Posted on 07/18/2011 7:40:25 PM PDT by smoothsailing
July 18,2011
Texas Governor Rick Perry seems to be getting closer to entering the 2012 Republican Presidential Primary. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) is already a committed candidate and in all respects, has earned “frontrunner” status.
This leads many political analyst and pundits to wonder: Could Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann be the ideal “Dream Team” for Republicans in 2012?
Perry successful executive experience, combined with Bachmann’s conservative legislative credentials could make an interesting combination, but could present some challenges at the same time.
Kyle Kondik, a political analyst at the University of Virginia, works with Dr. Larry Sabato and has been following the presidential race closely.
“The Republicans aren’t going to have a problem motivating the base in 2012, so that’s not the issue,” said Kondik. “The Democrats love to paint Republicans as extremists so the Republicans may have to decide if Perry and Bachmann are too conservative in a general election. I think Obama would certainly prefer to run against a more conservative ticket than one made up of Romney and another moderate, but Romney would certainly need a conservative on the ticket to keep the base excited.”
Both have an extensive political background and in many ways they parallel each other.
An Eagle Scout and graduate of Texas A&M University, Perry was an Air Force pilot before resigning with the rank of Captain in 1977 and returning to West Texas to farm with his father.
In 1984 Perry was elected to the Texas House of Representatives as a Democrat and joined a group known as the “Pit Bulls,” earning their name by sitting pushing straightforward budget ideas on the Appropriations Committee. In 1988 he served as Al Gore’s presidential campaign chairman in Texas, before switching parties and becoming a Republican in 1989.
As a new Republican, Perry ran successfully for Agriculture Commissioner in 1990, defeating a longtime Democrat Jim Hightower. He was reelected in 1994 and in 1998, was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas. He later assumed the office of Governor when then Governor George W. Bush was elected President in 2000.
Perry has been elected as Texas Governor three times – in 2002, 2006 and 2010.
Like Perry, Bachmann also began her career in the State Legislature and has long taken conservative stands on fiscal and social policy. She also grew up in a Democratic family but says she became a Republican during her senior year of college.
After obtaining a law degree from Oral Roberts University in 1986, two years later, in 1988, Bachmann received as LL.M. degree in tax law from William & Mary School of Law. From 1988 to 1993, she worked as an attorney for the Internal Revenue Service, before leaving her position to become a full-time mother.
Bachmann’s political career began in earnest when education issues motivated her to run for school board in 1999 – a campaign that she lost.
However, in 2000 she was elected to the State Senate in Minnesota, where she served until she was elected to Congress in 2006, and the first Republican woman to serve represent Minnesota in Congress.
Bachmann has claimed substantial support from Tea Party activists and serves as chairman of the Tea Party Caucus in Congress.
Another commonality between the two Republicans have in common is being targeted by liberal groups such as atheists and pro-homosexual activists.
In an interview last week about on Marcus Bachmann’s Christian Counseling centers, Exodus International President Alan Chambers indicated many homosexual groups are determined to try and do everything possible to defeat any candidate who advocates conservative fiscal or social positions. The bigger issue would be how independent and swing voters respond to the issue.
Atheists groups, on the other hand have targeted Perry over his upcoming prayer conference in August.
Joe Zamecki is the Texas State Director of American Atheists Incorporated, a component of the national group founded by the late Madelyn Murray O’Hair.
Zamecki told YNN in Austin, Texas, “The Texas government right now is having such problems that if our governor can’t solve them or even address them or own up to his responsibility with them, I don’t think a prayer is going to help.”
There are also other names Washington insiders throw out when they talk about potential republican Vice Presidential contenders. Ohio Governor and former Congressman John Kaisch is often mentioned as is California Congressman and House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy. But Senator Marco Rubio is the one most are talking about. Said one such insider who did not want to be identified, “Rubio is the person I feel President Obama wants to avoid as a Vice Presidential nominee. He’s the right person – young, bright, a proven legislative leader, Hispanic and from a swing state. Biden would probably not fare well in that debate, but then again, Biden doesn’t do well against many others either.”
Rubio has been very quiet about this..kind of low key..He won’t say a word until the Pres candidate is picked.
With either Rubio or allen West...both I would LOVE!!!as vp...Go ahead and play the race card..HA!!!!
“Perry/Rubio would rock, my fear would be Rubio out shines Perry. “
Rubio is so young I don’t that he would outshine Perry. It would be great for him to speak Spanish in ads and stuff. Drive the libs crazy.
Short, bandwidth saving, answer...NO!
The Rats are no problem, The Kenyan Bastard is a proven communist, so what defense do they have?
“The Kenyan Bastard is a proven communist, so what defense do they have?
The one that Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee used on the House Floor this past Friday.....THE RACE CARD. She said Obama is not getting the respect he should because he is Black.”
Yeah but he is “stupid” as well,so make that A Black and Stupid Commie,I see no reason to EVER respect that Pinko POS!
Makes sense, also makes sense if you substitute Allen West for Rubio. Addresses your Florida concern either way. Also, who's more valuable left in place, West in the House, or Rubio in the Senate?
Either one of them on the ticket is swell by me.
Perry and Col. Alan West would make Obama run for cover. Talk about Democrats fraud and dirty tricks, it will be ugly. However, Perry and Col. West can hold their own.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98kmsa8RbA4&feature=related
Just found this Rubio Senate campaign ad in Spanish. Hilarious. Conservative Hispanic. A dream come true.
We get Perry and Rubio in, then Rubio is elected president in 2020 and we have 16 years of conservative control of WH.
Maybe getting the commie in did something good.
As for Sheila here, Congress should mandate a minimum intelligence of 110 or about twice that of the, babbling wash woman from Texas.
If Palin wins the nomination, people will line up to be her VP, period. The irony is that you named Rubio and Ryan who each have less than half as much experience as Palin.
I am no Palin or bust person, but I am also not a Palin hater.
My problem with Perry/Bachmann is that neither brings anything to the table electoral college wise. Texas is voting R, and MN might but don’t change a thing.
I like Perry simply for the fact that he is amongst the present candidates, the most ‘nationally electable’. He speaks well, has an executive track record. Is he the most desirable ‘conservative’?...probably not, but being pragmatic, you just have to look at someone’s electability AND he is a damn sight better than Romney...if the best conservative ain’t ‘electable’, they don’t serve a purpose.
I like Rubio since he’ll deliver FL AND he’s fantastic anyway...but I’m intrigued by a ticket of Perry and say Christie, or Daniels or even dare I say Kasich or McDonnell...someone is going to need to bring some electoral votes to the table...from FL, OH, VA, NJ. Heck, I’d love Santorum as VP if I thought he could deliver PA, but that’s iffy.
Ahhh...I’m just trying to say that we need to think strategically this time.
Doesn’t Perry also speak Spanish?
I’d worry about the nominee first and then worry about who balances the ticket.
“Perry and Col. Alan West”
Alan West is a fantastic leader. His military experience is a plus. He just got elected, so doesn’t have a lot of political experience.
Rubio has State legislative experience and beat the former Governor for his seat in the Senate.
West jumping form a first term seat in the House to the Presidency would be a tad unprecedented.
no kidding. Perry is getting pummelled on some threads here. There are some that have a huge vault of info on him to show naive conservatives. it’s pretty funny!
How about Petraeus? INSTANT defense cred.
Full Disclosure: the paucity of good candidates in the GOP field has had me puzzled over who Sarah might pick for VP.
However, she has been so masterful at *good* surprises in the past, I'll trust her judgement and eagerly anticipate hearing of her choice.
Cheers!
Don’t be so hard on Sheila!...we got a “conservative Republican Ruling class in Texas in Norman Adams, Bob Perry, James Leininger, Hammond, Dr. Steve Hotze (menopause doc) that will call you a “hater” the minute you come after their subsidized labor force. That’s why no immigration enforcement was passed in TX. Perry was able to skate right past this. The OLIGARCHS RULE IN TEXAS!
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