[fieldmarshaldj]

Remember the last establishment politician who did the “read my lips” pledge. If La Raza Rick tells me the sky is blue, I go outside to double-check.

[sickoflibs]

RE :” I would feel much more comfortable with Perry if he came out with a 'read my lips' public statement promising no 'path to legalization' to anyone illegally in this country. That would fix some problems he created for himself
......Remember the last establishment politician who did the “read my lips” pledge. If La Raza Rick tells me the sky is blue, I go outside to double-check.”

I am not as naive as that. It's helpful you raised the question.

Daddy Bush made that tax promise because it came with no political risk to him relative to his 1988 election against the Democrat and he was not thinking any further than that.
But a very clear ‘read my lips’ on legalization now by Perry or the others would come at a real political risk next year if running against Obama. And he would not be able to flip on it then to undo the damage without looking like a complete phony. The truth is that Presidential candidates are terrified of Hispanic voters. They can have a big effect on a election if motivated. So it would have more credibility with me.

Notice you dont see him doing anything like that.