[italyconservative]

While I admire Rick Perry's record in Texas, He just couldn't get the ball rolling IMHO. Here is another pundit that just doesn't understand what is happening this time around...Please don't underestimate the current Republican voters Mr. Dougherty. **Sigh**

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

I think Rick Perry has reached the pinnacle of his competence and is fine as gov of TX. Personally I don’t think he’s that bright.

[Paul46360]

I agree with you.
As a CONSERVATIVE I am looking for someone that will call a spade a spade. A duck a duck..a terrorist a terrorist..not FREEDOM FIGHTER. I want PASSION in during the job interview process. NOT hoping it will show up later.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Awww, his candidate has been discarded. That makes everybody else stupid.

[Uncle Miltie]

Proving the author is another GOPe / RINO / Rovian tool.

He doesn’t get it.

[LS]

It is not a shame. He failed to grasp the culture we are in; he failed to deliver a major vision and thereby LEAD on a national level. This is like the 10th article on "boo hoo, poor Rick Perry."

He failed now TWICE to generate any national enthusiasm. That doesn't knock his record as governor. It says he isn't viewed with trust by large number of voters as capable of fixing NATIONAL issues.

[Dahoser]

It's an indictment of Republican voters, who express a preference for entertainers and oddities, of the Republican Party apparatus that allowed Perry to languish at a "kid's table" debate, and the media institutions that spent more time talking about Donald Trump's hat than the success of governors.

Yes, quite unlike the Democrat front runner who is well-known for enduring and cleaning up her philandering husband's bimbo eruptions.

[Gaffer]

This is just pitiful. We are relegated to some putz’s opinion of how mistreated Perry was and how we don’t fit with his kooky idealization of the Republican Party? This guy, founder of “The Slurve?”

Who cares what he thinks? He should go out and try to meet a female, IMO....maybe he’ll get lucky.

[samtheman]

If Michael Brendan Dougherty is right, and we’ve made a mistake, all I can say is:

OOPS!

[Responsibility2nd]

Travesty? Damn Shame?

lololol

I like Rick. He was my governor, and except for a “oops” moment and his Gardasil goof-up, he was an OK governor.

But he reached his Peter Principle. And that’s that.

[rrrod]

Good points and I agree.

[TexasFreeper2009]

Perry made one fatal flaw (and it wasn’t his forgetting the three things he’d do)

He underestimated how important the illegal alien issue is to American citizens.

I can guarantee if you he had said in 2012 what Trump is saying now about the issue, he would have been president and made Obama a one term president.

[SamAdams76]

Rick Perry never impressed me. Maybe I had to be in Texas to appreciate him. Question to Texan Freepers: is Texas successful because of Rick Perry or is Rick Perry a successful governor because of Texas?

I always thought Perry was riding a wave he did nothing to create. Just like Mike Dukakis rode the economic boom that Massachusetts was having in the 1980s all the way to the Democrat nomination. Then the rest of the country saw him for the empty suit he actually was.

[PittsburghAfterDark]

I pretty much agree that Rick Perry capped his political career as a governor.

I want to know why it’s a problem with the electorate when someone reaches their potential political potential at that level. We have 50 states, we don’t have 50 governors worthy of being President from any number of criteria.

I think Rick Perry shot himself in the foot fatally years ago on the national stage when he couldn’t name 3 agencies he’d close down. Stuff like that sticks with primary voters, that’s how I remember him on the proverbial national stage.

This is a doomsday presidential cycle for “real” politicians. We’re going to see this time, after time so get used to it every time one of them is forced out.

Just wait for the doomsday predictions when Bush bows out.

[Diogenesis]

"Only you, Michael Brendan Dougherty, Gruber and Chris Wallace can prevent a GOP win."

[stars & stripes forever]

A candidate’s true personality comes out when he/she is losing an election. Rick Perry seemed to be a mean hombre.

[al_c]

His campaign was a failure from the beginning.

[servantboy777]

Rick Perry’s record in Texas is the record of the state legislature and Lt. Gov.. The Governor of the state of Texas is less powerful than the Lt.Gov.

None the less, voters want the sting the crap outta the republican establishment and we’re doing a fine job to date.

Lovin it.

[JLAGRAYFOX]

Bottom line: On the day that Rick Perry Savaged Donald Trump...he destroyed his political career!!! Coming up soon....the downfall of Rand Paul, Bobby Jindal, Carly Fiorina, Scott Walker, Jeb Bush, Jim Gilmore, Rick Santorum, Mike Huckabee, John Kasich, Lindsey Graham and George Pataki. Survivors, Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Ted Cruz!!!

[isthisnickcool]

Perry is a great guy in person. He is very personable and very smart. He was just tone deaf when it came to immigration and when speaking in public he comes off as just another pre-programmed politician.

Trump has changed the game with the way he speaks to people. His Unscripted and off the cuff way of communication makes the rest of the people running for president seem like robots. They are that way because they are not their own person. Trump is right that they are ALL controlled by donors and lobbyists.

Perry is out of the race because he was not believable anymore as are all of the professional politicians. Trump has turned them in to wind up dolls that spew what they have been trained to spew.

[tanknetter]

Being able to successfully assemble, launch, lead and run a campaign is a key criteria that primary season is designed to evaluate.

Perry came up short, proving that the system works. At least in his case.