I don’t mean to turn the Tatler or PJM into a Texas politics blog, I really don’t. But I also can’t ignore the tectonic shift that seems to be going on in Austin lately.
Gov. Rick Perry today gave his strongest indication yet that he may run for president.
“I’m going to think about it” after the legislative session ends Monday, Perry said. He added, “But I think about a lot of things.”
For years, Perry has said that he would not run for president and that he had no interest in the job. He has often said that he has said no to the presidential question in as many ways as he could.
But he and his advisers have inched closer to saying he may run all week, following the announcement that Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels would not enter the GOP field. A couple of days ago, he told Greta Van Susteren on Fox News that a run was tempting.
There are knocks on Gov. Perry to be sure — that he’s not that popular in Texas (yet manages to keep on winning in a state with a long history of booting incumbent governors), that he’s a former Democrat (key word being “former,” and a tag that can be applied to an awful lot of Texas Republicans and such unreliable types as Phil Gramm and Ronald Reagan) and that the Gardasil and Trans-Texas Corridor history render him “not a real conservative” (despite Gardasil ultimately dying, and Perry signing all kinds of conservative legislation including a strong eminent domain and a pair of tort reforms, while building up the best state economic record in the country). The biggest negative is probably Texas fatigue — is America ready for another Texas governor to become president, so soon after Bush? Despite some superficial resemblance, Rick Perry is not George W. Bush and he is not shy about distinguishing his fiscal record from that of his predecessor. But Perry’s entry would make it all too easy for Obama to run against “another Bush term.” That has to be taken into account.
The 82nd Texas legislative session is reaching sine die soon. Once it’s done, there may be a scrum as the race for US Senate gets serious. One tea leaf to watch is Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. If he jumps hard into the run for that Senate seat, it could mean Perry has decided to stay put as governor. But silence from the Dew camp could mean he has reason to believe he is in for a promotion.
But Perry’s entry would make it all too easy for Obama to run against “another Bush term.”
Hell, I think Perry would have an easy time running against another Bush term, given the number of Bush policies continued by Obama.
His fatal flaw was Bush fatigue…but Bush fatigue is turning into nostalgia as every rare Spike success turns out to be a continuation of a Bush policy.
If Perry descides to allow the marxist piranahs to attempt to destroy his family, he will quickly become the favorite. He is the only one with all the elements necessary to win: 360 conservatism, track record of success in the election sweet-spot, charisma, and the ability to take it to Spike with a vengence.
Frankly, he ought to quickly become an overwhelming favorite. He’s the anti-Romney.
Perry’s daddy was a back room deal maker, and so is Perry…This is your same Old Guard Republician…no change and hope with this one!
Don’t break a sweat Rick, nobody needs you in this race. . . except maybe NBC and Obama.
It is great that Perry is pushing tort reform but is he really interested in taking on entitlement reform? That is the big challenge ahead.
A lot of the Perry bashing is coming from the teacher union, he refuses to rollover on demands for ever increasing pay and perks. His ability to campaign is superior to GWB, and Bush was pretty good. The left here in Texas are attempting to Palenize, pay them no attention.
2010 governor’s race
Perry 55%
the other guy 42%
Take away the left and right coast transplants and it would have been a 20% spread.
It even looks like some hispanics might have voted for Perry. Imagine that.
but Perry does have plenty of enemies, unlike John Huntsman who seems to be 100% popular with the mbm, as well as the teacher’s unions.
I have long argued that Rick Perry will be the GOP presidential nominee in 2012. He is the strongest candidate. I can’t even think of a close second.
If you believe that this fraud is the leading contender, I suggest you check him out more carefully. This man is a RINO with big hair and he is not a suitable candidate for the presidency. This nation has virtually been destroyed by others of his ilk.
Why Perry when you can have a tough Momma Grizzly? She’s a master and on the hunt, and the best part; twitter daily, no expense media, paid Fox exposure to counteract that free Obama media, and a big movie coming, professionally designed bus and tour, and the masses in both parties are still wondering if she’s running or not?
What stealth. The quarry is looking at her and still can’t see her while she’s closing in – right in front of their faces.
Perry? VP maybe.
Bryan,
Should Obama be re-elected and basically use Executive Orders to turn this country into a Marxist State over the will of (what will be) a GOP Congress, or if he (as I think may happen) steals the election with 3-5 million ineligible voters, then Perry will have to think long and hard about becoming President — of the red state republic that secedes from the USA.
Other than Palin, Perry is the only potential nominee so far I would be excited about and go out to work for. A few others, like Romney, I would actively work against.
If you would work against Romney, you had better do a bit of research into Mr. Big Hair. He and Romney are not that far apart politically. Trust me, you do not want a Perry presidency.
Perry doesn’t stand for anything. His first response was that an AZ style immigration law “wasn’t right for Texas,” then he caught a hell of a backlash and started standing up for border security. He is essentially, an empty suit who goes along to get along, a southern version of Romney.
The reason he won last time was that Kay Bailey is a bigger RINO than he is! Perry is a “business as usual” GOP candidate, which is exactly what the country does not need.
Besides, you guys all assume Obama will be the opponent. Can anyone name a few people who crossed the Clintons and got away with it for very damned long?
One thing I’ve noticed – people from Texas tend to look at Perry as an establishment insider because he has been governor for so long. To those of us outside Texas, he is anything but an establishment insider. There’s a world of difference between Austin and Washington, DC.
As for the establishment Republicans in Washington, they would be almost as mortified by a Perry nomination as they would be by a Palin nomination. On the contrary, they want a Rockefeller Repulican type squish like Romney or Pawlenty who won’t embarrass them when their lib friends and members of the media mention him at cocktail parties.
Rick Perry and the Republican legislature now have a supermajority. The are passing one great bill after another. Texas is becoming redder by the day. Many Texans presently fail to give Perry sufficient credit.
I fail to give Perry too much credit for anything. Do you remember something called the Trans Texas Corridor? I do. Do you remember the governor-mandated vaccinations? I do. What kind of shape is our border in? What has Perry done about it? The answers are 1) Horrible and 2) Nothing. I will actively campaign against Perry for the presidency. He is also a pi** poor governor.
I live in Texas. The state has done well under Perry. I don’t care that he’s spent most of his adult life in politics, he’s a Washington outsider. More importantly, he’s a conservative governor from a large state who has an established campaign apparatus and can raise the necessary cash to win. He just won re-election last fall against former Houston Mayor Bill White, a formidable populist with state-wide appeal. I haven’t heard anything here or elsewhere that would disqualify Perry from this race. The biggest advantage he has is Obama — the two have had a running feud where Perry’s come across as an adult compared to Obama’s petulant child.
that is the best news I’ve heard in three long years.
I think he could run as Bush II- economic recovery, grownups in charge, terrorists suffering over there, rather than here. And, yo, half the jobs in the country- I bet they’d like more jobs in the rest of the states, too.
I think the choices are California style implosion, chicago corruption, or Texas hard-style.
While they may have some [relatively small] negatives, Perry and Palin, and perhaps Bachmann are the only candidates out there right how with any hope of generating real excitement in the party and in the country.
Although I still have much to learn about him, I would feel very enthusiastic about the options if Perry entered the race. He’d be a strong and viable alternative to Romney (who most conservatives I know are tiring of by now), and if Palin were to run, I expect that the LSM would be so busy attacking her constantly that he’d get a bit of a pass during the primaries, so he might end up with the nomination. Then he’d need to run against the disaster that is the Obama administration. This could turn out very well.
For me, the most attractive quality Perry has is that he projects strength. I think Perry is another one, like Netanyahu, whom Comrade Obama would rather not be in a room with. I do not see Perry being easily intimidated by anyone.
However, as proud as I am of my state and its governor, I am just not sure that another good-looking white male Texas professional politician is our wisest choice for the most critical election in our history. Too much business as usual. I find myself excited for a few days by this candidate and then that one, but Palin keeps coming back.
I’m with Texan. Perry is … ok. He is not a politician driven by conviction so much. He is first off, a politician. He has served Texas well for the most part and is head and shoulders above any democrat.
He is, in my opinion as a Texas voter and Perry supporter..here ) that he should not run for POTUS. He’s not a good fit especially now, but really, ever.
Perry has NOT been out in front of the State’s Rights movement, but has tagged along. He has attacked the Federal Government, but that’s as far as it’s gone. Montana has done a much better job of stiffing the Feds.
I’m looking for a candidate who is driven to reestablish state’s rights , from inside Washington, and curtail, substantially, the reach of the federal government into citizens lives.. highway money to social engineering.. ie, speed limits; seat belt laws; energy; TSA pat-downs, etc. Get the Federal Government and the regulatory agencies out of our lives.
I’m with #19, Another Texan. I do like the fact that Perry is a D.C. outsider and is not particularly “close” with the Bush family and most definitely not an Obama fan. When he sold out to Big Pharma and had his hand on the button ready to mandate young girls receive the Gardasil vaccine I quickly realized this man is as corrupt a politician as 99.9% of the others.
Perry’s association with the Bilderbergs further convinces me he is just one more one world order globalist.
Perry tried to sell Texas down the drain with his Trans-Texas Corridor scam. He was stopped. He tried to force young girls to be vaccinated against HPV without parental consent. He was stopped. He would love to turn the State of Texas over the Mexicans. So far he has not been able to do that, although the illegal Mexicans are taking over the state under his watch. Rick Perry is a total fraud and I will actively campaign against him for the presidency. Too many people just like him now sit in high positions of the government and they have almost totally destroyed this nation. Rick Perry can go to he**. I live in Texas and I have told Perry exactly what I think of him repeatedly in the past.
Annie, get your gun! Very persuasive post.
So, you’re yet another Ronulan?
P.S. For you youngsters, many years ago Annie Get Your Gun was a very popular musical about Annie Oakley.
I’ll definitely vote for Perry. Texas’ excellent economic health under his watch, cannot compare to California’s and Michigan’s disastrous, sorry record and current state of affairs (no pun intended), and those are just 2 examples.
Governor Perry is a straight talker, who will not be intimidated by the hostile and vicious ultra-liberal, elitist establishment, Obama’s Chicago thug machine nor the perpetually-unobjective lamestream media.
Rick Perry-Paul Ryan
Rick Perry-Allen West
Rick Perry-Mitt Romney
Rick Perry-Michelle Bachmann
Any of the above combination will be successful and an exponential improvement over the current duo, for this great nation of ours.
Perry, a conservative… ha! More like the mirror image of Bush. Let’s not forget… he’s the TOLL ROAD king; tried to force young girls to have the HPV vaccine with his executive order; taxpayers have funded a $10,000.00 per month rental mansion for Perry ($600,000.00 of our taxes so far); Perry, the TCEQ, and other officials have known about high levels of radium in public drinking water and have known this for years and hid the truth from consumers; Perry was flown on a trip to Israel paid for by ‘big oil’ to accept an award. Cronyism is alive and well with Perry. Perry signed a bill into law that allows the DPS to keep the expense report of that trip to Israel from public viewing. Least we forget SB313 that is on Perry’s desk which would deny voters of having a water district confirmation election when an area is forcibly added to an existing district. Let’s see if Perry strips some voters of their privelege of voting by allowing SB313 to become law. Perry for President… God help us all!