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Monday, January 23, 2012

What Happened To Rick Perry? - Turmoil, Infighting, and Back-Surgery That Came At A Very Bad Time

What Happened To Rick Perry?

Turmoil, Infighting, and Back-Surgery That Came At A Very Bad Time



By Dell Hill via Ace

What the Hell happened to Rick Perry?


That’s a question that many observers are asking and some of the details are trickling out of the dust that was once his presidential campaign.

“And Now, The Recriminations: Perry Staffers Tell Tale of Turmoil, Infighting, and A Back-Surgery That Came At A Very Bad Time


He should have delayed a month, or a month and a half.

Was it the decision to schedule back surgery on July 1, putting Perry’s physical recovery on a collision course with a grueling schedule of fundraisers and campaign events?  Was it the failure to prepare better for debates that soon turned disastrous?  Was it simply a matter of getting in the race too late?

Perry’s own string of verbal goofs, probably some of the worst in modern American political history, were so crippling that it is questionable whether any paid professionals could have pulled him out of the ditch.  At one point staffers were so desperate to keep Perry’s energy level high during debates that they discussed putting M&Ms in his coat pocket for use during commercial breaks.

More on that:

But the real problem, from Perry's perspective, was his schedule. Experimental back surgery in July had made it difficult for him to exercise, and exercise helps him sleep.  Perry's brisk fundraising pace and lack of sleep left him and first lady Anita Perry — who was much more vocal in the presidential campaign than she had been in past campaigns — to conclude that his schedule should be better managed.

You can read the articles for the Johnson and Carney v. Joe
Allbaugh stuff.  Doesn't seem that interesting, as obviously fingers get pointed, and who knows.

So what was Perry doing in October?  Apparently not all that much:

Politico reported, "In a blistering indictment, sources close to the operation describe a new team that was stunned to arrive in October and find a campaign that wasn't executing the most rudimentary elements of a modern presidential campaign: no polling or focus groups, no opposition research book on their own candidate to prepare for attacks, and debate prep sessions that were barely worth the name."

Dell’s Bottom Line:

I’ve met Rick Perry.  Many Texans have.  He’s a very personable guy.  While we’re not fishing buddies, we chatted for a few minutes about the illegal immigration issue and he looks you right in the eye when he speaks.  He pulls no punches.  If he makes a mistake, he owns up to it, taking full responsibility, whether he needs to or not.  He’s learned and obviously loves America and his home State of Texas very much.  That’s why it was so difficult for me to see him stumble and bumble so badly during his ill-fated presidential campaign.  This was not the same Rick Perry I spoke with...and most observers are saying exactly the same thing.

We winced at the gaffes and unforced errors: When Perry misstated the voting age and the number of justices on the Supreme Court. When he said Texas teaches creationism in public schools.  When he forgot the third agency he wanted to shutter during a presidential debate, prompting the “oops” heard around the cable news world.  And blog readers were aghast when Perry referred to poll results published at “Hot Gas” - clearly referencing the well-known political blog, “HotAir”.  It was one mistake after another and totally unlike the popular Texas Governor.  He sounded more like Joe Biden than Rick Perry.

At the outset of this campaign season, I was in search of a true conservative Republican who could take the message to the people in convincing style and replace the socialist currently in residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  I found only two - Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry.  Both summarily ousted from the race very early.

In a perfect world, one or both would have remained in the race right up to the convention.  As it stands, there is no real conservative voice speaking for the TEA Party, which will mean another “hold your nose and vote” November election.

This Republican race is turning into a disaster of the highest magnitude, as far as I’m concerned.  Republicans are in the process of snatching defeat from what should have been sure victory.

But, I’d still vote for a parking meter before I’d ever vote for Obama.

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