(THE AGGIELAND)
Rick Perry, far right, in the 1971 Texas A&M yearbook,
The Aggieland. This is a photo of the Aggie Yell Leaders.
Posted on 02/10/2010 4:02:48 PM PST by deport
Which Rick Perry will appear? The right one, for any occasion
Why has Rick Perry never lost an election? It could be because there are four of him.
First, there is Chamber of Commerce Rick Perry. He wears suits that are nice enough, but not extravagant — probably purchased off-the-rack and a little big for him. He loves to attend corporate groundbreakings, he can grin his way through a grating cable-television interview, and he can work a hotel ballroom full of contractors, Realtors or doctors.
There is Natural Disaster Rick Perry. This Perry almost always wears a beige work shirt and jeans, and he's firmly in control. He comes out when a hurricane is approaching, speaks with knowing ease about the dispatch of first responders and has a keen appreciation of the line between projecting command and spending too much time in front of the cameras.
There is Tea Party Rick Perry. This one seems to be the most fun. He wears a baseball cap, jeans and a jacket and shouts that Washington politicians should "re-read the Constitution." He runs around a political rally with a large American flag, like a pro wrestler trying to fire up the crowd. He likes to pal around with Ted Nugent and famously did a riff on Ricky Bobby from the NASCAR spoof "Talladega Nights" at his last inauguration.
And there is Monochromatic Rick Perry, by far the most versatile version. Although a man wearing a black shirt under a black jacket is usually trying to hide his figure, Perry favors this look even though he's in remarkably good shape for a man who will hit 60 next month. Perry sports this look when he's hobnobbing with celebrities at the Paramount Theatre, when he's in an Iowa living room trying to sell Republicans on Rudy Giuliani or, recently, when he's addressing hundreds of anti-abortion activists at the Capitol and telling them to remember Jesus' command to "love your neighbor."
Any politician — any person, really — has different clothes and personas for different occasions. Perry has each of his mastered.
It's hard to imagine a Dukakis-in-the-tank moment for him, because Perry rarely puts himself in situations he can't conquer. He pats you on the back as he's ready to move on to the next person, he calls you "brother," and he talks with some mastery of the things people like to talk about — sports, airplanes, cameras. Yes, he can be glib — even mocking — but that's generally reserved for the people running against him or those of us who walk around with notebooks and cameras.
end excerpt
This timeline leaves out two events:
Romney in Cowboy boots
Funny. I always seem to see the Land Grabbin’ Trans Texas Corridor Buildin’ Smarmy Politician Dirtbag.
Well in all honesty the legislature has had to beat him back along the way that’s for sure. The nick ‘Slick Rick Perry’ is for a reason.
Yep, exactly.
Well, FWIW, I wear one kind of clothes when I’m out working in the woods, another kind when I’m going out to dinner, and still another kind when I’m sailing.
I don’t think that makes me a political chameleon. Just sayin’.
Then Remember there is Democrat Perry of the 80’s and the Republican Perry of the 90’s.
Mondale should come down to repay the favor.
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