Posted on 11/10/2011 11:34:39 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Covering Rick Perry's devastating inability to recall which third agency of government he'd eliminate, Guy hits it on head in observing that it's so damaging because it crystallizes every negative meme about the Perry candidacy.
But even aside from style and/or political appearance points, the gaffe is profoundly worrisome on substance. Having done live TV, I can sympathize with a glitch. But the kind of stumble Perry made last night seems symptomatic of a candidate who is trying to memorize points for debate prep, rather than an off-moment for someone trying to expound on well-integrated personal knowledge or a deeply-held philosophy.
To put it plainly, a gaffe as prolonged and as painful as Perry's implies a certain disconnect between what he's saying and what he's actually thought about. It suggests that Perry's debate problems aren't just a stylistic problem -- that they indicate a distinct lack of comfort with the underlying substance of the answers. After all, it's not like his point was one that required a deep, exhaustive knowledge of the intricacies of the federal tax code or legislative regulations; if eliminating three agencies is something in which one passionately believes (and if it's Energy, a key theme of his campaign!), it's hard to imagine forgetting one of the agencies.
It's sad. I had high hopes for Perry. But it's evidently not his time. One shudders to think of something like this happening in a late-October 2012 debate with President Obama.
Come on let not go overboard. With millions of dollars and supporters Perry is not done. He had a bad day. So will all the candidates from time to time.
Absurd to think he will quit before even 1 vote is cast.
Can he pass that money on to someone else under FEC rules?
This was not one off event. Seems to happen every second debate and given the fact he refused to debate in tx (now we know why) it paints a picture. Not ready for prime time, would be utterly crushed by teleprompter or cbs “news’ staff.
He could not avoid debates or interviews like in texas.
Anyway, given he is pro-amnesty, not a loss. Newt is similarly pro-illegal, but at least he would win debates and argue for our side.
Cain needs to send Perry a thank you note. Not a peep about Cain anywhere on the news today. It is ALL PERRY.....well and Penn State.
Cain got it right. You just have to remember just one thing to answer all questions 999.
With millions of dollars and supporters Perry is not done.
millions of dollars yes.....millions of supporters? I have my doubts. You can’t be a 4 percenter and have millions of supporters. He might have 30,000 supporters at most. Plus the money situation has to be getting tight. 12 million on a campaign goes FAST.
What a joke Perry is. What’s worse is that the best the Republicans can seem to come up with is a columnist/radio host with an otherwise impressive technical background.
What that means is Perry is probably much more adroit in this particular question than the doufous' at Townhall gives him credit ~ and that's for not digging in a little deeper to see exactly what it is about the Department of Education that could leave Perry NOT agreeing with the rest of us.
He knows what's going to happen to that instate tuition when the DOE subsidies are cut off, and they're not small at all ~ $78 billion a year in grants of all sorts. If Texas gets its proportionate share that's about $6.5 billion per annum and them ain't peanut clusters on a jellyroll!
Oh, yeah, and then there are those illegal aliens getting that heavily subsidized instate tuition ~ they will have to do some heavy lifting in a future without DOE. There goes Perry's next Texas gubernatorial election.
He used that to go on with some of his great ideas for the economy and the security of the USA. And he also reiterated that he is not at all for open borders and that they need to be strongly and meaningfully secured.
It's time to give the man a fair shake and listen to what he is actually trying to say. He is only human like all of us and is the first to humbly admit it. I can deal with that in a candidate who does not try to deny or make excuses. It says a lot about him.
It was one of the most embarrassing things I have ever seen from a candidate.
If the allegations dodge Cain into dropping out, I will obviously have to find another person. It was going to reluctantly be Perry.
No more. This was awful.
Just hope Cain keeps it going because otherwise I only have Newt.
Daily Beast Writer: Perry Gaffe 'Human Equivalent of Shuttle Challenger' "Mark McKinnon, a regular contributor to the liberal Daily Beast website, which owns Newsweek magazine, made a morbid gaffe as he commented on Texas Governor Rick Perry's stumble during the November 9 Republican presidential debate on CNBC. The New York Times on Wednesday quoted McKinnon labeling Perry's brain freeze as the "human equivalent of shuttle Challenger."
Times writers Jeff Zeleny and Ashley Parker cited the Democrat, who once served as an aide to former President George W. Bush, as an example of how "Republican operatives almost uniformly declared it [Perry's gaffe] as a sign of great trouble for his candidacy."
McKinnon, who co-founded the so-called No Labels organization with fellow pseudo-Republican John Avlon, has actually made a name for himself in recent years as a critic of the conservatives that the liberal media love to hate. When he worked on John McCain's presidential campaign in 2008, the "Republican consultant" lectured Rush Limbaugh for daring to speak out against his candidate. In October 2009, McKinnon bashed conservative talk show host Mark Levin on MSNBC for his supposed "jaw-dropping hate language" against President Obama (Levin replied in kind by comparing the former Bush aide to a Sham-Wow salesman)."....
Well written. That's precisely why Perry's screw-up bothers me. I thought "throttle the EPA" was one of Perry's core principles.
Texas Media, KLBJ AM - Austin, this morning was still giving Rick the “hall pass” that they have done for the last 12 years.
It would be nice for our side to actually have a competent debater for once, however.
Truth is, this is a weak field of candidates.
Romney is a phony and fraud. Ronpaul is a kook. Newt has more baggage then a Samsonite convention. After a severe meltdown Bachmann can't get any traction. Cain is a neophyte and a masher. Santorum and Huntsman are still looking for their mojo. Good luck, GOP!
Problem SOLVED!
Perry’s debate gaffe was a disaster b/c it reinforced his lameness when he needed to show he was better than his previous debate debacles.
He could have handled the gaffe better onstage-—instead all he came up with was “oops.”
His second act-—behaving as if it never happened-—is another indication of his vacuousness......and his fixation on his “moral superiority” over the rest of us peons.
He can well afford to stay in the race——he’s got PACs worth millions-——and b/c his Mexican and Islamic pals are financing him-—and are hellbent on getting him elected.
Perry won’t bow out gracefully when the time comes and the money runs out. He has never lost and Anita won’t be denied her fantasy. He and his spin posse will be mumbling to themselves about how great and wonderful a conservative Perry is long after the primaries close.
Cain is a “masher” you say? Based on what proof?
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