Perry: We Don't Need to Elect the 'Smoothest Debater'

National Review ^ | Sept. 23, 2011 | Katrina Trinko

[Clairity]

In his CPAC speech today, Rick Perry came out swinging, criticizing Romneycare vigorously and stressing that there was no connection between good debating and good governing.

"As conservatives, we know that values and vision matter," Perry said. "It's not who is the slickest candidate or the smoothest debater that we need to elect. We need to elect the candidate with the best record and the best vision for this country."

[Hugin]

His answer re. Pakistan brought back images of Teddy and Roger Mudd.

Actually I thought he gave a pretty good answer to a stupid question. Nobody can possibly answer what they would do in that kind of a hypothetical situation like that. You would have to know the details of what happened, what the situation on the ground was, how reliable the intelligence was, what our capibilties were, etc. Even knowing that, you couldn't know for sure what you would do, and you wouldn't want to announce it ahead of time if you did.

Now I wish they had asked Newt that question, becasue it would have been great to hear him explain exactly why it was a morinic question. Then he would have given an answer pretty much like Perry gave; you need to prevent that from hapening in the first place, starting with building our alliances. I think he is right about India. They are an obvious important ally in the region. I don't see what was wrong with his answer, other than that he didn't also attack the question.

[dfwgator]

.. Many of these people live in communities that are unsafe for their children and have no chance advance their children through the education route. Mexico is in the process of social dishevel and is a terrible place to raise children. America is their escape route as long as Mexico fails to reform their society. By plugging that escape route, you push Mexico to a crisis point and revolution. We would be having a “Southern Spring” on our southern border.

If Mexico is that f'd up, then we need to send our troops down there and fix it.

[kevkrom]

stressing that there was no connection between good debating and good governing

And I'm sure he'd be saying the exact same thing if all the talking heads said he won the debate.

[lonestar]

You did not answer the question and don’t play like you did.

Yes, I did. To Q for instate tuition a student has to live in the state of Texas for three years.

It isn't a citizenship but a residency issue.

[Eva]

40% legal immigrants are citizens of the US. So you would deny them jobs????

That’s sounds terribly bigoted. Your numbers should be 60% citizens and 40% illegal.

I guess they don’t use e-verify in Texas, but you won’t win any points by refusing jobs to legal citizens.

[South40]

Thank you for answering my question; yes, you are that dense.

btw...do you know who was the front-runner at this time 4 years ago?

Tick...

Tock...

Tick...

Tock...

It was Rudy Giuliani.

McCain was second from the last and just in front of second place finisher Mike Huckabee.

So you have no idea what will transpire; you only make yourself look foolish with your wild assertions about Romney. But I can see that it is you, so by all means please continue.

[Jeff Head]

See my post 97. I’m with you bro.

[Dante3]

Perry appeared ill informed and not the brightest. The best debater does not make the best president. but, as you point out, it does make a difference with the voter.

[nhwingut]

Why should your daughter, if not a Texas resident, get Texas instate tuition in the first place?

I don't want my daughter to get in-state tuition. But why should she pay more than a non citizen of this country.

Allowing an illegal’s kid to pay less doesnt have any effect on what your daughter would pay.

It most certainly does. By subsidizing the illegals. The cost of out-of-state tuition needs to be raised. Simple math.

[Vision]

Gotcha questions?

If you don't give the children of illegals in state tuition, you don't have a heart and society is pushing into a life of crime?

Please.

[Travis McGee]

I agree 100%. Good to see you posting, Jeff! Hope you are having a good spell. Every good day is a blessing from heaven above. (So are the bad ones, but the wisdom to appreciate that is usually a more rare commodity.) GBU, my FRiend.

[Hoodat]

lol, good one!

[jurroppi1]

So TX state residency doesn’t have the prerequisite of being a US citizen to attach proper state residency? I ask because I am ignorant of the law on this.

To me this boils down to a legal residency debate, and personally (regardless of the laws) i don’t believe a non-US resident should be able to obtain any state citizenship until they are a legal US citizen. In state college tuition should require legal citizenship of both the state and the country, because the US fed subsidizes the tuition. Don’t like that idea, don’t take the fed money - this is in every tax paying citizen’s interest, not just the specific states’ respectively.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Well if Perry’s vision is instate tuition for illegals I don’t think even a smooth talker is going to pull that one off.

[wolfcreek]

That's a pretty levelheaded response.

Everyone [and no matter the candidate] is going to find 1, 2 maybe 3 issues they disagree with. No such thing as *perfect* when it comes to human beings.

Those issues don't always translate to a national level when someone becomes POTUS. Perry is a state's rights guy and would likely return a lot responsibility to the states.

Speaking as a Texan, I'll support him until it becomes clear he's no longer viable just as I did with Duncan Hunter. And I suppose I'll vote for the eventual GOP candidate regardless the pain.

[M. Thatcher]

Perry: We Don't Need to Elect the 'Smoothest Debater'

Consistent public incoherence is certainly not a reason to elect, either. One of the most important roles of the President of the United States is vigorous use of the bully pulpit; if one is unable to frame and advance an argument using actual words, one is simply unable to fulfill that important role.

But the problem with Perry is not only abysmal debating performance, which is bad enough. The deeper problem is his piss-poor policy on an issue of central importance to his own base: illegal immigration. And even worse (making this a fatal error, in my opinion) in defending that piss-poor policy, he pissed on his own team.

I refuse to vote for anyone who calls me a heartless racist. That Perry doesn't seem to understand the political lay of the land on his own side – that conservatives have been on the receiving end of that vile invective from the left for decades and we have, unanimously, drawn a line in the sand on it – demonstrates a political tin ear that deserves to remain in Texas. Yet instead of taking up our cause to fight, finally, the left – he joins them in attacking his own army?

Oh, hell. no.

[Jeff Head]

I am also a native Texan, though I have lived in Idaho these last 15 tears.

If Sarah gets in...I am supporting her.

Behind her...not sure, may support Cain, I like the man and believe he would do very well.

I will support the GOP candidate that wins the nomination against the Marxist, Obama.

[NavyCanDo]

“Really? What great achievement is Obama going to run on?”

That will be a mute point if Perry in a debate with Obama gives another horrible performance like he did last night.

[chris37]

I don’t need to elect another pro-illegal alien republican either.

[Jeff Head]

Thanks, TRav. his blessings to you and yours as well. Every day is a blessing from above, and I am graqteful for them all. Went to see my oldest gransdson get his Bear badge in Cub Scouts last night. It was great! Today is a good day too...double blessing!