The Rick Perry I Know

National Journal ^ | August 5, 2011 | Matthew Dowd

[Cincinatus' Wife]

In 1986, I was running the Texas Democratic Party primary, and in walked an attractive rancher who submitted his filing to run as a Democrat for state representative for a district in rural West Texas. That rancher is now the state’s Republican governor, Rick Perry. I have known him for 25 years off and on, and I know his staff very well. And Perry is about to become a dominant force in the Republican nomination process for president.

Nearly a year ago, I wrote a column for National Journal saying that we need to watch out for Perry, that he would make a formidable presidential candidate, even though he had expressed no interest at the time in running. But the political environment and the Republican field made me think that Perry could have a legitimate shot.

Many people have asked me what kind of candidate he will be, or how I think his campaign will do if he makes the leap and enters the race.

Having observed and known the governor, both as a Democrat and as a Republican, through 13 election cycles, I offer a primer on Perry in five key points:

1. He is an extremely astute politician with a keen sense of where voters are, and he has great instincts on message. Perry has ruthless discipline and communication. They say in politics, “Don’t let your boot off an opponent’s neck till Election Day.” Perry doesn’t take his boot off till a year after the votes have been counted and the opponent has faded into oblivion. He is actually a better campaigner than George W. Bush (Perry’s predecessor as Texas governor) was when he first entered the national scene.

2. Perry has surrounded himself with a very loyal staff. His aides believe in him, and he in them. He is involved in campaign decisions, but he delegates well and doesn't stop being loyal because a mistake might be made. This is a huge advantage in the ebb and flow of presidential campaigns.

3. His statements related to possible Texas secession actually helped him in his recent race in 2010, and will help him in a national campaign in the Republican primaries and caucuses. In an environment where Republican voters despise the federal government, anti-Washington rhetoric is music to their ears. Conversely, this talk will hurt him in a general-election race. Moderate voters in the Midwest will see it as off-putting.

4. Although he has run many times for both district and statewide office in Texas, Perry has never been fully vetted by the media. He underwent some scrutiny in his races for governor, but he has never endured the full-court press that happens in a presidential race. What the media discovers will not be as important as how he and the campaign handle the intense spotlight for the first time. Perry and some of his staffers are known to have thin skins. They will need to grow calluses if they are to succeed in the show.

5. Perry has never lost a race. While many immediately list this as a positive (and it is laudable and suggests huge talent), losing at some point in your career makes you better when the inevitable problems hit. I have learned more from my losses in life and politics than from my victories. It’s the losses that really cause self-reflection and growth. President Obama and former Presidents Bush (father and son), Clinton, Reagan, and Nixon learned enormous amounts from setbacks in their political careers, and those losses eventually helped them win the White House. We know Perry can win. The real question is: Can he suffer defeat and rise to the next battle?

It’s anyone’s guess how Perry will do if he enters the race for president. So far, he has risen in the polls and been applauded more and more by Republican activists while he stays on the sideline. So it’s hard not to wonder whether he’s better as an abstract proposition than as an actual candidate. We shall soon find out. My guess is that Perry’s trajectory will go in one of two opposing directions: He will march consistently and strongly and become the nominee, or he will crash in a spectacular manner. I don’t see any middle ground. Either way, this is going to be great theater. And interestingly, looking ahead to a possible run against President Obama, the last really close general-election race Perry had was in 1998 for lieutenant governor, and the media strategist for his Democratic opponent, John Sharp, was a familiar name--David Axelrod.

[McGruff]

Legislation authored by border legislators Pat Haggerty and Eddie Lucio establishes an important study that will look at the feasibility of bi-national health insurance. This study recognizes that the Mexican and U.S. sides of the border compose one region, and we must address health care problems throughout that region. That’s why I am also excited that Texas Secretary of State Henry Cuellar is working on an initiative that could extend the benefits of telemedicine to individuals living on the Mexican side of the border

http://governor.state.tx.us/news/speech/10688/

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Yes I'm sure we will. All Leftists are geniuses like, AlGore and Bill Clinton, and John Kerry and John Edwards and Barack Obama, etc, etc. etc.

Did you know Rick Perry was a captain in the air force and flew the C-130?

Perry Awarding Iraqi Service Medals

Texas Marines

Gov. Rick Perry participates in ceremonies at Camp Mabry to redesignate the 49th Armored Division as the 36th Infantry Division. The former 49th Armored Division, which consists of approximately 12,000 soldiers, makes up almost two-thirds of the Texas National Guard. The division's redesignation as the 36th Infantry Division is part of the Texas Army National Guard's transition from a heavy armored force to a more versatile infantry force.

Texas Gov. Perry receives a warm greeting from Ghazni Provincial Governor Dr. Usman Usmani at the flight line minutes after landing at Forward Operating Base Ghazni by UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. Perry led a delegation of four other governors to visit

Lt. Col. Thomas J. Kleis (R) briefs Texas Gov. Rick Perry (C) as Command Sgt. Maj. Peter P.A. Collins (L) listens on the intelligence gathering successes the 636th Military Intelligence Battalion has achieved during their last six months of duty in

Texas Gov. Rick Perry stands with Texas service members from the 636th Military Intelligence Battalion, 71st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade and the 136th Military Police Battalion on July 20th under the Texas flag he presented to the 636th.

Rick Perry served in the U.S. Air Force after graduating from Texas A&M

C-130 Rick Perry: He flew the world before politics

Rank: captain

Hometown: Haskell

Crew job: C-130 aircraft commander

Served in the Air Force: 1972 to 1977

Dyess AFB tour: March 4, 1974, to Feb. 28, 1977

His story: Way back before he was governor of Texas, Rick Perry had two choices as a young member of the Air Force.

He could either follow his dream and work toward becoming an instructor pilot in the sleek T-38, or he could fly the hulking C-130, planes that affectionately were referred to as "trash haulers" by Perry and his cohorts.

"It was one of the great adventures of my life," Perry said. "I had a fairly pedestrian life until I was 23 years old."

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Links?

[rintense]

http://hotair.com/greenroom/archives/2011/06/14/the-scrutiny-of-rick-perry-begins-here/

[Cincinatus' Wife]

http://governor.state.tx.us/news/speech/10688/

Perry sounds absolutely presidential in that 2001 speech.

Thanks for the link!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Thanks!

I know a lot of people find that photo shocking but hardly anyone knew what was going on with ACORN in 2005, or that it was being subverted beyond anyone’s wildest imagination.

We all do now.

[aruanan]

Rick Perry looks as if his original name was Enrique Peraza or Peron or something like that and was anglicized.

[Ann Archy]

Matthew Dowd is a Liberal Liar.....when did Obama EVER have a political set back? NEVER...he has COASTED on his COLOR!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

.....Perry's case is completely different. He has been a politician most of his adult life. He was elected as a Demonrat, then switched when it became clear that TX was moving to the right.....

This is blatantly, verifiably false. Perry was always described as a fiscal conservative and dubbed a "pit bull."

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Rick Perry looks as if his original name was Enrique Peraza or Peron or something like that and was anglicized.

You think?

A bit about his mother

[rintense]

http://hotair.com/greenroom/archives/2011/06/14/the-scrutiny-of-rick-perry-begins-here/

[Venturer]

See there? You learn all kinds of things in Free Republic you don’t find elsewhere.

This is a revelation to me.

What is it with politicians and Muslims?

The whole point of the Muslim political-religion is to destroy, enslave , or convert any non-Muslims.

Why is that so hard to understand ?

[submarinerswife]

If Axelrod is so good, why do they need the media to cover for Obama at every single turn?

[Venturer]

Learning a lot about Perry this morning.

So far it’s a pukefest.

Where the hell is Sarah?

[Friendofgeorge]

No way to say this polite, but Matthew Dowd is a gay fag!

[aruanan]

Sort of hard to tell from the photo. The reason I thought that was because I had heard the name Rick Perry long before I ever saw any photo of him. When I did, I was reminded of my college friend from San Antonio and the brothers of a post-doctoral colleague who is first generation American, all of whom are of Mexican ancestry.

[submarinerswife]

he was a Democrat at the time. Forget what he did...he was a Democrat and supported algore in ‘88.

I was a Dem in '88 also. I voted for pro abortion, pro criminal Willie Horton Micheal Dukakis.

In every single Perry bashing thread that I see about Perry, the trolls and Ron Paul-bots use this as a negative.

They leave out the fact that he was never a liberal. Gore wasn't a "liberal" in '88, either.

I liked Zell. He wanted to duel Chris Mathews.I like anyone who would want to kick his fat butt on live TV.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Why don’t you write the governor and ask him?

http://www.governor.state.tx.us/

[Venturer]

Say it aint so Joe.