68

       In my opinion, the real contest is going to be held next summer.  All this focus on the horse race this far out is going to have the risk of dissolving the electorate’s interest in nominating a qualified candidate to run against the Obama Administration.  That’s what I’m afraid of.

       It’s one of the main reasons that I don’t pay attention to much political news these days.  I only want to know what the Hades Obama and his people have been doing, so I can see one more reason not to let them keep the job come next November. I also want to see what the candidates for the Republican partil will do, as opposed to having that knee-jerk reaction against the Progressive Establishment parties.  The closer to Ronald Reagan, the better.

  • CJB68

    nt

  • barrowmrb

    THE OBAMA PEOPLE, WHITE HOUSE, PRESS, AND BACKERS ONLY ATTACK THOSE PERSONS THEY FEAR AS A THREAT.

    THE OBAMA PEOPLE, WHITE HOUSE, PRESS, AND BACKERS KNOW THAT THERE IS POLITICAL POWER WITH THEIR FRIENDS IN THE UNIONS, THE RADICAL LEFT, AND THE COMMUNIST PARTY.

    THEREFORE, THEY FEAR THE TEA PARTY AND THOSE LIKE PERRY BECAUSE THEY KNOW THERE IS POLITICAL POWER IN THERE BELIEFS, THEIR ACTIONS AND MOST OF ALL THEIR VOTE IN YR 2012.

  • radicalrighty

    Rove knows politics, but he may be one of the most unpopular figures in the country, not to mention that the rift between them distances Perry even more from the Bush administration.

  • http://impudent.edublogs.org/ kyle8

    Honestly, the Bush clan is a toxic nuisance. That pack of clueless blue bloods have done irreparable harm to conservatism and the GOP.

    Time to wash our hands of them completely. All of them, and their loyal minions.

  • Scope

    from 6PM on, it was all one big Bush Rove hug for each other, and one big hit piece on Perry. At first I was more than annoyed that Rove and the Bushies are now injecting themselves into the presidential race, but when I stepped back and thought about what was being said by all of them including Rove, I thought this can only help Perry. I actually wondered for a minute if this wasn’t all set-up in order to help distance Bush from Perry. The D’s are trying to say that Perry is just another Bush. Then when Laura Ingrham said that Jeb Bush was actively trying to recruit Paul Ryan, I knew it wasn’t meant to help Perry. I love how this whole thing is backfiring on the architect and his created compassionate conservative president, who drove more people out of the Republican party than any other that I know of.

    This just goes to prove that Rove and his creations think they still have any say in what happens with a party that has moved so far away from them it’s pathetic.

    Perry-1
    Rove/Bushies- 0

  • izoneguy

    The stronger he will get. He seems to suck up their bad energy and blast it right back at them.

  • ddrinsp

    Being an effective president requires a person who is willing to make a call against those who need it . . . a person that says it like it is and has shown he can make a decision and not find a need to apologize when he decides to go with it. Personally, I also want a president with a personality that can talk to normal everyday people without feeling the need to lecture them a la Obama style . . . and Rick Perry qualifies on all those points. And I like his Reagan “aw-shucks” style.

  • Scope

    To begin Brett Baiers 6 PM segment, they did a pretty lengthy piece on Bush and Perry. They showed a clip on the gardasil flap, and someone attributed the backlash to the fact that it would tell young girls that they could be promiscuous because they got the vaccine.

    Then they showed another segment on how hard Bush worked to get Perry elected Lt. Gov, as though he was unelectable, and they had to drag him across the finish line. In between the segments they kept having Rove on crying about how Perry was ungrateful for all that he and the Bushes did for him.

    When they showed clips of Perry speeches, he looked fantastic, and very likable, rather than as some ungrateful ogre they wanted him to look like.

    Oh, it is already backfiring on them. Do they not understand that they are some of the most unloved people in the country today? Do they really think that voters are going to back who not only the Democrats had BDS over, but many Republicans joined in with that sentiment. All it does is smack everyone over the head with Bush dynasty elitism, including Jeb Bush.

  • izoneguy

    to Perry’s inauguration?

  • msherf

    their own long before the election day. I’m not a Romney fan and had wanted to see Perry enter the race. I haven’t been really impressed so far. I would like to see less “cowboy” and more statesman behavior.

  • Scope

    but I doubt he will send them an invite.

  • acat

    I’m perfectly willing to believe there’s animosity between the Bush people (Rove) and the Perry people, but ..

    Let me put it another way. If the Bushes think that, after 12 years of having their names dragged through the mud by the left, there aren’t many people on the right willing to believe it .. especially if they go directly after another GOPer – then I want to know what they’re drinking in Crawford and Kennebunk.

    Mew

  • gunslingr45

    to say for the beltway en?

    Know Liberals/RINO?S, Know Despair.
    No Liberals/RINO?S, No Despair.

  • gunslingr45

    I bet Ron Paul is glad to hear you say that.

    Socialism billions dead, but liberals keep wanting to try it?..

  • gunslingr45

    I will second that!

    Socialism billions dead, but liberals keep wanting to try it?..

  • gunslingr45

    and Beltway Republicans
    Can be used in the same sentence for sure. I use to love that man until he let Right to Work die a slow death here in Indiana. As well as being PO’ed over the new playhouse for Jim Irsay.
    And they say this is a red state? Go figure. Well at least he put us back on solid footing in black ink.

    If ignorance is bliss, liberal/socialist must be euphoric! I said that.

  • Scope

    W and his wife were often called classy and above the fray, and, to a great degree they were. That would be because they had the dog Rover to do their dirty work, and even he didn’t really come out in support of W against the onslaught when it was well needed. You almost got the message that they were thinking that they didn’t need to explain themselves to anyone, especially all of us little bumpkins.

    They surely will not be selling many lemonades at their lemonade stand with their now petty and back biting attacks on someone who seems to be much more charismatic and appealing than the elite Bushies. Ryan is great in the House, and surely has been a good numbers guy, however, he would be seen as possibly worse than Obama. He is only 41 years old, has never run a business to my knowledge, and House members just don’t have the experience to fill out a resume qualified to be president. Honestly, they are looking desperate, aren’t they?

  • gunslingr45

    funny, thats the same thing they (Dems) said about McCain.
    Ron Paul loves this kind of talk.

    Know Liberals/RINO?S, Know Despair.
    No Liberals/RINO?S, No Despair.

  • Scope

    Just in the last day or two, Perry has been taking incoming missiles from Obama and Rove and the Bushes. He has been weathering the storm, and it can only make him stronger as the campaign goes forward. Don’t they realize they are giving him free advertising, and as Moe said, a chance to talk about his policies again.

  • gunslingr45

    Your post to God’s ear!

  • gunslingr45

    Very well stated and what I have been screaming all along!

    seen on Redstate and also fits Mitt:
    It?s not the size of the Stalin, but the motion of the Marx?

  • gunslingr45

    they (the dems) helped give us McCain!

    “My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.” Thomas Jefferson
    We are almost there Mr. Jefferson. Try not to spin out of your clothes please.

  • rcastonjr

    is that bad. The whole idea of the FED is a bad idea. Constitutionally it is a bad idea and probably UNconstitutional. The responsibility for sound money lies strictly with Congress, not some super secret above the law clandestine organization. Bernanke has done huge damage to this country as he has devalued our currency which is igniting inflation. Been shopping, bought food or bought gas lately? While not a big RP fan I do agree with him that we should abolish the FED. Any outfit that can print and give away 16-17 TRILLION American dollars to whomever it pleases is dangerous…..PERIOD.

  • acat

    they know *exactly* the effect they’re having.

    Mew

  • JSobieski

    Is Jordan now a beltway republican?

  • drifter

    but Romney is a cold shower.