Rick Perry campaign plays blame game

politico.com ^ | December 31, 2011 | MARTIN and HABERMAN

[Berlin_Freeper]

With a revamped message and a significant TV presence here, Rick Perry is hoping to revive his disappointing presidential campaign with a surprise finish Tuesday.

But even as they hold out hope that Perry can find a way back into contention, some of his advisers have begun laying the groundwork to explain how the Texas governor bombed so dramatically in a race that he seemed to control for a brief period upon his entry in August.

Their explanations for the nosedive come against the backdrop of a campaign riven by an intense, behind-the-scenes power struggle that took place largely between a group of the governor’s longtime advisers and a new cadre of consultants brought on this fall. In the end, the outsiders won out — and ever since have marginalized Perry’s longtime chief strategist while crafting a new strategy in which the Texan has portrayed himself as a political outsider and culture warrior.

In a series of interviews with POLITICO, sources close to the campaign depict a dysfunctional operation that might be beyond saving because of what they describe as the political equivalent of malpractice by the previous regime.

“There has never been a more ineptly orchestrated, just unbelievably subpar campaign for president of the United States than this one,” said a senior Perry adviser.

[VanDeKoik]

“Perry’s family rectified the perceived offense even though it had nothing to do with them.

Perry’s family should be applauded for their actions, and Herb Cain should be jeered for trying to use the entire matter to paint Perry as a racist.”

So?

The MSM got their needed mileage out of it. Perry dropped like a rock.

The story did not go away based on some slam-dunk response from Perry. It only went into hibernation until he is seen as a threat again.

So no, it isnt a stunningly stupid thing to say that he didn’t deal with it. He didn’t.

That’s why I keep saying that the nominee needs to be able to deal with the MSM offensively on stuff like this. Not just put out a explanation in a press release and think that was all it would take.

[mylife]

If anything, the way he handled it helps him.

Yeah, the story is still there, and the truth is still there, but Herb is toast.

[mylife]

The story did not go away based on some slam-dunk response from Perry.

That's right. He didn't showboat.

To the contrary, he did what was right without desire for glory.

[x]

Too many campaign blunders.

Plus, Perry's a more reliable conservative than Jeb Bush and not George W. Bush's actual biological brother, but he has a similar problem, at least with voters who don't live in or near Texas ...

[VicVega]

You’re right. But helps her save face. Yesterday she claimed hundreds of thousands of another candidates voters where coming to her camp. This was just after she lost the SuperPac to Romney, Campaign Manager left and she fired a guy for defending the campaign manager. With suck great potential she really jumped the shark, jumped it real early.

[mylife]

The story did not go away based on some slam-dunk response from Perry.

Cain however did use a slam dunk response.

When he was pressed on the matter of trying to blame Perry for the rock, he simply said "I'm done talkin about that" and he got a pass! LOL

[miss marmelstein]

Hi, Liz! Nice to see you back!

[mylife]

If I recall correctly Perry then went on to defend states rights, Then someone brought up the instate tuition thing for some children born of illegals.

The next thing ya know is Perry went from racist to illegal lover.

The electorate makes me cringe.

[CatherineofAragon]

“It is quite the physiological psychological quandary.
Damn you spellcheck!”

LOL, well, I guess it could be a physiological quandary, too, considering the timing of that back surgery!

[mylife]

My back is ailing me as well so I can sympathize LOL.

You can see, in the early debates that he is in severe pain.

He’s all healed up now.

[rintense]

Yep, man of the moment. Until the next moment.

[CatherineofAragon]

Exactly. Hope you feel better.

I was just browsing through some of the old Scozzafava threads. Someone posted, “What’s this about Newt in 2012? For what, mayor of NYC?”

[mylife]

Newts a great speaker, but he has a whole lot of speaking to answer for.

[rintense]

Ditto!

[X-spurt]

Even though its not looking “shiney side up” for Rick, I will still punch Perry in the Primary, just like CW.

If Rick doesn’t make it, it will most definately be our gain and America’s loss because even though he may not be a debater, he’s damn sure a doer.

[af_vet_rr]

Here is a little clue folks...
Nobody expected Perry to sweep Iowa or NH.

Nobody expected him to get in the top 4 in NH. Which is why it seems incredibly incompetent for him to be wasting resources and time on NH.

[Thud]

Perry bombed because he insulted the values of the GOP base. Romney never called us “shameful”. Perry did as soon as we started paying attention to him. I support Perry for President anyway, but he clearly did this to himself with no one else’s help.

[af_vet_rr]

It would be even nicer if Santorum dropped out and endorsed Perry.

Why would Santorum drop out and support Perry if he's starting to beat him in the Iowa polls? Do you realize how silly it sounds for somebody ahead of Perry in Iowa to drop out and endorse Perry?

Nationally, it's a different story - Santorum is a few points down from Perry, but Perry has Bachmann to worry about since she's closed the gap again.

[af_vet_rr]

Yes, and it’s equally amazing to me that conservatives have willingly decided to ignore what they know about Newt Gingrich, and fall all over him. He was detested at FR a year ago (hello, Dede Scozzafava)? Sorry, but I’ll take Perry anyday.

Folks around FR were not happy when Perry was campaigning hard for Rudy Giuliani. Don't forget that Rudy Giuliani's supporters on FR were banned.

And folks on FR were not happy about Perry pushing Gardasil or his Trans-Texas Corridor, or his support for in-state tuition for illegals.

[af_vet_rr]

Aside from Romney, Perry is the only candidate with executive experience.

Barrack Obama now has executive experience. Does that make him a better candidate than Santorum, Bachmann, or Gingrich?

On a national scale, Newt Gingrich has balanced budgets, helped Republicans take over Congress, helped pay off national debt, worked on welfare reform, helped lower unemployment, among other things, and Perry has no experience doing any of those at that level. If you want to play the spin game, folks can spin any of the candidates to be the only choice to Romney. Well maybe not Huntsman.

He has never lost an election.

In 2002, he has no Republican opponents, and his Democratic opponent had already been destroyed in the Democratic primaries. In 2006, his only serious Republican opponent didn't get out of the single digits and was running on a secession platform. In the general election, he ran against a clown-car full of independents siphoning votes away from both parties. In 2010, the Tea Party favorite did herself in, Kay Bailey Hutchison ran an incredibly incompetent campaign, and in the general election he faced a Clinton insider that he refused to debate.

If anything, Rick Perry's easy gubernatorial elections are probably what contributed to his problems in the primaries, although he bombed solely because of missteps he made.

It's a shame his wife didn't step in and force some changes earlier than she did. He might not be fighting to stay ahead of Bachmann or wondering how Santorum is passing him up in Iowa if she had asserted herself earlier instead of whining about Republicans and Democrats not liking him because he's a Christian.