Posted on 12/04/2011 9:07:28 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour seems to think so:
Q: Is it becoming clear that Mitt Romney will emerge as the Republican nominee?
A: I don’t think it’s clear. I think people make the mistake of writing off Rick Perry and believe he can’t come back. He’s got a mountain to get over, but I don’t think it’s impossible. Both Newt and Romney have a lot of support, but I don’t think it’s a two-man race. I think Perry could get back in it with Gingrich and Romney. I can’t look you in the eye and say nobody else can come up. You’ve got to learn your lesson this year not to say that about anybody."
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Coincidentally, this subject came up a day or so earlier on Twitter, in a conversation involving Allahpundit, blogger Karol Markowicz, fundraiser/adviser Nathan Wurtzel and me. AP, skeptical of a possible comeback, asked me what I thought Perry would have to do to get back into contention.
I think the first and most difficult step is for Perry to stop being a bad candidate. He has gotten a bit better under the radar, but needs to continue to improve.
If Perry does improve, he may stand a shot at placing third in the Iowa caucuses. The new Des Moines Register poll has Perry near the bottom at six percent, but the poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points. PPP has a poll in the field in Iowa and teases that Perry appears to be in double digits.
The Register poll shows more respondents choose Gingrich as their second choice than any other candidate. However, Perry could benefit not only from Herman Cain’s collapse, but also from lingering doubts about Gingrich.
In Iowa, the doubts will primarily come from the religious right. In past cycles, social conservatives ensured victories for candidates like Pat Robertson and Mike Huckabee. This year, there is no consensus candidate.
Newt — he of the serial infidelities and divorces — bought himself some goodwill with some religious conservatives by pouring $150,000 into the successful 2010 campaign to oust three Iowa Supreme Court judges after the state’s high court struck down a state ban on same-sex marriage. But even that support has proved controversial among social cons in Iowa. And Newt probably did not help himself with them by telling Jake Tapper human life begins at implantation rather than conception.
Michelle Bachmann also hurt herself recently with this demographic by gaining access to the email database of a group of parents who homeschool their children in Iowa and sending them two unsolicited email blasts. Nor does there appear to be any groundswell in Iowa for Rick Santorum.
Perry seems to have figured all of this out; his latest ad is aimed squarely at religious conservatives. If Perry climbs back into third place (or at least ties it with Ron Paul) in Iowa, he has a shot at maintaining a viable campaign. There is the traditional spin about there being three tickets out of Iowa and Perry — like Romney and Gingrich — is blessed by his rivals. Conservative voters are looking for a viable NotRomney, and while they are currently flocking to Gingrich, all the polling suggests his support (like those for his rivals) remains soft.
NotRomney voters may also be looking for an insurance policy, given Gingrich’s demonstrated propensity to implode. Indeed, Gingrich looked as though he had his final implosion just a few months ago. And if Newt can make a comeback, it is possible that Perry could do the same. But it’s not likely unless Perry continues to improve his campaign over the next month.
Thanks shield.
Definitely the best pic yet.
When a state is not allowed to do anything with an illegal except turn them over to ICE and then ICE doesn’t deport them. What is Perry supposed to do? They cost his State enough money. He is NOT for amnesty. You want to pay the cheaper tuition rate, you have to start the process to become legal! He sent the Feds a bill for services rendered. He met with Obama on a Tarmac in Austin and was practically ignored. Perry is right on with how he is dealing with his state!
I was discouraged yesterday, but I feel better about it today because I’m sensing all sorts of second looks at the early race to Gingrich.
Many of us have serious doubts about him and I’ve seen people both here and on Lucianne for example say things like, ‘ why are we ignoring Rick Perry?’
Rick has stepped up his game. He’s made an excellent impression in all his appearances since, what, the second debate. He was great one on one with Bret Baier, he was likeable and at ease on with Jay Leno and he did great in the Huckabee thing.
No, Rick was right to speak to the group.
Naturally he spoke some pleasantries.
And, no, he didn’t take his rifle and pick off a few of them at random.
He explained to them what was right and what was wrong.
You have no idea what he said to them, that’s obvious.
A lot of us who like and respect Rick Perry have been wondering who you people are and what is your agenda.
You come on Rick Perry threads to make stupid statements. Everyone I’ve read in the media and here on FR has said Rick Perry did great on the Barbour panel.
If you were for Cain, he’s gone.
If you are for Romney, you shouldn’t be here.
If you are for Newt ... well, okay, but what you see and hear is not what you will get.
What is your purpose in trying to destroy Rick Perry?
Please say, unless you are ashamed to.
Well, who are you ‘traipsing to?’
I’ve been for Perry all along and have never found another candidate who caused me to waver from that position.
CW has a right to post anywhere she pleases as do you.
She does not mindlessly dump on anyone but sometimes points out things we should know before we elect somebody.
You on the other hand ...
Well, are you going Ron Paul then?
Or are you hoping Rick Santorum (whom I like) will stop looking like a limp dishrag.
Or you hoping that Michele will tamp down her occasional hysteria? (I like her too, as a congressperson)
Just saying Rick Perry doesn’t have a brain makes you look like you don’t have one.
Have you done something with your life that you would like to share that shows more brains than being a successful governor of a large state for 11 years?
liar, liar, pants on fire.
You were never leaning to Perry or that speech would not have deterred you.
You’re like one of those seminar callers to Rush ... I always agree with you BUT....
what a hypocrite you are to accuse me of trying to destroy Perry when CW has started dozens and dozens of anti Gingrich threads trying to smear him and I have started ZERO THREADS knocking any candidate
I dare you to check out just her last two days of threads and posts(let alone weeks) of her trying to destroy everybody who is in the way of Perry and then defend her again against what you just accused me of.. what a joke
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:cincinatuswife/index?tab=comments;brevity=full;options=no-change
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Newt may a good talker but he’s been inside the beltway so long that I wonder if he’d actually support smaller government and conservative principles.
I see Perry as a consistent conservative and I like his support of the 10th Amendment and states’ rights.
Well, I haven’t seen any threads that CW has started except several on Gingrich.
I almost never start threads as it is a lot of trouble but I admire people who do.
Yes, she has a lot of doubts about Gingrich and so do I.
He’s the hot topic right now and otherwise sane and conservative people seem ready to forgive him all: nancy on the couch, caving to global warming; questionable private life and so on.
However,I, too, am willing to forgive him all those things but I’m uneasy about him because you cannot trust him.
Put your faith in him if you like and he certainly would be better than Obama.
But he runs better than he governs and he is not a steady, reliable man. Yes, he got the House on his soaring rhetoric which is certainly impressive.
But two years later, he’d squandered all that because he refused to settle down and lead the majority he’d secured.
There was a serious attempt to oust him as Speaker because he did not work well with his party. Tom Delay said, “He knew nothing about running meetings and nothing about driving an agenda.”
Although the coup to oust him failed, he resigned later. In other words, he quit on us.
I’ll vote for him if he’s the nominee of course but there’s a better man and a better administrator waiting in the wings.
Perry’s been getting better with each debate.
After the Huckabee Forum last night, the 3 questioners said it was his very best performance and they liked his statements on the Constitution!
So do I. Julie.
It may be wishful thinking but I think there is a quiet sentiment growing for Rick Perry.
It’s not reflected in the polls yet, but I think he’s a lot of people’s second favorite (and a lot of people’s first favorite)
If Newt shoots himself in the foot as he is wont to do, I think Perry will pick up a lot of support.
(She does not mindlessly dump on anyone but sometimes points out things we should know before we elect somebody.
You on the other hand) ...
really? .. why don’t you check both of our posting records for the past week to see how asinine your statement is
He's been dead since he opened his mouth in each one of the first three debates, and he'll stay dead (in the polls).
He needs to pull out now and stop embarrassing himself.
Well, prop, if you’ve moved to Newt, he has made more favorable statements about illegals than Perry ever has.
But you know that, don’t you.
Unless you think making them legal differs greatly from making them citizens.
But maybe you’re not for Newt either.
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