This only helps Romney.
I don’t think you’re crazy, just very, very unrealistic.
My guess is that GHWB & Son made calls to Perry and asked him to stay in the race to siphon votes and $$ from Santorum.
How is “indirectly helping Mitt Romney by splitting all of the conservative votes among all of the non-Mitt Romney candidates for ‘12 GOP POTUS” a very good thing for Rick Perry?
The first “Bush’s third term” ad and the election is over.
The nomination was Perry’s to lose and he did so in record time!
Not crazy at all.
A lot of Cowboy fans said that the other night when they played the Giants.
Perry surprises staff, stays in race
By: Jonathan Martin
January 4, 2012 12:33 PM EST
Surprising some members of his own staff, Rick Perry announced via Twitter on Wednesday morning that he will stay in the GOP presidential race despite a disappointing finish in Iowa.
“And the next leg of the marathon is the Palmetto State … Here we come South Carolina!!!” Perry tweeted just after 11 a.m. EST from his personal account, linking to a picture of him in Texas A&M jogging shorts giving a thumbs-up.
Perry campaign manager Joe Allbaugh confirmed to POLITICO that the governor is going forward.
“Staying,” Allbaugh wrote in an email when asked whether Perry is remaining in the race.
A source close to Perry said the Texas governor decided to make a stand in South Carolina because “he is not a quitter and really is the only true conservative in the race.”
“Records matter; start comparing,” the source said.
Perry spokesman Mark Miner said Perry would stay in Texas until Friday, at which point he’ll head to New Hampshire and participate in the two debates there this weekend. The candidate will then go to South Carolina.
Perry’s decision to campaign in South Carolina is a major blow to Rick Santorum’s hopes of consolidating conservatives behind his candidacy. If Perry and Newt Gingrich are still in the GOP race when it heads south on Jan. 21, the base will likely be divided among conservatives.
Perry’s decision to stay in initially caught some of his own staff off-guard. His long-serving press secretary, Mark Miner, said he didn’t know what the plan was and said only that he was “checking on it” when asked about Perry’s tweet. Miner confirmed that Perry handles his own Twitter account.
In a subsequent conversation, Miner declined to say when the governor decided to go forward or when he notified staff.
“He had some conversations and made the decision,” said Miner, noting that Perry only said he was going to reasses and “never left the race.”
The Dallas Morning News quoted Perry’s son, Griffin, as saying that his father had made up his mind during a morning jog.
“Dad had a run today and cleared his head. He and mom talked, and we’re in and onto South Carolina,” Griffin Perry told the newspaper.
“I was out on the trail when it kind of came to me,” Perry told the Austin American-Statesman.
After taking just 10 percent of the vote and finishing a distant fifth in Iowa yesterday, Perry told supporters that he would return to Texas to reassess whether there was “a path forward.”
Some of his campaign advisers made clear that they wanted him to drop out last night and, after his speech, thought that his reassessment language was merely a prelude to a formal withdrawal.
“It seemed like everything was going to wind down and life was gonna be good, and now there’s an explosion and I don’t know what’s going on,” said one of the strategists, who added that some of Perry’s Texas backers were urging him to go forward.
Another adviser confirmed that the decision had been closely held, and that members of the team were caught by surprise.
As for Perry’s announcement via Twitter, one strategist said: “Welcome to Campaign 2012.”
Politically, it was the correct move. Whether he is able to sell himself better and get back in the race is now up to him. But it was too early to pull out on the basis of one rather flaky state.
this only helps Mitt Romney,continues to divide the conservative vote.
He must have gotten a phone call offering a job if he stays in.
You're crazy.
Perry had money, organization and strong supporters from Texas. The media didn't hurt the Perry campaign, Perry hurt the Perry campaign. I don't see anything going to change this. But hey, it's his campaign and he can do with it as he wishes. As for me, I only envision his campaign possibly accomplishing the role of a spoiler, and I hope that doesn't come to fruition
Iowa is over and NH is up next, however, SC/FL are real primaries and I will take the measure of support after these two play out.
I want an alternative to Mitt and if Perry can get and stay on message he is the one I back. I like Newt but fear his baggage will make him a “target rich environment” especially since the MSM is in Obama’s pocket. The others I think are flash in a pan and cannot go the distance.
Call me crazy but I just gave more money to Rick Perry and in my whole life I have never given money to any candidate for any office.
We have to get rid of Obama, but, we need to get someone in who will reverse the rot of the Federal government. Mitt is not fit for that task so I put my chips on Rick.
Rick Perry will play very well in South Carolina and Florida, home to millions of active and retired military families. He is the only veteran in the race (can’t count R. Paul since he will be out before then).
Good going, Perry. You just ensured that the conservative vote will be split in South Carolina, thereby handing the state to Mittens. Thanks a lot, pal.
Another in a long list of mis-steps by Perry that pretty much insure that he will not be making major comeback.
Even Rush Limbaugh sounded baffled about this decision.
If I had to bet, I would say Romney made contact and an under-the-table-deal...
Perry keeps the Conservative vote divided as much as possible while attacking Santorum and Gingrich but not attacking Romney.
Then Perry gets the VP nod from Romney, or perhaps Secretary of State or CIA.
Like Rush, I am happy he is staying in. Lots yet to come, folks.