Posted on 05/17/2011 8:13:35 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
After months of gassy media speculation about Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, and Chris Christie, we’re all near the point of dismissing deus-ex-machina rumors about candidates out of hand.
But this one … doesn’t seem so far-fetched.
A Texas pol who is close to Perry has been telling a few key strategists that the nation’s longest-serving governor sees a vacuum and is waiting to be summoned into the race. This source believes that could happen by late summer. Without fellow Southerners Haley Barbour or Mike Huckabee in the race — and with Newt Gingrich’s early troubles raising further doubts about the current lineup — there could be a glaring niche for Perry to fill.
According to another well-connected Republican, at least one Perry confidant has been very quietly making inquiries about the political terrain in the nation’s first voting state of Iowa. A third Perry associate, RCP has learned, has been heralding a small contingent of Iowans with the time-tested line that is often used by would-be candidates who are leaving their options open: “Keep your powder dry.”
Perry’s aides have long made it clear that the tough-talking Texan, who succeeded George W. Bush in Austin in 2000, would not seriously entertain the idea of mounting a White House run before the state’s legislative session finishes at the end of this month. That date is now less than two weeks away, and the 2012 presidential field remains fluid…
Perry’s presidential prospects may ultimately be contingent on the decision made by the only GOP White House hopeful who can boast a resume and home state that is large enough to mess with Texas: former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Perry shares Palin’s dexterity with the simple, tough-talking language that tends to fire up the tea party faithful and is similarly adept at connecting on a human level that comes across as decidedly anti-politician, despite his more than a decade in the governor’s mansion.
His aides strenuously deny it, of course. Still, why not Perry? He has more than a decade of experience leading one of America’s biggest states, can boast economic growth at a moment when voters are desperate for relief from the malaise, would enjoy key regional support as a southerner, has budget-cutting cred to spare that’ll please tea partiers, and flashes enough personality to make him easily stand out at debates against other top-tier candidates like Romney, Pawlenty, and Daniels. If Michele Bachmann is confident enough of her chances in Iowa to run (“This is now beyond speculation. They are doing this.”), Perry might as well give it a go too. His concern, I guess, is that if Palin follows him into the race, she and Bachmann will siphon off enough votes on the right to make a lesser-known name like his unlikely to win any primaries. But to some extent that’s a self-fulfilling prophesy: The surest way for him and other grassroots favorites to discourage Palin from running is to jump in ASAP and start claiming votes (and political operatives in primary states) whom she’d need to boost her chances against the Romney/Pawlenty/Daniels centrists. That’s always been Bachmann’s strategy, I take it, that the surest way to avoid being stomped by Palin among tea partiers is to claim enough of her niche early that she decides to pass on the race. Perry would be even more formidable. But the longer he waits, the riskier it is.
Ed e-mails to say that he’s been expecting Perry to make a national move for a long time now and points to his unusual penchant, as a governor, for engaging on national issues. His candidacy does make a lot of sense. Tick tock.
Ugh, no, stop. Texas is fine. This well-combed asshat is not.
I’ll bet he won’t. He has bought more land for his ranch and expanded his house. Everything screams he is happy where he is at. I think this are rumors by people seeing what they bait they can put out and what potential candidates bite.
Speaking of governors, I’d like to see Ohio’s John Kasich get in. He’s very impressive, but he just got elected, and may be another guy who thinks it’s not his time. But SOMEONE good better get in, or it will be another four years of the socialist/blamer.
No No No No No No No No No No!
America isn’t ready to elect yet another Texas Governor, with eight years of George W just now fading in the rear view mirror.
I am not sure about Perry but I can tell you this much - my selection process will have little to do with what State they are from.
Hence my new tagline.
born March 4, 1950 in Paint Creek, TX (Meets the Jus Soli Requirement)
Parents were
Joseph Ray Perry born 1925 in TX
Amelia June Holt born 1928/9 in TX
Both parents were US Citizens at the time of his birth (Meets the Jus Sanguinis Requirement)
Rick Perry is a NATURAL BORN CITIZEN unlike Barry Soetoro aka Barack Hussein Obama.
RE: No No No No No No No No No No!
This of course begs the inevitable question -— WHY NOT?
Sarah Palin endorsed him.
Mark Levin is pushing him on his show.
Texas is #1 business friendly state for 7 years in a row.
Perry? Isn’t he amnesty guy?
Exactly!
Milt, figNewton and Huntedman Jr. are all unacceptable nonstarters, period.
Cain: I don't like that he's throwing the race card out already, we don't need that in our Party. Nope.
Tiny Tim: Is for Ethanol subsidies and at best is shaky on “Globull Warming”. Issues 3 and 4 (behind 1. immigration and 2. health care on my list). Nope.
The Mitch: He's from the Bush tribe, no doubt. But, the name/word “Bush” isn't anywhere as toxic as it was even a year ago. It's not a positive, but I don't think it's the kiss of death. Seems to be doing/done good things in IN. I could vote for him.
Beautiful Michele: Running for VP.
Gov. Good Hair - TX: Some say he ran against sub-par competitors - a negative. However, rightly or wrongly he is governing over one of the most successful (and EV rich) states, and would pretty much guarantee a sweep of the South, Southwest, Mountain and lower Midwest areas - basically he'd repeat the Bush 2 EV map. Couple him with the Beautiful Michele and maybe MN comes into play, along with WI and IA. I could go with that.
Dark (Black) Horse TBD: A Mike Rounds or a Dave Heineman? Although Dave Heineman is running for the Senate, IIRC. Who else? From where?
At this point, in my unsolicited opinion, it's either (in no particular order) The Mitch, Gov. Good Hair or a Mike Rounds-type.
So, WHY NOT Perry? He's not perfect, but no one is.
Perry forced school girls as young as 10 to get the vaginal wart vaccine, Gardisil, after a successful lobbying campaign from Merck.
Not a conservative move.
My selection process is based on who is running opposite BHO. That person, no matter who it is, will get my vote!
Which is why Jeb is still the real 900 pound gorilla in the wings.
A Florida or Texas governor makes much more sense than any of the other options, given the GOP's reverence for precedent and hierarchy.
No.
Let’s keep Obama.
Obama is way better than some RINO!
As RINO as he is, he's better than most of the filler we currently have to choose from. Although personally, I do not want another “Bush” for POTUS. I'd rather Perry or Daniels (even though Daniels for sure is a Bush-ite).
OTOH, if it was Jebster v. Obama, no question I crawl over broken glass to vote against Obama; this country WILL NOT survive 4 more additional years of Obama.
But he is all for open borders, amnesty, and abuse of eminent domain. They are therefore twins in some critical areas.
I won’t vote for either of those two crap sandwiches as 2012 POTUS under any circumstance.
Oh FGS, NO!
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