I think he’s still under the radar to a lot of GOP voters and his lack of name recognition is reflected in these polls. I think of my 80-something neighbor who has never missed a primary vote in her life. She watches the MSM and reads our local newspaper which has had almost no news about Perry. It wouldn’t surprise me if she knows little or nothing about him at this point. Sometime before the primary she’ll call me to discuss the nominees and ask me for my recommendations, but at this point, if she got a call from a pollster, she’d say she doesn’t have a negative opinion about Perry simply because she hasn’t heard enough about him yet.

and many people are still looking for that “perfect” candidate — or nearly perfect candidate. Some are still waiting for Palin to get in; other Giulliani. What if Trump enters the race or there is a third party attempt in the mix? See, lots of unknowns at this point.

It is still possible that Perry could flubb. But he’s not exactly new to the campaign trail. He has been governor of Texas since 2000 (the year some folks think Gore was elected president) and has been in public office since 1985 (since Reagan was president). The chances of a flub are pretty low.

As far as “vetting” (the buzz-word this year for negative campaigning) is concerned, the Jones Clones have had their chance, the Paulistas have had their chance, and I’ll just about guarantee that the Obama crowd is out there sewer fishing right now. He is not squeaky clean in the sense of having no flaws. But KBH gave him a pretty thorough vetting 2 years ago and I’m guessing that no new skeletons will emerge.

And I can just imagine the motto now, “Vote perry/Gingrich, because slow socialism, is the new moderation.”

So to speak, it is fair, balanced, and unafraid. There is “vetting” and then there is “vetting.” Vetting means to me that you bring out all of the “truthful” negatives against a candidate, and you rightly decide on those “truthful” negatives. There have been alot of “stories” out there against Perry, and much of those stories are misstatements, misconceptions, or contortions, of his record. This sure didn’t start since he announced, it started long before he announced. I see it as a very smart remove by Perry to ask Obama if he just hates Texas. Takes alot of the bluster out of their attacks on not only Perry, but also Texas.

Perry right now is fighting the liberals, the trial lawyers, the Paulbots, the Palinistas, and the Bush/Rove establishment, and, he is still rising in the polls. As was stated in the diary, he has a high favoribility rating, which cannot be discounted, as compared to the other candidates.

Perry/Rubio 2012

Are we talking about the same Newt?

And selecting him would tell me Perry doesn’t have a clue.

if he could convince you he could manage it better than Obama.

Palin’s at 62/30? How the Hell does that happen?

With 50% of the Republican media,40% of the Republicans,100% of the obama approved media trying for 3 yrs to destroy Sarah personally,politically,legally,financially and she still at 62/30.

She’s like a freaking Grizzly bear or something.

unless he gets talked into coutring the mythical moderates by flirting with Newt/Romney/Huntsman or their ilk as veep, or some some silly overture to a Republican poser in the northeast.

Just for fun I wonder who y’all think Perry would make his VP — not who you wish but the most likely, I believe the Mitt would almost certainly pick Rubio as he is the perfect balance to Mitt, he is very conservative and charismatic, Romneys weak points.
But Perry, HE is conservative and charismatic, so maybe Rubio would be like doubling down. My thoughts, either Pawlenty or Christie

Rick Perry won reelection last year despite the Bushies endorsing KBH as governor. If there was any dirt on him, I think Karl Rove would have aired it. The only thing I have seen is an article in a TX newspaper trying to get into the Bush/Perry problems. No one would cite an incident when they used named sources.

We will have to watch how Perry perfroms in debates.

What does Rubio bring Perry since they’re both conservative and from the south? It’s not about Region. Rubio will be a bridge to Hispanics in all areas; Cuban Americans in FL, Puerto Rican Americans in NYC, Mexican Americans across the Southwest.

The Gov of NM is a Latina who could also do the same, and also reach out to women. But NM really is too close to Texas in many ways.

Hispanics in general are family oriented and anti abortion. They would fit well in the Republican Party in many ways. We need to find ways to reach out that steps past illegal immigration.

What about a female VP – other than Palin or Bachmann. They really don’t offer anything Perry doesn’t already have. Kelly Ayote of NH? Lord, please not Snow or Collins or Rino Lisa.

This is a good article from American Thinker that dissects the claims that Perry is sympathetic to Islam. The author has done a lot of research and concludes that the claims are unfounded.

http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/09/governor_perrys_islam_connection.html

Perry is no better than the under the table boys in Washington, no matter how loudly he claims to be outside the beltway politics…
and you think he would make it through the scrutiny of an election??

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Did-Perry-contributor-earmark-contribution-2154312.php

Thinking this through;

Perry has been “vetted” in Texas for years now. Anyone even tangentially aware of that states’ political process, knows the examination was pretty thorough. Nonetheless, I expect some of the old negative themes to come out; oh, and some new eyeball popping rage like Malkin’s Gardasil rant.

Yes, the greater US is not Texas- but it sure seems a pretty sizable majority want to be them. So net-net, I think Perry comes out very well positioned based on his record and experience.

I expect Romney will try to undermine Perry with cloakroom rumors and anonymous, third-party leaks to the press. The mane-man did it to McCain and I expect no less underhandedness this time with somewhat higher stakes.

So Perry really gets his national introduction vis a vis’ the debates. No doubt, as the real frontrunner he will get the barbs from other candidates. Especially Romney who has ridiculously tried to ride the “career politician” theme on Perry. It won’t work and I can’t wait for Perry’s response.

So Magic 8 Ball Neil, where do you see Perry and Romney polling on month from now?

In a speech in NH yesterday Perry reiterated his position that he is not in favor of a fence along the border. For so many years we’ve all heard “build the fence, build the fence” and then we can talk about the illegal immigration problem.

If I’m not mistaken Palin’s position on the illegal issue is that we need to secure the borders, and then consider an amnesty plan.

I’ve been screaming for a fence for a long time as well. That was until I started reading about the many tunnels being discovered dug deep underground by the drug cartels, complete with electricity, air conditioning etc. There is an article with photographs taken of one of the tunnels. The article states that there are at least 25 tunnels discovered being built under the borders.

Perry said yesterday that we can build a fence 30 feet high, and that the illegals will just build a 32 foot ladder. That’s true enough, but, what good does an above ground fence do, when they are now coming in from down below?

I’m alright with Perry on this. I do want him to find another way of stopping the illegals coming in though. He has been asking for National Guard troops along the border, but what happens when the let out on this side is in CA, and they have no intentions of stopping the flow.