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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

Rick Perry’s Final Act: King Maker?

He can end his campaign now and leave a hero or stay in till Sunday and be a spoiler.

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  January 18th, 2012 at 02:39 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

“Rick Perry’s campaign has come to an end. But he could leave on an unexpected high note — helping conservatives unite around one not-Romney”

Barring a miracle, this is Rick Perry’s final act in the 2012 elections. On Saturday, he will come in last in South Carolina. It will be only the third time in a generation Rick Perry has lost an election, with the only other two times being Iowa and New Hampshire this year.

For a generation, Rick Perry was undefeated. Now he will go back to Texas and everyone who ever lost to Rick Perry will seek to settle old scores. It will be a tough, bloody fight. He will have to be ready for it.

Perry, however, has a potential trump card up his sleeve as he rebuilds political capital. It’s simple: he can drop out today, and endorse someone else. Doing so today, before the CNN Debate tomorrow, gives the news time to sink in.

But who to endorse?Mitt Romney makes no sense. To endorse Romney would be to turn Perry’s message throughout the campaign into a joke. It would buy Perry no good will. He would return to Texas a joke.

Rick Santorum makes no sense either. While closer to Perry than Romney on some points, Perry campaigned on reducing the size and scope of Washington, privatizing social security, and fixing entitlements. Endorsing Santorum may leave Perry in good stead with his fellow evangelicals, but it would fly in the face of the limited government principles he outlines both on the campaign trail and in his national bestseller Fed Up!

Then there is the man who wrote the introduction to Fed Up!, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

I’m willing to bet that among activists in Texas, Newt Gingrich is more popular than Romney. His message has been rather consistent to Perry’s, including a man on a mission to gut Washington, D.C. While Gingrich lacks Perry’s limited government bona fides, he is the only other candidate in the race emphasizing that business as usual in Washington is not acceptable if the nation we love is going to survive – as Gingrich wrote in his introduction: “Devolving power out of Washington is critical to our long-term survival.” And that’s the truth.

If Rick Perry stays in the race, conservatives opposed to Mitt Romney will be legitimately able to blame Rick Perry for dragging down either Newt or Santorum. If the person he endorses doesn’t win the nomination, it still doesn’t hurt him as much as staying in to take a few deciding votes.

Huntsman has already done his part to help Romney. Perry’s endorsement today or tomorrow morning could offset that, shifting undecideds and Perry’s own voters to someone else and get them a leg up on Mitt Romney. With Newt Gingrich surging according to the latest Rasmussen poll and Sarah Palin saying she’d support him, Perry’s withdrawal and endorsement before Saturday could ensure a Gingrich win.

Rick Perry’s campaign has come to an end. But he could leave on an unexpected high note — helping conservatives unite around one not-Romney in a way no one else has been able to. Rick Perry could be the catalyst and kingmaker so many have been looking for, even as other conservatives have stood by, unwilling to endorse in the face of long odds.

Rick Perry has come this far motivated by his faith and his principles. He has fought the good fight. He has not forgotten what is due to his own honor and that of his country. But now he has a choice to make, and I wish him wisdom in it.

Either Rick Perry will leave the race Sunday with no political capital and no deposit of goodwill an endorsement would bring, or he will choose to strike one final blow for limited government conservatism.

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COMMENTS

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  • BrendanW

    could have been written after Iowa just as easily. in fact it would have made a lot more difference then (assuming it was listened to) – he might have swung some people to Newt from Huntsman, Paul, and Santorum – he may have even slowed Mitt down. But if he didn’t drop out then, I’d guess he stays in through SC.

  • WillWong

    It is kind of insulting, imho to ask any of you guys to drop
    Gov Perry and Rick Santorum, I would not go there! However, there is enough reason for Gov Perry and Santorum to do some soul searching how their staying/leaving before Saturday will impact the fate of the country in general and the conservative movement in particular. For those of you who believe in the power of prayer, try praying along those lines asking God to speak to Perry, Newt, and Santorum.

    Last Monday, I asked God to give the person of His choice wisdom to do well in the debate without mentioning any names. I will pray the same this Thursday and if Newt does the same and hit it out of the park again, it would be mighty hard for me not to infer that God might be telling us something about Newt

  • snowshooze

    I think the more prudent avenue would be to sit it out and see.

  • benko

    …

  • goodgovernance

    If Governor Perry decides to go with this plan, I hope his supporters will realize he didn’t have much in the way of good choices left. Leaving now and supporting Gingrich could be the best thing to help Perry in the future, whether that might mean a 2016 campaign or something else.

  • http://www.baseballcrank.com Dan McLaughlin

    but I agree with this completely. The last dog is on its last legs here. Time to take the few chips still in front of him and push them to Newt.

  • APA Guy

    Gingrich is the only conservative candidate left after Perry exits the race…and he has the credentials regarding balancing the budget, lowering energy prices, and creating jobs that the rest of the cast of 4 do not possess.

    Plus, only Gingrich can make Swiss cheese out of Obama on the debate dais…3 times…for the country to enjoy before they pull the lever. That alone is worth the price of admission.

  • APA Guy

    …and we’d have a gold-star conservative who can take the reins, God forbid something happen to President Gingrich.

  • rams40

    Perry should have dropped out after Iowa, although it wouldn’t have mattered in NH.
    This time it may.
    If Perry drops out and Gingrich wins SC, Santorum will either drop out or be mostly irrelevant heading to FL. The conservative vote would consolidate behind one candidate.
    This is an opportunity, maybe the only one of this race, to get a conservative heads up against Romney.

  • OCBill

    The Republican establishment should be proud. The last hope for preserving even the tiniest part of Reagan’s legacy is about to be gone. The Republican nomination will now go to one flavor or another of progressive, big government, who-gives-a-flying-fark-about-individual-liberty types.

    Newt is by far the best of three bad alternatives, an ice water enema, hold the ice (at least).

    Pardon me while I throw up.

  • tjms

    Maybe change the saying to whoever the establishment/pundits pick in the primary and same for election. Gov. Perry, I hope, stays in till the end. He is not in it for the glory or the party, he is in it for the people. When Perry drops out, I and anybody I can convince will vote Ron Paul or not vote. I know it isn’t allowed here, but I am done here anyway. When conservatives turn on their own it is time to leave. When Obama is reelected you can all look at yourselves in the mirror and say thank you.

  • http://formidablecourage.wordpress.com louisianapatriette

    I don’t know if Rick Perry will drop out. He won’t be dropping out today, that’s for certain. And if he does drop out on Saturday then I have no doubt he’d endorse Gingrich, and although I wouldn’t agree with that decision I will certainly continue to respect and admire Rick Perry to the end of my days.

    But I cannot begin to express my extreme displeasure–nay, disgust–with Erick Erickson’s conduct over the past few weeks: disparaging Team Perry to encouraging them in their South Carolina strategy to calling on Perry to drop out. This is a huge disappointment, not in Perry but in Erickson.

  • Matthew Morris

    I was just thinking the same thing about Santorum. Except that he should back Perry instead, preferably.

  • thosjefferson

    Once Perry leaves, the only non-DC insider left is Mitt Romney.

    Romney bailed out Perry years ago with a $1 million campaign donation.

    Romney isn’t using Obama talking points against capitalism. Romney hasn’t taken millions for lobbying for FreddieMac and health care companies that will profit from Obamacare. Romney isn’t taking credit for “creating millions of jobs” as a junior Congressman.

    Perry will rehabilitate himself by backing the next President–Mitt Romney.

  • nativetexan41

    He should finish the race in South Carolina. I have been a strong supporter of Perry since I voted for him for AG Commish . He is not a quitter. In my opinion
    some big name people that encouraged him to get in the race and then immediately abandoned him, are not men of their word. No one ever cut him any slack for anything(gaffes etc) while other conservatives were give a pass .
    It saddens me that people have jump from candidate to another candidate , is there no loyality any more. Conservatives, Evangelicals, Christians and Tea Party people are throwing out the best social and fiscal Christian conservative that we have in this race.
    I am no fan of Santorum (big government spender),or Newt with All his political baggage.
    I am disappointed in people who were for Perry and have not helped him only cut him down. If he loses he will be okay he is a man God.

  • nativetexan41

    Sorry for the mistake…age related.ha!

  • sethellis

    “It’s Romney”, says the establishment, “time to coalesce behind our nominee”.

    “No, it’s Santorum”, claim the evangelicals, “he’s the consensus choice of true believers”.

    “Choose Gingrich”, says Erick, “he’s the only not Romney that can win”.

    Am I the only one here tired of being told that we need to fall in line? Is this truly all conservatives are good for? Nothing more than pawns to fall in line behind whomever the pols choose?

    How about this? Lets all just vote for who we want the nominee to be, and let the chops fall where they may. The idea that we should abandon all principle and fall in line behind someone because of some political calculation is an insult to conservative voters everywhere.

  • jakeofalltrades

  • porkandcheese

    Romney and the Bushes stumped for Kay Barely Republican, and Perry stomped them. No one got bailed out. Romney probably lost a wager.

  • Samsara

    Make it Mitt and Newt. Santorum can have a show on Fox or VP if Mitt is the nominee. Ron Paul can have a soap box at the convention and then go back to Texas.

    Erick: If Perry drops out, after Rubio’s about face on SOPA, that would make you two for two. Move over El Rushbo.

  • nativetexan41

    Thank you for your post.

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    I don’t see anywhere in Erick’s diary that tells you who to vote for. It’s a plea to Rick Perry, plain and simple.

    I swear, the comprehension skills of people around here these days is just awful.

  • nativetexan41

    Could not have said it any better.

  • No Longer For Perry

    Even then – he may stay in if the money is still rolling in. Also, I believe much of his decision (reassessment) to stay in past Iowa was driven by ego. He simply cannot fathom that so few people outside of his own republic, I mean state, do not support him.

  • Rapunzel46

    of people telling us what we have to do this election. Governor Perry is my candidate and I’m not giving up on him…….

  • jakeofalltrades

  • Political Fireball

    Why give up now?? If Governor Rick Perry gives in I will follow whoever he endorses, but until that point I’m sticking with him. I do NOT believe he will give up until Florida. That is where everything will begin or end! It’s just my opinion, but I don’t think this is over.

    Anyway, why does Perry have to give in to Speaker Gingrich? Because Gingrich has called for it? That is ridiculous!

  • avagreen

    since when is a caucus an “election”?

    WTH?

    A caucus is a meeting, usually of a political party, designed to further a cause or special interest. Caucuses are usually used as a forum to discuss party business and to elect officers within the party.

    A primary election, often referred to as a primary, is an election where voters in a given jurisdiction select candidates for an election. Members of a party will select one candidate from among several to go on to run against candidates from other parties in a later election.

    And, I’m supposed to put credence into an article so patently wrong in its first premise?

    Maybe someplace else this has been addressed in this article, but this made my blood absolutely boil.

    With friends like this, Perry doesn’t need any enemies.

    PERRY STILL HASN’T LOST AN ELECTION
    Gawd!

  • jakeofalltrades

    As CNN laughed at Erick, the primary season has just started. He is WAY out of touch with a national electorate that hasn’t even begun to think about who they will support.

  • Bob_Frazier

    Rick Perry is for open borders. Newt is for Cap and Trade. Yet you all insist that somehow Rick Santorum is a big government conservative because he stood by the party while George W. Bush nearly killed it, his support cheered on by many at Redstate. I thought it was a mistake at the time and it cost him his senate seat.

    In no way is Santorum a “big government” conservative. Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are. if Perry dropped out and was smart, he would support Santorum, not Newt. Politics being what it is, you never know.

  • Bob_Frazier

    Rick Perry is for open borders. Newt is for Cap and Trade. Yet you all insist that somehow Rick Santorum is a big government conservative because he stood by the party while George W. Bush nearly killed it, his support cheered on by many at Redstate. I thought it was a mistake at the time and it cost him his senate seat.

    In no way is Santorum a “big government” conservative. Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are. if Perry dropped out and was smart, he would support Santorum, not Newt. Politics being what it is, you never know.

  • avagreen

    I’m royally pizzed at this mischaracterization about Perry’s “losing two elections”……..

    I thought EE was smarter than this?

  • WillWong

    and the election a war? Each caucus and primary are waged individually and seen in that light, it is reasonable to treat them as an election. Semantics really…..

  • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

    Rest assured that there are those here who will not forget what redstate and you have done and will continue to do to promote conservatism. I continue to be grateful for your efforts even though I may disagree with you from time to time (this is not one of those times, however).

  • acat

    (nothing further)

  • btpull

    He is only polling little above the margin of error in SC and FL.

  • porkandcheese

    For all this dislike of coronations, there seem to be a lot of supposedly tough candidates who can t close the deal. Yet only Perry is being told to drop out. Instead of 911 truther, porker and insider Ron Paul, who will even run third party against the eventual nominee. Instead of Santorum, who could not beat Romney in Iowa, has a terrible record, is dropping in polls and poses the greatest statistical threat to Gingrich. Perry has the best record and finally gets his shot to run in a red state primary where voters will appreciate his commitment to guns, life, faith and freedom… and he is being asked to drop out by a right wing blog where he announced his candidacy and overshadowed the Iowa straw poll?!! Talk about fair weather friends and all for Newt, who would drop you on your deathbed for a younger blonde. Just when I thought I d seen it all.

  • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

    And next thing you know, Erick will be labeled as not being a “true conservative.”

  • rkcurtin

    would be a great combination to support, send money to, and vote for.

    We cannot have 4 more years of Obama to help destroy this country.

    I hope many independents wake up to this fact after Obama’s thumbs down on the oil pipeline from Canada.

    As to the people who would sit out the election because the Republican candidate would not be conservative enough for them, which Republican would have nixed the pipeline?

  • Paul Seale

    To be sure.

    I cannot abandon Rick. Even with his flaws, he remains my favorite candidate.

    Primaries are for a reason. I will vote my conscience as I did four years ago with Fred Thompson in a tightly contested Missouri Primary.

    Albeit we have a caucus this year in which I dont know if Ill be told where to caucus at and such…

    I will rest my head at night knowing I voted for the man who was put in my heart and head two plus years ago – who championed jobs and individual rights more than any of the candidates combined.

  • texastaxpayer

    My give a damn will officially be busted the day the good governor of Texas leaves this race…. After nearly six months of lies and seeing my governor, state and people drug through the mud. Especially the bigotry expressed towards southerners in general and Texans specifically I have no desire to be included in this party any longer. I see so many people supporting frauds with no record to back their claims. A bunch of sheep waiting for the next slick politician to say what you want to hear. You people truly deserve the government you have.

  • Samsara

    Erick’s post on Politico

    http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/01/erickson-calls-on-perry-to-bow-out-now-111326.html

  • jakeofalltrades

    Erick just lives in a different world than the rest of us. In his world, the entire country has been paying as much attention to this election cycle as he has. In his world, everyone has gotten educated and made up their minds that Perry is not their candidate. In such a world, Perry should drop out.

    In our world, most Americans don’t decide who to vote for in a field this split until a week or two before the election. The primary season has just started.

    In Erick’s world, a trailing candidate after 2/51 contests cannot possibly make up the difference in the remaining 49.

    I am glad I do not live in that world.

  • moodyboots

    Perry is polling below 5% and in single digits pretty much everywhere. He’s a complete non-factor. I’m not even sure if his endorsement wouldn’t hurt more than help, considering how he’s viewed by the GOP primary electorate.

    The notion that Gingrich (or anyone else) would pick Perry as Veep nominee is quite absurd. Perry is done in national politics and I doubt another statewide run in Texas is in the cards for him after this debacle.

  • oldlady

    Agree with all you say except that I don’t agree that if he drops out Perry should endorse anyone at this point. I think what would be best for him is to see how things go for a while before jumping right back into the fray by endorsing. Meanwhile, most of the other Governors are standing back and keeping their powder dry too. This is the smart thing for them to do. What will happen is that when the candidate is clear they will all come on board and back that person to win the general. For his own sake and the sake of his State Perry should do the same.

    Sorry but my stomach is churning lately. Loyalty is so deeply inbred and seated within my own character and being, that witnessing the willingness of so many who are involved in the political world, whom I formerly admired, turning on people they formerly supported and throw them under the bus for expediancy.
    Personally I find it totally disgusting!

  • elayman

    It could have been spun more in the interest of “balancing” Huntsman’s acknowledgement that Romney is best positioned to beat Obama with a lifeline to Gingrich against Mitt than the pathetic final act of a desperate man. Both endorsements are defensible. Staying in for Perry unfortunately is not.

  • LoneStarSon

    been asked to bow out…Erick was all for Newt stepping out of the race at the end of the summer, but now HE should stay and Perry should go? I’m just glad we didn’t have this type of mentality at the Alamo. We may have lost, but by God, we went down fighting. If Perry does somehow fail to receive enough votes to win the nomination, then I hope Romney gets it. So Perry can come back in four years and pull a Reagan.

  • Dafyd

    Given that Perry’s twitter status 5 hours ago was: “Help make the push in SC!” I don’t see him dropping out today. Earliest would be after tomorrow’s debate, and even that seems unlikely.

    Which is foolish, really. I dunno that Newt would offer him the VP spot, but if he did, that would be an extremely strong ticket, and it would keep his narrative as a winner.

    Those of you that own dogs, especially male dogs, know the following: the alpha dog NEVER lets on that he’s hurt, dying, or in pain. They put on the tough exterior right until the bitter end. We’re seeing that now with Perry. He will give every indication that he’s not going anywhere until about half a second before he announces otherwise.

    So, what’s the path here, really? What’s the strategy?

    My guess is he’s hoping that because he’s been cheered so much in SC, he can squeeze out a 10% or higher finish in that state (not bloody likely), enough to merit an invitation to the Florida debates. He then must hope that Santorum blinks after coming in 4th in SC (which is where he’s been stuck in the polls) and seeing his numbers frozen at 3-4th place in Florida.

    He might even be hoping (against all hope and logic) that Iowa flips to Santorum and Newt carries SC, which takes serious steam out of team Romney. That gives 6 weeks for Newt to chase after Romney, who withdrew after Super Tuesday last cycle. If Romney withdraws after Super Tuesday because Newt outperforms him, it becomes a Newt / Perry / Paul race. It’s the less than 1% chance scenario. It’s the illogical scenario. It will not happen.

    But that’s the only reason I could imagine Perry hanging in the race this long.

  • robbyshankar

    Perry has built his campaign on the premise of being a Washington outsider. Newt Gingrich is the epitome of a Washington insider, a career politician who made money off of Washington even when he was out of office. While it is plausible that Perry would endorse Newt, it makes no more sense than if he endorsed Romney. I think Perry should stick it out, we need leadership in the Whitehouse and only Romney and Perry have the executive experience and temperament we need to get America back on its feet. Gingrich is nothing but a ticking time bomb ready to explode at the least opportune moment.

  • lepelerin

    Now is the time to do it. Perry wanted to give it one last try before exiting. He’s still polling in the 5% nationally so I say be gracious and give the baton to Newt!

  • avagreen

    You’ve come to the WRONG place to push your flat out lies.

    Show me where Perry is for open borders…..

    Santorum’s Big Government policies have been listed on this forum in the past, including even this site’s editor:
    http://www.redstate.com/erick/2012/01/06/what-a-big-government-conservative-looks-like/

    And, according to Club for Growth:
    However, on balance, Santorum?s record in congress is generally one of favoring bigger government and more spending ? not atypical during the Bush years where Santorum served in Senate leadership.http://www.clubforgrowth.org/perm/pr/?postID=1007

    Just google for Santorum and Big Government for more links. Today……..mabe “bing” would be better which is what I use all the time anyhow..

  • tnfriendofcoal101368

    Here is a conservative checklist:

    Individual Mandates for health care:
    Newt: For
    Romney: For
    Santorum: Against
    Perry: Against
    Obama: For

    Unfunded Medicare Part D:
    Newt: For
    Romney: Against
    Santorum: Against
    Perry: Against
    Obama: For

    Freddie Mac:
    Newt: For
    Romney: Against
    Santorum: Against
    Perry: Against
    Obama: For

    Given his recent support for Medicare Part D, Individual Mandates for health care, and Freddie Mac, how is Newt more conservative than Mitt Romney other than calling himself a “Reagan Conservative”. This is a race between one small government conservative, one Massachusetts moderate, a libertarian and two Washington big government advocates. If Governor Perry leaves the race, he will leave Ron Paul as the last defender of small government in the race. If he endorses Newt, he would sacrifice his principles.

  • porkandcheese

    We re supposedly nominating a leader to go up against an incumbent president. Who has got what it takes? Newt is only popular when he is throwing red meat to the base, but not when voters take a close look at him. Romney is tolerated for his money. Neither has earned this nomination yet. If conservatives have to be told who to support and be deprived of choices, they deserve big government. They will get it with Obama, Romney, Santorum or Gingrich by varying degrees in that order from left to right.

  • tnfriendofcoal101368

    I should have had Santorum for Medicare Part D, unfunded since he voted for it. That makes it worse. Please stay in Governor Perry.

  • http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

    so why in the world should Rick Perry leave the race just to help one moderate beat another. Newt will do the exact same thing he has done before, show huge amount of hubris, blame conservatives when they get mad, and then do a ad with Nancy Pelosi. I have no faith that Newt is conservative; he is in his own words a Rockefeller Republican. This idea that somehow Newt will beat Romney if Perry drops out is flawed, because I think 60% of Perry’s supporters would go to Santorum, and some to Romney. Newt has been so good in the debates that if he has not won your support yet, it is because you know how flawed he is as a person, and as a candidate. Perry is indeed low in the polls, and his poll numbers would not give a win to Newt. But for this country, because we need to beat Obama, Perry should stay in even if it only means Newt does not get the nomination. Newt would take this party down with him, and there is no way if Newt starts becoming a threat that everything he has ever done that is shady will be in the news every day. This is a bad idea, indeed.

    Record matters, and if Newt is the nominee, we are in a world of trouble. Erik pointed out at the beginning of the campaign season that Women voters would never come to Newt, and I think this still hold true.

    Type these two words into an internet search engine, and see what pops up. Gingrich/Hubris

    That is a problem for the party, and for conservatives. We cannot be the party of family values when our leader once told his wife to deal with an affair. When this said leader told his second wife he did not have to act like he talks. Newt is a charlatan, plain and simple.

  • aesthete

    I do not see a path for victory, or any reason to believe that Perry will rupture the pattern that has been established thus far with IO and NH, and which will likely continue in SC. Perry supporters have largely rebutted by noting his longstanding qualities and record. I don’t dispute this record, but I do dispute the notion that it will make a difference in the primaries going forward when it hasn’t thus far.

  • avagreen

    a “battle” is not a “war” and people who lose a “battle” can win a “war”……

    We lost a few of the former in WWII, but WON the latter in WWII!!!

    I’m pizzed.

  • texasroots

    (even though Perry said he would not take VP slot)? Gingrich, like Perry, will repeal Obamacare which is acceptable to me. Whatever it is, Perry will prayerfully make the right decision for the country.

  • conservativeparrothead

    If he endorses Newt, and say gets a 5-10% bump in South Carolina, he may or may not be able to pass Mitt at this point in the game, but I think he gets to a point where he trounces Santorum. and truly becomes the anti-Mitt moving forward.

    You need something to really put Santorum down to the point he sees the writing on the wall and decides to get on board with Newt. Having Perry exit the race, endorse Newt, may not quite get Newt over the top in SC, but it would be pretty darn close and that close 1-2 finish in a state like South Carolina, and then probably a similar result in Florida, could get Santorum out and get it one on one moving ahead with Romney really not having much of a delegate lead.

    Remember, February is essentially going to be a reset month with really nothing major until Feb 28 when you have Michigan and Arizona. Then Super Tuesday the first tuesday in March. It needs to be a clear 1 on 1 battle between Newt and Mitt moving into February.

    Rick Perry can go along way in helping get there!!! Im hoping that he reads what EE has written, I firmly believe that if it were not for the support he receives on this board he probably would of dropped out after Iowa, but was rightly supported on here to see what the Palmetto state could bring, but the results simply are not going to be there, outside of being a spoiler.

  • trelane

    Um Erick explained that, because RIGHT NOW is Rick’s last opportunity to have any positive impact on the 2012 election. If he fails to leave before Saturday, he will be branded as the one who’s ego and pride ensured the defeat of the Tea Party. Rick Perry’s legacy will be written in the next few days.

    Erick will recieve a lot of hate for this column, but I for one appreciate that he tells the hard truth.

  • http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

    What Perry should do is fight until the very last vote is cast. Newt, Romney, and Santorum are all big government people, and Ron Paul is not conservative. Perry should fight until he can no longer fight, it very essence of the nation depends on it.

  • avagreen

    Rarified air tends to do that to people.

    *damn* “lost two elections*

  • http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

    if Newt can come out of the dump he left this party in, how in the world can anyone say Perry cannot do the same.

  • kipling

    EE, as a friend and a faithful Red State reader, let me say that you are out of line. If Romney wins the nomination, it it not Perry’s fault. It is the fault of those who voted for Romney. If Romney is our nominee, we will go down to defeat and that will be our fault.

    Perry represents the Reagan coalition – social, fiscal, and strong national security. As you said less than a week ago, Perry is the only one presenting a truly small government vision. Now you want him to endorse Newt. Let me remind you, that in your finite wisdom, that only a short time ago you considered Newt a lost cause. In fact, you said that he was only remaining in the race to get federal matching funds.

    Newt is not the small government conservative. He holds many liberal views. He is a poor candidate. He may be better than Romney but let us not kid ourselves that he is the conservative alternative.

    Pundits give free advice and most of it is not worth the cost. Your post falls into that category.

    Perry raised money on the fact that he would make a stand in South Carolina. You are now asking him to betray the supporters and donors who have backed his play in order to gain some political capital and temporary acclaim as a hero. Heroes stand on principle. They do what is right and are committed to keeping their word. They do not sell out even for a chance to promote a non-Romney, who is still a big government guy.

    If Perry endorsed Newt and Newt implodes in the general election or if Newt becomes the next Nixon, will Perry still be a hero?

  • http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

    if Newt is ever the nominee of this party, he will drag in through the mud. Its funny that anyconservative is saying that NEwt will beat Romney, when Romney has so much to thump Newt over the head with. Perry needs to fight on, No way can we trust Newt with the nomination.

  • porkandcheese

    Rick Santorum 2006 border security legislation exactly mirrored Perry s policy, and he hypocritically attacked it in an early debate. There s your staunch conservative who sided with said Bush in supporting Specter over Toomey in PA. Santorum made a bundle doing the hi stroll on K street once his constituents had enough of him. That s why the establishment likes him. He s a team player who sold out conservatives, using social issues like the Schiavo case as a smoke screen while he flew around on Walmarts private jet to big ticket fundraisers.

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    wrote this diary. Every word was right though. And looking back on it now, I think maybe he was being too kind.

  • jakeofalltrades

    1. The early contests have never been weaker
    2. Perry only recently started performing in the debates
    3. Erick spoke favorably of a brokered convention. How does he get there if he demands everyone drop out?

  • sta46

    nt

  • http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

    Newt would be no more conservative than Romney, and he cannot beat Obama. I shudder at the thought of the fraud Newt becoming the nominee, and I cannot stand Romney, but out of the two, Romney has double the chance Newt does.
    Newt gets nominated, Obama wins by a land slide, it is what I think would happen. Perry stays in, if only to stop Newt, that is fine with me.
    Newt is not the one.

  • cheetah2

    Maybe he would endorse Romney because he has executive experience which the others do not have. Congressmen who are elected president without going through the vice presidency are rare as hens teeth. The last congressman to become president without any other political experience was Lincoln. Senators do a little better- Obama for example…oh wait electing him didn’t work out so well…Before that were Kennedy and Garfield.

    What I see happening is people are wanting to go with the safe choice because they really really want to see Obama defeated. They are looking at relevant experience and that leads them to Romney, since they’re apparently still questioning Perry’s electability despite his superior resume.

    So my question is why do we all assume that if Perry drops out it will benefit Gingrich or Santorum? What if Perry’s supporters goes straight to Romney? I for one probably will. I have been impressed with Gingrich lately however I am concerned that his lack of executive experience along with all the other Gingrichy stuff about him will matter even more in the general election than it does now.

    One thing suggested here that I agree with 1000% percent is that the praying types among us must be praying for wisdom for Perry in the next few days. I surely will be and I am certain he will be seeking God’s will. That is good enough for me and I will respect him for whatever decision he makes.

  • avagreen

    it’s the GODEP.
    GoneOffTheDeepEndParty.

  • http://formidablecourage.wordpress.com louisianapatriette

    It’s enough to make you want to cry. I didn’t lightly make the decision to support Perry. I researched him for four months before I decided I wanted to support him. I truly believe this is our “line in the sand” moment. William Barret Travis knew the situation was bleak but he called on his men to stand with him, and they all did save one. Things look very bleak but I’m standing by Perry on his side of the line until he tells me to lay down my sword.

  • cynic19006

    And is erratic. And will lose. By a lot.

  • http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

    the idea that Newt has a chance to beat Obama is just funny, lets picture a campaign were the Chicago machine will run against Congress, and Newt would make the perfect leader of that said entity, shut down government would be talked about over and over again, we cannot embrace what the whole country is mad at, and then expect a win. It does not make any sense to me at all.

  • laura211

    I’m extremely disappointed in Erick’s mischaracterization that Perry has lost “two elections” and that Perry should drop out. There is no reason for any candiate to drop out before Super Tuesday. I mean 2 states have voiced their opinion, there are still 48 more that would like a say in who our nominee is.

    We are sick and tired of the establishment telling us to sit down and shut up while they shove “their” nominee down our throat.

    Enough is Enough!
    Go Perry 2012!

  • lightspeed

    to himself and his readership to call it like he sees it. He has been hopinga against hope for some time now that Perry could turn things around. He has not done so and this recommendation to drop out is long overdue. This is the reality of the situation. What Erick has done is to outline a way that Perry can be relevant and help the conservative cause. To soldier on in the face of certain defeat is not noble, but actually a cowardly refusal to recognize one’s own failings. Perry may have been and may on day be a great President. Now, there is no path for him to victory. A true leader knows when to bow out and do what is right. We may disagree on what that might be, but he can do more good getting out than staying in.

  • lightspeed

    There are a ton of people here who will tell you who you should vote for. If you don’t agree, fine, but this (and other sites like it) are all about influencing your opinion–that’s the whole point.

  • http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

    This is from another website:

    kamiller42 12 minutes ago
    Griff Perry, Rick’s son, tweeted:
    This begging Dad to drop out is a joke. It shows weakness as a leader. Talk about what you will do for the people and let them decide.

    A radical idea.

    *

    Just being onstage is vital, for his message contrasts with that of everyone else.

    Let’s ponder the possibility that Santorum drops…and Perry passes him…or at least gets into double-digits and approaches the others [maybe passes Paul].

    Then, where would the pressure to pull-out be directed…particularly if this were to transpire without there being any major endorsements provided to him?

  • jakeofalltrades

    Perry will not be Veep – he isn’t in this for a huge demotion.

  • thinkfirst1

    If Perry gets out there will be no conservative left in the GOP Primary.

    He has 11 years to prove his rhetoric is the same as his record.

    The 2008 McCain opposition research (200 pages) documents Romney’s fraudulent claim to be a conservative.

    Santorum was just documented to be a big-welfare hack, despite his convenient campaign rhetoric to the contrary.

    Gingrich is target-rich for Obama/Soros/MSM with rooms filled with skeleton, a poor reputation among true Congressional conservatives, serious ethical breaches, and wild campaign spending on unnecessary luxuries.

    Ron Paul is 76, can only campaign part-time, is as goofy as Obama on some issues, and like Gingrich and Santorum has no executive experience.

    If any of these guys really cared about the conservative cause, and getting Obama & thugs out of power, they’d resign and endorse Perry – but they are all pompous windbag empty-suits and they won’t.

    So the real leader is tagged to get out and the bums remain – The GOP is doomed to be The Stupid Party once again and steal defeat from certain victory? How pitiful.

    I am praying for a political miracle – the voters in SC demonstrate that they have a clue – and Perry surprises … BIG TIME … for America.

  • citizenkh

    I worked my tail off in 2008, WITHOUT any support from the McCain campaign AT ALL. I knocked on several thousand doors mostly for my congressional candidate, but a lot for McCain.

    I am not selling out for another LOSER RINO ever again.

    Rick Perry or bust!

    We have been royally screwed by the pundits and Tea Party. Neither or which understands that both wealth creation and jobs are from manufacturing. Most manufacturing is based on petroleum feedstock or additives. REGULATION more than taxation have dished out an almost fatal blow. NEWT is NOT the answer and neither is Big Government Santorum. Doesn’t that only leave whackjob Paul or moderate leftist Mittens as the alternative?

  • laura211

    I too have thought that Perry could be a Reagan (not win in ’76 but come back in ’80 and knock it out of the park) but here’s the problem. We don’t have four years, this country is done if Obama gets another four years.

    This is America’s time to get behind the real conservative in this race who isn’t in it for self gain but for love of country.

    This is Perry’s time to shine and win it!

  • formotioncreative

    Listening to Hannity now responding to a caller who is afraid Newt could lose as well as Romney (duh on the Romney). Palin is clearly saying that this race needs to continue. There appears to be a strategy in place that benefits the voters who aren’t in the early states. I’m not sure how many delegates Perry has, but I’ve heard it’s more than Newt’s 2 delegates.

    Also, Palin is going to be final speaker at CPAC followed by keynote speaker at Skybridge. She endorsed Perry in his recent run for governor. I think she’s prayerfully waiting for the fire to catch and we need to wait and pray as well.

    Regarding the evangelical polls, I’ve been a little skeptical of the ones I’ve heard in the media but came across the following. If anyone wants to dispute this, you’re welcome to, just thought it was worth a look:
    “Among evangelical Christians, Gingrich gets 40 percent of the vote, followed by Rick Perry with 15 percent, Romney with 13 percent, Santorum with 12 percent, and Paul at 10 percent.”
    Read more on Newsmax.com: 3 Polls Show Newt Gaining on Romney

  • cynic19006

    “Show me where Perry is for open borders?..”

    Were you watching the debate where he said that if you don’t support American taxpayer money going to fund illegal aliens’ college educattions, “you don’t have a heart”?

    If you support giving illegal aliens incentives, you’re for open borders.

    His state of Texas is inviting Demographic change that will make it Democrat in 15 years. Then Republicans will never win elections nationally. And Rick Perry invited these changes.

  • jakeofalltrades

  • http://formidablecourage.wordpress.com louisianapatriette

    He may, he may not. Not my call and I don’t particularly care, except I don’t want him to endorse Romney and I dont think he will. You definitely have good points and I’m sure Perry is considering all this as well. He’s a smart man.

    I know what you mean about loyalty. This has been a “Be sure you’re right then go ahead” thing for me, and I won’t leave Perry unless he drops out. It’s Bern so disheartening to see people who had previously supported Perry (and I’m not talking about Erick) and have defected in the past 48 hours. I’m there to the end, wherever that may be. Nothing can persuade me to do otherwise.

  • lapert

    In a party that likes to nominate the previous next in line he might take a VP slot under the assumption that win or lose he will be in a good position to get the nomination in 4/8 years. Frankly, another 4 years in Texas isn’t likely to do that for him..

  • lapert

    But they keep deciding he is at the bottom of the pack, how many times does he have to see that before he stops wasting money and people’s time on what then is nothing more than a vanity trip.

  • avagreen

    In fact, I’ve been thinking that for a while.

    I think these looney tunes are trying to get Perry out of the race BEFORE he hits the Southern states, and definitely before he hits Texas.

    I haven’t met ONE PERSON that doesn’t support him.

  • Rapunzel46

    could be made about Rick Santorum. If anyone should get out, it is him, he is not a fiscal conservative — Erick himself has expounded on that fact and he lost his last election by 18 points…. plus he not nearly as likeable IMHO as Governor Perry. Besides, Newt, being Newt can implode as fast as he rises… go back and look at his record as speaker and look at the fact it was Rick Santorum who participated in the coupe against him……… the only tried and proven guy in the race is Governor Perry and all of a sudden everyone wants him out!!!!! Does everyone want to see this country fail, it sure seems that way from here,

  • Rapunzel46

    for open borders, that is a flat out falsehood!

  • sta46

    by saying today that she would vote for newt she exposed herself for the ego driven, opportunistic little shill that she is.
    oh right… the biggest alledged champion of conservative values and she signs off on a big government, sit-on-the-couch-with-nancy-pelosi lobbiest. way to go sarah. mayby you will get a gig on FOX since all the rest of them are bought and paid for by the pound too.

  • avagreen

    illegals we can’t deport and the Feds won’t deport and who, in fact, sues states that try to.
    You really need to read more on this subject.

    Let me guess……….your slant sounds like you got it from a Ron Paul site……and you’re probs very young …….. to be so uninformed about in-state tuition.

  • sta46

    is/was our only chance

  • Adjoran

    How blind do you have to be to understand that the election is not about some theoretical debate in which the Newt from last weekend shows up and not the nasty little cretin everyone hates the minute he opens his arrogant mouth.

    Gingrich is no movement conservative. He has used the conservative movement to feather his nest, boost his ego, grab power when possible, and bend employees over the desk.

    He stabbed us in the back in the ’90s, he stabbed us in the back with cap-’n'-tax, he stabbed us in the back with Pelosi, he stabbed us in the back with Dede, he stabbed us in the back on the Ryan Budget.

    When will you idiots get the message?

  • jakeofalltrades

    Erick’s duty is to maximize the influence, readership, and profitability of Redstate. Redstate is his client, and as far as that goes, he is doing a fantastic job – no sarcasm.

  • willy506

    I think non-conservative RINO’s should drop out and we rally around the most conservative candidate.

    I’m sick and tired of the left and the MSM telling me who is electable or unelectable.

  • cynic19006

    Not in 1994. not in 2001. In 2012. I cannot find one issue where Gingrich is more conservative than Romney. And even if there are any, it won’t matter, because his unlikability will cause him to lose by 15% in the general election. We’ll lose senate and house seats and Obama will be 10 times worse than he was in 2009.

    On one major issue, immigration, i.e. the demographic future of our party and our nation, Romney is the most conservative of the field. Gingrich is rambling and appears to be trying to pander to hispanic activists or something. Why isn’t Romney getting credit for this? The media and leftists are already going after him hard, because they know he is where the American people are. Romney is moderate enough to win but his personality and background scream conservative once he gets into office. Gingrich – total opposite.

    I don’t care what Romney was for or against in the mid’90s. I was in high school. I care what Romney did as governor, which was to veto stem cell research, work against gay marriage, and lower unemployment. And I care that Gingrich was able to lead the House in an effective way. But I also care that Gingrich supported indiviudal mandates, and cap-and-trade, and called the Ryan plan “right wing engineering”, and served his wife divorce papers in the hospital, and cut an ad with Nancy Pelosi, and attacked venture capitalism while he took millions from the mortgage scam industry himself.

  • jakeofalltrades

    That last line is the historical kiss of death.

  • cynic19006

    Gingrich not only would lose, but even if he did win, he’d be a more liberal president than Romney.

  • http://formidablecourage.wordpress.com louisianapatriette

    I saw that tweet this morning and loved it. The Perry Family isn’t consumed by this spirit of fear that seems to pervade the GOP right now. Praise God for them.

    Praying very, very hard for Rick, Anita, Griffin, Meredith, and Sydney. Hoping they know that not everyone has betrayed them.

  • jakeofalltrades

    Seems to me I’m getting what I’m paying for.

  • avagreen

    or others like that?

  • thinkfirst1

    How does one be a king-maker when the others are mere court jesters and sleazy magicians?

    Only Gov. Perry is the real deal.

    The Romney-media misrepresentations and black-out of positive coverage have had their desired sleazy affect – in favor of Romney and against the best-interests of conservatives and America.

    Perry has the only record to compare and contrast effectively with Obama’s – during the same 2008-2012 period and he has strengthened as a candidate – though you’d not know any of that through the Romney-media and their buddies in the MSM. Shame on them all.

    Shall we reward empty promises from empty suits over real leadership?

    Has propaganda overwhelmed truth in the GOP Primary?

    Why has Erick joined the cut and run people in the GOP who would rather settle for a loser than advocate for a proven winner?

    I really don’t get it.

    Rick Perry said that he left the Democrat Party because it first left him – the same appears to be true of the Republican Party for real conservatives – elite establishment types and hacks dominate and truth is obliterated.

    If Gingrich, Paul, Romney, and Santorum represent the best we have than we have nothing … and it may be time for a new conservative Party.

  • unclefred

    in the latest post debate poll there is an excellent chance he can win SC on his own. A lot depends on the Thursday debate.

    Erick is not out of line to suggest a political strategy to any of the candidates. He speaks only for himself and Perry will assign value to it as he chooses.

    From all the speculation leaking out of Iowa, it seems likely that on Friday, Romney will turn out to have finished 2nd in Iowa. They may come to regret their “win is a win” commentary.

    If Newt beats Romney in SC the narrative changes and suddenly he has only won the state in which he is almost a favorite son. Fl is suddenly up for grabs big time. It is conceivable that all the not-Romneys can gain a bit of ground and suck Romney back into the pack. At that point everyone gets a second look. Romney can’t skip the FL debates, and we still have a primary.

    Much as I would like to see consolidation before Saturday, were I Perry, I would have a hard time getting out at this point. Especially if my internal polling confirms the surge and tightness of the race.

  • tnguy

    Perry will be dropping out in a few days. He almost did 2 weeks ago. It speaks volumes at our folly in letting 2 non-conservative states shape the debate to this degree. Suggesting that Perry endorse the best remaining candidate is hardly an irrational thought. I would wager Gov. Perry will do this very thing sometime in the next week or so, if not sooner. Erick is right, it would have a little more impact and meaning if he did it sooner rather than later.

    The real issue for me is I really don’t see where the conservative movement goes from here. The leading candidates for president are: a Massachusetts gov who is left of conservatives on many if not most issues; a big gov’t social conservative; a wacko nut job conspiracy theorist; and a disgraced speaker of the house.

    Romney is polling at 20-30%? Really? Ron Paul is polling at 10-20%? Really????? The notion that the appropriate home for the conservative movement is in the republican party seems to be dying a slow death this election cycle. I don’t know where we go from here.

  • avagreen

    Do you really think Perry thinks this last few months has been a “vanity trip”?

    If so, let me give you a ticket to Columbia for your next “vanity” vacation…… just cause you need the “rest”.

  • rtsidedragon

    In any worthwhile endeavor, you have ups and downs. This is a MARATHON, remember Erick? Geez Louise. I cannot countenance defeatism. It’s 2008 all over again. Who’s our McCain going to be THIS time? Sorry folks. I’m just so p.o.’d I cannot see straight.
    You know, a couple line’s from Kiplings’ “IF” come to mind:

    IF you can keep your head when all about you
    Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
    If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
    But make allowance for their doubting too;
    If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
    Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
    Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
    And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
    …If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
    ‘ Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch,
    if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
    If all men count with you, but none too much;
    If you can fill the unforgiving minute
    With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
    Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
    And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!—-or in your case Governor, you ARE the man!!

    GO PERRY 2012!!!!

  • Samsara

    The Governor had his chance. The Vulture Capitalism thing was his last chance and it has not moved him out of single digits in the polls. And this is not Iowa or New Hampshire, this is South Carolina.

    He has every right to stay in the race till the convention, but to what end. He is not going to be President of the United States. Time to move on.

  • jakeofalltrades

    Perry is out.

    What’s that you say? There are fifty states?

    Oh. Nevermind.

  • tyman

    Jake, couldn’t agree more.

    How can Romney secure the nomination after only the 3rd or 4th state? If that’s the case, the process truly is flawed.

    I’ve thought that with all of the anti-Romney sentiments, the more contests Romney wins, the faster folks rally around the anti-Romney candidate. Whether Perry or Santorum or Newt get out, this will happen.

    I think it’s just too simple to say that Newt will get the nom if it’s just him and Willard.

    Perry needs to stay put!

  • bonnman

    Citizenkh I’m not saying you won’t vote for Romney if he is the Republican candidate but will you go and knock on a thousand doors for him?

    I think the majority of conservatives won’t get out there with their support.

  • jakee308

    mistakes, missteps, misspeaks and missed opportunities do we suddenly think this man will be an aid against the tide of blandness and unelectability that is the political wind vane of Mitt Romney?

    Better he just state the obvious in as few words that he can manage and gracefully (and gratefully for those of us who had such high hopes) exit the disaster of his attempt at national politics.

    It’s a shame as he had/has an immense amount of potential and magnificent past performance.

    Apparently his stage fright kicked in when the audience numbered in the tens of thousands otherwise he should’ve done well.

    SEE YA!

  • Justin Spagnolo (standardcandle)

    This is the office of the President of the United States it’s not some brokered deal reality show where we’re voting people off the island.

    No Rick Perry if you’re listening to this. FIGHT!

    My personal opinion is Newt, Santorum, and Romney are different shades of “Pink” republicans… Perry is a raw meat “Red” texas style republican.

    Newt’s great at messaging when he’s not whining about Super PACs, Santorum is wooing the Social Conservative crowd. Neither of them have a compelling argument that they represent your three-legged stool Reagan coalition conservative.

    I’m not talking about candidate purity here… I’m suggesting that Rick Perry’s chips are his… and he either loses them playing his own hand, or mount a comeback.

    This “give up to fight another day” perspective is more about narrative than it is about espousing conservative principles.

    Don’t get me wrong, if Perry determines to drop out, Newt’s most likely the next in line for my vote… and if Perry drops out, I suspect a Newt Nomination will not likely result in a Perry VP role…

    Perry owes nothing to Newt, he owes it to his supporters to show them that he’s not going to give in if they’re not going to give in.

  • lapert

    I didn’t say the last few months have been a vanity trip – I said continuing after it is obvious you cannot win is a vanity trip and that is where he is now.

  • http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

    but in many ways it makes sense, but that is if Newt was indeed a conservative champion, he is not, and in fact Newt has proven time and time again to have only his best interest at heart, if that included some conservative stuff, that is his good luck, but believe me, if Newts best chance to be president came through the moderate wing of the party, Newt would be the first one to jump on that.

    I will not suspend my views on Newt just because I do not like Romney, there is little difference between the two, and at least Romney does not come with all the baggage Newt does, and I find it hard to believe that most of the Perry supporters would go to Newt, I think most of the party understand that the White House would love to run against the disgraced former house speaker, when they are already planning to run against an unpopular Congress.

  • No Longer For Perry

    Just look at this site, for instance. That said, I do not believe “endorsement” truly matter as much as people think. Oh, and about those polls and margin of error —- WOW! I noticed that Rasmussen put out a poll thim a.m. Having Perry at four percent. So, in theory, if the margin of error is 3.5 percent — then you come up with 0.5 percent support. Just waiting for the “negative” or “minus” column to be used. Oh, and don’t let the sire know- it-all try to tell you that Rasmussen, too, is a very liberal organization. Not true.

  • lapert

    on other campaigns where it could inflect the outcome. While I would never suggest you don’t have the right to contribute your money to whomever you like, those who fashion themselves as leaders of the movement at some point have the responsibility to their followers to try to redirect that money to avenues that help the movement forward.

  • No Longer For Perry

    No text

  • jakeofalltrades

    I feel like the only small-government conservative in the race is being thrown under the bus over a four-state loss, three of those states not being winner take all and all four of them having only half the delegates.

    If Newt is so strong, he will outlast Perry anyway. There is no need to intentionally foreshorten the race when the lamentable fact is that over 80% if the states almost never have a meaningful choice in the nominee.

    This movement has to do better.

    The entire reason this country is in the toilet is because Republicans have never persisted for what is right. Look at the state of America today, because it is a perfect reflection of this movement.

    He who fails to persevere for what he believes in deserves to live in his own anathema.

  • lightspeed

    by ignoring what he sees to be the glaring reality of the situation, then you are OK with that? Too many Perry supporters on this site are thinking with their hearts and not their heads. Perry ran a miserably poor campaign and torpedoed himself in the debates. He has not improved his standing with the electorate even though he had more cash on hand than just about anyone. Don’t jump all over Erick for recognizing the reality you all refuse to see. Denying all the evidence of Perry’s failure will not make it any less true. He’s polling 3rd now in Texas for crying out loud!

  • http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

    and Newt is about Newt, and when, and if and when “Those Conservative” as he liked to call them, ever move on to defy him, he would show them his venom again. There is very good reason Newt was disposed by the conservative wing of the party in the 90′s, and anyone who does their research can find countless articles on the real Newt Gingrich.

  • goodgovernance

    by Perry supporters. Palin’s an ego-driven shill. Erick’s trying to be a kingmaker. The voters of Iowa were quirky crypto-Dems. The voters of New Hampshire were even worse. And anyone who supports anybody but Perry is stupid!

    If Perry loses in South Carolina (and that is just about certain) what will the Perry supporters think of them? Why not just call South Carolina voters a bunch of stupid, good-for-nothing liberals right now? May as well call out the voters of Florida, too. Aw heck, let’s just point a finger at all the states except Texas and call them all a bunch of communists.

    That will get the people voting for Perry. After all, Republican voters love being called communists.

  • znjs

    I’d take Romney and day of the week over Newt. Romney will do some liberal things, but can be pushed to be more conservative if enough pressure is applied. The only thing that Newt can be counted on is doing whatever is in Newt’s best interest no matter what everyone else thinks and making decisions based on his enormous ego.

  • http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

    does not mean everyone should except that. If only that we need to keep Obama from picking the next few justices, I’d say I am willing to wait until we can get a true conservative in the white house, but Obama is such a threat that we have to replace him, and Newt would not beat Obama, I just cannot see a way that happens. If Romney is the nominee, we have a slight chance, but in likelihood we would lose, but I think Perry can win.

    But out of Romney and Newt, I would go for Romney all day, and not think twice about it.

  • jakeofalltrades

    As I keep saying, this country got to where it is today because conservatives did not persevere in fighting for conservatism. The state the country is in is a perfect reflection of this movement.

    He who will not persevere in fighting for what he believes deserves to live in his own anathema.

    I will persevere. I hope Perry will too.

    I am more interested in making history than repeating it.

  • irishgirl

    n/t

  • buckeyetexan

    What crap. Perry should not drop out after only one primary. Santorum is the one who should drop out.

  • http://formidablecourage.wordpress.com louisianapatriette

    Shouldn’t he drop out and endorse Gingrich too? How about Ron Paul? Why do we single out Perry? And IF Perry is polling so low and has as little support as the media wants to say, how will him dropping out even help Gingrich? Seems to me if we go by the polls that the people who are hurting Gingrich the most are Paul and Santorum.

    Something is fishy here.

    Everybody be sure to read RickPerryReport’s latest article.

  • rams40

    And if Gingrich loses by a lot, will Romney do better?
    The latest debate is a preview of what’s to come against Obama. Romney will be a safe, oatmeal debater who will never strike out but never hit a home run.
    Gingrich will hit some home runs.
    I’m certainly no big fan, but Gingrich is a better candidate all around in my opinion.

  • http://conservativemountaineer.blogspot.com/ conservativemountaineer

    This whole “Perry must quit” meme is ludicrous. IMHO, it is Santorum who should quit. Now. He has no national organization and is not qualified (no executive experience – this Country tried this in 2008 and look where we are today).

    And, then Gringrich should quit. Yes, he inspires, but he will be villified by the MSM. Plus, where’s his executive experience?

    Oh, another thing – There’s been scuttlebutt that the “24-hour Palin” thingy last September caused a rift.. remember at that time Erick was soundly behind Perry. Who knows? Maybe there’s *some* truth there and Palin would have chimed in for Perry.

    I’m sending Perry another $100.00 today.

  • kipling

    (nt)

  • Scope

    in a whole new light in this election season. I see them as all being mini Michael Mann’s, complete with their bogus hockey stick charts to prove that their scientific data has proven that Global Warming is real and threatening. That was until it wasn’t, via East Anglia.

    The same will happen with the punditocracy, in their attempts to persuade the voters to honor and accept their opinions. I’ll be curious to hear what they have to say when we will unfortunately be watching the styrofoam columns being taken out of storage, and re-erected in preparation for Obama’s second inauguration.

    Funny, just listening to Donna Brazille once again talking about Newt Gindrich.

  • jakeofalltrades

    My vote goes to Romney, too.

  • notpropagandized

    Out of power, Newt fiddled around with the only thing in town – The Establishment. It led him to sit on the couch with Nancy Pelosi, a huge mistake. Idle time is evil time and Newt is a human as are all of us. But now he’s engaged and at war where he is best and war is what we have as the Obama coup d’ etat move forward. Perry or Gingrich would draw more conservative votes than Romney would independents. Romney would underwhelm conservatives be the most likely to lose to Obama.

    Perry is the man, but few out there are agreeing with me. Will that change in 72 hours? Barring a God-miracle, probably not. The only warrior left will be Gingrich and he has mastery of the spoken word and communicating relevant concepts that appeal to full spectrum conservatives.

    Whether or not Newt has been Big Government in the past is not so relevant because now he has a new cause with the people’s energy to rally behind him. Despite the past, he will be that best to dismantle the DC mess and will enjoy spiting The Establishment in the process since they provide him no quarter anyway.

    Such a shame to lose a resource like Perry. Erick is probably right that he should find the best time to rally the troops for Gingrich. Santorum has his support because he was the last one on the conservative roster. He’s a settle-for candidate and will threaten a loss to Obama even more that Romney, perhaps.

    Your disagreement is begged, but I think Erick is barking up the right tree.

    Humbly submitted to red-blooded patriots of America…

    -NotPropagandized

  • barleycorn

    Gov. Perry has a chance to be a statesman as a conservative who puts cause before self.

    Losing an election is brutal (I know) but how you handle losing is also important.

    I trust Gov. Perry will find it in himself to make the right decision.

  • jakeofalltrades

    One hand holds aid to get you running, the other a knife to stab you in the back when you take off.

  • loneranger2012

    Newt or Romney the conservative!

    Rick Perry and Rick Santorum are the only Conservative base on your information.

  • texastaxpayer

    Perhaps we should use more hyperbole and projection like you are doing here….. I mean I have seen many many posts titled “Anyone who supports anyone but Perry is stupid.” I can’t seem to find them now how about you provide us a couple of links??? You could also provide links to your claims regarding Iowa and New Hampshire while you are at it. I guess since you have decided your is the only opinion that matters it is of course fair for you to judge others regarding their feelings towards Eric and Palin. I mean after all we can’t have people saying anything you don’t approve of after all.

  • traversecityconservative

    You have finally seen the light and realized what we are up against. Sometimes reality sucks but it is what it is. I watched a town hall with Rick Perry last night at a VFW and was very impressed by him. He’s much better in that setting one-on-one than in the debates. However, my judgment of him was also confirmed by watching the town hall – he still lacked the ability to get a crowd fired up and he always seems to be grasping for words. I think we need a communicator/educator as much as a commander during this coming election period. We also need a good communicator once they are in the White House to explain how freedom is more important than an Ameritopia that will lead to socialism and dictatorship.

  • Scope

    for Perry to drop out now. Ducky. But then again, I’m sure that was the motive.

    Even Donna Brazille has suggested that Perry should stay in the race until at least Fla. A Republican strategist just said that when a candidate drops out should be up to the candidate, not someone telling them to drop out. I hope there is a major backlash on this diary, and not surprisingly it will come from the left.

  • Matthew Morris

    All excellent points LPat. I have been proud of Erick for being brave and recognizing the more conservative candidate on these here pages this primary season. Now what happened?

    Is this like what happens a few months after Tea Party Republicans join the House of Representatives?

  • Rod_Patrick

    Palin said “If I would be a SC … I would vote for Gingrich …” in order to support her argument stated earlier in that Hannity show that the primaries must still continue, instead of hastily handing over to Romney the crown of nomination, and also for more vetting.

    Gingrich is polling second to Romney in SC and to impede the fast Romney Train, someone has to snatch SC from Romney’s winning streak. So, Gingrich, by polling numbers, has the greatest chance to put pedal to Romney’s train before going to FL. That’s why his name was mentioned in that interview.

    Common! IT’S NOT AN ENDORSEMENT!

    Make sure you listen first before you make your own judgment/opinion!

    What’s happening here in RS btw?

  • Rapunzel46

    because everyone is begging the job-creating governor to drop out and leave the country to the status-quo…… look at this latest report out of Texas:

    http://www.chron.com/business/article/Houston-economy-faster-growing-in-North-America-2591026.php?utm_source=The+Perry+Almanac&utm_campaign=3f674ade36-Email_19_15_2011&utm_medium=email

  • jakeofalltrades

  • westcoastpatriette

    Especially these two points: Erick is out of line to say that if Romney wins the nomination it will be Perry’s fault. What bizarre reasoning. And manipulative to boot.

    But the second even more poignant point is that Erick is asking Perry to betray his supporters in order to gain some political capital and to assure Perry would still have hero status. What a sad way to justify betrayal. I am sure Perry will reject your recommendations, Erick, as he has too much integrity to even think like that.

  • Lesstressrx

    If Perry drops out & I suspect he will, my choices have just been cut down to one. I like much if what Paul says but disagree with him on his foreign affairs stances. Santorum is not a fiscal conservative, which is extremely important to getting the job market working, & Romney isn’t a choice. That leaves Newt. He definitely isn’t a tea party conservative but he is 100% better than Mittens. In my opinion, the establishment republicans have won again. For whatever reason, Iowa, N H, & now S.C. Tea Party Americans have not stood behind Perry, not the Tea Party or Sarah Palin.
    For the Tea Party in SC to support Paul instead of Perry blew my mind. No doubt Perry must be scratching his head. Few Tea Party groups have come out in support of Perry. Makes me understand that even the people that call themselves Constitutional Fiscal Conservatives either are not or don’t understand what it means. Rush Limbaugh said from the very beginning
    That if we got caught up in social issues instead of the economy & beating Obama we would loose. We have lost the minute that Perry leaves the race. You can?t blame him, his support is pathetic in S C, a state you would expect to care about the economy. Perry is a full package, economically sound and socially sound. Maybe it just isn?t his time and God has other plans for him. If he drops out I am left with Newt and hope he can beat Romney cause I am not convinced Mittens can beat Obama. God bless our beautiful America & God Bless Rick Perry.

  • barleycorn

    Gov. Perry can not win. Period. He has already lost. To stay in will just embarrass him further. He needs to end his campaign, endorse Newt Gingrich, and then get back to governing Texas. Leaving the presidential race will not be the end of Rick Perry’s political life. There is still work to be done.

  • Rod_Patrick

    If Perry cannot find a way to win this, he might as well support a non-Romney.

    Let’s admit it. He’s polling badly because of his own mistakes in the campaign trail.

  • Scope

    Especially when that lead changes daily, depending on the weather at the moment in Hawaii, or perhaps Texas.

  • goodgovernance

    Reagan couldn’t have done what Reagan did if he hadn’t been “The Great Communicator.”

  • jakeofalltrades

  • texastaxpayer

    ;)

  • avagreen

    a complete misread of his character.

    *sad* as you say.

    Extremely disappointed in the East Coast types……though I’d found the “hero” here at RS.

  • votemout2012

    I give up there is no other conservative in the race. Newt is a big government establishment republican same as Santorum. I will vote in the general but thats it. Newt, Romney, Santorum they are all the same to me.

  • Scope

    when you take a gig on Communist News Network. You lose all principles and ability to fight for conservatism when you are in enemy territory. Some just can’t take the flying arrows.

  • porkandcheese

    Erick pointed out that Romney advisors themselves coined the term vulture capitalist during the midterms. Newt has been successful with that line of attack, being seen as the anti Romney least afraid of a fight. That was why his debate performance was seen as a success. His showdown with Juan Williams gelled that perception. SC is just hearing about Romney s record at Bain, and it makes him vulnerable in the primary and the general. That is why he wants to skip the debates and go straight to the nomination he was promised.

  • A_Texan

    As a supporter of the Ricks, who went with Santorum once it was clear that Perry was getting nowhere in Iowa, I am in the minority here. I don’t think any of the candidates is EVIL or a RINO. They are all flawed, and ALL have a record of serious conservatism coupled with problematic votes, endorsements, etc.

    Does anyone REALLY disagree with that assessment? Does anyone REALLY believe that the differences between the candidates, fully considered, is massive, relative to the differences between the candidates and our current President.

    Of these flawed candidates, my preference is Santorum.

    But I’m with Palin on this–we can’t let Romney stroll to the nomination. A long, hard process will do the eventual nominee good, even if it’s Romney.

    Perry would do the most service by rejecting the Romney coronation–and forcefully so.

  • maddawg

    I moved my home and my business to Texas because of what Rick Perry stands for. Less government, less taxes, less regulation — and you want him to quit so we can either give NoBama four more years or allow a moderate to dictate what we we will receive.

    Stand and fight Rick. We are behind you.

  • votemout2012

    I hope if he gets out he gives Erick a nice surprise and endorse Romney. Would serve no purpose to endorse Newt over Romney.

  • goodgovernance

    If you are intellectually honest and read the posts and not just the titles, you’ll find what I’m talking about. A lot of it is right here, in response to Erick’s post.

  • citizenkh

    It is surprising what one can do between 5 & 7:30 PM on weekdays and from 9 AM to 2 PM on Saturdays, for two months.

  • irishgirl

    to anyone other than Perry, as I have been doing. If he drops out, he drops out, but for me, that’s when my financial contributions stop.

  • avagreen

    not you nor EE.

    If his supporters want to continue to support him, that’s THEIR business as well.

    If you don’t want to vote for him, don’t. But quit telling us that will and want to vote for to stop. Whodehell are you? Am I telling you how to vote? Would you like it if I or anyone else did?

  • willy506

    Iowa’s caucus was an open caucus in a blue state, NH’s primary was an open primary in a blue state, SC’s primary is an open primary in a southern state.

    It’s still early in the process and no Red state closed primaries have been run, yet.

    It’s too soon to throw in the towel and settle on a squishy RINO.

    Keep in mind, Reagan ran behind Carter in the polls all the way to election night.

  • CarolT

    I am very loyal too. I will not stop supporting Rick Perry until he drops out. I was hoping that the voters would give him a second look after Huck’s forum Saturday and Monday’s debate. I wonder if polls include Monday’s debate?
    I don’t see Newt or Santorum as the not-Romney and able to win the general election against Romney and though he has been a horrible POTUS I have my doubts that Obama will lose in November. He has the power of incumbency on his side.

  • barleycorn

    Its easy to be fearless and steadfast and have all the answers when you have no responsibility.

    Many of you kvetching about Erick’s post are acting like a 12 year-old whose parents are the meanest people in the whole world for making you go to the dentist.

  • Dave_A

    are from everything BUT consumer-goods manufacturing – and it will stay that way until we can figure out how to make things without employing people to do it (beyond a few skilled (degreed) techs to keep automated systems running).

    Promoting the fantasy that the US can, much less should, compete with the 3rd world for unskilled and marginally skilled labor manufacturing businesses does us NO service.

    While I agree with you on the importance of petrochemicals, the ‘bring back the 50s’ obsession with obsolete & unprofitable business ventures is NOT something the GOP needs to cling to…

    The era of a ‘middle class’ life with a high school diploma and ‘hard work’ is over, because the rest-of-the-world can now do those jobs, and can do them without demanding US-level wages.

    But the only way our work-force will realize this (especially the younger generation reaching the end of their HS careers & making the decision as to what path their life will take) is if we stop pandering (eg, promises to ‘bring back’ jobs from overseas) & trade-protection, and just let it sink in ‘Those days are gone, learn a skill that can make money in TODAY’s economy (hint: B.S. degree or military service likely required), or it’s a life of burger-flipping & shelf-stocking for you’…

  • Scope

    said. She didn’t know how George Bush won, she didn’t know one person that voted for him.LOL

  • avagreen

    and who have asked him by phone, email, and on this forum TO STAY IN THE RACE!

    This isn’t Perry’s first rodeo and he’s heard this crap before.

    So look at it another way other than the narrow viewpoint you are holding here.

    Did you EVER support him? Just curious. If not, then your opinion doesn’t hold much water. Just sayin’.

    So far, the people that I’ve called…..don’t hold to YOUR or EE’s opinion. ;)

  • jakeofalltrades

    Everyone but Santorum should stay in, I guess.

  • SteveM

    I’m backing who I want, and that person will be the one I think is the most qualified to be Prez and would do the best job. Don’t give a rip what anyone else says.

  • porkandcheese

    No taxpayer money is paying for illegals to go to college. TX residents who pay local sales and property taxes get the discounted tuition rate for locals. You re a liar. Perry said it was heartless to penalize children for their parents’ mistakes, and he is correct. If these kids are admitted to a state college through their own hard work, they should enjoy the same proveleges as their high school classmates.

  • Scope

    It’s called trying to be a kingmaker, when you are nothing but a butler in the Royal Mansion.

  • pdawk

    He is the ONLY Speaker of the House to EVER be found guilty of ethics violations. By a 395-28 House floor vote Newt was sanctioned $300,000.

    He was essentially forced to resign his speakership because he was going to get voted out anyways.

    He was for cap and trade, individual mandates, big government spending, and a whole host of other positions directly at odds with conservative values.

    There is definitely no perfect conservative candidate in the field. Having said that, I just cannot ever see a path to victory in the General Election for Newt. I would take Santorum , Romney, and Perry over Newt. He just comes across as a self-loving slimeball.

  • barleycorn

    “You can’t make me eat my broccoli!”.

    Rick Perry can stay in as long as he wants to.

    You can vote for whomever you wish.

    Either of you can also shove a stick in your respective eye but it wouldn’t make much sense.

    Rick Perry can leave the race retaining some semblance of dignity or he can hang on to the bitter end and be a laughing stock in GOP politics the rest of his life. Its his choice.

  • loneranger2012

    This is not the make or break Primary. The Liberal New Media is the only people said the race is over after South Carolina if Romney wins. (IF) is the big word in that statement. This is only the three state to vote. Less than 3% of the people have voted for president in this go around. I would like for someone to tell me why we are letting the new media pick are candidate for us. Romney is not the candidate to win in november! Perry is mainly out of the race because of his debates. Ron Paul is just a pest and take vote away from the candidate who can win. Gingrich has ton of baggage that Obama could have a ball with. The only Candidate left is Rick Santorum. Rick and Rick would be a great campaign team. We could win that race and think about this Joe Biden V Rick Perry now that would be a debate to watch. Perry by a landslide win there. Two real conservatives on the same ticket up against the Two biggest Liberals in the countries history.

    That would be a great team. Rick Santorum and Rick Perry!
    A WINNER in November!

  • westcoastpatriette

    I feel so disappointed and surprised — this reaches levels of treachery in my book and I’m considering if it’s time for me to leave RS. I have really enjoyed being here since last June but I am not sure I will/can stay now.

  • elayman

    That is just the reality. Santorum and Paul should have both dropped out to coalesce behind a conservative candidate who could have beaten Obama like Huntsman to have had a shot at New Hampshire. But they won’t face the pressure because both have legitimately earned the right to be a serious force with the potential to upend the nomination fight and remain a factor throughout next year’s general-election campaign. He is clearly not the consensus vehicle that the majority of conservatives are looking for to disseminate their message.
    Candidates that have nothing to stake their candidacy on should get out and make room for a less disastrous second option.

  • avagreen

    ^^^^

  • porkandcheese

    Like breakfast at Tiffany s or a Greek cruise for Newt.

  • poorhoratio

    is one of the funniest words ever. Also, agree with your sentiments, avagreen.

  • avagreen

    ^^
    (-)

  • lapert

    A good leader wouldn’t just do as his supports beg but would direct them to what is most helpful for the cause. In this case, recognizing that you have no chance of winning the nomination you as a true leader should direct your supporters to the best alternative, or if you don’t think there is an acceptable alternative direct their attention to other places they can make a meaningful contribution – like congressional or state races.

    You don’t need to believe my opinion holds any water. But at some point you need to face facts. The people who are willing to put their money on these outcomes are giving Chris Christie and Jeb Bush higher odds of getting the nomination than Rick Perry – and they never even entered the race.

  • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

    First, I haven’t been happy (politically speaking) during this primary season for quite a while now.

    Second, who’s “Eric Erickson?” Hint: It’s “Erick” with a “k.” (Just want to be sure your label is properly applied.) And I think he’s still conservative through and through. As am I, even though I’m not according to some people. And I haven’t thrown away my Coulter, Levin, or Limbaugh books, either. And I still watch Fox News occasionally.

    Third, I’m learning to never say never and always. As in, I’ll “never” vote for candidate X. Hint: I voted for McCain. Lots of posters claiming they’ll never vote for X if he gets the nomination over Y. Do that and we’ll have Obama for 4 more. I believe any of the GOP candidates are better than Obama.

    But I sincerely appreciate your effort, especially the happy face (haven’t learned how to do that yet).

  • sunshinek67

    To suggest that Governor Perry’s continuance in this nominating process after a couple of states have voted when there are 48 other states that have yet to be heard from is absurd. To suggest that Governor Perry’s continuance in this nominating process is going to “spoil” it for another candidate that currently is polling much higher is absurd. The polls have proven to be volatile and unpredictable in some cases. Why not make the case that the other candidate should have made a much stronger case for himself if he loses to Governor Perry? Same goes for all of the candidates, including Perry! Too bad if it yields Mitt Romney, too bad if it means GOP loses in the fall. No guarantees that Newt Gingrich is going to fare any better than Mitt Romney. All GOP nominees will be demonized. Governor Perry is the absolute last candidate that represents smaller Government. It works in Texas, too bad for the nation.

    This diary was created out of fear. That is weak~

  • gbenton

    Polling and the horserace aside, the reality is that this primary feels like we are being pushed over a cliff.

    With all due respect Erick, and I find I rarely disagree with your posts, I have been a Perry supporter from day one, for full disclosure.

    I think we all agree that the country is teetering on the edge of Obama’s infamous fundamental transformation into a statist utopia. Politics aside, the country IS in dire straights and conservative policies and reforms are what will actually work. For the good of the country, we need a real conservative, as I see it.

    The optics right now remind me too much of 2008. I had a sinking feeling when McCain became the nominee, and I’m getting it now. I truly am sorry for the Eeyore tilt to this comment, but we’re approaching the point of no return. I’ll vote for the nominee int he general… just to get that out of the way, but here’s how I see it….

    Romney: the guy who LOST to McCain is the odds on favorite. He is not an inspiring leader and is a Wall Street scion in a time when that is an achilles heel. The flip flopping thing means no one can really trust the man, and the base has tried to nominate anyone BUT him.

    Newt – I love it when he tosses red meat in the debates, but I also remember being bewildered and disappointed in him when he got rolled by Clinton. Whatever his strengths, I am gravely concerned that a ascerbic old white guy is going to fare poorly against Obama. Plus, he’s never been the executive of anything, and I can’t support that with any degree of comfort.

    Santorum – There is NO way this guy wins the general. I would vote for him, but I can’t see it. He’s whiny in debates and I think another compassionate conservative will destroy the GOP. But he can’t win even the primary so i believe HE should drop out.

    What disturbs me most about Perry’s poll numbers is that those polled are saying they value debate flair over executive experience and track record and principles.

    No one running has a better record than Perry. Period. Why we are even considering anyone else is mystifying.

    The path of least resistance always appears easy at first, but it leads to decline. To roll over and nominate Romney would be easy. Newt, too. He’s a good talker – until he says something rash. But he’s a big thinker and it would be easy to be lulled into forgetting his checkered past.

    and the vast section of low information voters, people who are entitlement minded, soft, dependent, afraid, and ignorant of the lessons of history and economics, are a real and present danger to this Republic.

    The big government statists in both parties want to rock us all back to sleep while they blindly charge over the cliff. the welfare state is unsustainable. It will collapse and shame on all it’s supporters for choosing their personal gain over the good of the country.

    I believe many independents are more conservative than the GOP. I believe Paul’s polling, beyond his loyal followers, is a protest to the Romney’s of the party more than an endorsement of all of Paul’s plank.

    If the GOP nominates another useless squish there is nothing that will rally the people to vote for him because pale pastels just aren’t all that different to a low information voter.

    We may survive a second Obama term, but at what cost?

    I will vote for the GOP because they are all I have to represent what I believe in, but ‘they’ are doing a piss poor job because they mostly seem to represent themselves.

    The Tea Party is the best thing that could have happened to the GOP and Romney and his supporters would seem to prefer holding a pillow over the TP until we just stpp struggling.

    So with all due respect, Erik, I would much prefer a discussion on what would it take for Perry to win.

    We need a true executive. A governor. A conservative.

    I get it, he’s polling 5% right now, but Santorum was a nothingburger just a few weeks ago, too, and will soon be again.

    At the very least, encourage Perry to stay IN until the bitter end if need be.

    I think the rest will lose in the general. How do we get Perry to the general?

  • notpropagandized

    Something tells me that VP appeals to Perry as much as “warm spit”. But Anita might want him to do it and then she could mitigate the 8-year mistress in the White House optics

    Certainly, Gingrich sees no standing for the preferred Perry to lead such a ticket. He’s going to fare better getting Allen West or Herman Cain or Rubio or whatever future is emerging in ReParty.

    If Perry’s not the one, it’d be nice to see him wage a 10th Amendment war on Washington from Texas and see if some other states might get into the act, not necessarily from the South.

  • dansvan

    What gets me is that Iowa, NH, and SC are all “open” primaries. So that means that since the Dems don’t have anyone to pick this year, they can get into our primaries and make it look like everything has gone to the left. That’s why the frontrunners so far have been Romney and the other not-Perrys. If I were a Democrat in one of these 3 states I would have voted for anyone but Perry, because they know that:

    Romney cannot defeat Obama.
    Santorum cannot defeat Obama.
    Gingrich cannot defeat Obama.
    Paul cannot defeat Obama.

    The only guy who can beat Obama is Perry. The Dems know that, and that’s why he’s being shut out of the race,

    It really stinks that 3 tiny little Democrat-skewed races are going to pick our candidate for us, and now Erick is jumping on the bandwagon.

    I haven’t been reading this blog very long, but I’m really bummed.

    But I’m still praying for a miracle, because IMO that is all America has left. If there’s anyone out there who will pray with me, there’s still a chance. If you read Glenn Beck’s new book “Being George Washington” you will see that he did not give up even when it seemed that everything was lost, and Perry should not either. Getting out of the race is not going to defeat Obama, it will just help us move faster to finding out who will lose to Obama.

    Rick Perry 2012!

  • A_Texan

    According to many posters here, Santorum is nothing but a Big-Government, RINO, Statist who just happens strangely to be pro-life (or so he claims).

    IF all these claims are true, why would he drop out to facilitate a truly conservative candidate? Would not such phoney be as likely to endorse Obama or Kucinich for President as any TRUE conservative. Surely that’s where my heart is too.

    But these posters are full of it. They know full well that Santorum is self-consciously conservative, as are his supporters. Indeed Santorum WON handily the “very conservative” vote in Iowa, and came in a strong second among such voters in New Hampshire. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2012/new-hampshire-primary-jan-10/exit-polls

  • No Longer For Perry

    “I can’t believe Nixon won, I don’t know a soul that voted for him!” Now, if I’m not mistaken – she was a liberal Manhattan dweller who only hung out with elitists.
    The point was that if you live an insular life surrounded by only those who think and feel exactly like you, then you don’t get the full picture.
    Sound familiar?

  • Dave_A

    Too much personal baggage.

    However, Romney CAN beat Obama.

    Trying to claim ‘Newt is better than Romney’ ignores the fact that BOTH have nearly identical positions on every issue – which is to say that BOTH HAVE BEEN ON BOTH SIDES OF NEARLY EVERY ISSUE.

    With that in mind, it becomes about winning…

    And Romney CAN win (poll-tracking has had him 1 point up, even, or 1-2 points below Obama and the race hasn’t started yet)….

    Simply for lack of personal baggage.

    A Gingrich-Obama race will be all about Newt’s zipper, and not about the issues in any way. Newt won’t even get a chance to use his ‘debating prowess’….

    A Perry-Obama race is something I’d love to see, if only we could get the rest of the GOP base to hop on board & make it happen….

    Which leaves us with a Romney-Obama race – something that could actually be interesting if Romney utilizes the opportunities presented to him (for example, using the ‘I pay about 15%’ to talk loophole-closing and overall tax rate reduction (I pay about 15%, if you’re the typical 2-adult, 2 kid family you probably pay 2% or less but we hang on to 20% all year & give it back later, and if you’re a single middle-class adult you pay everyone else’s percent, and we have an army of federal employees who get paid to do nothing but make this circus act run – let’s fix this, close the loopholes, lower the rates to what people actually pay (no more taxed at 20%, pay 2%, get 18% back later), and eliminate all the administrative costs that come with the current mess)….

  • tyman

    Why Perry? If his numbers are so bad, why would Newt even WANT an endorsement from him?

    Perry needs to stay in to AT LEAST get a message out of conservative, states’ rights views.

    So disappointed in the pundits.

    I shudder to think if Ronaldus Magnus hadn’t been blessed with a photographic memory and charisma, what this nation could have been deprived of.

    Reagan was much more than debates, his life was the very ideal of conservatism….from his family, to serving God and his country.

    For me, Perry isn’t about flashiness but about getting the job done.

    I pray that he stays in. As crazy as this campaign season has been, you never know what will come up next.

    It just does NOT make sense to quit now. What if Newt had quit?

    What if Perry sees that this country is worth going back to Texas and facing all of those old opponents, if he should lose the nomination?

    Personally, I think that if Perry’s message doesn’t resonate, it’s because this nation is truly beyond saving. Maybe folks really do want a bigger government to take care of them. They need to be reminded that a government powerful enough to give people what they think they want is powerful enough to take it all away. That’s what Gov. Perry is fighting!

    The others simply aren’t! I guess they think that as long as power is in their hands, we’re okay. That’s what the other side believes, too.

    Perry simply wants that power to go back to the people, I believe.

    If Perry gives up on fighting for this country, what message does that really send? If Perry felt Newt would have been acceptable, he would have never even run for President.

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    And learn to spell his name correctly. Really, it’s not that hard, but more and more I’m thinking it’s an IQ test.

  • A_Texan

    I agree largely with this article, tho Santorum needs a good showing of high teens.

    Romney win is the worst case scenario–even for Romney, I think.

    I agree entirely with this article.

    http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/gingrich-win-could-benefit-everyone-even-romney_617132.html

  • loneranger2012

    Primary. Because many of us would say he was not a real conservative because of his liberal record as Governor of California.

    I do not beleive Ronald Reagan could win or beat Romney because the real Conservatives like Santorum and Perry can find NO LOVE!

    NUTS right!

  • porkandcheese

    Yup it s all Perry supporters who called Palin an ego driven shill and diva when she teased a long deliberation over whether she would run, or when she cost the GOP a Senate seat in a high profile election by endorsing the DE witch or Joe Miller in AK just to settle a personal grudge. The two big ones that all of America was watching, thereby shaping their opinion of the tea party. At least she stayed out of IL, but of course crickets when we took Obama s old seat that was worth a cool million to Blago. She only had a reality tv show. It would be crazy to say she hogs the spotlight and values self promotion over conservatism.

  • http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

    As much as I’d like one so we could draft Mitch Daniels.

    It’s in nobody’s best interest (but Obama’s) for a brokered convention. We need time to just get over the primaries and start to focus on the only thing that matters… beating the hell out of Obama.

    Winning in November is going to be a massive task no matter who runs, BO’ll have a billion dollars to play with and the unions will toss in another $500MM or so – ESPECIALLY if Scott Walker wins in WI, as I expect he will.

  • texasroots

    adulterer Newt, Wow! I have a feeling that adulterer Cain is behind all this with his Perry hate still intact. I suspected Erick was up to backstabbing Perry because Perry did not do what he wanted done. I don’t know who Erick thinks he is to demand Perry drop out; it was bad enough asking people not to support.Perry. Why all the hate? Talk about betrayal.

    On second thought, Perry should continue for as long as he want to.

  • loneranger2012

    Santorum beat Perry and Gingrich in Iowa and New Hampshire!

    You have got to be kidding!!!!!!!

    GO RICK GO!

  • Finrod

    I know it couldn’t have been easy arriving at this, but you’re doing the right thing.

    In the latest Rasmussen national poll, it’s Romney 30, Gingrich 27, Santorum 15, Paul 13, Perry 4. Among self-identified Very Conservative voters, it’s Gingrich 35, Romney 25, Santorum 18, while among self-identified Tea Partiers, it’s Gingrich 39, Romney 21, Santorum 20. If Santorum can’t win more Very Conservative voters or Tea Party voters than Romney, then Perry shouldn’t be endorsing him.

  • Samsara

    especially about this Bain stuff just starting to sinking in. Just because we have been talking about it for weeks doesn’t mean it has reached the awareness of the average voter yet.

  • tnguy

    ….Gov. Perry is going to drop out in the next few days. He’s going to finish no better than 4th in SC. It speaks to the sorry state of the republican party that Gov. Perry will lose in SC – badly – to Ron Paul. But it’s where we are.

    The Gov’s own internal polling has no doubt shown him the writing on the wall. He hung in and hoped for a miracle after Iowa, and it’s clear that no miracle is going to materialize. I totally reject the notion that we must select the most effective communicator, and his beliefs be damned. If that is the case, then our country is already without hope. Perry is an adequate communicator, and has a clearly superior vision for America, but he’s being soundly rejected by his party.

    Ultimately, the Gov’s poor communication of his immigration views, his poor performance in debates hurt his campaign deeply. But once the shock of those wore off a little, his support continued to erode. Why? He is clearly improved in his debates and speeches the last few months, and has just as much abilithy to energize a crowd as any of the remaining losers.

    I believe, as someone said here the other day, most republicans simply don’t want Gov. Perry’s vision of an extremely limited federal gov’t. 95% of American still are clueless about our financial (and more importantly, spiritual) peril. I also think a great many voters did not appreciate Gov. Perry’s outspoken Christianity, and of those who weren’t offended, many republicans feared it would be a handicap were he to be nominated. Sad commentary on the state of the republican party.

  • bonnman

    and BOTH have flip-flopped on too many issues so this is really just a personality contest now. So vote for Romney? Just what we need to lead the country in the right direction, a beauty pageant.

  • dereich

    Govenor Perry, Please stay in at least until we see what SC brings. You can reconsider after that, but the good people of SC just might come through for us.

  • http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

    He’s been nothing but a big government wanna be for years. He’s every bit the embarassment that Ron Paul is and he is no more POTUS material than Paul.

    The only reason he’s still in the race is that he bought Pantaloons support in Iowa.

  • Finrod

    While RedState has had many prominent politicians post diaries here (most of which make the front page), there’s only one that I’ve ever seen posting in the comments.

    His name is Newt Gingrich.

  • bonnman

    Sorry.

  • willy506

    Just like IA and NH..because it’s an open primary and many dems will show up to vote for him, propping up his numbers.

  • dansvan

    You are right – we do not have 4 years left if Obama wins again.

  • texastaxpayer

    I hope spends it buying kleenex for newt to wipe his tears with…

  • tnguy

    ….I could give a whit less about whether the guy with the (R) after his name wins. Especially since the (R) is going to be far (L) of me. Your Gingrich digs do little to support a candidate who has openly called himself a progressive.

    Conservatives can’t expect to get anywhere if they continue to cave and support candidates who, using your words, are on both sides of every issue.

  • mbrat42

    that caused people to drop Perry so quickly. His first debate was weak. He tried to come out stronger in second debate and was criticized for attacking Romney. He toned it down and had a oops moment, which has happened to every single human being at one time or another. From his fourth debate on, he has improved greatly. But, once he had his oops moment, people became cowards and dropped him.

    What is sad is that people seem to be voting for who they “think” can beat Obama instead of voting for who they feel is the best person for the job. While I don’t agree with Ron Paul on several issues, at least you can give it to his supporters who are sticking with him no matter what.

  • http://www.writeinryan.com ragnarthepirate

    Newt wins SC. Then, he’ll say something stupid. You will abandon him and be right back to where you should have been since Iowa: none-of-the-above.

  • willy506

    I’d like to see how Gov. Perry does in SC and FL.

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    I can’t remember now.

  • mbrat42

    The myth that Perry is for open borders and subsidizes illegals, was started by so called “conservatives”. One of those being Michelle Malkin, who has some sort of childish grudge against Perry.

  • runner12

    Did anyone happen to see the Stossel interview with all of the 20′s and 30′s crowd (my generation)? Not one could identify a GOP candidate by photo nor did they recognize the names. The majority of Americans have no clue who they will vote for at this point. People are still learning and investigating, after all the primary season has just begun ( one primary and one caucus only).

    I have never disagreed more with EE on a post than I do this one. It pains me to say it, but it smacks of the pundit class wisdom. In some cases, that wisdom is accurate, but in this case it misses the mark by a wide margin.

    It makes the assumption that Gingrich is popular and can beat Obama, which is an assumption that I have great concerns about.

    Gov. Perry, give EE the air on this one and stay in the race.

  • oldlady

    Hopefully, if he leaves the race, he will finish his term as a Governor and engage in a nationwide campaign on behalf of the 10th amendment. I know he be in high demand as a speaker on the subject. Hopefully he would also start a PAC that would support and and help candidates for Federal Office get elected. No one could better articulate and champion this cause than Rick Perry.

    Despite the few negative voices here that would like Perry’s political days be over, I believe that perhaps God had a different job for Perry still to do for this country that he, Rick, so loves.

  • coachfess

    now is not the time to quit. You are not a spoiler. Newt can win SC on his own. You can come in second or third. You have seen it for yourself in the crowds that have come to see you in SC. When Newt wins SC it will be a three man race. The voters are turning away from Santorum. You will come in second or third place then Florida will be the new battle ground. You are the only true TEA PARTY candidate. Erik is going against his own strategy. This is a marathon not a sprint. When Newt beats Romney in SC it is a whole new ballgame. Hang in there and keep up the great job in the debates. You will win this in the end. This is the absolute definition of faith. There is a certain motto I like to live by and it is this: Faith and Patience. If you have both you will endure till the end. God’s Speed Brother Perry!

  • tyman

    It’s very sad to me that the one most able to cure this nation of the jobs crisis, as well as its love of government is being thrown away with both hands.

    Based on what? Perception that he is unelectable. By whom?

    Remember when the LSM told us how McCain appealed to the moderates and independents? How did that work out?

    I guess the same people thought that Boehner and McConnell would be able to lead Congress against Obama.

    Again, how has that worked out?

  • notpropagandized

    Amen

  • septembergurl

    Erick is saying that, given the likely outcome of Saturday’s primary, Perry would maximize his influence on the race as well as preserve his viability in future contests by leaving the race and endorsing Gingrich prior to the primary.

    Presumably, Perry entered the race because he believed that Romney, the likely nominee, was not conservative enough nor viable enough, or both. Since his own effort to fill this gap has failed, his best move now is to support the nominee who is most likely to beat Romney, and also the most conservative. The case could certainly be made, as EE has done, that would be Gingrich.

    (Incidentally, Laura Ingraham today called for Perry to drop out, though she adduces the Turkey gaffe from Monday’s debate. It’s not actually a good sign for Perry that this gaffe did not rouse more from the commentariat beyond “there he goes again.”)

    Would all his support go to Gingrich? No, but Gingrich would certainly get a bump as Romney did after the Huntsman endorsement. It would at least put him within range of knocking off Romney. And, it would maximize Perry’s influence going forward.

    This is the thinking behind Huntsman’s exit. He took one for the team, fell on his sword, etc, at a time most beneficial to Romney, making Romney’s win in SC (the only early state where Romney was likely to lose) almost certain. I say almost because Romney squandered some of his lead with his sub-par debate performance. Still, it’s an acknowledgement that Huntsman knows he ran a very bad campaign, and that he has to start rebuilding his political career from the ground up. It’s not pleasant or easy, but it’s necessary. It’s what Pawlenty did, and it’s why Pawlenty is still in the game, as is Huntsman. Whether Perry can do it remains to be seen.

  • texastaxpayer

    I hardly think he needs your permission to stay in the race. Further only a small minded twit would suggest Perry with his record of success loses any of his dignity because the msm, faux. and the establishment have pulled out all the stops in supporting Romney. If you weren’t so blinded in your support of a career corupticrat and lobbyist you would recognized how pathetic it is that Perry is losing to the likes of Romney and Gingrich. Did you watch that debate? Who really has better plans and a track record of delivering om those plans than Perry? No one.

  • snowshooze

    nt

  • jakeofalltrades

    This whole thing is all his fault.

  • tyman

    before it’s over with.

    However, if Obama wins re-election, I’m afraid that he will go after states like Texas especially hard.

    That is truly worth fighting for!!!

    I can’t believe that we are on the verge of nominating either the Republican equivalent of Obama (Romney) or Bill Clinton (Newt). Think about that.

  • bzip

    I think it is time for the pundits to sick it! I am sick of these pundits telling the American people tyo fall in line and accept who ever they want.

    We have had a total of 2 states weigh into this race. Don’t you think the American people have a right to weight into the candidates and have their say, Erick. Don’t you think with only 2 states weighting in and only a tiny fraction of the delegates accounted for that we should allow the process to play out.

    The vast amount of American people haven’t even had a chance to have their say and the pundits are asking for Perry to bow out, that i sick and the pundits saying this are sick and need to be taken to the woodshed and given some plain old advice.

    How many candidates have gone up and down and all over the place? Explain to me how Newt wins SC if Perry drops out. If you beleive the polls if Perry bowed out Newt still has too far behind and that is even assuming ALL of Perry’s supporters move to Newt, good luck with that.

    Further, tell me who has the money and resources to continue in a full scale primary – Newt, maybe, Santorum No, Perry Yes. Just what is Newt going to do in Florida where money and orgixation is a key. It is a forgone conclusion that Romney takes Florida yet we have to throw Perry under the bus for the sake of Newt.

    Well if Newt is so great at debating let Newt earn his win by knock and blooding Romney’s nose then. Don’t ask or expect other candidates to bow out just so you can push your guy Newt over the line – that is sick and it is why politics are corrupt and lousy cuz the pundits help make it that way.

    So let me see, Newt who took 4th place in Iowa only a little ahead of Perry but Perry claims more delegates cuz he won some counties unlike Newt, we have NH where Newt came in 4th or 5th not a great showing BUT we want to throw Perry under the bus.

    So let me see, we have the most consistent conservative who actually has a record to prove it, the only guy who truly wants to shrink gov’t, and take a recking ball to it, a governor with a decade long record of job growth, and doing the right things that could easily contrast with Obama and we want to throw him under the bus.

    Erick has lost his mind. If anyone should bow out it should be Erick. E$rick is so obsessed with trying to ensure Romney doesn’t win he has completely lost his marbles.

    Let America decide NOT you Erick!

    Remind in 2008 how everyone was calling on Hillary to drop out, well she didn’t win but she sure gave Obama a run for the money all the way down to the wire.

  • jakeofalltrades

    I did not know that Newt did. How engaged was he?

  • runner12

    Really? You have another thing coming if you think that the Tea Party will be defeated just because Perry might not win the nomination. It is more of a reflection of the American Idol style of picking a candidate rather than a Tea Party defeat.

    I can guarantee you one thing, if Newt or Mittens wins the Presidency and fails to repeal ObamaCare as their first act it will be the end of the GOP party in its current form (paraphrased from Limbaugh the other day).

  • Dave_A

    But if I’m given the choice between ‘Flip-Flopping Newt & his mistress train’ and ‘Flip-Flopping Mittens, no baggage’….

    I’d rather see Mitt, solely because he can win & Newt can’t…

    Trying to pretend that Newt is a ‘Conservative Candidate’ or ‘better than Mitt’ is just wishful-thinking.

    Similarly, in 08 I was a Fred guy, but given the Romney/Huckster/McCain choice that was presented after Super Tues, we ended up with the least-bad candidate….

    Still for Perry… Will vote for Perry in the Primary. But I’ll take Romney out of the ‘Not-Perrys’, simply because he’s the only other candidate in the race that can beat Obama if Perry’s not the chosen candidate.

  • citizenkh

    Just about everything, including computer chips, is made using petrochemicals. In fact, much of the process technology for making flat screens and computers was from petrochemical company research labs looking for new markets. This is something that I did not realize until I went out to Silicon Valley to liquidate a flat panel manufacturing site for a Dow Chemical subsidiary, Intarsia. They had modified the process slightly to make screens for cell phones. Most of the buyers were former Union Carbide and DuPont R&D chemists who had developed such processes. Dow had bought the plant primarily to sell their high purity petrochemicals to.

    The real kicker is that the equipment ended up being sold to a university for use in an R&D project/pilot plant for grant from DoD to develop flexible flat panels for use by the military.

    BTW, our cost per widget is still less than China’s. It’s the regs, even more than taxes, which makes us less competitive overall.

  • jakeofalltrades

  • JSobieski

    and a client with more than de minimis support is still in the running

  • http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

    …which may tie-together many above-comments.

    Suppose Perry opens-up during tomorrow’s debate, constantly ensuring his message is received, emphasizing his distinctions-with-differences when other candidates speak.

    Suppose this candor works, even so much so that he explains why he has been reticent to back-down; he wouldn’t have to say “the field is weak” because he could say “many people are undecided and most states haven’t voted.”

    I would want him to remain in the race for one key reason [of personal interest], notwithstanding the fact that he so so so so superior to the others in most respects [in terms of policy and personal integrity].

    I’d like to know what happened. I’d like to know why the TEA [Taxed Enough Already] Party Movement has slumbered. I’d like to know who participated in the Texas-convocation [inasmuch as EE's rendition was 2nd-hand, because he wasn't there on Saturday]. I’d like to know why FNC has blacked-out/ignored Perry.

    If he stays in long enough, we may find a sufficient number of leaks to be able to retool the atmosphere in-time. He can function on a shoe-string, perhaps ID some unaffiliated billionaire who respects his guts [and ability to differentiate elk/bison/etc.].

    As y’all know, Guzzardi and I are from Philly, and we deeply respect everything Perry advocates; indeed, the more exposure, the more respect.

    We will continue to advocate, even if it requires surveying every reasonable website [including those which we are advised to visit via e-mailed notifications].

    We see USA in trouble, and we don’t see anyone else who can help.

  • JSobieski

    nt

  • jakeofalltrades

    This four-states decide crap is ridiculousness on stilts.

  • CarolT

    Santorum has hardly any money, he is on the ballots in most states, How can he possibly win, he lost his own reelection in 2006 in his home state. I don’t see a win for him for the GOP nominee. I thought his surge would be over by now, as it has for all the other not Romney candidates. Who cares if he almost won Iowa? Almost doesn’t count. He spent all of 2011 in Iowa. He cannot do that in the entire country.

  • runner12

    NT

  • elayman

    Remember Fox and ideological radio were the first to misinform the Republican rank-and-file on unvetted and overestimated candidates Bachmann, Cain, Perry and Gingrich et. al. The MSM and debate moderators only gave them enough rope to self-immolate by subjecting each to the same level of scrutiny as their rivals.

  • barleycorn

    Your post is sad because it was clearly written in anger and hurt. Most of what you accuse me of I didn’t write or imply. I didn’t come out for Newt Gingrich until AFTER Perry imploded. I was for Perry. I still like him. But he has lost this race.

    Whether you think it is just or not, if Perry stays in and continues to rack up 3 or 4 % then yes he will lose his dignity and become a joke.

    This childish mantra about him not needing my permission is pathetic. I am just stating the facts.

    Perry has been a good Gov. for Texas only because he actually held that office. You must win the election first and govern second. Perry is lost. He can not win. Newt is the best option left.

  • explodinghead

    I too have been appalled by the bigotry expressed towards southerners and particularly Texans. They slap us in the face for our drawl and our swagger. Well , I guess it’s time to take our drawl, our swagger and our vote and go back to Texas. Maybe it’s time for some of those who want our vote to come hat-in-hand and earn it, instead of berating and belittling Texans. Just because my preferred candidate Governor Perry may be leaving the race, doesn’t mean that I will vote for those who didn’t make my cut in the first place. There were very good reasons Newt or Santorum or Romney were not my first choice. I still have those reasons. So, for those of you who just think I will settle, think again.
    Of course you will respond with, “Well, do you want 4 more years of Obama?” I believe if Romney or Santorum is the nominee we definitely will have 4 more years of Obama.I’m not sure Newt can win either. I need to see a heck of a lot more than a snappy debate performance to change my mind.

  • http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

    …but perhaps he’s been chatting with those CNN-pundits too often.

    Until now, I’d tried to perceive his comments as potentially motivating; it’s difficult to maintain that fa?ade much longer.

    Perhaps EE will want to show sufficient respect for those who have raised legitimate questions about his theme, to respond to the points we have been making aggressively during the past few hours.

  • jakeofalltrades

    My hatred is pledged to Obama. I feel dirty, like I’m cheating on him.

  • snowshooze

    You can be awfully cruel sometimes…ha.

  • pj2012

    thanks for standing strong!

  • acat

    Even though it’s inaccurate as hell, it’s also a slam-dunk on Obama.

    Mew

  • explodinghead

    n/t

  • texastaxpayer

    So please forgive the missing “k” ok.

    My favorite part of your post is your use of “I think” . That’s truly delightfully funny…. Thanks for the laughs… ;)

  • Dave_A

    I just don’t see a viable path forward for specific types of manufacturing that some conservatives (of the ‘crunchy’ Santorum variety) love to pander to in their quest to bring back the 50s-life (graduate HS, get married & get a (generally union) job at ‘the plant’, work there ’till 65)…..

    We can beat China on highly-automated no-manual-;labor production (even of simple things like plastic dinner-plates) and highly specialized production (airliners, advanced weapons, etc)…

    We can’t beat China on spark-plugs & cell phones or South Korea on flat-panel screens… Nor should we try….

    Regulation & taxes are part of the situation, but the largest part is the fact that US workers will not sell their services at the international market-rate for consumer-goods-production (measured in $/day, not $/hr). The standard and cost of living here is just too high to support developing-country type economic activity.

  • avagreen

    Perry’s getting quite favorable reviews….

    ‘course you won’t hear that in the “news”…

    So, I guess the “voters” in SC haven’t gotten the memo, yet, to borrow pttx333′s comment.

  • texastaxpayer

    Just trying to make you smile!
    :)

  • kamiller42

    http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/18/10184502-perry-campaign-staying-in-the-race-despite-calls-to-drop-out

  • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

    is because he doesn’t care about any political capital Santorum or Paul has? Or maybe he thinks they don’t have any to begin with. Perhaps he cares what happens to Perry. Just another possibility.

  • romansdaughter

    and the whole world went nuts. I don’t know why Erick is doing this but I am not behind him on this. Rick Perry is the last one I want to drop out since he is the only small government, conservative left. I am still behind him and I feel if the Lord wants him to be President He will make it happen no matter what people say. So I am behind Gov. Perry to the end. There is no one else that I even get excited about in this race now.

  • SoFiMil

    If he’s offered the veep slot and declines, the reason is not because the position is beneath him. Dubya, Fred Thompson, and Rick Perry will continue to live an abundant life, which is not dependent on the outcome of an election.

  • http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

    …a certain RESENTMENT arises when bloggers think they know-it-all.

    ["So-and-so can't win."]
    ["He is running on vanity."]

    Ever think it’s possible Perry is running because he wants to help America?

    Anyone think it would be great if others adopted a positive-attitude rather than depending upon fickle/fluctuating polls?

    Think it’s possible for anyone else to accomplish what we all know Perry would envision tackling in D.C.?

  • http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

    Let me be the first to bid you a miserable life.

  • jakeofalltrades

  • romansdaughter

    Rick Santorum is going to go no where…come on what is Erick’s problem?

  • lapert

    Please point me to any point in either of his two attempts at the nomination where Reagan had as little a chance at winning?

    When those favorable reviews get him out of the mid single-digits in polling let me know. Until then, I will live in the real world where he has near zero chance of winning, closer to zero than Jeb Bush…

  • texastaxpayer

    It’s time we remind these folks who is the largest most powerful “Red State” in the union. Perhaps its time for a good old fashioned protest vote to remind the RNC were their bread is buttered.

  • ihavehadit

    in Eric. I do not believe Rick Perry should drop out, rather I think it should be Rick Santorum to drop out. This man had no chance from the beginning. It barly showed on the polls, had no money, was only able to stay in because of the debates. He whinned his way through all of them and is still whinning and the Christian right is jumping on his bandwagon because some Christian leader told them too. How sad and pathatic is that. We need to elect someone that is at least mostly honest. Rick Santorum is anything but honest. And I will not support him.

  • http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

    and was in it to the end each time.

  • oldlady

    He has courageous enough to make his campaign about cutting down the size and scope of Big Government Washington DC. He had the guts to say this was his goal. So he had to be stopped at any cost because he would have been the beginning of the end of the hierarchy which, in turn, would have diminished the amount of power many of them enjoy with the present system.

    Have any of you ever thought about the fact that all of the other candidates talked about diminishing the size of government, but Perry was the ONLY one who put forth, in actual words and promises, exactly how he intended to do this?

    No wonder the establishment GOP and media which whores who thrive within the swamp of a gigantic federal government had to cut him off from the getgo.

    The only place where we could get the real skinny on Perry was the internet. And now, sadly, one of the most objective sources we could go to, has now seccumbed to the ”go along to get along” message. So sad and disappointing!

  • citizenkh

    beat them in some of those areas. The problem is that Japan is producing much of the high purity chemicals to make those items.

    You may be surprised to know that even with high level of process control technology, we still beat the Far & Middle East in most areas in cost per unit. Labor cost is a very small part of the equation.

    True that we do not have the capability to employ vast numbers of employees on assembly line and sheet metal punch type work with automation, but there are so many more products manufactured today than in the 1950′s.

  • JSobieski

    that he doesn’t think Santorum has a path to victory (or at least that Newt has a better chance).

  • lapert

    I forgot about ’84

  • jakeofalltrades

    The 2012 primary is one small issue in a sea of movement work Erick has done and is doing right now. Do you see what he’s doing to SOPA/PIPA?

    He didn’t lose his principles at all. He’s just not in the same place as us anymore. It’s not mental; it’s environmental.

  • WillWong

    are courtesy of the $3M in negative, false, and unanswered ads against Newt,and the endorsement of Van Ders Plaats.

  • beee

    I have never seen such a ridiculous primary…the annointing Romney as the frontrunner and then considering Newt the only other one…RIdiculous…THere are 50 states…not just 4…
    TO GOV Perry
    Please Gov. Perry stay in the race..please don’t be bullied to get out …The media has skewed your campaign from when you entered the race..Once they had the “gaffe” mantra to “run on” that’s all they magnified..None of your strong campaigning got through…your message has been stiffled…I feel you have been “Palinized” ….

    I think this is because they know you are one to take DC to task..and the establishment does not want a true outsider..

    You have a record in Texas that is what this country needs to impliment from coast to coast. You are an advocate for energy idependence.. You can take on Obama mightily

    TO ERIK

    I am disappointed this is you new strategy to urge our best conservative candidate to step aside..and also, when does a cacaus and one primary election=2 lost elections…???

    Lets keep the vetting process going for as long as necessary…

  • reggie182

    Perry drops out and endorses Newt and it is very plausible Newt could win SC.

    Perry stays in and he does nothing but help Mitt. He will place dead last in SC and every state in the union he runs in thereafter.

  • avagreen

    : ) = :)

    a wink is a semi colon + left parenthesis
    ; ) = ;)

  • maybenexttime

    If Perry had jumped out of the race after Iowa, he might’ve been able to salvage himself for a potential run in 2016. Instead, he stayed in the race and upped the rhetorical ante in the New Hampshire debates. Not only did he call for American troops to re-occupy Iraq (a career-ending statement by itself) but also joined Newt Gingrich in the OWS-esque critique of Romney’s days at Bain Capital.

    Both of those comments showed his complete desperation. They are comments that most likely would preclude him from being a serious candidate in 2016 should Obama secure another term. Forget the “Oops!” moment that seemed to doom his candidacy. That could be easily forgiven and laughed at in four years. It was an honest, simple, human mistake.

    However, when you get desperate enough to contend that American troops should go back to Iraq, and that Bain Capital is part of the Evil 1% destroying America…your days in Republican politics (at the national level) are completely finished.

  • jakeofalltrades

    How much more so, an ally?

  • ceili_dancer

    Fought all the way to the convention. I really want to go to war with someone who will be there through thick and thin, not just make a name and cash in on their new fame. A leader will take some arrows, but still stands tall after everything is over back unbeant face smiling turning to his troops and saying we’ve done well.

  • jakeofalltrades

    Perry would look like a weak-kneed pansy if he dropped out a week before the Carousel started spinning again.

  • APA Guy

    This one is persistent!

  • texastaxpayer

    All we ask is that you don’t come down here and vote for the same liberal BS that ruined were ever you came from.

  • No Longer For Perry

    N/T

  • http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

    he was called to do this, to help the American people

    he would not DISS any competitor

    he’s such a gentleman!

  • jakeofalltrades

    I’m computing my thoughts on that; results below:

  • acat

    Santorum is a single-issue-values-voters dream .. but a nightmare for those who want a candidate who can actually walk the walk on fiscal issues .. and that *includes* public-sector unions.

    Mew

  • nocontest

    Excellent point bonnman will people go out and knock on doors for Romney?

  • acat

    I hear the current Red Hat offerings are decent, although I prefer unified, solid Mac OS X.

    Mew

  • willy506

    type of meme goes something like this:

    Well, it’s too late for (fill in the blank) because he or she did or didn’t do (fill in the blank). If only he or she had done or not done (fill in the blank) then he or she would be electable.

    It’s the same meme used against Palin and now against Perry.

    It’s always something (doesn’t matter what) that was done or said that can’t be changed..psyops 101.

  • http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

    …because he has adopted a populist stance [querying now, recalling "trust, but verify"] and a worldly awareness [recognizing the existence of a worldwide war against Islamists].

    He is hardly an opportunist, and he’s hardly focused on 2016; indeed, those who focus on such motives are projecting their own biases/priorities/personalities.

  • avagreen

    You forgot 1976, and 1980…..he was called many of the names Perry is now being called, dissed, ridiculed by the media and pundits, and just generally made fun of.

    I lived through those races and remember them well……..how low an opinion he was held in.

    Same thing with Perry.

    It’s hard now to find all the derogatory things he was called and the outright defamation of his character that went on.

  • SoFiMil

    that Santorum is going nowhere. But perception unfortunately is reality. Polling of likely Republican primary voters show large support for Santorum and small support for Rick Perry. Wish they’re weren’t so many stupid voters out there who are influenced by the polls, but there are. And that’s not going to change save an unexpected bombshell.

  • JSobieski

    except of course those who agree with me.

    LOL

    Take a look around. It is not impressive.

    People who would make arguments on authority 6 months ago (i.e. Eric supports X, X must be right), are no accusing him of being a sellout scumbag.

    I know there are people on here who have changed positions on certain issues because their currently favored candidate takes a different position.

    In my view, a lot of folks are candidate first issues second, instead of vice versa—because that is the only way to explaint the transition from Erick as Savior to Erick as Sellout.

    Same is true for all of the Rush bashing, Fox conspiracy stuff.

    I used to get attacked for saying things like I wouldn’t vote for Rush for President. People said why not, he is conservative. I would reply that there are such thing as competence and experience. I was attacked for being an elitist snob. Now those same people can’t say enough how much they dislike Rush, can’t stand Erick, accuse Fox of conspiracies, etc.

    What these primaries should help us all realize is that humanity is incredibly incompetent, and that but for God, mankind would be dying in a ditch at the side of the road. No ifs, and or buts. The fact anything even works 5% of the time is a sign of unearned grace.

  • jakeofalltrades

    Otherwise, I’d be right there with you – believe me. I actually have reasons to want to edit the threading model of the Windows kernel… and I can’t.

  • jakeofalltrades

  • JSobieski

    Doesn’t mean that it can’t happen.

    Does suggest the probability is relatively low.

    Yes, I was the guy grasping at every crumb of evidene that Fred was surging, and I was angry at Caleb Howe’s endorsement of McCain (or at least a prediction).

    History really does repeat itself.

  • nocontest

    Only Newt can duel with Obama. Can you imagine how awkward and Romney would look beside Obama?

  • JSobieski

    regrets their decisions?

  • http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

    but that would still leave me respecting him more than the others. Perry endorsing Newt is like Santorum endorsing Specter. Newt is a progressive, who moves conservative when he wants a win. Garbage, this whole thing is a mess.

  • jakeofalltrades

    Especially that last part about superintending grace.

  • jakeofalltrades

    If it’s within 3 points, it doesn’t freaking matter.

  • SoFiMil

    Everyone knows Paul’s in it for himself and will not consider wise counsel. Perry’s being asked to consider dropping out *because* Perry is a truly decent man and will consider the suggestion. The fact that Perry is being asked to consider dropping out is a high compliment to the Governor. Eric doesn’t waste his time with people who won’t listen.

  • elayman

    Jon left the field with honor and certainly IMO didn’t get out as an acknowledgement that he had run a campaign any worse than the Tea Party candidates. Strategic flaws or lack of organization will easily be overcome when his strengths are played to a responsible conservative media half way in touch with what it means to have the temperament and judgment and experience to be taken seriously as the commander in chief.

    Huntsman should be nothing but proud of the race he ran. It is the Republican party that needs to de-crazy itself.

  • jakeofalltrades

    The average American isn’t gonna spend ten minutes a day on this primary. We’d be lucky if they gave that much in a week.

    The only shot the public has of getting educated is if the primaries go on for a good long while. We’ve got half a year – take it.

  • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

    Does it translate into that cute little smiley face without any code? Or did you expect me to know that sort of thing? LOL. Call me tech challenged, but here comes a smiley face or nothin’ but a colon and right parenthesis.

    Thanks! : )

  • jakeofalltrades

    Was it 8?

  • http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

    and there is enough out there that makes the case, as much or more than Romney. Perry needs to stay in if only to keep a straight up progressive from winning. The idea that we should ignore the reality of Newt, just because We don’t care for Romney is a joke. If its Romney vs. Newt, this party is not going to Newt, if it does, Obama big winner, and that’s just simply deductive process going on. My God, we have to be wise, Newt is only going to hurt the cause, badly.

  • romansdaughter

    I think Rick Santorum too should drop out…Rick Perry is the only small government, conservative left in the race. I say let the good Governor do his own thing. He hasn’t become the most successful Governor in jobs and balancing a budget for nothing. I am still rooting for Rick Perry.

  • OCBill

    An impressive misrepresentation of Perry’s actual positions.

  • avagreen

    n my view, a lot of folks are candidate first issues second, instead of vice versa?because that is the only way to explaint the transition from Erick as Savior to Erick as Sellout.

    Same is true for all of the Rush bashing, Fox conspiracy stuff. so, I take it that you find completely normal that every candidate but Perry is discussed day in/day out, including the debates in which he has done well to outstanding?

    Including the last debate? I watched…….not one word about the applause that Perry received. Not one mention. He had to stop talking at times to let the applause die down a bit……not mention at Fox.

    But, any time Perry commits a flubb, it’s all over Fox………..

    What would you call this? Interested in your reasoning on this subject.

  • jakeofalltrades

    They’re tolerating the stay at home crowd as well in the name of poker faces. This would get him banned after the primary for sure though.

  • texastaxpayer

    Windows 7 is rock solid, 8 is even better *wink*….. How dare you suggest A Linux or MAC OS… Tsk Tsk Tsk….

  • ffc99

    as his reasons for not running were strictly family related. Though I do suspect that he is bitterly disappointed with the quality of candidates who are currently left in the race.

  • jakeofalltrades

    I can understand Senators and Congressmen bending to Redstate’s will. Not the governor of the world’s 13th largest economy – that would just be demeaning.

  • texastaxpayer

    C# is my language of choice though I come from a C+ and java background.

  • JSobieski

    All candidates besides X need to drop out and all supporters need to support X instead of who they are supporting. Its really the same argument of only X can win. The argument doesn’t become more persuasive just because the value of X changes.

    Nobody sensible likes to be told what to do—particularly when its based on no evidence.

    So, everyone can either continue to just push everyone elses buttons or people could start to treat other people in they way that they wish to be treated.

    The strictly voluntary “rules” of the road below actually do point towards a way for everyone to get a long better, but …

  • romansdaughter

    The public hasn’t really even begun to wake up. Grief, I am from Washington state and they aren’t even paying attention to what is going on with the primaries. The average American doesn’t really think about voting till the last few days or week usually. Of course, Washington state usually goes Dem. cause King County is the most populated and drags the rest of the state down, when most of the rest of the state is very conservative.

  • WillWong

    This gave Obamacare its 60th vote……this alone is worst than anything Newt ever did….because Newt has realised and repented of his mistakes….Santorum has not!

  • aesthete

    If I were Daniels, I’d be thanking my lucky stars that I’m nowhere near that rodeo show, and wishing that someone competent were.

    I sure wish he’d run. Heck, I’d take Palin or the other has-beens I dissed not too long ago…

  • aesthete

    You know who probably regrets his decisions right now? Mark Sanford.

  • tngal

    As he keeps telling people people he’s never lost an election. So this would be a bit humbling for him. He’s in single digits everywhere. Even though Perry did a bit better in his last debate its not enough to get him in the high teens. And there’s another debate on the way. He can’t get into double digits. The most recent poll from today is a CNN that gives him 6 in SC and much of the poll was taken before the debate.

    So does he get out now and save a little face? Maybe for another race down the road? He’s young and he’ll remember. He’ll have a better team in place. He’ll know not to call potential voters heartless. He’ll be better prepared for the debates. He’ll remember the age of voters and what departments he wants to cut. He’ll understand why not all things successful in texas play out well on a national stage.

  • bzip

    This begs the question: So what if Newt wins (it will be close) then what?

    If anyone hadn’t notice the next state 10 days later is Florida that requires huge amounts of money to compete on top of which Romney is winning in a landslide in Florida right now. There is no way anyone is going to catch up to Romney in Florida.

    So in the mean time we throw Perry under the bus in *hopes* that Newt *might* win SC (close) only to lose to Romney in a landslide in Florida.

    Explain the logic to that? What the heck do you hope to accomplish by throwing Perry under the bus?

    Look, I am sick of these pundits telling us what they want. We have a right to a fair process and not to be cut short by the pundits.

    If Newt is so great at debating you want him to debate Obama then let Newt earn his win and knock out Romney on his own – let him prove it and NOT at the expense of another candidate dropping out.

    I am sick of Erick’s obsession with Romney, he is so obsessed he is throwing perry under the bus and selling his principles out.

    Perhaps if Erick put as much energy as he has in throwing Perry under the bus to actually supporting, endorsing and helping the conservative cause (like Plain helping Newt) we might actually see Perry winning.

    Erick is a sell out!

  • Scope

    What Senators and/or Congressman have bent to the will of RS? Heck I’m remembering the screams of EE yelling at the top of his lungs to “hold the line.” They didn’t hold the line more often than not. Me thinks that they didn’t refer to the posts on RS to cast their votes.

  • jakeofalltrades

    At which point I started talking about degrees of electability and saying everyone should stay in.

  • aesthete

    but as JSob said, I’ve seen this movie before. It doesn’t end well. People need to be prepared for the eventuality that a) we’ll probably have a pretty crappy President in 2012, no matter what, b) we’ll need to fight this President, no matter what letter follows his name, and c) we need much better leadership in Congress, and the rank and file that they’ll need for support. C is my priority right now; a and b will be a bigger priority for me after the election.

  • Kyle-MI

    And I am one who wants Perry to stay in. He is my first choice, but I can vote for any of these guys in the general.

    Most everyone on Redstate seems to have gone a little nuts.

  • ffc99

    This crowd may be bad, but I still prefer most of them over her. With that being said, I wonder if T-Paw looks back with regret at his decision to drop out so early (especially as he’s seen candidates many viewed as fringe (Santorum/Gingrich) achieve some success this month).

  • pj2012

    that’s for sure and he’d be a great President if given the chance.

    ??fighting for Truth, Justice, and the American Way!? I love that quote ;-)

  • aesthete

  • jakeofalltrades

    Coding in C# is like Sex for Nerds.

  • carmen

    Not sure I’d back Newt (or even back OUT) just yet…

    Holy Smokes…

  • JSobieski

    He got attention when he was high in the polls.

    When his numbers dropped, his attention level dropped.

    The Media always ignore what they consider second tier candidates. They think their viewers are idiots and can only follow the news at a high level.

    Santorum could have killed a person with his bare hands and not gotten any press coverage until his poll numbers in Iowa went up.

    Newt got no coverage either until several others had “their moment” and Newt finally skyrocketted in the polls.

    Three factors to consider:
    Its hard to be objective when you are emotionally invested with a candidate.

    The media is shallow. They follow the established meme until/unless some fact clearly changes.The would rather repeat high level “coverage” rather than get into the weeds on anything. Candidates in single digits are in the weeds.

    The media is fixated on the idea of “top tier” candidates. It is really hard to break that glass ceiling, and if you go from top tier to below, it is really hard to get back up.

    Bottom Line: Perry, like Fred, has not been able to regain his poll numbers, so he can’t regain the attention of the media. Perry got a lot of attention when he entered the race. It annoyed Bachmann to no end. But like Fred, he made a bad first impression and its hard to recover from that.

    People who were in the to be ignored group have made it out of that group. They did it by convincing voters first—media largely follows the voters. The media did not create the surges of Newt or Santorum in Iowa.

    Why couldn’t Perry get those voters? I suspect because the “conservative” voters in Iowa aren’t really conservative on economics, or they don’t really care about those issues. Iowa screws it up for everyone, including Fred and Ronald Reagan for that matter.

  • texastaxpayer

    But what you are stating Is opinion. See how the words are spelled differently? There meanings are quite different also.
    Trying to smuggly lecture me on the merits of your opinion is a stretch even for you. Your missing somethimg very basic here, Newt hasn’t won anything either. Newt beat Perry by like 2500 votes in Iowa and lost miserably in New Hampshire were spent quite a bit of time campaigning. I frankly do not see where Newt is any better suited to win than either of the Ricks. Lest we forget Romney has just begun attacking Newt again. It took what two weeks to knock him off his high horse last time? Newt is damaged goods as was proven in Iowa. Surely you are smart enough to figure out that if Perry leaves like you want newt gets clobbered and Romney wins. Do you think Santorum with no money and no organization is going to beat Mitt?

  • avagreen

    like this: ;)

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    Next time I’ll speak slower and use smaller words.

  • poorhoratio

    everyone to just hold their horses. Take a breath. Governor Perry, please don’t pack that suitcase just yet…

  • jakeofalltrades

    That’s related to why I’m skipping Newt and going straight to Romney if Perry drops out – which he shouldn’t.

  • avagreen

    not buying it.

    Since the ignoring of him has made him a second-tier.

    Even when good things happen in a debate………it’s worthy of attention……..as much as the goofs are.

  • JSobieski

    That didn’t stop her fans from calling me a hater. A lot of those same folks seem to hate her at the moment.

    Lots of negative emotion going around.

    There are two ways for a Daniels, Ryan, Jeb Bush, etc. to look at this situation:
    (1) Are they glad they aren’t in this train wreck?
    (2) Is the country having the debate it needs to have?

    Based on (1), they all say thank God–based on (2) there could be regrets

  • bzip

    NEWT EX UNLOADS ON CAMERA; NET DEBATES ‘ETHICS’ OF AIRING BEFORE PRIMARY
    http://www.drudgereport.com/

    And you can bet there will be plenty more if Newt gets the nomination.

    Erick – you are turning into a disgrace, throwing Perry under the bus. I hope this comes back and haunts you for the rest of your life!

  • septembergurl

    agree with you there. I would say he was the best in terms of character, temperament, intelligence, experience and political convictions. Also among the most conservative.

    I’m saying his campaign made a number of strategic and tactical mistakes, some perhaps unavoidable. As a result his strengths never came to the attention of more than a minority of the public.

    He did leave the field with his integrity intact and his future prospects undimmed. Understanding how and where he came up short is key to future contests. I am not one who believes that this was a trial run for 2016 (if so he would have pulled out in the fall when he was mired in low poll numbers and his fundraising had dried up, instead of mounting a final all-out effort in NH) but either way, he is playing the long game.

    He will spend the rest of his year as good footsoldier in Romney’s campaign, after which he will get a Cabinet or other high post in the Romney Administration, or more likely, sit out the second Obama term writing a book on China and mending fences in Utah to start his 2016 campaign. Or 2020. If Huntsman ran in 2020 he would still be younger than Perry, Romney and Gingrich are today. So yes, the long game.

  • avagreen

    Romney, Newt, Santorum, Paul were discussed………but the one guy they don’t mention did better than all of them except for Newt…….. wasn’t even mentioned. You don’t think his performance was worthy of a word of praise?……..pretty screwy reasoning if this is their reasoning.

  • marktx

    ABC is spiking the story for now….waiting until Newt becomes the republican nominee.

    More important scandal is why won’t Mitt Romney release his tax records ?

  • ceili_dancer

    I am sitting at the computer just shaking my head and wondering what in the world is going on.
    The only bright spot, more of my day is available now that I’m not tied to the radio or TV. Hannity is only on during commercial breaks on the radio, I have not watched his show for more than 5 minutes on Tuesday, turned it off after finding out they were not interviewing Perry is pretty much the final straw. They can ignore us, but when we decide to strike (Ayn Rand) they will not have any choice but go dark.

  • flgal208

    Who made him GOD to tell us or Perry he’s done? Does he not remember during Reagan’s nomination process he was down and almost out????

    I am insulted to my core. I am like many above. I will NOT VOTE FOR SOMEONE I DO NOT BELIEVE IN EVER AGAIN. PERIOD.

    This is war and I will STAND UP for my believes and not kneel down for anyone. My children’s futures are at stake and I believe in my soul, that ONLY PERRY has a real shot at taking down BO. Newt and Romney have no chance, at all.

    Lastly, I am sick of being told that if I vote for Perry it’s a vote for BO. really? IMO, a vote for anyone ELSE is a vote for BO.

  • jakeofalltrades

    That is when I switched my #2 choice from Newt to Romney. I’ve already reassessed.

  • marktx

    By threatening to release the story rather than actually releasing it means ABC has nothing, but is trying to influence voters just before the South Carolina primary.

  • http://www.political-woman.com politicalwoman

    Perry’s problem is and has been Perry. He underestimated what it would take to run on a national stage, despite being Governor of Texas with an economy larger than 75% of the world’s countries. While his debate performance has grown exponentially over the last three debates, first impressions for many people are lasting impressions. The MSM has not helped Perry’s situation either by relegating him to minor stage placement with few questions.

    When saying Perry’s problem is Perry, I’m referring to his ability to co-mingle visionary statements shorn from his executive experience with statements that appear nebulous at best. When he says in a debate he wants to shut 3 Federal agencies, my reaction is why, why those 3, and what’s at stake if we don’t. He’s not explained. He mentions the number of jobs that were created in Texas but doesn’t explain by example to the American viewer how what worked in Texas can work in Wyoming or Illinois or Georgia.

    Newt was successful in Monday’s debate because he could frame an argument in examples and words that people can relate to. Perry’s personality may be one of laid back, gentlemanly, competent executive, but I have yet to see a repeat of the Rick Perry I saw months ago when he spoke to Greta Van Susteren, during her show on illegal immigration. I sat up in my chair and said WOW! Articulate, confident, man-in-charge.

    I watched Sarah Palin on Hannity, read Erick’s opinion, and they’reading poll numbers like eveyrone else. Rick Perry could have been a very formidable candidate, and granted, he may yet surprise people with his ground game paying off in SC, and a great debate performance, but the other candidates and the media will need to help him as well, and I don’t see that happening at this point.

  • Addison

    Yes, Romneyphile Drudge has just leaked the story of a (for now) squashed “explosive” ABC News interview with Gingrich’s ex-wife — presumably to throw up enough campaign dust to distract from the offshore bank story.

  • LoneStarSon

    I have a lake house in a very, very small area and some nitwit came here and started complaining about how we should do this and do that. We politely told him he could just go on back to where he came from…shortly after everyone stopped shopping at his business, he did just that. We don’t cotton to people telling us what to do. Conform or leave.

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    You should really calm down, you’ll live longer.

  • acat

    Drudge has a scoop from inside ABC indicating they’ve got Newt’s ex, Marianne, on camera dishing dirt.

    The timing stinks on ice – why leak this to Drudge so close to the South Carolina primary? Why *not* release this prior to South Carolina?

    The one thing that seems clear is that Perry has, wisely, not dropped out.

    Mew

  • marktx

    I supported Perry, but at this point his campaign is over. If Perry has been unable to outpoll Ron Paul, how will he ever defeat Romney or Obama ?

    Move on people….

  • davep

    could very cleverly endorse the Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson.
    it’s pretty clear that our 2 party system is in shambles. Time to take the power (or some of it) from the powers that be.
    Johnson is a no nonsense straight shooter and would do the County proud.
    Just saying I’m tired of listening to the pundits who have yet to get right..
    Dave P

  • romansdaughter

    I can’t for the life of me, think why Erick thought he should write a post like he did and throw Rick Perry under the bus. But Erick seems to change his mind daily. But I have a feeling that Erick is going to regret his throwing Rick Perry under the bus moment. Newt has way too much baggage and he would never win. It is already coming out…what are people thinking? I am glad to see you are as outraged as I am. I am glad that Rick Perry has guts and isn’t a quitter cause I have a feeling he will be the last man standing.

  • Addison

    …so that isn’t the reason they’re spiking it. It’s either because (a) they actually ARE worried about the optics/ethics of releasing it right before SC or (b) it’s actually not explosive at all and they just don’t see any actual news in the interview — just bile from an ex-wife.

    Either way, the leak from Drudge Report about the alleged “civil war” at ABC was designed to help Romney (whom Drudge Report clearly supports) escape a terrible news cycle of tax wackiness and offshore stashes of money and all that. Just toss in a secret interview full of salacious possibilities and the media and blogosphere will jump on that instead of the “boring” Romney story.

  • jakeofalltrades

    Though I’m starting to think the left had more to do with it.

  • Bill S

    Oh, wait, this is 2012. Never mind – I was just having a flashback.

  • Addison

    Johnson can’t even control his nervous thumb tic on national television, how would he control the presidency? Also: why would Perry endorse someone sure to be at least 40% behind even the SECOND place finisher in the 2012 election?

  • porkandcheese

    Well then I hope Perry ignores Erick just like Newt did earlier when he was self-destructing, a trademark Gingrich move.

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    ^no^text^

  • acat

    Drudge has a scoop from inside ABC indicating they’ve got Newt’s ex, Marianne, on camera dishing dirt.

    The timing stinks on ice – why leak this to Drudge so close to the South Carolina primary? Why *not* release this prior to South Carolina? Is there anything new here?

    The one thing that seems clear is that Perry has, wisely, not dropped out. Yet.

    Mew

  • Addison

    Here’s what is happening: Drudge (an obvious Romneyphile) has an inkling of how much ground Romney has lost in the past 48 hours and is leaking a sex-tinged “Rorschach test” scandal into the blogosphere to distract people from Romney’s issues. What’s in the interview? Who knows — but the mystery and the potential for scandal is more interesting and gets more pageviews than boring offshore wealth havens and confusing answers about tax records.

  • http://www.political-woman.com politicalwoman

    this bombshell on Drudge http://www.drudgereport.com/flash2.htm. Newt’s 2nd wife, gave a 2 hour interview to ABC News, which she claims can end Newt’s run for the nomination. ABC News is torn about what parts to air and is deciding when to air it although Monday after the primary appears to be the tentative date.

    So, Governor Perry, may yet be the last man in the room standing against MItt, which God bless him, he may yet be on the road to the nomination. This has been a strange campaign, and what other shoes are out there to drop.

  • acat

    necessarily going to vote GOP .. or at all! .. in the general.

    Usually, I find that dividing his polling by two is a good guide.

    Doing that, Perry’s doing okay. Not great, but .. not where he should drop out.

    Mew

  • jakeofalltrades

    I need of month of the Carousel not turning before I could advise ANYONE to drop out.

  • texasroots

    primary. ABC should air the interview of Marianne Gingrich before the primary. As for Judas “Erick” Iscariot throwing Perry under the bus for the serial adulterer. Newt, America, the light of the world, deserves better.

  • romansdaughter

    Yes, I am of the same thought…who made him God? No one else even makes me want to vote for them. The other candidates are all big government really when you think about it. Nope, I am like you I won’t be told by anyone who I am to vote for. I stand on principles, of course I am also Independent and so feel no obligation to vote for R. But anyone is better than Obama right now.. but that is the problem I really can’t see Mitt or Newt beating Obama. Sad situation. So Go Rick Perry!

  • jakeofalltrades

    Ehem. Perry will never endorse the Libertarian Party. I would curse his name if he did that.

  • daveoconnor

    to Drudge. My guess is someone who is unhappy about the reported delay. If it is two hours there’s likely some tough “love” from Newt’s ex. Also Brian Ross generally doesn’t chase small stories.

  • The_Rebel

    No scandal there. When they are released, the Dems had better be quiet about them, lest they open up a new can of worms for themselves. When John Kerry ran for President, his tax return showed an effective tax rate of just 12%, along with zero charitable contributions. I’m sure Romney will have 10% or more in contributions, and a higher effective tax rate.

  • texasroots

    records will probably be leaked, if he is the nominee.

  • acat

    whether there’s a magician, a {lady of the evening}, or nothing at all behind the curtain….

    Mew

  • trevorb

    is not going to do anything of the sort. He believes that he’s a man of destiny and is going to run until he is no longer capable.

    I believe the next one to withdraw will be Rick Santorum.

  • marktx

    …and how many electoral votes do the Cayman Islands have?

  • romansdaughter

    to have had his hand in that. I mean he is not liking Newt right now, as Newt is getting the best of him and he sure didn’t do good at all in the last debate. Yeah and he wants to go up against Obama? He can’t even handle his fellow Republicans critiques. Yep, Perry is very wise!

  • trevorb

    that they also swarm these polls, skewing the results.

  • bzip

    You can call it a trick and who knows if it is – do you want to take a chance and throw Perry under the bus?

    You do realize Newt has some serious baggage and it isn’t just this. You can bet your entire bank role that Newt has enough baggage he will be eaten alive in the general just like the little bouncing Romney did to Newt in Iowa.

    Newt is a walking time bomb but people are so sold on seeing Newt give Obama a bloody nose in a debate – they don’t care who and what the candidate stands for or what baggage they have.

    In the end I do think there is something to this but it also doesn’t matter as Newt will lose in a landslid in the general with his already know baggage.

  • aesthete

    His campaign was far too conciliatory and linguini-spined on entitlements and fiscal issues to appeal to Tea Partiers, and at times he seemed to be running as a national defense conservative, talking more about Bush-style foreign policy and nation-building much more than fiscal or social issues near the end. His personality was too blah to make up for a lack of natural constituency.

  • marktx

    If there was real news, ABC would release it immediately. They would love to bring down a candidate and report the “scoop” first.

  • avagreen

    as they’ve been quite fair in mentioning him, his progress good/bad news. Fox on the same issues: Silence.

  • acat

    Especially since we’ve only seen the cover on this book … we don’t know what’s inside yet. It could just be a two-hour rehash of what we already know….

    The problem is, if there is any “there” there, and the reason it’s getting attention in this particular diary, is Erick’s decision to recommend Rick Perry exit the stage.

    Mew

  • Addison

    I am sure there was an interview, that isn’t the trick.

    But the whole presentation — the initial tease, the slow rollout of details (first it was a newsroom, then ABC was named, then it was just a “campaign”, then Newt was named, all this over the course of 45-60 minutes, ginning up Twitter anxiety and buzz throughout the network news hour, plus the infamous “siren”!), the revving of this Drudge Report hype-machine right as ABC News was airing its report on Romney’s offshore wealth havens, and Drudge’s obvious push for Romney all year…

    …the interview wasn’t the trick. It’s real and may or may not be interesting. But Drudge’s rollout of this story is clearly designed to trick his readers into paying more attention to an unknown damaging story about someone he dislikes over a known damaging story about someone he likes.

  • tnfriendofcoal101368

    Romney would be the Massachusetts moderate, Santorum and Gingrich would be the big Government Washington insiders. Rick Perry is the only small government conservative, if he leaves the race, the only champion of small government left would be Ron Paul. I would say this none of these candidates would through American workers under the bus to pander to the most extreme elements in the environmental lobby as Obama did today with the keystone pipeline. None of these candidates would waste taxpayer dollars with Solyndra and Beacon Energy. Obama is practicing Vulture Socialism..

  • avagreen

    Obama IF Romney is the GOP nominee.

    But…….again, it’s the “shallownesss” of the media that keeps info like this from being discussed as I’ve been told elsewhere.

    No engineering of the news at all.

  • acat

    T-Paw, in a different year, could do very well. The current establishment/.tea-party split in 2012 is just too .. visceral.

    And yes, Pawlenty came across as too .. wonkish?

    Mew

  • avagreen

    Just in time to knock out Newt in case he was getting any numbers above Rombut.

  • nepanyrush

    Odds are, they will have to air this now, because it has made the headlines. But it is in their interest to have Newt win SC and stay in the primary race, and thus the “suits” said not to aid it until after the primary. In fact, they would have loved to keep this until the general election if they were sure Newt could be the GOP standardbearer. However, now that it is leaked, I am not sure how they could just sit on this

  • No Longer For Perry

    As you so eloquently wrote, then Perry is a walking DUD (a device, person,or enterprise that a proves to be a failure).

  • runner12

    I am so glad Gov. Perry has NOT dropped out. He could be the only one left standing at the end.

    Just donated to the Perry campaign.

  • marktx

    …and not just gossip from a spiteful ex wife.

  • avagreen

    he thinks?

    I know I’m confused with the contradictory thoughts.

  • nepanyrush

    This is what you get with Gingrich, an ABC scoop which an ex-wife says would end hsi campaign. Gingrich is such an ethical mess, combined with a huge ego. While he would mop the floor with Obama in a debate, and has creative ideas that would be good to implement, there is no way he would actual win a general election.

    Gingrich has never even won a statewide election and his time as Speaker was widely panned by those who served under him. Heck, he led the disastrous shutdown of government partly, he admits, because Clinton made him leave by the back of Air Force One, not the front. Combined with cheating on two wives, a lot of people would not even be able to hold their noses long enough to vote for him.

  • explodinghead

    I think that even if the” fury of a woman scorned” was shown tonight on tv, it is probably too late to make a significant dent in SC. I hope I am wrong.
    I can see Newts numbers go down significantly, but in FL and beyond. So, for those hoping to have an anti-Romney candidate, I wouldn’t be kicking Perry to the curb just yet.

  • http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

    Actually Reagan’s first Presidential primary was 1968 against Nixon and Rockefeller. He stayed in it until the end and actually won the most votes of the three but Nixon carried the early states with his organization and won the nomination.

    In 1976 he ran aganist INCUMBENT President Gerald Ford and almost pulled that off.

    In 1980 he cleaned house after his “I paid for this mike…” comment. I lived in NH then and you can’t even imagine the impact that comment had. Before it, Bush was a big favorite, after it, there was no stopping Reagan.

    Bottom line, yeah Reagan took heat in all of those contests, but he always had traction and always had good numbers.

    Perry started off like a house-a-fire and dropped like a stone. His high point was the day he announced and it’s been a disaster since. I don’t like it because, absent Mitch Daniels, he’s the best qualified candidate we’ve got but he’s not connecting with the voters at large. Ronald Reagan NEVER, EVER had that problem.

  • avagreen

    It was in reply to the below:
    jakeofalltrades Wednesday, January 18th at 3:41PM EST (link)

    1. The early contests have never been weaker
    2. Perry only recently started performing in the debates
    3. Erick spoke favorably of a brokered convention. How does he get there if he demands everyone drop out?

    He shoots, he scores!
    tyman Wednesday, January 18th at 4:18PM EST (link)

    Jake, couldn?t agree more.

    How can Romney secure the nomination after only the 3rd or 4th state? If that?s the case, the process truly is flawed.

    I?ve thought that with all of the anti-Romney sentiments, the more contests Romney wins, the faster folks rally around the anti-Romney candidate. Whether Perry or Santorum or Newt get out, this will happen.

    I think it?s just too simple to say that Newt will get the nom if it?s just him and Willard.

    Perry needs to stay put!

    I’m talking to myself. G’bye.

  • BillC

    Maybe Rick Perry should stick around until this airs.

    http://www.drudgereport.com/flash2.htm

  • porkandcheese

    ABC is sitting on a bombshell interview with Newt ex Marianne Gingrich that would “end his campaign.” The debate is whether it is ethical before the primary.

  • jakeofalltrades

    Just curious.

  • cheetah2

    I hate it when people say if we nominate so and so Obama will win. What are they psychics? I also hate it when people pressure someone to make a decision that is theirs alone to make.

  • jakeofalltrades

    Some of us really do follow that 50ft blue line all the way up :)

  • circlegranch

    www.rickperryreport.com

    Luntz says that ‘Perry is Bush w/out the intellect’.

    Has Frank Luntz ever created a job? Has Frank Luntz commanded National Guard troops? Has Frank Luntz defended a border in an environment of hostility from the federal govt? Has Frank Luntz defunded Planned Parenthood or signed legislation giving veterans help with buying or renting a home? Has Frank Luntz ever cut taxes? Has Frank Luntz balanced the budget of the world’s 14th largest economy? Has Frank Luntz presided over the state with the No. 1 record as far as exports? Was Frank Luntz the governor of Texas when S&P RAISED the state credit rating due to the excellent environment to create jobs and in general, do business?

    Has Frank Luntz ever had the uh, nerve to even run for office?

    “no intellect”, indeed. Frank, glad you’ve found a comfy home at Fox News because your non-professional behavior and conduct in this primary season eliminates you from any credible news network.

  • marktx

    Rasmussen’s latest national poll taken after Monday’s debate shows Newt Gingrich gaining big ground on Romney.

    Romney 30%…Gingrich 27%

  • The_Rebel

    there is a “real” story on the Cayman Islands, and not just dirty tricks from a MSM determined to destroy the Republicans.

  • arizonajohnson

    Perry should at a minimum stay in the race until after the Marianne Gingrich interview runs next week to see whether Newt suffers significant damage. If the results prove damning, Perry may be back in the game.

  • acat

    I agree that Perry should hang on, but .. I’ve said before I think he should keep fighting until the convention.

    The gap between Florida and Super Tuesday could allow another shuffle of the top bunch, and it’s not like the number of conventioneers allocated by the first four races (Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Florida – all proportional by the way) are significant.

    We haven’t had a race shake up late in a while, but .. nothing says it can’t happen.

    Mew

  • marktx

    …unlike the Gingrich gossip, numerous news organizations have already reported that Romney has offshore accounts.

  • Dave_A

    HIs inability to keep it in his pants makes him unelectable as a Republican.

    The GOP is supposed to be the ‘values party’, and like it or not we can’t have a man just as sleazy as BJ Billy be our Presidential candidate, and hope to win the election.

    It doesn’t matter that he’s ‘Not Romney’, because he’s also ‘Not going to beat Obama’ – no matter how good of a debater he is.

    I hope ABC drops the bomb BEFORE the election.

    If they’d dropped it back before (or just after) Iowa, Perry would probably be back on top…

  • marktx

    …he still has to run on his immigration problem where he allowed in state tuition for illegals.

  • jakeofalltrades

  • acat

    there were no other solid conservatives in it.

    Reagan had spent the time from 1977 thru 1979 sewing up every single conservative he could, and entered the 1980 race facing only what today we’d call RINOs.

    What scares me, today, is that Willard Romney has had from 2009 to 2011 .. what has he sewn up?

    Mew

  • trevorb

    why they’re not releasing it before the primary

  • The_Rebel

    Investments are set up there to benefit foreign investors who don’t want to pay high U.S. taxes. I can’t say as I blame them. But Americans who invest through companies or partnerships there still pay U.S. taxes. These facts gets lost when the MSM throws out the words “Cayman Islands”. I’m surprised they didn’t use it as an October surprise.

  • acat

    In 1976, IIRC, the field was a mixed bag, Ford was the presumptive nominee, but had the distinction of *not* having won a national election…

    IIRC, there were a couple other conservatives, but the establishment/insider wing mostly lined up behind Ford .. and it proved to be enough to win the primary … but not enough to win the general.

    Mew

  • lineholder

    then the comments you’ve made here are probably accurate. Notice that I said “If”. Apparently, there is a polling group out of Clemson University that has proven itself to be fairly reliable, and this group has a poll that may be (?) released tomorrow that indicates Romney 29%, Newt 27%, Santorum 11%, Paul 11%, Perry 5% with 15% undecided, with momentum leaning towards Newt and Paul (?).

    If that is true, and if either the Dems or some of our esteemed so-called “establishment” Repubs got wind of it…they want Romney to be the nominee. I could see them trying to use a bit of distraction to draw attention away from the reports about Romney and shifting focus to a negative report on Newt. I could see them doing it in a heartbeat or less.

  • LoneStarSon

    The vote was veto proof, it was going to go through no matter what…Where were you almost 11 years ago when this was discussed? Were you in Texas protesting it? Were you calling any representatives and/or senators?

  • texabama

    Based on more and more information on both Romney and Gingrich, I think Perry should definitely stay in after South Carolina. From what I’m seeing, both Gingrich and Romney may start to see a downward spiral. I don’t think the voting public will be too thrilled hearing that Romney effectively pays only about 15% of his income in taxes, has millions banked offshore in the Cayman Islands and may not have created those 100,000 jobs he’s cited. Who only knows what information is lurking in Gingrich’s past? Everyday seems to bring out another piece that makes him seem more and more like Mitt, but without the marital constancy.

  • willy506

    putting all their hope on Newt beating 0bama in a debate, 0bama might decide to not participate in as many debates.

    Then we have a great debater who wont get the opportunity to show his debate prowess and were stuck defending his baggage.

  • cheetah2

    What if Perry bows to the pressure that is being so unfairly brought to bear on him and drops out before Saturday. What if Gingrich wins S. Carolina on Saturday. What if on Monday, ABC airs their explosive interview of Gingrich’s ex wife, and his career is over as she claims it will be? Perry would have made the sacrifice for nothing. The whole picture will change with Gingrich out.

    I have no clue if this will happen to Gingrich, but it goes to show that things can change very quickly and no one should be made to feel they have no right to be in the race as long as they want to be and can afford it.

  • arizonajohnson

    Or at least an important role in his administration.

  • conservnca

    why all the pressure on Perry to drop out. I keep hearing how he doesn’t have a chance. A dog on his last leg? Really? His poll numbers are so low. So what’s the threat? I mean are you saying his few percentage points in the polls will really split the vote?
    It seems to me that he ‘s not hurting any of the other candidates. At least that’s what is being said. He can’t survive so why all the angst over him?
    See the truth is, he is a threat. The other candidates know it. If he stays in long enough for the people to hear him, the real him, not some media garbage about him they will know he is who we have been waiting for. That’s the real reason he is being asked to get out. If his 4-5% is enough to really split the vote then those candidates have a lot more to worry about then Perry

  • explodinghead

    westcoastpatriette and avagreen: There are senate seats and house seats and other legislation to fight against ( SOPA etc).
    I would be sorry to see you both leave RS, I enjoy reading your comments. I am 100% for Governor Perry too. There are too many important fights for smaller government and fiscal sanity that we need to be a part of. Hang in there.

  • jakeofalltrades

    Has more to do with the split field and Luap Nor than it does, well, Perry, and therefore the single-digit thing is not an adequate reason to distinguish him from Reagan.

  • Common_Cents

    They’ll be forced to bring it out soon, and if it doesn’t sink Gingrich, it’ll only make him stronger in the general.

    ABC is waiting for orders from obama.wasserman pelosi axelrod

  • pj2012

    NEWT EX-WIFE UNLOADS ON CAMERA; NETWORK DEBATES ‘ETHICS’ OF AIRING BEFORE SC PRIMARY

    **Exclusive**
    Wed Jan 18 2012 18:47:14 ET

    Marianne Gingrich has said she could end her ex-husband’s career with a single interview.

    Earlier this week, she sat before ABCNEWS cameras, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

    She spoke to ABCNEWS reporter Brian Ross for two hours, and her explosive revelations are set to rock the trail.

    But now a “civil war” has erupted inside of the network, an insider claims, on exactly when the confession will air!

    MORE

    ABCNEWS suits determined it would be “unethical” to run the Marianne Gingrich interview so close to the South Carolina Primary, a curious decision, one insider argued, since the network has aggressively been reporting on other candidates.

    A decision was tentatively made to air the interview next Monday, after all votes have been counted.

    Gingrich canceled a press conference on Wednesday to deal with the matter.

    “He believes that what he says in public and how he lives don’t have to be connected,” Marianne Gingrich, Newt’s wife of 18 years, explained to ESQUIRE last year.

    Developing…

    http://drudgereport.com/flash2.htm

  • kamiller42

    Damn Dirty Rino has an excellent article cover the Drudge connection with evidence of Romney bias.
    http://www.damndirtyrino.com/2011/10/04/the-drudge-romney-axis/

    This does not mean Newt doesn’t have some dirty laundry in all his baggage. It just means you can count on Drudge to spin all non-Romneys in a less than favorable light.

  • aesthete

    That Newt is philandering, manipulative, impulsive, and unfaithful in his personal life is common knowledge (especially in his personal relationships). It’s doubtful that this interview will change anything merely by reiterating what we already know about Gingrich.

  • duramater

    nt

  • jakeofalltrades

    just kidding guys!

  • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

    :)

  • trevorb

    see just what kind of effect this will have on him. People know he has a dodgy personal life, to put it mildly, but hearing the specifics could really hurt him.

    As for Romney, people are realizing he has a glass jaw, since he didn’t do too well at the last debate.

  • duramater

    so should any semi-intelligent voter. Sorry I yelled.

  • JSobieski

    Politics is dynamic, and there is just no way of knowing anything that definitively.

    So every time you read someone saying there is “no way X will win”—just laugh.

  • mbrat42

    is exactly why Perry isn’t higher in the polls. The media, along with many citizens of the US, have a bigoted attitude towards those from the south. As soon as they hear a southern accent, we are automatically labled as racist, redneck, and unintelligent. This attitude gives Perry hurdles that no other candidate has to clear. The slightest gaffe will be used as a way for the media to prove that he is “stupid”. It’s wrong, it makes me sick, and I’m darn tired of it myself.

  • oldlady

    and thereby ”making him second tier”. I’ve been a FOX News watcher since back in the l990′s when I was travelling a great deal. I was one of those people who came home from a trip and called the hotel chains management offices to tell them that I wanted them to carry FOX News channel in their hotels. Yes I go THAT far back as a FOX fan.

    Over the years I have learned all the nuances of the FOX News channel and believe that they were, indeed, balanced. That is, until Rick Perry ran for in the Presidential primary. At first I thought, perhaps, my mind was playing tricks on me and that their omission of even speaking Perry’s name was oversight. But as it got more and more pronounced I realized that it was on purpose! It became more and more obvious they wanted him to fail and go away!

    I no longer turn to FOX News automatically when I turn on my TV. In fact, I no longer watch them at all! And have taken to thinking of them as FAUX News.

    Who would have thought that after all those years of loyal watching I would, instead, turn to CNN or some other channel.

    And some of the FOX people I detest the most are Dana Perino (the Bush/Rove puppet), Hannity, Frank Luntz, Shep Smith, and others who not satisfied to just simply ignore Perry most of the time but to resort to saying any snarky thing they could about him.

    No more FAUX News in my house, Ever!

  • texabama

    and it’s not looking nearly as pretty as it was a week ago. I don’t think any of the candidates should drop out at this time. Let the process continue. We might just find that the “most electable” meme will move to another candidate…maybe one who has a real history of executive experience and believes in smaller government with an emphasis on the 10th Amendment.

  • duramater

    A little on the jaundiced journalistic side to put this out without any meat, then to say they will air AFTER the votes are counted.

    Don’t flinch, Rick Perry. Please don’t flinch.

    “…a curious decision, one insider argued, since the network has aggressively been reporting on other candidates.”
    Yeah, curiouser and curiouser.
    As the talking heads (present company included) are chanting for Perry to drop out.
    Pfft!

  • pj2012

    ;-)

  • forgiven

    I am so disappointed in you Eric

  • jakeofalltrades

    Obama only has to debate Newt if he wants to.

  • duramater

    Clinton and the rest is history.

  • yea37ey

    First off , there is NO Reagan or Goldwatwer in this bunch . So many of you whining about one should Really get some therapy . Not one of the remaining candidates are pure Reagan Conservatives . Romney , to his credit , has never called himself one . While Newt , Perry and Santorum who have been falling all over themselves proclaiming to be the new Reagan , all have Big flaws . Newt , Perry , and Santorum have all been engaged in bashing Romney for his personal futune.” The capitalist pig. How dare he have money . “Some of these sentiments have been implied by not only his fellow candidates , but so-called conservatives on this web site . Is this fight we are engaged in about principle or personalites ?As I remember from the last election cycle , many who are now swaring not to vote for Romney if he wins the nomination , were calling him our only hope of winning the White House the last time . I will enthusiastically vote for any of the above individuals if they win the nomination. How about YOU ?

  • JSobieski

    occam’s razor should be used to make the proper selection:

    (1) Organizations like Fox News are pretty much Exhibit A in “Group Think” just like other MSM outlets are. Someone look Rudy or Romney gets more attention than they should because those NYC folks have friends who live and work in NYC. I would agree that Fox is biased against Perry, I just don’t think it is purposeful or conscious.

    OR

    (2) Yup, you are right. I have a copy of the secret memo on my laptop. Its pretty explicit on Perry.

  • pttx333

    polls and panels that he questions. After watching that video of him, I’m more convinced of it than ever. Luntz has never done anything other than promote himself and probably make some nice deals in the back room! I will never believe a thing the man has to say – he has no credibility, no decency, no anything.

    Is nothing sacred any more? Lying, conniving, cheating and all that are okay?

  • lineholder

    This is ABC we’re talking about. How long has it been since they indicated they cared one whit about “ethics”???

    If they had anything of substance, we can count on it that they would be using it now, especially if it really could do Newt harm in SC. I mean…everyone keeps saying that a win for Romney in SC sows up the nomination, right?

  • romansdaughter

    I mean Michele Bachmann was polling lower than Perry and Fox mentioned her quite often. The only time Fox mentions Perry is when he accidently made a gaffe or made a statement that they disapproved of. I saw that a long time ago but I had already been not liking Fox as much anymore….they have gone down hill since about 8 months ago. They are for the Establishment candidate and have decided to black out Perry unless it is something negative.

  • jakeofalltrades

    charts strongly indicating that Romney lost the debate, while their lips said the exact opposite. It was surreal.

  • pj2012

    Perry should stay in this… Romney and Gingrich may very well be looking at a downward spiral with all this information coming to light.

    I think EE was a bit premature with his writing of this diary.

  • forgiven

    I think everything you wrote is true. I hope I get to vote for him in Ohio and that he does n ot quit.

  • Addison

    …that’s from Breitbart.

  • lineholder

    We, and I’m including myself, could speculate until the cows come home about this, but it’s no different for Newt or any other candidate than what we’ve been saying about Romney lately, i.e., if there’s dirty laundry, get it out there now, don’t wait until the general to do it!

  • pj2012

    scorned. (Why doesn’t anyone use that term for a man?) It seems rather unfair to say “scorned” since she could have talked years ago when that term may have been more relevant. Didn’t she say he should never be president a long time ago?

  • Common_Cents

    They rather face romney as he’s easier to take down.

  • jakeofalltrades

    Try again?

  • sunshinek67

    ;)

  • forgiven

    I second your comments. I am so confused by Eric’s actions.

  • duramater

    I did note that prior to this publication, EE seemed to me to be most careful not to tip his hand. It was both prudent and proper, given his potential influence over followers at redstate and beyond. I would like to think that this sprang from his professional as well as personal sense of propriety.

    As has been stated by so many others , in so many ways, we the people are quite weary of others, possessing a soapbox bigger than any of us individually, seizing control of the narrative and effectively shaping the outcome of our elections; clamoring to become king-makers themselves. I humbly and respectfully submit, that would include EE as well.

    Whether to stay or whether to go , win or lose in SC, FL and beyond, is wholly the decision of Gov. and Ms. Perry. The practicality of financial where -with-all notwithstanding, it is the stamina and conviction of these two individuals alone who can and should make that call.

    There are, in fact, many dedicated supporters who have made their own decision in favor of Gov. Perry and will not be dissuaded, nor will the opinion of him be diminished, whatever the outcome in this race.

    To all those who adamantly believe that their vote, based upon their own carefully researched and thoughtfully developed opinion should count as much as those whose opinions are broadcast at higher decibel levels, take heart.

    Imagine the coups that an independent, strong willed electorate would have if the majority had the courage of their convictions to resist running with the bulls….I mean the crowd and vote for the best candidate instead of a Washington insider coronated prom king/queen.

  • pj2012

    to that?

  • damianvincent

    Wow, can’t believe what I’ve read here. Although I can support Newt, Perry is my first choice do to his record of accomplishment.

  • jakeofalltrades

    All the electorate knows is who they’re picking for American Idol.

  • Addison

    http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9SBN46O0&show_article=1

  • lineholder

    if the reports of a poll coming showing Gingrich on the rise in SC are true.

    Does anyone know when this will aired? I assuming it will be prior to the debate tomorrow night?

  • http://formidablecourage.wordpress.com louisianapatriette

    ;)

  • nepanyrush

    I know that my daughter and wife, arch conservatives, said the only Republican they could not support is Gingrich, because he cheated on two wives. And I have talked to other women that are really turned off by that.

    Af for me, I bought the narrative that he changed when he embraced Catholicism. But then his nasty, scorched-earth, I-am-slighted-and-will-take-the-GOP-down-if-I-don’t-win attitude made me realize that he never changed his stripes. It is the same old Newt that I remembered when he was Speaker. He is the one candidate that I have trouble imaging winning a general election. The debates, yes. But the general election? Very hard to imagine.

  • pttx333

    gotten out the headline so feel quite comfy waiting for the “full story” until Monday.

    As to Perry, I do not know why EE or anyone would call for him to drop out. I don’t go around telling supporters of other candidates to drop out, and when people say that to me little do they know they are talking to the wind.

    I made my choice to always vote for Perry and have never had reason to change my mind. I’m not changing my mind now or ever. Period.

  • lineholder

    Thanks for the link, BTW.

  • Common_Cents

    Otherwise they’d sit on this story, kinda like sitting on John Edwards story, cept this one would be an attempt at the october surprise.

  • http://formidablecourage.wordpress.com louisianapatriette

    And I suspect he had a hand in Herman Cain’s ruin as well.

    Perry is very very very very very very wise to ignore Erick’s advice. Anything can happen at this point.

  • pj2012

    very interesting. For the life of me I don’t see why anyone would trust a BG guy like Santorum to trim washington.

  • Scope

    I heard that Romney is going to unload whatever dynamite he can on Gingrich before the SC primary. I despise both Newt and Romney, however, I remember reading the Mariann Gingrich thing about her saying she could destroy any Newt aspirations in one single interview months ago. So what is Romney looking to do, bring up a ghost from the past to unleash the demons on Newt? If there is any release from wife number two, it is going to be old news, not new news. Romney plays really really down and dirty as Newt said he does. But, if the interview, even if old, will bite Newt hard. He apparently knows this and has cancelled an event to deal with this issue.

    Gingrich and Romney are both as bad as each other. They both are moderates, and anyone who wants to say Gingrich is more conservative has to have their heads examined. Gingrich went where Romney never wanted him to go with Bain. Romney went where Gingrich never wanted him to go with the ex-wives. They are both losers- L hand salute from the head.

    EE has lost any credibility he once may have had. It started with his very early endorsement of Jamie Radtke, when he had no clue who she was, but was so hateful of George Allen, that he lost his mind. The race had not even populated way back then, but he went out on a thin twig to support her, with no clue that she is a Ron Paulbot. So much goes for EE’s prognostications. They are written on toilet paper.

  • trevorb

    I agree. I’m with Perry until he either wins or drops out. I don’t trust Romney, Gingrich has a lot of personal baggage, Paul’s nuts, and Santorum is a “compassionate conservative”

  • cheetah2

    after the debate, according to Hot Air. Now that is just cruel…Poor Newtie to have that hanging over him all evening. Now we can see how he performs under real pressure!

  • septembergurl

    Gingrich a bad husband? Bails on wife #2 after she gets sick?

    Romney has millions in offshore investments, also steered Bain $$$ to Mormon Church?

    I’m shocked.

    The interview with Marianne Gingrich will run tomorrow, after the debate, I guess. She has already unloaded on Newt in a 2010 interview in Esquire. It’s hard to see what she can add. Obviously ABC wanted to hold this in case Gingrich got the nomination, so they could pull it out in the general and get Obama re-elected.

    If anything, I think Gingrich will get some sympathy.

    Gingrich owes his rise in SC, as I understand it, to a decline in Santorum’s support. Some of these might go back to Santorum, or even to Perry. Like I said, there was only one candidate who took votes from Romney, and he’s no longer in the race. It really doesn’t affect romney.

    What does hurt Romney is the offshore stuff and the Mormon stuff. I would think they would have wanted to hold till the general, but it comes out now in the release of the Mitt Opp research papers, I guess. So he’s getting dinged a bit and it will be a closer race.

    As for Perry, he has started to wind down his campaign by cancelling some campaign events ahead of Friday. That could mean he anticipates pulling out after the primary. I don’t look for him to endorse Gingrich, though.

  • No Longer For Perry

    Gosh, we need a flow chart here to keep up with the conspiracy.

    Naturally, Perry’s staff – or the candidate himself would not be on said chart.
    “Sarcasm Off”

  • pj2012

    nt

  • cheetah2

    I have never been able to picture it, Callista as first lady?? just can’t see it at all. Gingrich may have the most enormous brain on the face of the earth, but that is not all it takes to make a person presidential material.

  • lineholder

    Interesting. After the debate. Late at night. If it’s that good, I can’t see ABC wasting it in that time slot.

  • pttx333

    regardless. He is no quitter and is the only 3-legged candidate we have. And don’t think the others don’t know that! They can blabber all they wish but in no way can they produce written proof of what they say as can Perry.

  • littlehouse18

    to guarantee he would lose to Obama. I don’t trust Gingrich one bit, I have no evidence that he truly has changed, he seems to follow his egotistical whims, and his positions have been just as bad as Romney’s in the past. And this country will not go for a couple of cheaters as POTUS as FLOTUS. The candidate’s wife matters to a lot of people, Why EE sees such a great positive difference in Newt’s favor is beyond me, as is his venom towards Romney. At least Romney has a chance to beat Obama.

  • greyeagle

    Erick advising Perry to drop out and endorse Newt is not a good idea. ABC is sitting on a story of interview with his ex-wife. ABC is sitting on it until the votes are counted from the SC primary. This does not sound good and could finish Newt. If I were Perry, I would just set tight and see what shakes out. Erick making these comments will discourage voters. Perry is very good at retail politics and has been out and about hitting some very large venues today.

  • pj2012

    Perry is pretty much it for me too. Perry’s been vetted. I don’t trust the others and their words fall flat to me.

  • http://formidablecourage.wordpress.com louisianapatriette

    [nt]

  • littlehouse18

    They may have wanted Romney before, believing Newt’s campaign was dead last summer so why bother with him. But now that they have a chance to go against Newt, they are salivating. The only thing better for them would be Ron Paul. Some Dem congresswoman was even encouraging Repubs to nominate Paul.

  • pttx333

    think of the tortoise and the hare story and who wins in the end? Perry is just that – a tortoise – he plugs along, being himself, working hard, talking to folks, ignores all the smears thrown at him, yet manages to come from waaaay behind and WIN! He is NO quitter!

  • pttx333

    exchanging hands this campaign season. And no one will ever convince me of anything other than that. There are certain things happening that just don’t pass the smell test.

  • trevorb

    Gingrich managed to win the general election, he’s got plenty of openings for Obama to hit him. He’s going to have close to a billion dollars and you would see nonstop ads saying what a monster he is.

  • pj2012

    we all need to yell sometimes. ;-)

  • greyeagle

    ABC is sitting on a story (interview) with Newt’s ex-wife. I hear it is explosive. ABC have decided not to release it until after votes counted for SC primary. If it is as bad as they think, Newt may be out.

  • http://formidablecourage.wordpress.com louisianapatriette

    I’m with Perry to the end, even if I have to clench my teeth and bow my head and walk straight into the screeching winds! We need to stick together because it’s been a very, VERY hard day for all of us, I think. Now is the time to be strong and stay on our feet no matter how war-weary we may be.

  • littlehouse18

    I don’t count Paul as Republican.

  • greyeagle

    and Politico concerning the interview with Newt’s ex-wife on ABC. The ABC suits will not release the story until the votes have been counted in the SC Primary. This is supposed to probably knock Newt out of the race.

  • pttx333

    and over – nothing is over till it is over. Perry is a looooong way from being done, but when he is done, it will be because he’s going to the White House. We’ve had all the idols (flashes in the pan) pop up and drop like rock, yet who is the one there just plugging along doing things his way? Yep, Perry. I’m telling you, there are many evildoers out there passing around promises and loads of $$, but it ain’t a’gonna work this time. NOBODY will tell me who I will vote for – no one.

  • pj2012

    nice see you agree. ;-)

    This race is still very much up in the air… pundits are the last people to be telling the candidates what they should do.

  • jakeofalltrades

    I really can’t predict when the Wheel of Fortune is going to make its final spin.

  • Tavern Keeper

    We emerge from hyperspace to find a great debate performance from a “non-Romney,” and poll numbers that seem to indicate that a “non-Romney” could actually provide a bump on the road to inevitable nominee-ness.

    Now we learn, in time to have a negative effect on the election, that (partly based on a comment from last year), that Speaker Gingrich’s ex-wife Marianne could “end his career with a single interview.” And, after leaking the existence of this interview to, um, fellow media outlets, ABC News Execs (that’s where Georgie Stephanopolos works, right?) now are debating if it would be “ethical” to release the interview before the Palmetto state primaries.

    PLEASE.

    1. If Marianne Gringrich hated her ex-husband enough to “end his career with a single interview,” don’t we think she would have done it before now? Newt didn’t exactly emerge from obscurity or a self-imposed exile to make a run at the White House. He’s been at the forefront of political commentary and an influencing force on public policy (Drill here, drill now) for years since leaving elected office. So it what Mrs. Gingrich had to say was SO damning and she was SO bent on “ending his career,” don’t we think that this would have happened before now?

    2. What does the establishment, the Status-quos, the Democrats, and the PR Firm of the Democrat party (e.g. The Media) not want? They do not want a conservative nominee. Given the current field of prospects, their favorite would be Romney. So it seems a bit consequential that all of a sudden when a “non-Romney” starts to get a little tailwind . . . WELL, we have a blockbuster story. But . . . (which leads to point #)

    3. ABC does more damage to the Gingrich campaign by noting the story exists, but NOT releasing the interview, than it does by actually releasing it. Why? My guess is the trailer for the interview (a.k.a. ‘leak’) is much more sensational than the interview itself. If they really fear Gingrich as a conservative and had a blockbuster interview that could bury his big mouth forever, does anyone really believe they’d take the “ethics” of the thing into account. Heck, actually, I think it would be far less ethical to hold a story that could effect an election versus actually running with it and letting the people decide.

    All of this tells me that the interview itself if not damning, but that the suspense of what the interview might contain is. Remember, these folks understand that its not the nature of the evidence but rather the “seriousness of the charge” that can bring a man down.

    Release the d*mn interview. If its that bad, then we shouldn’t support Newt. If its not, as I suspect, the this is one of the most blatant election engineering by the media that I have ever seen.

    BTW – This was written by a Rick Perry supporter, and someone who is not totally opposed (though not enthusiastic) about a Romney nominee.

  • pttx333

    uphill even (both ways)! You know me, sweetie, I am so stuck to my guns that I can barely stand to remove them long enough to bathe, then I put ‘em right back on! ;-)

  • duramater

    “This is ABC we?re talking about. How long has it been since they indicated they cared one whit about ?ethics????”

    you typed the words right outta my mouth, sir.

  • trevorb

    still got 48 states left. This is a war of attrition and Romney is not inevitable, even if the establishment wishes he was. Now that things are critical, his opponents are not leaving him alone and he doesn’t seem to handle this very well.

    This time around, we have a proportional system for many states. There’s no reason for him to give up. Flaws aside, I consider Perry our best candidate. He is willing to call out Obama for what he’s doing to the country.

  • aesthete

    know about Gingrich’s infidelity — it’s gotten quite a bit of play in the comedy circuit, the news, and most avenues that even low-information voters are likely to be exposed to. It’s pretty much in the same vein as “Rick Perry is a Texan”, or “Mitt Romney is rich” — stuff that’s been repeated to often for low-information voters not to pick up on it.

  • bobguzzardi

    Rick Perry is the only candidate who is not a Statist and who is, truly, independent of Republican Establishment Leadership.

    dr. bob and I have read his book and looked at his policy statements and he is with us on all the issues and can Get America Working.

    Rick Perry needs to stay in the debate.

    There is no reason to help Newt “The Lobbyist” Gingrich or anyone else and compromise himself. What does he gain by endorsing? What do we.

    If he wants to withdraw, then say he will support the winner of the Republican Primary.

  • Common_Cents

    They want people to get spoon fed out of context sound bytes and 3 word headlines.

    That makes it even more suspect.

  • greyeagle

    I suggest you wait until this ABC story on Newt comes out after the votes are counted in SC before saying Perry should drop out.

  • jakeofalltrades

    that practically no one in the 20-40 age group can name the candidates by their photos.

  • bobguzzardi

    ditto circlegranch

    Rick Perry gains nothing by endorsing “more of the same” Statists.

    I am afraid the Titanic will sink and we all go down.

  • papabear

    nt

  • Dave_A

    A 3rd party either replaces one of the big-2 or dies.

    Further, any ’3rd party’ that would be appealing to even just a few of us on the right, would just ensure Democratic victory (See Reform Party/Perot) by tipping swing states to the Dems.

    As long as the states are all or mostly winner-take-all with their EVs, there can only be 2 parties with power.

  • septembergurl

    Check this out:

    http://www.fitsnews.com/2012/01/18/flyer-assails-karen-santorums-affair-with-abortionist/

    This is the old 20th century flyer under the windshield wiper tactics we thought were long gone.

    Should be an interesting debate tomorrow, given all the mud flying.

  • http://formidablecourage.wordpress.com louisianapatriette

    ?Pundits aren?t going to decide this race. The people of South Carolina are going to decide this race. The governor?s focused on the people of South Carolina and their votes, not a pundit sitting behind a computer somewhere.?

    (http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/01/conservatives-call-on-rick-perry-to-exit-race/)

  • Dave_A

    That’s how we got Senator Obama in the first place.

    There is a double-standard when it comes to marital conduct for Reps vs Dems.

  • duramater

    than you what you want?

    Reading many of your posts, you appear to have a perfectly adequate mental capacity to make your own choices. To wit, your patience and prudence approach.

  • pj2012

    your daughter and wife would feel that way. I know people make mistakes but, I’d still prefer a president that didn’t cheat on TWO of his three wives. It’s a trust factor for me. It’s hard to trust man on anything after that. If he cheats on his wives, what else will he cheat on?

  • jakeofalltrades

    Tease with at all week to make sure everyone watches the encore.

  • Dave_A

    And politician sex-gossip gets ratings….

    Condit
    Clinton
    Hatch & the ‘wide stance’
    et-al….

  • Dave_A

    NTXT

  • greyeagle

    Speak for yourself, you don’t speak for others.

  • Scope

    Diary-Sept. 23-Rick Perry is not a friend of mine-

    “Conservatives might be well served to cut Rick Perry (and all of the candidates for that matter) some slack when holding him up to a template that few men (or women) have ever fit. Being inarticulate is not a character flaw. Lack of affinity for a superficial exercise that has virtually nothing to do with performing in the crucible of the presidency should not disqualify a candidate.”

    Diary- Sept 27- A Time for Choosing-

    When you realize it was four presidential terms and 16 years before the man speaking above was ent to the White House, ir reminds us that the journey is long and victory goes only to those who persevere in the face of daunting odds.

    Diary-Oct. 6- Party of Whiners-

    That is what we have become, the Grand Old Whining Party.

    Just about all of us have grumbled at one time or another about the candidates we have running this cycle. What a bunch of malcontents we are.
    —————

    Further imagine that none of those men have been touched by serious scandal and their opponents are reduced to hollering about a dog on a car roof and a painted over rock.

    Further imagine that all three men have considerable personal assets of good looks, charm and likeability not necessarily in equal proportions.

    Is it credible to dismiss these three men (Romney, Perry, Cain) as being “weak” or “not up too par”?
    I for one think this is ridiculous.

    Diary- Oct. 27- Gov. Perry is still likely to be nominated-

    Numerous preemptive obituaries are being written for Gov. Rick Perry’s campaign. These efforts are premature because they fail to understand and appreciate the fickle winds of political fortune.

    Gov. Perry has substantial political assets that made him a potent candidate and will give him another chance to prove himself to Republican voters.

    Each candidate brings their own set of positives and negatives to the game.

    Newt Gingrich has laser-like intelligence, a thorough understanding of policy choices, and excellent debating skills. He also has two ex-wives, a tendency to talk too much, and a manner that strikes many independents and women as smug and arrogant.

    There is much more there, but I believe I’ve made my point.

    Now we are reduced to your comments, and I only bring forth your comment titles-

    You come across as a spoiled child.

    You’ve lost contact with reality.

    Why are you here?

    I think someone missed their nappy.

    Your comment is illogical. Do you have any concept of how boring your post is?

    Beware the Perry-bots.

    Hey genius.

    That’s all!

  • bobguzzardi

    Statist who would be an embarrassment to the whole country

  • krish

    Last time, a Republican Leader in Washington did something that he promised that they would do during an election campaign was Newt! All others since Reagan were not only RINOs but moved to the middle to appease the other side or Media.

    Is Newt perfect ..No! Sitting on a couch with Nancy Pelosi is not the worst crime ….. just check out Romneys record. Saying outrageous things & actually doing things are two different things. Usually, the good Newt comes to the rescue of the bad Newt!

    I second Erick, we would like to keep our Governor here for some more time & I am hoping Rick Perry will do the right thing!

    Also, Romney has become desparate and has asked old RINOS to come out & take shots at Newt personally! If Romney has the guts he should do it during the debates rather than do it this way….he is doing the same thing that he did in Iowa! This is what he did to Guliani & Huckabee last time. If Romney is our nominee, I hope & pray that Ron Paul will go third party since I have had it with Romney’s strategy of personal attacks by proxy!

  • bobguzzardi

    he must be a threat to someone.

    Rick Perry is the only Limited Government candidate who has skills to govern and grow American Jobs.

    Rick Perry speaks for the Constitutional American.

  • http://formidablecourage.wordpress.com louisianapatriette

    or a screaming blizzard, or a howling hurricane? And believe me, I’ve had my fair share of hurricanes–can anyone say Katrina??? The MSM/GOP Establishment is our Katrina–wild and cruel and merciless–but we can overcome it!

    A song of encouragement here from Rebecca St. James…I think it captures the mood of the Perry Posse right now. Although it’s technically a song about standing up for the Lord, it’s also about standing on what we believe no matter what comes against us.

    There is a time for healing
    There’s a time for all purposes under the sun
    There’s a time for laughter
    There’s a time to let go and a time to hold on

    So we are here, but why are we waiting
    Why are we acting like dead men walking
    The time has arrived
    For us to arise
    Joining our hands united together

    This is our time to be strong
    This is our time to rise up
    To stand and be counted
    This is our time to believe
    To know in our God we are free
    Let the world know to Him we belong

    Lord capture our hearts now
    Drown out the pleasures and treasures that bind us
    Give us your courage
    To be strong, to be brave, and to never back down

    There’s no time to lose
    We can’t be silent
    In a world that is dying to find out the truth
    We’ve got the hope
    We’ve got the answer
    Let’s lay down our all
    With reckless abandon

  • bobguzzardi

    the Titanic is headed toward the fiscal and moral iceberg. If we don’t have a captain who will change course, what doe it matter who is at helm. Obama Romney Gingrich Santorum….only Rick Perry can change the course.

  • snowshooze

    And you know Newt can blow it bigtime…
    What would it all have been for?
    Drop Perry, Newt does something incredibly stupid..
    Then, how is the field?
    All that is needed is another couch job, ask Hermin.
    Throwing Perry out at this point, again, I think far premature.
    Unless you really want Obama.
    Hey, don’t worry, there will be more dirt on Newt. He is far short of an angel. And the MSM is drooling.
    I like Newt, scumbag he is, but he is a scrapper.
    There may be things that he cannot overcome, though.
    I suppose you all have forgot about the racy paperback(s?) he wrote.
    We are going to re-visit that as well.
    Again, Romney has no chance.
    Newt may.
    Perry could. He is my first choice, but there is no reason that you shouldn’t hold him in reserve. Polling 6% isn’t going to break you.

  • bobguzzardi

    Gingrich has no chance in a General Election. Newt should withdraw and endorse Rick Perry.

  • trevorb

    I believe Thomas Paine once said, these are the times that try men’s souls

  • izoneguy
  • greyeagle

    First of all, Perry did not say that taxpayer money was going for college educations. Romney is the one that said $100,000 was being spent on each student. Both are lies. The students must have lived in the state for 3 years and graduated from HS there. They must PAY FOR THEIR OWN TUITION! There is NO tax payer money given to these students. They have to pay their entire way. They must apply for citizenship. These students are attending Junior Colleges. There are no scholarships, no amnesty, no tax payer money given to these students.

  • bobguzzardi

    It is fantasy to think that Newt Gingrich can win a general election. Mitt Romney, the Mormon, has had one wife and Newt Gingrich, the opportunist, has had how many. I lost count.

  • bobguzzardi

    the Republican Establishment getting rich from government.

  • nepanyrush

    Gingrich has always been an ethical mess. I think early in the election cycle, most political observers assumed that he was not a real serious candidate, because his ethical baggage would make it impossible for voters to nominate him.

    While the debates resurrected Gingrich– who would not pay to see him debate Obama — it is very hard to see him winning a general election against Obama. The debates are only 2 or at most 3 events of the entire long campaign. I also cannot imagine ABC would want to derail him simply because he had a good debate on Monday night. In fact, they would want to keep him in the spotlight, as an extended primary election drives ratings. And it is unlikely they only started to seek the interview since that debate and Gingrich’s improved chances.

    Normally, I do not like these “ex-wife revelations.” But it points out a real problem with Gingrich. Personally, I have real trouble seeing Gingrich being the GOP standardbearer. He is not the kind of person that people want to see in the White House for 4 years. He was hated by the end of his time as Speaker and the “third wife,” who helped break up his second marriage, as first lady will be hard for many people. Michelle will seem such an ideal person in comparision.

  • snowshooze

    I’d think you were aware of this ex-wife thing well before us..
    And I hope you are laughing your guts out at the outcry.
    I wouldn’t put it past you.

  • cheetah2

    They will be airing excerpts from it before the debate.

    http://hotair.com/archives/2012/01/18/drudge-gingrichs-ex-wife-is-ready-to-dish/

  • izoneguy

    I wonder if ABC has a crew rushing up to Alaska to get Palin’s reaction after Newt’s ex-wife spills the beans? This will end badly for everyone – except Rick Perry.

  • bobguzzardi

    There is zero chance that Rick Santorum can win Pennsylvania and, therefore, no chance to win a general. Newt “The Lobbyist” Gingrich will be finished off by the wife.

    Only Mitt Romney or Rick Perry can win the general and only Rick Perry can change the course of our country.

  • nepanyrush

    Lost all your credibility in previous 4 paragraphs with that ending sentence.

  • greyeagle

    I am inclined to agree with you. I am from TX and now live in Florida. My spouse and I have supported Perry for 16 years. We will vote for him again in Florida. Right now I am soured on so called conservative web sites and media who have put out lies and trashed the Governor. It is hard to refute lies and slander. I am also done with FOX and other so called conservative pundits involved in this stupidity of trying to cram Romney down our throats.

  • bobguzzardi

    Rick Perry to the end. I am very proud to have been part of this. dr. bob and I went to Charleston and then to Iowa and it has been all good. Rick Perry and Anita Perry are decent people who could have saved us.

    I am thinking seriously of moving to Texas.

  • greyeagle

    Maybe Texans have more sense. He has been responsible for the creation of a million jobs, good healthcare, low cost of living and it is just a good place to live. So keep slandering Perry, but you don’t speak for Texans and we may have the last laugh.

  • jakeofalltrades

    He really could annhiliate Obama. Unfortunately, his type of personality almost without exception will pander to him instead. He will study Obama and start to see him as a tortured intellectual, and then he’ll go all gah gah and easy on him.

    Just like O’Reilly.

  • sunshinek67

    total threadjack everywhere on Newt Gingrich’s ongoing saga Tale of Three Wives, Season 2 “Marianne” scheduled to air just hours before Thursday’s debate. Now that should make for an interesting atmosphere after that question gets asked. “Speaker, as you know your 2nd wife Marianne has come forward……..Newt interrupts “Can we go back to Obama & food stamps?”

    And just 2 days after Palin’s pseudo-endorsement. Bitter sweet~

  • bobguzzardi

    dr. bob and I can’t figure out why Rick Perry hasn’t gotten traction. He has the ideas, the policies, the proven record of leadership, the personality, and yet…. no traction.

    Nevertheless, he is a leader.

  • cheetah2

    even though I do not at all like what Erik Erickson has done to Governor Perry over the last few weeks. Remember the day he advised Perry supporters not to contribute or campaign for him? We need to just follow Governor Perry’s example. He has not let Erick’s foolishness stop him from posting here!

  • snowshooze

    But he is in the loop. I cannot discount what he says.
    I do not agree on this one, and either it is another of his playful jokes… —WARNING— or we diverge.
    I think if he read my garbage he could figure out what I want.
    I want to take out best guy to the White House rather then try to pee it away on a moderate because it makes more sense to play the odds.
    We have a shot at the gold. Why flush it down the toilet.

  • Dave_A

    the irrelevant issues of immigration & HPV vaccination.

  • bobguzzardi

    Turkey’s government is Radical Islamist. Rick is right. see Daniel Greenfield Sultan Knish on why Rick Perry is right. This was not gaffe. It was the dead on truth.

    http://sultanknish.blogspot.com/2012/01/fact-check-why-rick-perry-is-right.html

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Everyone knows candibots gotta candibot.

  • David123

    Romney hasn’t really won unless he beats Santorum+Gingrich+Perry combined – heck divide Bachman’s votes equally among Santorum, Gingrich, and Perry, and Santorum would have beaten Romney in Iowa.

    It’s just possible, though unlikely, that Perry will do the best of the three – in that case why should he get out?

    If Santorum does the best of the three, then it probably does make sense for Perry to withdraw and endorse Santorum. Santorum will have established a pattern of being the strongest anti-Romney in terms of actual votes in that situation.

    If Gingrich finishes far ahead of Santorum, it might make sense for Perry to withdraw and endorse Gingrich. If Gingrich narrowly beats Santorum, Perry might best delay an endorsement until one proves definitely stronger than the other.

  • clowngirl

    I think it’s safe to say that everyone in America of voting age already knows that Newt cheated.

    Most people don’t know very much about his second ex wife.

    If it remains that way then the focus is on Newt’s sin.

    But if Marianne Gingrich comes across as a person it would be an absolute nightmare to be married to (and w/her choosing to give an interview at the most damaging possible moment and saying things like “I could end your career with a single interview ” I don’t see much way she could avoid that) then voters may put themselves in his place — married to a nightmare spouse, not wanting to get divorced because of the media circus that would ensue, lonely and wanting an intimate companion…

    I would hope most voters wouldn’t condone Newt’s cheating but they may be inclined to be less unforgiving and question if in the same situation they would be able to save the marriage if Marianne comes across as someone with whom it would be very difficult to live.

    Newt’s already said he was spiritually immature at that point in his life and there was a “hollowness” in him.. It’s easy to imagine how someone at that point would have trouble fixing a difficult marriage.

    There’s also the fact she had no problem with Newt’s cheating when she was helping him do it.

    And there is not really any relevant information that’s going to be revealed (apparently an informed source says she doesn’t really say anything she hasn’t said before in print interviews) so it will look like a vindictive ex-wife seeking revenge. Again. (as she’s already given interviews bashing Newt in the past and …failed to end his career)

  • JSobieski

    Remember the budget debate? Was there anyone on TV talking intelligently on budget issues?

    FOX News is about ratings, so they focus on entertainment.

    FOX News hasn’t changed—its just that people’s eyes are finally opening. They will close again after the primaries.

    Same with opinions about Rush and talk radio.

    Media is largely a bunch of group think. THe Fox News people have their click. Rush, Levin and Hannity agree on 99% of world. NRO has their own version of it, etc.

    TV pundits think of the public as being dumb in the same way that RSers think Iowa primary voters are dumb.

    What if we are all right? LOL

  • pttx333

    always seen it. Perry is the ONLY 3-legged stool on that stage, and every single candidate on that stage with him knows it! He IS a threat – and a REAL ONE, at that!

  • sunshinek67

    Who me?? lol Newt is my 2nd choice :D

    Neil….smile!

  • bobguzzardi

    If Rick Perry drops out or endorses a More of the Same Statist, many of us will have lost a voice for fiscal common sense and balance of power. Power and money get concentrated in DC.

  • conservnca

    that obama doesn’t have to debate anyone. I keep hearing how this is such a crucial reason to make sure our nominee is able to make swiss cheese out of ob. Rush said on his program the other day that obama can make all kinds of excuses to get out of debating. We all know he bends the rules to fit his agenda, so what makes anyone think he won’t finagle his way out of a debate with someone who could beat him.
    I was thinking about this and what a shame to spend all this time and energy on making sure we have a candidate for this reason and then have obama squirm his way out of it. I picture his team sitting back laughing at us while we are choosing our nominee to do something obama never intends to do.

  • carolina

    Then he must plan on making his announcement tomorrow, before the debate.
    Maybe Eric has inside info?

  • carolina

    Then he must plan on making his announcement tomorrow, before the debate.
    Maybe Eric has inside info?

  • pttx333

    standing strong – wearing my hat of “righteous indignation” – and I DARE anyone to try and rip it off my head! ;-)

  • greyeagle

    Yeah, they come to TX because of the good business climate and don’t appreciate the true friendly people and family oriented life style. I don’t blame you for telling him to leave. Texas is a great place to live. Moved to Florida for daughter and grandchildren. Like the weather, but not the higher cost of living, and unfriendly people in most of the areas.

  • jakeofalltrades

    “Thank you, your time has expired”

    “Now, Mr. Gingrich. My question is in the form of a video…”

  • JSobieski

    Independent voters won’t like it, and it will make Obama look weak.

    That said, Obama could refuse.

    Debating skills are however generally applicable to handling the press. Challenging the premises of questions, which is what Newt does, is not a skill limited to “debates”–its a general communication asset.

  • pttx333

    Perry will be the last one standing. Believe it!

  • greyeagle

    The voters need to decide whom to vote for and we don’t need a pundit to make that decision.

  • krish

    If it is between Obama, Romney & Ron Paul…..I would vote Ron Paul! He might be the wacky guy with respect to national defense, but he is right on fiscal issues….he isthe only one that consistently espouses small government!
    It might help Obama but at least there will be someone in the ballot that many people will agree 50% of the time!

    There are others who would agree with me ….check out Judge Napolitano showon Fox to get facts on all candidates from non-republican viewpoint!

    He is not my first choice but I will vote for the most conservative candidate among those running.

  • Xasteius

    I’m not celebrating (Newt is my second choice after Perry), but what conservative alternative is left besides Perry?

  • jakeofalltrades

    Pretty similar circumstance.

  • texasref

    The chances that Perry will endorse Romney before Super Tuesday are about the chances that it will snow this coming Fourth of July in Austin, TX

  • http://www.doctor-bob.biz rsklaroff

    …and you get them during most recent debates.

  • bobguzzardi

    Rick Perry endorses Erick Erickson and dr. bob. As VP dr. bob presides over the Senate. Imagine that.

  • Tbone

    Well?

  • trevorb

    the very least, the race is not a foregone conclusion. Gingrich and Santorum still have plenty of time to implode.

  • lineholder

    I’m not sure how effective it will be, even if the information provided in the interview is actually pertinent. People are just a bit more skeptical about buying into much of anything coming out of the MSM than they would have been before Obama et. al. came on the scene.

    I usually end up giving them great big ugly wet “raspberries” myself, LOL.

    We’ll just have to wait and see.

  • snowshooze

    He isn’t even what I consider a Republican.
    He should be running in the Psych ward party.

  • greyeagle

    A voice of expertise and common sense. I agree with you 100%. Thanks for providing a different opinion.

  • Tbone

    Anyone who supports Ron Paul ought be used as nothing more than a beast of burden.

  • texasref

    well-spoken znjs

    Go Newt Go

  • http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

    In 1968 Reagan ran as THE conservative against a liberal Rockefeller and a centerist Nixon. The Republican party was still reeling from Goldwater’s slaughter in 64 and Reagan was linked at the hip to him. Even so, he garnered the most popular vote (thanks in large measure to winning California by a landslide) and really made a solid connection with voters. Keep in mind that Nixon was a former VP, for Presidential candidate and had huge name recognition. Rockefeller was the former governor of NY and had run in 64. He too was very well known. Reagan was well known, but his link to Goldwater hurt him big time.

    In 76, he ran against a sitting President and took it to the end, he made a real run of it. Again, connecting with Republican voters across the nation.

    Rick Perry hasn’t done any of those things. Yeah, there are lots of people in field, but Perry has been a non-item for months. He’s never connected with a broad cross section (or even a narrow one) of Republican voters.

  • greyeagle

    Perry did not run in NH. Both the caucus in Iowa and the primary in NH allow Democrats to vote. Neither one count for much. Perry felt that a security force should have been left in Iraq. He was correct. He was not saying take troops back to fight.

  • jakeofalltrades

    It’s time the Senate got critiqued.

  • trickamsterdam

    PS – To give the post some text though, and semi-on-topic…and in a sense the topic is “conservative purity”…in a nation this size is that even possible (or its opposite, liberal purity)?

    Because on Dkos they thought it was great that that Senator dude from Nebraska didn’t run again…some of them were hiding their pain, to be sure, but the majority (morons) actually think a more liberal candidate may be elected…or that the money may be “better spent elsewhere”. Lol!

    Yeah, I’m sure Obama would rather spend it on his re-election, morons.

    The truth is: Pres Reagan really wasn’t “a conservative” by the standards most of the people on this board would accept.

    I’m certainly not saying anyone should just hitch their wagons to Romney (threaten him until he announces a good VP at least).

    And it may even be possible to still deny him the nomination.

    But not Newt or anyone else can do it alone. Maybe all of them together (their delegates) could do it w/ a brokered convention. And if someone’s on the ballot, you can do it even if he/she has dropped out, btw…still vote for them.. They may get delegates. Or Romney won’t.

    In a brokered convention, you probably get candidates like P. Ryan or M. Rubio…legitimate bridges between the Tea Party and the Establishment.

    But likely (even in a brokered convention) it’s going to be Romney.

    As Pres Obama is so disappointing to Ds (I know many of you wouldn’t know why he would be, but it’s very clear to me)…yes, it’s disappointing that a Gov Romney would emerge in the age of the Tea Party.

    But I’d be interested if anyone has pointed out a time in American history when that didn’t actually happen?

    Note: Before you answer that question, remember…FDR wasn’t as liberal as you’ve heard, Reagan wasn’t as conservative as you’ve heard.

  • Xasteius

    Unless she’s a Perry insider.

  • pttx333

    n

  • jakeofalltrades

    You know, two weeks ago. As in, irrelevant. And possibly deceptive.

  • Scope

    in order to try to deal with the release of his second wife’s interview that she can end any hopes he may have for the presidency! Gingrich is in high damage control mode.

  • texabama

    and as the media continues to educate them drip by drip you’ll see Romney’s support drop. Add to that hearing that he probably pays about 15% of his income as taxes and hasn’t created those 100,000 jobs he’s claimed and he won’t seem nearly as electable. I’m as conservative as they come, but even I have problems with the politicians who don’t seem to pay taxes at the same rate as the average middle class person. I want a candidate that will overhaul the tax system, not be willing to just snip a little here and there at what ultimately only benefits them.

  • snowshooze

    But he has some horrible ones that cancell them all out.
    A vote for Paul is a vote for a Nuclear War.

  • pttx333

    c

  • trevorb

    who says that we had 9-11 coming because of our foreign policy will never receive my vote.

  • jakeofalltrades

    Wow. What a cutback.

    http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/01/perrys-shrinking-schedule-111362.html

  • trevorb

    bet that the interview with Newt’s ex-wife will have a strong negative effect on him. Santorum is already falling in the polls and I discount Paul entirely.

  • texabama

    This was in response to an earlier poster. Somehow my comment got hung up and I’m not sure how it ended up here.

  • Scope

    for Romney. He has only made it all the worse with saying that he didn’t make much on speaking fees, only about $400,000. That has played so badly on every and any voter, especially those unemployed, D or R.

  • jimmyg

    http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2012/01/rick-perry-virginia-ballot-appeals-court-/1?csp=34news

    The court upheld the opinion of the trial court that Gov. Perry complaint about the requirement that the petition circulators be VA residents came too late.

    “If we were to grant the requested relief, we would encourage candidates for president who knew the requirements and failed to satisfy them to seek at a tardy and belated hour to change the rules of the game,” the court said in its opinion.

  • jakeofalltrades

    Though not the precise explanation I thought they would use.

  • Common_Cents

    thanks.

  • texasref

    just so I dont have to wade through your annoying, shrill blind devotional excuses for comments anymore–typed, no doubt, as you bow before your candle-bedecked James Richard Perry shrine.

    SHRINER!

    (Go Newt Go)

  • Scope

    Do we come here for EE, or do we come here for one another of us that have truly made friend here amongst the commenters? If I came here only for EE’s posts, I would have run away so fast, the door wouldn’t have had a chance to hit me on the arse before closing.

    EE has become a shock jock, knowing that only the most wildly inflammatory articles and comments will be picked up by the MSM. Mike Gamecock DeVine has done the same, as we are unfortunately living in a society that the most shocking titles and stories are worthy of the masses attention. It’s become a society that now honors the National Enquirer writers are worthy of attention. Principles are gone, sadly. Follow the money.

  • RebelRoss0587

    Today is the day Newt Gingrich?s campaign ended. He hasn?t officially dropped out, but he is now a dead candidate walking. Besides the bombshell one of Newt?s previous wives is dropping on Newt, http://t.co/FO0aqDx4 might be even worse.

  • acat

    Think about it.

    How many hours of community college – we’re talking about the children of illegals, not trust fund babies – does it take to pay for a single lawyer and his or her staff to defend the State of Texas against one lawsuit from one illegal who realizes .. “Hey, waitaminit, I *paid* taxes, I am entitled to the things those taxes go toward!”.

    It’s happened in other States, marktx, and they’re *still* in court, and *still* spending money.

    You ask me, Perry (or, as LoneStarSon points out, more likely some bright bulb in the legislature) found a much cheaper solution.

    Besides, education plays really well in the general. Perry only suffers from this in the primary, and then only from people who don’t understand it.

    Mew

  • texasref

    that is all

  • jakeofalltrades

    scheduled for 11:30AM today.

  • texasref

    How come Obama and his fraternal twin Romney always get a pass on this crapola?

  • Scope

    Do you, or carolina have any links to prove that Perry cancelled any events? You see CC, it goes both ways.

  • acat

    You got that right, Dave_A, and Perot is the example on the right.

    Ralph “Green” Nader is the example on the left, he sucked quite a few votes away from Al Gore, especially in the Pacific Northwest.

    Mew

  • Tavern Keeper

    He’s pretty combative and competitive. I know there’s history there with Clinton, but Obama doesn’t have the likable personality of Slick Willie.

    Newts focused on a legacy now. If that gets us a federalist/conservative champion, then so be it. Better than an aloof socialist hack.

  • lineholder

    of Gingrich cancelling any events.

  • texasref

    Then Romney would be the 3rd party candidate.

    Just saying.

    Having said that, I am all-in for Newt. Not Ron Paul.

  • Common_Cents

    because they really don’t want people to see it in its entirety. They want the buzz, sell the sizzle. Then they want the lame stream media to sensationalize it in the news cycle friday w/ clips, headlines, quotes.

  • No Longer For Perry

    is perhaps the most baseless and hyperbolic post I have read all day long.

  • texasref

    note the annoying advertisements at the link

  • acat

    Lots of things are legal. Smoking while jogging, putting ketchup on a hot dog, putting a dog in a car carrier for twelve hours …

    That doesn’t mean they’re something that you want splashed on the front page of Drudge when running for office.

    My guess is, the media wanted both the Gingrich interview and the Cayman thing for “october surprises”, but .. the media seem to suck at controlling their own leakers…. so the stories got out.

    Mew

  • aleena

    Agreed, so very disappointed.

  • texasref

    behind the only viable remaining candidate who can beat Obama.

    Go Newt Go!

  • lineholder

    in this HA piece

    http://hotair.com/archives/2012/01/18/drudge-gingrichs-ex-wife-is-ready-to-dish/

  • jakeofalltrades

    News isn’t reported; it’s made. Witness: this very diary.

  • kipling

    I called this one way back when discussing Newt with a Newt supporter here at Red State. Any one with any political savvy saw this one coming a mile away. A grieving ex-wife talking about feeling betrayed by the man she trusted and boom – pop goes the Newt.

    However, I will say that this is happening sooner than I expected. I figured the interview would happen if Newt made it to the general election. The Democrats and their allies in the MSM must really want Romney as the nominee.

  • aleena

    I have watched Gingrich for a long time. I believe that supporting him is a path to defeat. He has so much baggage, and much of it is not know to the general public.

  • acat

    After what Newt did to Juan Williams ….

    Mew

  • joayn

    nt

  • http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

    With respect to them…

    1. I think Daniels is sleeping very well right now. Personally, I think he was head and shoulders better than anybody in the “potential” field let alone the “real” candidates.

    2. TPaw was an excellent governor in MN, I don’t know that he has the toughness to POTUS right now. The DC wars are a whole different thing from Minnesota.

    3. Palin. Ick. No.

    Right now my biggest hope is that we start electing more in-your-face, hard ball, Republican governors in the mold of Scott Walker and Rick Scott. I’m also hoping that this primary mess drives a stake through the heart of Rick Santorum and the blood suckers in the single issue values voters club passing themselves off as “social conservatives”, they’re not.

  • onenationundrgod

    For our country?after reading this link above ^^
    Major General James E. Livingston, a Medal of Honor recipient who was the state chair of Rick Perry’s Veterans coalition, is dropping his support and going to the Gingrich campaign. Veterans are a major voting bloc in South Carolina’s GOP primary, and Perry had courted that community assiduously.
    Asked for comment, Perry spokesman Ray Sullivan told NBC News that the governor “has the utmost respect for Gen. Livingston, his service and leadership, and he always will.” ?– (Please notice this Honorable comment by Gov Perry)
    All this conversation reminds me of the recent cruise ship wreck, how the Captain and Crew abandoned ship to leave the passengers to fend for themselves and their lives.
    Where have we gone wrong in America?? Where courage and commitment means something, where your word is your bond, where what other people think shouldn?t cause you to change your mind, whether it goes against your convictions/beliefs or not.
    Are people so ashamed of what they believe in?
    The talk in this thread is so disparaging to say the least, I have learned here is if I so choose to believe it is; that My voice means absolutely nothing?It is perfectly clear our election process means absolutely nothing?..
    Maybe we should just let the congress vote for our nominee, or maybe a gang of 6 or maybe some closed door discussion between the news media, or better yet past presidential candidates, some evangelical group cloistered in Texas, or maybe Donald Trump should decide who should be our nominee. Or maybe to end all this democracy we should just have a reality Presidential show, and people could just text in their votes?..
    What really is disturbing is disenfranchising conservatives to even vote in this circus?
    I see why Marcus Latreall* cautioned Gov Perry and the first Lady of Texas to please reconsider entering this race..His compassion and regard for them is commendable, I think he foresaw the heart break and ugliness and wanted to protect them.
    What is wrong with HOLDING THE LINE?????????

  • septembergurl

    object of a preposition – objective case.

    Only because you are touting literacy.

  • Common_Cents

    I’ll ask you again, post links that Gingrich has cancelled campaign events or retract it or admit you are lying.

    You should address Carolina then. And issue me an apology and retraction if you are going to do the right thing and be respectful.

    I just read now that someone else posted a link that Perry did cancel a couple events. Why don’t you ask them?

    Yet another person posted that gingrich cancelled a press conference dealing w/ ex wife. Not a regular campaign event.

    You are looking terribly foolish. First rule of holes, quit digging.

  • acat

    5% against Reagan.

    Mew

  • Scope

    the real and warranted shake up in the Republican party if they booted the faux Republican from the field? It would warm my hear, as well as so many other conservatives. If the arse has to win with the support of the Code Pinkos deserve deserve a place at the Republican table?

  • clowngirl

    According to a reportedly informed source.

    No new information.

    And by giving this interview right before the South Carolina primary she’s making herself look like someone who would make an absolutely horrific spouse.

    She’ll be a walking mitigating circumstance.

  • acat

    That is, Marianne G unloads, but there’s nothing new in the pile… otherwise why show it at 11pm eastern?

    Mew

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    I mean the ONLY [MY CANDIDATE] IS THE TRUE CONSERVATIVE WHO CAN WIN folks.

  • conservativemusician

    If not, then you should know that Ronulans are banned here on sight, and for good reason. Paul is a blight on the GOP and he has no business running in our primary as he is neither a true conservative or Republican and his views on foreign policy and the military are far to the left of even Obama. He should either be running as a Democrat or Libertarian instead of gumming up the works on our side.

    Also, stumping for 3rd party around here is taboo. If Paul goes 3rd party, then Obama wins by default. It is shortsighted to think otherwise.

    So, are you actually a closet Paul supporter?

  • Common_Cents

    http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/01/perrys-shrinking-schedule-111362.html

  • Xasteius

    Think about it:

    Obama launches billionaire ad (hotair)

    Newt’s ex wife gives a juicy story (hotair)

    Expose on Romney’s millions in the Caymans (hotair)

    Leaving us the wacko or the do-gooder.

    Coincidence?

  • aesthete

    He struck me as a nice and generally intelligent guy, but I don’t remember him talking much about numbers, using graphs and metrics, or focusing overmuch on detail on his list of solutions. I was actually struck (in a bad way) by how little substance his campaign offered, considering that he had a relatively successful tenure as MN Governor. I’m a numbers guy. I notice these things :)

    Paul Ryan, Mitch Daniels, and of course Newt Gingrich stood out to me as being the “wonks” among the potential nominees early on. To the extent that he doesn’t talk about social or defense issues, Rick Santorum is as well (though he doesn’t have the small government bonafides for that to help much, IMO). I can’t say the same about any of the other candidates I heard bandied about.

  • snowshooze

    And I wouldn’t miss the loons.

  • spainishirish

    Rightly or wrongly, the Republican electorate has decided Romney is the best bet against Obama. That does indeed show great seriousness on their part–they have voted with their head rather than their heart. The mystery is whether Romney can/will live up to that expectation.

    I don’t know what Gov. Perry will do, but as to EE’s theme here it would seem premature at best given the fluid nature of this race. If Perry wants to continue and has the money and inclination to do so, it is hyperbolic to call him a “spoiler,” and this was so before today’s revelations about two of his opponents. Perry has not connected with Republican voters, who apparently have decided he cannot win, but that could chang. I don’t think it will, but it might.

    Good post, regardless.

  • lineholder

    over at Hot Air as well. In fact, here’s the quote:

    “A knowledgeable insider says that Newt Gingrich?s second wife does not say anything in the taped interview with ABC News that she hasn?t said in previous print interviews. But to repeat her account of how their marriage failed?because the then-House speaker was having an affair?in a form that can be endlessly replayed on television could prove a serious distraction for the presidential candidate two days before the South Carolina primary.”

    Maybe, maybe not on how much damage it might do. It isn’t as if voters who have been paying any attention at all didn’t already know that this type of scenario existed behind the scenes. If they’re choosing Newt at this point, then they’re doing so in spite of the baggage. So I just don’t know how much difference it would make.

    For people who haven’t really been paying attention…that might be a different story, I guess.

    BTW, AP is imagining how “epic Newt’s media bashing will be” during the debate tomorrow night if ABC follows through with excerpts before the debate. Sounds right up Newt’s alley!

  • aesthete

    Though I’ll admit that in light of our current field, I don’t have that instinctive dislike of Palin that I used to (I’d take her over Ron Paul, Romney, and Santorum).

    Congress is my priority this election season. Jan Brewer is a terrible governor, but she can’t be replaced — and the Presidential election is not as important as the composition of Congress and our governors going forward, IMO.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Romney just has to keep finishing in first to keep winning.

  • pttx333

    but some others might think it is the other RP – Rick Perry! ;-)

  • pj2012

    so true and it’s from… The Crisis by Thomas Paine

  • JSobieski

    and made that announcement in advance—would it impact who you support in the primaries?

  • paladin1

    I am also fed up with the patrician attitudes of many toward Texans and others southerners. I see no reason two small yankee states should be able to propel a candidate into the winner’s circle in any primary election. The bias against the Governor based on his speech patterns and demeanor have sickened me and the same people seem to adulate coarse, unpolished politicians like Christie of N. J.

    You spoke of Texas seccession a couple weeks ago and I agreed then. There are many Texas natives that do. I wonder how well withdrawing the 13th largest economy in the world from floundering “blue morass” would be received by the same people who mock us? I would be willing to try.

  • joayn

    How is he going to make anyone a kingmaker? As a Perry supporter, I am not ignorant of where things stand. But I plan on supporting him as long as he wants me to. I hope and pray people wake up to the obvious choice as to who would be the best president for this country, but that’s about all I can do, hope and pray.

    Are you so blinded by your hate or fear of Romney that you’d encourage the best representative of freedom and liberty to desert us? Is it the evangelical versus the mormon thing? Because that’s the only thing that I can think of that makes more sense than the tripe in this article.

    I have to say that I agree with other commentors and encourage Governor Perry to stay in until he decides it’s over, if it comes to that. I know that I’m certainly sick and tired of all the conservative blogs, media, etc. telling me who I should support. I just never thought I’d see it on Red State.

  • jakeofalltrades

    To really screw things up, but I’m not so sure about secession.

  • pj2012

    we need to stand strong now more than ever, especially in light of the ABC interview with Newt’s 2nd wife coming out.

  • snowshooze

    Ron Paul should be locked up in a loonie bin.
    That should clear it up.

  • jakeofalltrades

    That way they can make the story seem bigger than it is, by having more stuff in it.

  • Scope

    You are not worth responding to as you are making crap up as you go along, but I will suffer through this. Here is my comment-

    “Do you, or carolina have any links to prove that Perry cancelled any events? You see CC, it goes both ways.”

    Where in that comment did I say that you said that Perry was cancelling events??????????? It ain’t there anywhere idiot, no where at all.

    I can only suggest that you put some distance between your spurts of irrationality, and try to connect some dots with the rational. Emotional outburst are not rational in most cases.

  • paladin1

    but I was not suggesting that was necessarily the path to follow. It would certainly be interesting to try.

  • septembergurl

    Insider Advantage poll done tonite (Wed) shows the following:

    Gingrich: 32

    Romney: 29

    Paul: 15

    Santorum:: 11

    Perry: 3

    If it holds, this validates EE’s post re Perry today. clearly showing Santorum & Perry have declined, adding to Gingrich’s vote. As EE has pointed out, Perry would be wise to pull out now. I fear though he is not wise.

    http://savannahnow.com/latest-news/2012-01-18/poll-gingrich-takes-lead-sc#.TxefoqU7VsB

    Of course, this could all change tomorrow.

  • pttx333

    m

  • cheetah2

    I have been wondering why all the pressure on Perry. He is still a threat.

  • carolina

    what septembergurl said.
    Apology accepted.

  • Common_Cents

    It was not opinion or disagreement.

    You posted BREAKING NEWS about Gingrich cancelling events.

    You lied.

    I hope Redstate doesn’t put up with this childish paulbot-ish behavior.

  • kipling

    Not all Newt supporters will know the stories of Newt’s infidelity. I wonder how many like Newt simply because of his debate performance and the fact that he takes it to the MSM. Will those people be swayed by an old story in a new package?

    I think what we have here is in essence a traditional October surprise. They have been quite effective in the past.

    All Marianne G. has to do is portray Newt as someone who betrayed her trust – hence the voter can not trust him, and as a hypocrite for going after Clinton while having his own affair.

    Now, two days before the election in which he hoped to stop Romney, he will have to spend time defending himself rather than attacking Romney.

    Newt and his supporters better hope their are no surprises – like a current mistress or even a questionable relationship that can be blown out of proportion.

  • aesthete

    with the announcement that Daniels’ selection was on account of his support for entitlement reform, and if the Presidential candidate in question had at least some record of supporting concrete entitlement reform. If either Rick Santorum or Ron Paul chose Daniels as a VP, I would consider supporting either one: Rick Santorum because it would force him to appeal to fiscal conservatives, and Ron Paul because Daniels’ acceptance would indicate to me that Ron Paul will focus on spending, and would be a perfuctory nod towards mainstream Republicans on other issues. I would of course support Newt if he were to announce Daniels as VP, but Newt is already my de facto choice, given the state of Rick Perry’s campaign as of today — not that it really matters, since I live in AZ.

  • Common_Cents

    “BREAKING NEWS: Gingrich cancels campaign events tomorrow
    Scope (Diary) Wednesday, January 18th at 10:31PM EST (link)”

    “in order to try to deal with the release of his second wife?s interview that she can end any hopes he may have for the presidency! Gingrich is in high damage control mode.” – SCOPE

  • pttx333

    a threat is that Perry is the ONLY 3-legged stool on that stage and everyone knows it! He’s always been a threat, but he is not a quitter!

  • http://www.writeinryan.com ragnarthepirate

    :)

  • lineholder

    There are people who may not have paid that much attention to the life of Newt Gingrich the man, and simply found his performance at the debate inspiring. So a story of this sort might do damage in their eyes.

    At some point, though, we really need to find a way to deal effectively with these stunts that the MSM continues to act out on. I don’t know how it can be done, other than to air all the dirty laundry we can find ourselves in advance so that it doesn’t take the general public by surprise.

    Got any ideas?

  • JSobieski

    Wouldn’t want to be spreading baseless inuendo now, would we.

    I mean, I know you wouldn’t ever support someone connecting dots and making assertions based on reasonable factual inferences, right?

  • acat

    I mean, yes, this has ABC’s logo, but . who elses’ fingerprints might it have?

    It’s one thing to pull an October Surprise. It’s quite another, as Dan Rather found out.

    Mew

  • acat

    Stow your tray tables and keep your seat backs in the upright position, and your lap belts fastened. We’re in for some more turbulence.

    Mew

  • Common_Cents

    But less so in the general, until team obama lets ‘em know.

    I’m sure it will do some damage unless Gingrich can preface it somehow or have a good reaction to make the media look like political hitmen. Sounds like old stuff just regurgitated. The wild card is if there are some new allegations not previously disclosed. It may be something not related to his personal life.

    The left fears Gingrich the most and they’ll try to leverage and sensationalize this to the max. Makes sense to air the interview late night as less people will watch, and let the lame stream talking heads sensationalize and spin w/ headlines and quotes.

  • jakeofalltrades

  • acat

    invited any candidates who wanted to come down to his studio and record a long, friendly interview. If Erick does it right, while it would be friendly, it would be thorough as well – we would have heard questions about Gingrich’s exes, Bain, the various gay rumors about Perry, Santorum on unions, possibly even some of the questions about Herman Cain…

    The debates have devolved to a lowest-common-denominator vehicle for candidates to deliver their sound bites .. they don’t really dig deep, they’re surface and, IMO, useless.

    Whatever the fix is, it has to appeal to both large-budget and small-budget campaigns, and it has to have lots of sunlight, no hidden agendas.

    We’ll see if this takes off… in four years.

    Mew

  • acat

    Gingrich has been “the former speaker” for over a decade, and for the most part out of the limelight. Memories are short.

    Mew

  • jakeofalltrades

    I’m already tempted to immigrate to Texas, and that might seal it. Especially if they expel everyone from Austin and seal the border to statists.

  • lineholder

    If they would be willing to actually use the time in an interview setting such as the one Erick provided to be genuinely HONEST with the American people about both the good and the bad, we could undercut a lot of this nonsense that the left pulls time and time again during the election season.

    I hope Erick and others will keep trying on this front. I really do.

  • http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

    All Romney had to do was win SC to wrap this up.

    What conservatives had to do was make it a 2 man race and have a stronger conservative.

    That’s the key.

    If Newt wins SC, Perry and Santorum both should pull out of the race after SC, and it will be a mano-a-mano battle in Florida.

  • septembergurl

    we need Neil to splain these polls to us.

  • lineholder

    already working on that this evening. They’ve made verbal or written public statements quoting their father as saying that he has many things in the events of his life in the past that he regrets and that he knows that he hurt people who loved him.

    What’s done is done and can’t be undone, and this type of comment doesn’t automatically excuse his behavior in the past. It all depends on how people respond to it, I guess.

  • http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

    Perry made a decision to go to SC after Iowa.

    Folks like me were skeptical, but no point dropping out now.
    Let SC have their vote and then make a decision. If he’s not 1,2 or 3, he definitely should drop out.

    “I have to say that I agree with other commentors and encourage Governor Perry to stay in until he decides it?s over”

    Correct.

  • Common_Cents

    And do debates on our own terms.

    this goes for campaigns too, who must have agreed to the terms.

    The problem is having more than 5-6 candidates in early debates and the time alotted to each candidate.

    Having said that, there is NO excuse for the kinds of gotcha questions asked by enemy combatant moderators just wanting to make the whole field look bad.

    I mean, what nitwit(s) agreed to have Diane Sawyer and George “clinton” Steph freakin mods? We might as well have Lawrence ODonnell, Keith Olbermann and Wasserman Putz be mods too.

    Time was short in many debates and we let the lame stream mods waste so much time on stupid questions.

    Long form interviews on the same questions/issues would be very helpful. Series of smaller group debates and 1on1 Lincoln Douglas debates would be tremendous. The ones w/ Gingrich/Cain and Gingrich/Huntsman were very informative. A Gingrich/Romney debate would be very helpful right now.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    That’s the question I don’t see anyone answering.

  • http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

    “I?m willing to bet that among activists in Texas, Newt Gingrich is more popular than Romney. ”

    PPP poll in Texas had: Romney 24, Gingrich 23,

    … but among Republicans, it broke out: Newt Gingrich 26%
    Mitt Romney 23%
    Rick Perry 19%
    Rick Santorum 17%
    Ron Paul 6%
    Buddy Roemer 0%
    Undecided 8%

    So, yes, conservatives support Gingrich more than Romney.

  • JSobieski

    suggests to me that it is likely less than what it appears to be.

  • http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

    and in the end, that is more important than anything. But since I do not think Polls matter as much as record, then who cares.

    I think it is weird that the same people who quote polls as to why Gingrich should be supported, then turn around and say Romney polling against Obama so well does not matter.

  • lineholder

    And there have been a few quotes presented at other sites that substantiate this as well.

  • Xasteius

    no text

  • Scope

    No further text needed.

  • acat

    Let the GOP hold a series of sanctioned debates, several hours long, allowing for both long-form answers and some back-and-forth.

    Further, let the GOP provide a feed to the networks who can either re-broadcast the whole thing in its’ entirety (solving some of the “57 channels and nothin’ on” problem) or slice-and-dice it down for a prime-time “summary broadcast”. Naturally, the latter would cost the networks a “special use fee” or something.

    Put the enchilada on the party web site or YouTube so any accusations of “selective editing” can be proven out quickly.

    (I’m sure someone will come up with the idea of MST3K’ing the debate feed…)

    The real trick isn’t who pays, though .. it’s how to keep the candidates from going to any other debates.

    Free media is a pretty darn effective carrot. Need either a different carrot, or a rather large cluebat to keep them in line….and it has to work without actually damaging a campaign… who knows who’s going to catch lightning in a bottle next? (did anyone credible expect Santorum to win in Iowa back in the early debates?)

    I’ve got no ideas on how to effectively corral the candidates .. the best would be to hold the first round table in Iowa, prior to Ames, and try to drown out the also-ran and hostile-media debates with a forum that better suits the candidates’ needs, as well as ours.

    Just thinking out loud, so to speak.

    Mew

  • Tbone

    I need a proofreader and a lackey. Send a photo.

  • Common_Cents

    I don’t see how it is any different now? Networks would want to air debates for the revenue.

    I’d think we’d have enough leverage to at least get conservative moderators on any debate forum, or at least to have more relevant questions to a GOP primary instead of the pee poor gotcha questions that wasted a lot of debate time.

    Some of the smaller interviews, 1 on 1′s could be on the net and on CSpan if no major networks were interested. Cspan shows many small campaign events.

    I’d think a Romney/Gingrich no holds barred lincoln douglas debate would attract quite a few viewers. It could easily just be a 30 min format. In 2 hours you could get 4 matchups that way.

  • jakeofalltrades

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    That gives them certain guaranteed ratings levels.

    Why would they spend money to cover it if they’re not going to get exclusivity, and will have to compete with online, ad-free streaming?

    The networks right now are paying the piper and get to call the tune.

  • JSobieski

    Of course, I realize that only thing consistent about you is your inconsistency.

    I at least provided multiple data points and have never made statements that were per se against the use of circumstantial evidence.

    You have gone on and on about circumstantial evidence, but apparently that rule only applies to others.

    Once again proving that people who most often use the word hypocrit tend to be the biggest hypocrits out there.

    Congratulations!

  • kipling

    Republicans and Conservatives have to go on offense from the start and not allow the MSM to set the narrative. Another good example is the news stories the past two days which have attempted to paint Romney as rich and out of touch. Several stories focused on his speaking fees and other focused on the fact that he only paid a 15% tax rate. Now Clinton makes almost 3 times as much per speech as Romney and John Kerry paid a tax rate of 12%. Yet, Romney is the evil rich guy and Democrats get a free pass. Rush bemoaned this problem as well.

    Newt had to see this coming and should already have a plan in place. He will have to be forthcoming. He will have to take his medicine. And he will have to be humble about it. He can handle this. On the other hand, Newt has shot himself in the foot before. It will be interesting to see how the news cycle plays out and even if they allow Newt to respond.

  • http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

    OK, so you have encapsulated the worst possible interpretation of Gingrich’s life history.

    WHY do we do this to ourselves, let our own candidates get torn down like that … and then wonder aloud why none of the smart, articulate conservative leaders have a ghost of a chance at beating the worst, most leftist, pathetic, arrogant and clueless President in our lifetimes – Obama?

    This btw “he led the disastrous shutdown of government partly, he admits, because Clinton made him leave by the back of Air Force One” is a lie on a number of levels and makes me wonder your agenda. 1) Clinton’s veto shut the govt down 2) House had already passed their bill and had their position. What pissed Newt off – properly – was Clinton refusing to talk or discuss. Clinton – like Obama this summer – was about playing politics and using the MSM to blame the GOP.

    You are simply repeating liberal MSM anti-gingrich talking points. Stop it.

  • kipling

    Sweet mother of pearl! That would be something.

  • jakeofalltrades

    I was gonna write my own about Newt. Scope just beat me to it (since I was busy searching for Perry’s cancellation).

  • http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

    Seriously, they reported that Romney made “much more money than the average American” for his speaking engagements … like it was serious top-of-the-hour news.

    Funny, but his income from that was less than Moochelle Obama’s sweetheart deal at Chicago hospital, making over $300,000 /yr for PR.

  • jakeofalltrades

    circumstantial evidence does not equal “proof” in the vernacular sense. I didn’t think she was condemning it.

  • lineholder

    Sincere question with no sarcasm. You know more about what goes on behind the scenes and how it works. How could changes come about? What would it take?

  • Common_Cents

    Major network exclusive debates can happen. I’m wondering why the GOP doesn’t use any leverage to have input on the content as far as topics/questions when making a deal. Campaigns also agree on format, as Diane Sawyer made clear before she started bashing.

    The cspan/net stuff can be separate/supplemental if no network takers on the 1on1′s, interviews etc…but I’d think later in the game like about now, networks would have interest in doing 4-30 min 1on1 matchups for a 2hr block.

  • kipling

    I have heard a couple of theories on the timing of the interview. One is from a network insider posted at Pajamas Media.

    1. Internal dispute at the network did not have to do with running the interview but when to do so for maximum impact for Obama. According to the same report, the network has been aggressively pursuing the story and has no intention of backing off because it is a nothing-burger. The issue is timing and shot placement for maximum carnage.

    2. Air it in on Nightline. Few people might see it but the topic will dominate the following news cycle and allow the media to spin the story for maximum effect.

    3. acat and other have the theory that you air it late because it is a rehash of old material and essentially a nothing-burger. If this is true, it still plays into #2.

  • http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

    Seriously, how much money does a podium and a room cost?

    Seriously, Redstate COULD pull off making it happen even without coughing up money.

    Get Heritage or some other well-funded entity to help underwrite… Get everyone in conservative media in on the act. National Review. CPAC. HotAir. WeeklyStandard. Get it a buildup. Get it on C-SPAN. Enough ‘oomph’ and let FoxNews air it. In fact, there’s your 4 panel questioners right there.

    You dont need a big room or audience.

    You cant do worse than the 9AM time slot of meet the depressed.

    It has been uber-PATHETIC to let liberals drive the debate discussions. OUTRAGEOUS.

    PROMISE US Redstate will TRY next time to sponsor a debate for conservatives, by conservatives and with conservatives.

  • texastaxpayer

    I for one have had enough.
    I am sick of being ignored.
    I am sick of my freedoms being taking from me daily. I do not need an all powerful government dictating to me what is and is not acceptable speech, behavior and beliefs.
    I no longer feel the United States is a free republic but rather has deteriorated into a pseudo socialist police state.
    With these things in mind I can know longer support this government. Should this election turn against us again I will no longer consider myself a citizen of this country as I am clearly not represented in its values.
    I will support the departure of Texas from this failed union. Not out of hatred, vengeance or a desire to see my cousons suffer. But to protect those liberties I inherited for my children and theirs. If we cannot save the united states at the ballot box. It will be time to save Texas by whatever means afforded us. That is my opinion, let those that will scoff and laugh at me I care not.

  • http://travismonitor.blogspot.com Freedoms Truth

    … but polls that show Gingrich has support in Texas do matter if Perry endorses Gingrich.

  • JSobieski

    If someone wants to hold everyone else to the mention only facts and don’t extrapolate from there, I look forward to that person setting a great example! :)

    In particular, I am looking forward to EVIDENCE that Rush, EE, and others have received monetary payments for not jumping on the Perry bandwagon.

    Should be really interesting documentation, video, etc.

    Can’t wait to see it.

  • aesthete

    Both things that Scope thinks are libertarian plots to corrupt our youth, or something.

  • http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

    Head to head polls v. Obama are meaningless. See above for why.

  • jakeofalltrades

    though not “proof” in the vernacular sense.

  • Common_Cents

    “ATLANTA — The seesaw Republican primary has tipped again in a poll conducted Wednesday night, giving Newt Gingrich the lead in the South Carolina primary.

    Gingrich reversed the momentum of Mitt Romney who had an expanding lead in the same poll Sunday night.

    Gingrich?s 32 percent to Romney?s 29 puts the two inside the poll?s 3.8 percent margin of error, but the 11-point lead Romney held in the Sunday evening survey has evaporated. And Romney?s strength had been building after wins in the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary.

    The polls were conducted by InsiderAdvantage/Majority Opinion Research. Wednesday?s was conducted for the Augusta Chronicle and the Savannah Morning News of 718 registered voters who said they were voting in Saturday?s GOP primary.

    Ron Paul is in third place with 15 percent, followed by Rick Santorum?s 11 and Rick Perry?s 3. Seven percent remain undecided and are unlikely to vote while 3 percent favor some other candidate not listed as a choice.”

    http://savannahnow.com/latest-news/2012-01-18/poll-gingrich-takes-lead-sc#.Txe4aPnp6aM

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    I’m not the one saying we need a radical overhaul. :)

  • JSobieski

    it can also be evidence of a lot of emotion

    it just isn’t evidence with regards to the matter be asserted

  • lineholder

    I’ve got about a dozen questions buzzing through my mind, but I’ll leave it be…for now!!

  • lizzie

    He would certainly never announce he is suspending his campaign at the CNN debate, as Erick recommends. For ANY reason.

    I go out to run errands, and find this?????

    Yes, the polls are terrible, but there is always a chunk of undecideds.

    Romney is being eviscerated today.
    Ok, that was Jon Stewart doing the eviscerating, but even Gov. Christie is calling for Romney to release his tax returns!

    For all of Perry’s positives, I think he really hurt himself with his ‘back to Iraq’ without enough nuance three debates ago. And, to be blunt, I still do not understand why he keeps emphazing the part-time congress. His energy plan was terrific and he should have continued to push that as the jumpstart to job creation. And he never used the expansion of Medicaid in 2014 as a blip on the radar when THAT is what is going to bury the states.

    But, really, Mitt Romney? Ron Paul? Rick Santorum?

    That is what y’a;ll are going to throw against Obama, who is so very beatable?

    Might as well be Russia where Putin and Medvedev just keep changing jobs, and the people suffer and drink themselves to death.

    Yes, if Perry finishes fifth or sixth in South Carolina, he has a tough rebound in Texas. I mention sixth because Stephen Colbert is holding a rally in Charleston with Herman Cain on Friday, so you never know.

    Still, for the GOP to have ANY credibility, the last thing any pundit should do is to publicly do what Erick did this afternoon.

    Let South Carolina decide.

    And let Rick Perry decide how to pivot.

    signing off from this thread – too many commnents for my buffer to load.

    oh, and now the news of Romney having so many of Bush43 national security advisers – which makes him toxic.

  • lizzie

    He would certainly never announce he is suspending his campaign at the CNN debate, as Erick recommends. For ANY reason.

    I go out to run errands, and find this?????

    Yes, the polls are terrible, but there is always a chunk of undecideds.

    Romney is being eviscerated today.
    Ok, that was Jon Stewart doing the eviscerating, but even Gov. Christie is calling for Romney to release his tax returns!

    For all of Perry’s positives, I think he really hurt himself with his ‘back to Iraq’ without enough nuance three debates ago. And, to be blunt, I still do not understand why he keeps emphazing the part-time congress. His energy plan was terrific and he should have continued to push that as the jumpstart to job creation. And he never used the expansion of Medicaid in 2014 as a blip on the radar when THAT is what is going to bury the states.

    But, really, Mitt Romney? Ron Paul? Rick Santorum?

    That is what y’a;ll are going to throw against Obama, who is so very beatable?

    Might as well be Russia where Putin and Medvedev just keep changing jobs, and the people suffer and drink themselves to death.

    Yes, if Perry finishes fifth or sixth in South Carolina, he has a tough rebound in Texas. I mention sixth because Stephen Colbert is holding a rally in Charleston with Herman Cain on Friday, so you never know.

    Still, for the GOP to have ANY credibility, the last thing any pundit should do is to publicly do what Erick did this afternoon.

    Let South Carolina decide.

    And let Rick Perry decide how to pivot.

    signing off from this thread – too many commnents for my buffer to load.

    oh, and now the news of Romney having so many of Bush43 national security advisers – which makes him toxic.

  • goodgovernance

    I’m sure Erick wishes Perry was twenty points ahead of Romney right now. But Perry did himself in early on, on a national stage that’s not very forgiving. Maybe there’s hope for Perry some other campaign cycle, but not this one.

  • goodgovernance

    are going to feel embarrassed someday very soon at the way you’ve turned on so many of your fellow conservatives, out of a moment of pique.

  • kamiller42

    His article splashed everywhere. Really helps to take the wind out of the sails.

    With Erick dropping on Perry and Newt on the ropes, leaves Romney on top.

    What if Erick said nothing and the Newt-on bomb dropped and hurt his campaign? Could Perry get some steam? We’ll never know.

  • goodgovernance

    Romney made $374,327.62 in speaking fees over a one year period.

    http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/18/romneys-speech-income-big-money-for-most/

    The big news is he dismissed this amount as “not much.” $300,000 is chump change for Romney. Someone on another news show estimated Romney made over $40,000 per individual speaking engagement, which means he made as much as the average South Carolinian makes in a year for one lousy speech. It’s just chump change.

  • goodgovernance

    When that moment comes in the next few days, I hope Perry’s supporters here will find it within themselves to be gracious as well.

  • cheetah2

    maybe my memory is foggy on this but I seem to recall the he got lots of attention even before he got up in the polls.

    I think Perry had tough going in Iowa in part because he was against ethanol subsidies.

  • Dave_A

    And I also fully understand why the hardcore Dems are disappointed with Obama (still at war in A-stan, Gitmo still open, still treating terrorists as enemy combatants rather than criminals entitled to civil rights, no Carbon Tax, W’s tax cuts still in effect, etc)….

    My huge issue with Gingrich is less his ‘conservative purity index’ than his personal problems being a ‘softball’ for Obama to hit out of the park.

    Right now we are seeing polls and primaries driven by the Conservative base’s desire to have ‘Anyone but Romney’.

    In the General, we will see independent & less-activist conservative voters weigh in – people who are less concerned with how ‘ideologically pure’ a candidate is, and more concerned with what kind of *person* he is.

    These people WILL be selectable to an Obama ’12 negative campaign focused on Gingrich’s completely screwed up personal life… They are less concerned with the ‘I’m more conservative than you are’ fight, and more concerned with ethics investigations & a complete lack of sexual self control.

    Gingrich will lose to Obama on a personal level, regardless of ‘the issues’ – remember, Obama is WAY more liberal than Clinton, but he’s also much cleaner than Clinton on a personal-life level (presuming that if there was any dirt, Hillary would have used it).

    So we’ll have Mr Family Man Democrat (with appearances by only-wife & young kids) vs Mr Flavor-of-the-Day Republican (with news & gossip-show interviews with the scorned ex-wives)….

    Kooky pastors & old hippie-terrorist friends aren’t seen as ‘worse’ than a string of failed marriages & an ex-mistress First Lady.

    Not good for Newt.

  • Dave_A

    If Obama has everyone focused on how many times Newt’s been around the bases with ‘the other women’….

    It’s how he won his Senate seat, and he’ll no doubt use it again to great effect against Newt, should we be blind enough to nominate him.

  • Dave_A

    Romney has managed to convince enough people that his time at Bain Capital means he knows economics well enough to fix the country, as if the US were one of the failing firms he bought out, patched up & sold…

    That’s where the focus is…

    The fact that we’d get a good foreign policy back (and W’s was good – he just couldn’t articulate it) is a bonus….

  • pj2012

    It’s one poll… and we all know how fast things can change. Newts got bad news rising… Romney got a tax release problem. This race is still up in the air.

    Here some polls with Perry at 9% and 8% and Santorum at 7%. http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/fivethirtyeight/primaries/south-carolina

  • Dave_A

    Perry & Romney are both ‘one life, one wife’ kind of guys….

    I don’t remember any allegations of infidelity on the part of Sanatorium or Huntsman, either….

    It’s not ‘the media’s’ fault that people have ‘picked’ Gingrich to be the ‘Not Romney’ with the most votes at present….

    By picking such a weak candidate, one is inviting the tear-down.

  • Dave_A

    Perry & Romney are both ‘one life, one wife’ kind of guys….

    I don’t remember any allegations of infidelity on the part of Sanatorium or Huntsman, either….

    It’s not ‘the media’s’ fault that people have ‘picked’ Gingrich to be the ‘Not Romney’ with the most poll numbers at present….

    By picking such a weak candidate, one is inviting the tear-down.

  • Christine (Trelaina)

    Seriously, my first reaction to this nonsense would probably get me banned.

    Why do you bother with this comment? Of course we’ll support your [redacted] candidate. We have no choice….Obama’s on the other side of the wall. In October we’ll have signs and bumper stickers for your [redacted] candidate.

    Allow us please to be a bit ticked off that this process ended after two states,leaving millions of Americans without a chance to let their opinions be heard. Allow us to be a bit ticked off that we’ll now have McCain-redo and Obama is probably laughing his fool head off at the opportunities he’ll have. Allow us to be ticked off that after three years of being angry at the elites and establishment of the GOP, we’re about to prop one of their finest up on the podium and nominate them.

    I don’t want to be gracious. I want to get my anger out of the way now, because by summertime I’ll have to figure out how to breathe properly while holding my nose.

    Don’t you tell me to be gracious.

  • jlsankot

    Think about why Perry is polling so low. The media never talks about him. Why? Because he has no baggage like Newt and Romney. He doesn’t have to be pushed on us and they think that if they don’t remind us that Perry is still in the race, that we will forget about him. Well, I, for one, AM NOT GOING TO FORGET ABOUT HIM! (Yes, I meant to shout)

    I really believe he will do better in FL and TX, too (I’m sorry, but I don’t know when their primary is, TX, that is) I also believe Perry is the only one we have to save our country. I pray daily that he will be our nominee.

    God grant you strength and guidance, Governor Perry.

  • elayman

    I do think that if the “Country First” breakout moment had happened earlier, the campaign would have invested what was required to compete on a more serious national level. He probably appreciated the toxic political environment this cycle and needed convincing to get in the first place (from Weaver and others) but did so at the last minute after surveying a weak field, receiving pledges of funding and support (which never materialized) etc. If Romney can promise a cabinet position during the campaign, it would be enough for my vote !

  • APA Guy

    Sheesh…delusional isn’t even the word for your suggestion.

  • circlegranch

    All these birds of a feather are hanging together, picking winners and losers. A man is judged by the company he keeps. Sean Hannity ought to take note: he swoons over anything Dick Morris and Ann Coulter say and has added Luntz now to his fold of close friends. I don’t have the stomach to watch him or listen to him anymore but I know people that do and apparently, the really decent people Hannity used to have as regulars aren’t invited on his programs as often–Co. Ollie North is an example.

    Luntz owes Gov. Perry, his family and his supporters a public apology.

  • APA Guy

    Obama runs and hides from Gingrich…refusing to debate? Obama loses by double digits if he does that because every Independent votes the other way or not at all if he runs like a coward.

    I have heard many reasons to not like Newt…this is not one of them, and the fact that Rush has the delusion doesn’t make it valid…sorry.

  • APA Guy

    …and Reagan had two wives…didn’t seem to stop the country from electing him TWICE by large margins. Right now, Americans want to work and pay less than $3.50/gallon for gasoline. Gingrich was running congress the last time this country stomped those issues…pretty sure they’re going to trust him to do the People’s business given his policy track record.

  • Dave_A

    In that scenario, Gingrich loses…

    An Obama v Gingrich race will be about baggage, not issues.

    Think Obama v Ryan.

  • APA Guy

    …flailing economy.

    Yeah, the country will let Obama get away with running like a coward from debates as he runs the country into the ground…and Gingrich lets him get away with it…the same Newt who whipped Clinton on issue after issue…yeah…in FANTASY LAND.

    Oh, and I seem to remember our side flying Clinton’s dirty laundry like a flag in 1992 and 1996. How’d that work for us again?

  • texashistorian

    if, say, the lefty Texas Tribune actually found a man to back up their silly “Perry is a closet gay” smear from a few years back”? They’d have that fella, however dodgy and disreputable all over the news, and the national media would be grabbing gleefully at it even now.

  • unclefred

    Red at the moment, reddish purple in 04, and 2000. Yeah the Dems rolled in big in 08, but waves do that. At the moment NH’s state legislature is in Republican hands by veto proof majorities. The state budget was really balanced in 2011 (no funny math) and state spending was cut by $1 Billion. Would have been more but there was no good candidate to run against the incumbent Governor.

    You problem with the NH result is the open primary, not the conservatism of the state’s Republicans.

  • trevorb

    that the media loved Clinton. Not quite to the degree that they did Obama, but nonetheless, it gave him a big advantage.

    The only way I can see Obama winning is if Ron Paul went on a third party run.

  • acat

    just as Palin produced a wave for McCain, eh?

    I would rather the nominee be Gingrich, at this point. I believe I’ve been clear about why I dislike the rest of the field.

    That said, Romney/Daniels or Santorum/Daniels would .. make the taste a tad less bitter.

    Mew

  • Finrod

    I can’t find it now, but I do distinctly remember Newt responding to a comment I made.

  • aesthete

    I’ve seen Chuck DeVore, Fred Thompson, several Congressmen, and others respond, as well.

  • barleycorn

    I’m not sure what point you think you made with the above Greatest Hits of Barleycorn.

    ALL of those comments by moi were made based on the information available at the time. To the extent that you think some of them contradict each other, that would likely be because the facts on the ground changed.

    Since I know you were a Perry supporter I’ll focus on that aspect.

    I was tickled when Perry got in.

    Unconcerned when he stumbled in the early debates.

    Somewhat concerned when he kept getting worse.

    Very concerned when he didn’t improve and spoke almost exclusively in talking points when the issue was outside what he has dealt with as Governor of Texas.

    Perry had multiple chances and he failed at all of them. His implosion is perhaps the worst ever seen when graded on a sliding scale of dollars. Even John Connolly got one delegate for his $8m.

    In spite of all that I like Rick Perry and I’m proud of him for dropping out when he did and endorsing Newt Gingrich.

    About Mitt Romney my view has changed in two ways since last Fall. I now feel he would be a better president then many of us on the right thought he would be. However I now see him as a weaker candidate with less chance of beating Barack Obama.

    I stand by every word I’ve written here at RedState based on the information I had at the moment I wrote it.