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Posted on 01/11/2012 1:23:47 PM PST by Qbert
Following much thoughtful consternation, I have decided to pull my support and endorsement of Texas Governor Rick Perry for the GOP presidential nomination. I realize the redstate diary commenters, won’t be kind but this needs to be said. This decision wasn’t easy but a serious evaluation of the field should inform us that Rick Perry has no realistic path to victory in South Carolina, Florida and beyond.
I realize that redstate.com’s Erick Erickson continues to stick by him, that South Carolina is Perry’s state and that he has re-tooled his staff. But it is too little too late and at this point, Mitt Romney is all but certain to capture this nomination. I realize that he is one of the only smaller government conservatives in this race, but he has blown this race through his own actions and we can no longer help him.
I have been an ardent Perry supporter. On griffinelection.com, we have over 35 positive pro-Perry-for-President articles. But no matter how much we have tried to help Perry from the grassroots up, his campaign staff has been plagued with incompetency and Perry himself let us all down with his terrible debate performances.
The truth is that, this race was never about Rick Perry the person, we got behind him because he was the only candidate that had governed a state successfully and was also a strong advocate for smaller government. But his time is gone. Outside of the conservative blogosphere echo chamber, there is almost no support for Perry. As intelligent political thinkers we need to know when to fight and when to live to fight another day.
I chose Perry because I thought his bravado, record as a job creator and social conservative views would be the ultimate contrast to President Obama. Unfortunately, he has instead seemed aloof, asleep and shallow in debates. I above all people, hate to admit it, but neither Perry nor his team were ready for prime time. In fact, none of the campaigns, save Romney have been ready — but others have survived.
Perry was the ultimate Christian leader who held open prayer in Texas and held socially conservative views on almost every issue came in fifth place in Christian Iowa. In all honesty, he should have displayed the same responsibility that Ms. Bachmann displayed in bowing out then. Now, Perry goes limping into South Carolina even more injured.
He received 1% in New Hampshire last night.
But it isn’t simply his past failures that have brought me to this point. It Perry’s dismal chances of future success that has forced us to embrace someone new. Perry is polling at 5% support in South Carolina, his strongest state, his “last stand” state, the state where he announced he would run. I love Governor Perry. I wish he had never had the “oops” minute, but he is now polling at fifth place in South Carolina without any momentum at his back. With less than two weeks to go and a six person race, Perry simply has no chance to make a comeback this late in the game.
Even if Perry had a strong uptick in support, it wouldn’t be enough to slay Romney who is receiving over 30% of support in South Carolina. There is simply no alternative.
So, what candidate should voters support if they don’t support the candidate who is:
The father of universal healthcare and the individual mandate in America, the father of Gay Marriage in America, a candidate that supported abortion his entire career and still doesn’t think Roe v. Wade should be reversed. If you think gun rights are protected under the Second Amendment and that Ronald Reagan was the best modern day president, who do you go with? Certainly not Mitt Romney, he opposes your views.
There is only three other guys – Huntsman, Santorum and Gingrich.
Jon Huntsman had an above average night in New Hampshire last night, but losing to Ron Paul in his “must-win” state isn’t going to raise him above 3% support in South Carolina.
That leaves two. Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich are the guys left standing going into South Carolina.
They both bested Perry in Iowa and New Hampshire. They are both getting the necessary press time. And in South Carolina, they are both receiving 20% support. Rick Perry is receiving 5%. If that 5% could go to either of these candidates, we would have someone who could compete with Romney’s 30%.
Let me reiterate, that this isn’t a normal race. If there is one clear alterative to Romney, that person can rise from the ashes and still win this thing. There has never been such a weak yet inevitable frontrunner in modern American politics. Because of this Romney will lose in November. The voters who stayed home in 2000 after learning of Bush’s DUI, aren’t going to vote for a pro-abort, individual mandate, Massachusetts Moderate. Romney will campaign without a passionate base. Sure, our leaders from elected officials to tv personalities will get in line, but many conservative voters still think for themselves and won’t. So anyone interested in winning should consider alternatives.
Overall, the base is just to unenthused about Romney to give him the nomination this early. His delegate count is still very low. We need to make this a fight. After South Carolina we have Florida, where Rick Perry is garnering 4.5% support from likely voters compared with 20% apiece with Santorum and Gingrich.
I ask that all Rick Perry supporters in South Carolina and Florida join me in leading. Please make the difficult decision to back a new candidate that can actually beat Mitt Romney.
Santorum and Gingrich are both infinitely better than Romney and a two-man race will make it easier for a victor to emerge. Over half of us are against Romney, imagine what we could do if we could unite under the umbrella of conservatism. There is still time.
(Emphasis added)
You might want to give that story another read brother. David’s life was forever altered for the worse after his affair.
He was never again the same leader, never again wholly trusted, and even his own children turned against him.
Adultery is as grave a sin as any and wholly disqualifies a man for any and all leadership positions. Don’t believe me? Then believe the Apostle Paul.
Santorum hasn’t adopted the Gorebull Warming myth, cozied up to LIEberal commies, or been a lobbyist leech like Newt has. Newt wants to campaign on his record from two decades ago and have us overlook what he’s done since.
Newt Gingrich: Hillary Clinton ‘Terrific’ Defense Secretary
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2010/11/newt-gingrich-hillary-clinton-terrific-defense-secretary/
Newt: Hillary Is the ‘Most Effective’ Candidate
http://archive.redstate.com/stories/elections/2008/newt_hillary_is_the_most_effective_candidate
Newt: Hillary shows courage, integrity
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0108/7851.html
Oddly, Hillary and, Yes, Newt Agree to Agree
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/13/nyregion/13hillary.html
Newt & Nancy....Gorebull Warming
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a0f_1322697042&comments=1
Newt Gingrich Al Sharpton Education Tour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UPuhr8eqn0
Political Chameleon Newt Gingrich Has a History of Working with Democrats
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/12/02/political-chameleon-newt-gingrich-has-a-history-of-working-with-democrats.html
Right to Life -
Asked in an interview on the CBS News program “Face the Nation,” whether he agreed with Republicans who oppose Federal abortion payments in cases of rape or incest or to protect the life of a mother, Mr. Gingrich said: “No. First of all, I think you should have funding in the case of rape or incest or life of the mother, which is the first step.”
http://rightonlife.org/2011/11/24/pro-life-groups-should-say-no-to-newt-and-pooh-pooh-perry-2/
Self Defense -
“In 1996, Newt Gingrich turned his back on guns and voted for the anti-gun Brady Campaign’s Lautenberg Gun Ban, which strips the Second Amendment rights of citizens involved in misdemeanor domestic violence charges or temporary protection orders –- in some cases for actions as minor as spanking a child or grabbing a spouse’s wrist.(1)”
It wasn’t ridiculous. He was doing what too many candidates and others neglect to do: dividing with a scalpel instead of going in one way or the other with a sledgehammer and saying “Free market is all good” or “Free market is all bad.” Some of the things that happened on Wall Street were not so noble, but to say that is not to say OWS is right.
I wish people would just pay attention. Or possibly just refuse to see things in oversimplified terms when they are not that simple in reality.
Nevertheless, it MIGHT be too late for him, just because people are NOT paying attention.
Most people in our camp say it was a mistake to pull the troops out of Iraq. So why is Perry wrong to say we should send them back in?
God forgave him. That is all that matters.
Nope. Our actions do matter. Our actions do have consequences.
So, when this gets down to Romney and Gingrich, who will you vote for? Or are you one of those who will cede the office of President to Obama?
Hey, they've all got warts. Newt's been famously off the reservation a few times, but I think it's hilarious that you want to ignore Gingrich's record, even though he and Santorum served at the same time.
Could it be, you don't want to compare their records, because your guy's is so rotten?
Newt’s “off-the-reservation” moments are too numerous and too recent. Santorum has been consistent in his pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-second amendment stance....Newt has been all over the map trying to appeal to “moderates” and JACKASSES. His new line of attack isn’t gaining traction and only hurts the cause....I’d support Perry before jumping on the Newt bandwagon - he needs a sharp turn to the right to get a boost where Rick just needs to stick to his message.
Rick gave an interview to S.E. Cupp recently that shows he’s the one who’s conservative message is what can win the day...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbBIusiRdGg
People, please take note; at this point it’s pointless to obsess on Perry dropping out or whatever he does...notice the true, significant numerical split is between Gingrich and Santorum. They are almost evenly splitting it. Perry is barely registering.
Now he is making some noise, getting his points out, participating in the free for all, yes, but in actual votes...according to polls and so far in Iowa and NH, he’s so far down the list he isn’t impacting it votewise.
If he actually finishes very low in SC, would people STILL obsess that he should get out and throw his support to another? Why? What difference would that make, until he pulls enough to become a significant factor??
Also, you cannot make Perry supporters choose either your chosen candidate or choose the one Perry might endorse. These people are not going to follow anyone’s dictates, even his. Nor, if Perry got out, could he make Santorum or Newt get out.
Right now he’s making his points and they are points that need to be made. In most instances they are in the right direction on the right agenda.
And he doesn’t back down, if you’ll notice.
I pray he gets going in SC and FL, but if not, one thing he can always say is, people and businesses, come to Texas. I tried to get the Texas Way to become America’s way, but I was passed over in favor of others. But Texas is still here and I’m still here, ya’ll come on down.
Rick Perry can’t be bought.
No kidding.
Nor intimidated nor ganged up on to their desired effect.
Nor “poll cited” into acquiesence.
He goes on as HE is, not as somebody he’s demanded to be, or as somebody he’s not.
So you’re one of those people who, regardless of conviction, feel some absolute need to be associated with the “winner,” no matter how corrupt.
___________________________________
No, not at all, but I am a realist. If I wanted to be associated with the winner up to now, I would be supporting Mittens. I’m voting for Newt, unless he drops out before Florida. If he does drop out, I will vote for Santorum, if he drops out, Perry, if he drops out that leaves Hunstman, Paul and Romney and it then becomes a question of which one of those can beat the Kenyan Marxist or just doing a simple eeny meeny miny mo.
Santorum can’t win Florida. You can wish it all you want, it’s not going to happen. Too many damn snowbird Republicans that aren’t particularly socially conservative. It is what it is and as much as you wish it, it’s not going to happen, not in Florida. Just sit back and watch, we will talk after the FL primary. Bookmark this, lets see how Santorum does here. Florida is going be Newt or Mitty.
No way.
Venture Capitalists are out to do one thing - make money. If that means taking a bad company down and selling the assets or taking a bad company and plowing more money into it, that’s what they do.
It’s easy to say it’s inhumane or anti-American but the concept of investing is to make a return on investment, however that may be. In reality, it’s no different from a large company issuing layoffs, if financials deem that divisions or departments need to be cut to maintain profitablity, well that gets done every day and is in the same vain.
What amazes me is that when Wall Street is humming and everyone is making money, no one seems to care how so long as the ATMs keep spitting out money. But even in the good times, VC firms are active and doing the same thing they would do during the downturns.
Capitalism is a blood sport, not a sandbox.
Go after Mitt on his MA record, there’s more than enough there to lance him.
Good post, but are you sure you want to invite a bunch of yankees down here?
I take the point; however, good businesses and good people would be welcome additions. People who would come to TEXAS for all the right reasons.
I was thinking about Perry recruiting businesses from CA etc., to make their new home HERE.
Glenn Beck moving from NY to Texas with an expanding business and hiring new people.
If Texas builds it (a good environment for living and doing business, not to mention our historic and natural treasures), they will come.
If nothing else, that Texas story becoming part of a presidential campaign could be Perry’s legacy.
Hopefully there is more, but that in itself could be a very good thing.
I believe you’re right.
Glenn Beck has moved within walking distance from my house.
Think I should take him some cookies?
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