Perry is the frontrunner in the InTrade markets now, leading Romney 34 to 29%. What did I tell you guys?
But once he declares and hits the road, how will Perry do on the stump? Can he last 12 months? I'm still not sure how much Republicans around the country will like him once the honeymoon ends. And, believe me, he's in a honeymoon phase right now.
He's a talented stump speaker and he is known for being a very strong and attractive retail campaigner, going house to house, shaking hands. But the main thing is he comes off less stiff, less weird and most importantly way more authentic than his only real competition: Romney. About 70% of GOP voters are looking for the anti-Romney and he hasn't existed yet. Perry is that candidate. He has a great job creation story to tell, which I imagine will be an important part of his pitch, and he is from the south. We all know that helps, especially in a GOP primary. Of course it is true that while I strongly believe he will be, I don't want him to be the nominee. I think he has a better chance of beating Obama than anyone else. In fact, of the announced candidates plus Perry, I think he is the only one that is likely to give Obama a real challenge. And as I've said before, he is the most likely candidate to form a coalition of voters from each of the three important blocs: the establishment, the rank and file, and the tea party. No other candidate can garner that coalition. I am so convinced about this I think I might make my first investment on the InTrade market before everything I just mentioned becomes conventional wisdom and the price goes up.
Perry has wrecked the state's educational system, human services, a host of things. He is a habitual liar. It can be strongly argued that he is corrupt. The man should have lost the election prior to the last one, where his vote total in the general was in the upper 30% range, but Kinky slayed any chance of beating him, ala Nadir in 2000 with Gore. If Obama has the resources and involvement of his supporters that he had in 2008, he should be able to show the country just how incredibly awful this man is and win, but never underestimate the ability of Americans to grasp disaster from the jaws of competence. Perry is frightening and he is dangerous. Never underestimate just how ruthless he is. He's far more intelligent than Bush, and has a fraction of Bush's integrity. He's also in the pocket of the most radical, fundamentalist elements of the Republican Party. He can be bought. He's been wallowing in largess for years. The idea of Perry as President of the United States scares me in a way Reagan never did, and that's a lot for me to say. If, by some perverse joke Fate has played on this benighted country, Perry does get the GOP nomination, I will open my wallet for Obama's reelection, and if Perry wins, I'll be seriously looking for real estate in another country.
perry will do great on the stump. all "pointy boots" is good at is campaigning. he thrives at it. his strategy will be to stay out of the race as long as possible and when he does enter, just give a bunch of canned speeches in a hunting jacket and jeans - and do everything he can to avoid debating anyone or having to speak off-the-cuff. and he will ride that strategy all the way to the GOP nomination. most republians are so stupid and hypocritical that they will overlook the fact that he brought in the trans-texas corridor and all the land seizures that came along w/ it, allowed a foreign compnay to build and operate the toll roads, the fact that he tried to mandate HPV vaccines to all 12 year old girls and the vaccine was made by a company that his former chief of staff went to work for, the fact that he raised business taxes, the fact that texas has a $25 billion budget shortfall (worse than cali), he lives in a $10k/month mansion and raised property taxes.
funny - under bush i never thought about leaving, but obama and his TSA have convinced me its time to bail - im actually going to australia next year to start scouting out places - ive got family in perth.
you're leaving the country due to body scanners? Wow. Well I have some bad news for you regarding your potential new home... http://www.theaustralian.com.au/aus...airport-security/story-e6frgakx-1226009695385 Maybe they don't use them in New Zealand?
That was actually the only part of Deckard's post I wasn't down with. I mean, I get the sentiment, but I wouldn't do it. I have a sweet gig in this country doing something fulfilling that is exactly what I want to do and getting paid for it. In fact it's the only thing I'd know how to do. I'm not going to uproot my life because I'm mad about who the president is. That's like the old saw about taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. I think Obama will win. But if Perry did, I expect I would keep doing what I'm doing now, only with more contributions to Democrats and more b****ing on the internet.
I dunno. Perry is really stretching my ability to feel confident in the country's direction. That being said, it's easy to say you'll do something...harder to walk the walk.
The question comes down to, is America ready for another unilateral foreign policy? And the answer is yes.
Totally understand, and I'd probably end up staying, but considering what Perry has done to this state, thinking about what he'd do to the country makes my skin crawl. We can afford to live somewere else, but it would be a very tough decision.
He'll either be Fred Thompson or some conservative version of candidate Jimmy Carter: Washington outsider with Governor's experience, the perception of deep personal convictions that may be construed as anti-thetical to the current climate in Washington.
So did Perry actually just say the First Amendment "applies to Governors too" in order to defend his right to hold a prayer rally? He does realize that the First Amendment also prohibits the government from promoting or establishing one religion over any other, right?
I think Fred Thompson is a good measure of what Perry's campaign will amount to. A lot of hype before he enters the race since he's a "fresh" face. Thompson was polling fairly well until he actually entered the race. Then he sank instantly and became a non-factor. I suspect the same will happen to Perry.
Stop twisting words around you liburl heathen! You're just like the lamestream media with your "gotcha" questions. Your assault on Christianity and American values means you are worse than Stalin.
