[xkaydet65]

Perry's been a governor for 10 years of America's 2nd largest state. How can you compare him to a 1966 Reagan? In addition Reagan had a track record of experience in labor mgmt relations,he'd written and commentated extensively, and his screen training and experience made for polished public speaking.

Perry's problems are that he has no answers for questions he has to know are coming. Either he and his staff are clueless as to what's going to be asked,or Perry actually knows very little. What other choice is there?

[little jeremiah]

Another answer is he’s a moderate/RINO and going for the moderate/RINO vote.

[Pollster1]

Perry's problems are that he has no answers for questions he has to know are coming. Either he and his staff are clueless as to what's going to be asked,or Perry actually knows very little. What other choice is there?

A governor (or president) doesn't have to be able to make decisions in the fraction of a second that a debater has to respond, nor does he have to be able to formulate a smooth response without any notes or reflection. It's not a flaw in terms of governing potential that Perry doesn't sound polished on stage, just in terms of electability. It's quite possible that he knows a lot and knows what will be asked but has to learn to turn his brain off when answering a question and just let the canned answer come out instead of continuing to reflect, which distracts him and makes his words inarticulate.