On the Nature of the Perry Attacks

http://www.redstate.com ^ | Saturday, August 20th | Erick Erickson

[HerrBlucher]

Perry needs to make his case, no question about that. At least he is not hiding his ideas about this very controversial issue, and can now be questioned on the campaign trail. I trust the tea party will do just that.

[RockinRight]

Gotta look at the whole record, plus the plans for their Presidency, plus, the chance of actually winning the election.

Perry:

Record - not perfect, but overall, 85/100
Plans - none specific, but if similar to his book, let’s say 90/100
Electability vs. Obama - 90/100

Palin:

Record - 90/100
Plans - based on her general statements - 90/100
Electability vs. Obama - 50/100

Perry wins this 3-part exam.

[Deb]

I don't believe Karl Rove has any personal grudges against Perry or any other Republican. He only cares about a Republican winning first, last and always. He's a stone cold strategy guy and pettiness is nowhere in his personality.

He was right about Christine O'Donnell and Sharron Angle and it was nothing personal. He just knew they could be beaten in races that should have been automatic GOP pick-ups.

He's not desperate to go back to the White House and be further demonized. The constant Democrat attacks destroyed his marriage, cost him a personal fortune in legal costs and make him subject to assaults and harassment every time he appears in public.

[berdie]

And as much as I respect Reagan...he granted amnesty.

[txrangerette]

Having been a Democrat in Texas does not equal being a RINO.

Just because Reagan did not run for office when he was a young man, like Perry did when he was a young man and a Texas Democrat, does not mean anything against Rick Perry.

When I was young it was almost unheard of to run in TX as anything but a Democrat. What precious few Republicans there were did not come from Perry’s area. They came from North Central Texas or around Houston and were from suburbia. The hinterlands were solid, solid Democrat because that was their tradition. Republicans were associated with Reconstruction after the Civil War and with Herbert Hoover.

That is just the truth. You want to rewrite history. The history Rick Perry lived and the geography of his upbringing makes his unfolding political story make perfect sense.

There is Phil Gramm who helped Reagan pass his bills while still a Democrat, then he became a Republican. He represented rural TX.

There is Ralph Hall who for many, many years served as a Democrat Congressman from TX, who had the single most conservative voting record in Congress of 100 percent, year after year after year. When the Dems became so radicalized in DC, Ralph Hall finally switched to Republican when an elderly man with snow white hair. He still serves today way into his 80s. He voted against the debt ceiling bill.

You are pretty sharp most of the time, but on this you are not into reality on the topic. Your head is above the clouds and not down on ground level where these people actually lived and still do.

[Lakeshark]

I hope they do, so far I find him untrustworthy on this issue, which is why I hope we find someone else. I'll be listening, we'll hear what he has to say and how he defends his past (and present) pandering.

Gots to go hit the hay, thanks for the back and forth.

[SoConPubbie]

maybe Rove and the others want Palin to get in the race so Perry and Palin split the conservatives and Romney wins the nomination.

That's what I am thinking. And Sarah can understand this as well.

Actually, it's Rick Perry that needs to understand this an let the better conservative and better candidate move ahead. Once Sarah jumps in the race, he needs to drop out.

[SoConPubbie]

It’s forgivable. And he’s going to win. Romney is too liberal. Bachmann isn’t a credible candidate. And Palin isn’t running.

So face it - you’ll be voting for Perry in 15 months, so get on the Perry express now.

Nope, he's not even going to make to the finish line of the Primaries.

His lousy unconservative positions on Illegal Immigration, his signing a Hate Crimes bill, his Big-Government Nanny-State Guardisil problem, his Eminent Domain issues with TTC, etc does not and will not play well with the base.

Once Sarah announces, Rick Perry will start fading away fast.

If I were you, I'd get with a real winner, and a real conservative's Train, the Sarah Palin Train!

[SoConPubbie]

And as much as I respect Reagan...he granted amnesty.

Yes, he did, and regretted, as told by Michael Reagan, as his worst political mistake.

You see his Amnesty included tough provisions against employers and future Illegal Immigrants that were never enforced.

That amnesty didn't do a thing to move hispanics to the GOP, absolutely nothing.

And yet Perry, with his strong support for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, his positions against E-Verify, AZ1070, a Border Fence, etc. seems determined to repeat the same mistakes that he should have learned from Reagans mistake.

Why?

[RoosterRedux]

Thx much!

[Doofer]

I doubt Karl Rove and the other establishment Repubs are in Palin’s camp either, maybe Rove and the others want Palin to get in the race so Perry and Palin split the conservatives and Romney wins the nomination.

And we have a winner!!!

[Fred]

Especially these left-wing posters

Governor Rick Perry speaks to La Raza

[berdie]

Actually, at the end of any 8 year presidency,,every one is singing...

“Thank God and Greyhound he’s gone.”

He was great, but appreciation was delayed.

[RoosterRedux]

My approach sometimes is to look at the vacuum created by the incumbent (Obama's vacuum is like no other) and then to measure the relative manner in which an opponent fills that void.

Having read some background on the candidates, it seems to me (yes, it's a bit early) that Perry has both the campaign ingenuity and the experience to come out ahead of others in giving Obama a real headache.

And then there is the matter of the country. Whether we like it or not, the fate of the country (that's us) hangs in the balance. We need a champion that can take it back NOW.

I will fight tooth and nail for anyone who can bring down Obama. ANYONE (who loves America).

If we can save the country, we can then move it to the right.

[SoConPubbie]

Sorry Onyx, but Sarah has not been tested on illegal immigration, so its an apples and oranges comparison. I guarantee you that if Sarah becomes prez (praise the Lord) she will say and do things that we are not going to like, just like Reagan did, but she will be a great President nonetheless.

Sorry, but you are about only 1/3 correct on that.
Sarah has already clarified her position on a Border wall, and on internal enforcement at the State level, i.e. AZ1070.

Both of which Rick Perry has come out against.

What surprises me is that a so-called strong supporter of the 10th Amendment like Rick Perry is supposed to be came out against something so logically effective as AZ1070. Something that the Supreme Court has already partially said was constitutional.

Rick has also come out against E-Verify, part of AZ1070.

Sarah needs to completely clarifiy her position on what to do with thos already here, i.e. normalizing their immigration status by Comprehensive Immigration Reform, A.K.A. Amnesty. She has started down that road but needs to complete the clarification.

Rick, on the other hand, has already clarified his position, he is for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, he has stated this already.

[BillyBoy]

It’s forgivable. And Fred going to win. Giuliani is too liberal. Romney is too slick. Huckabee isn’t a credible candidate. And McCain isn’t sticking around.

So face it - you’ll be voting for Fred Thompson in 15 months, so get on the Fred express now.

[berdie]

I really can’t answer for Perry, but I can tell you my thoughts on why he might think the way he does.

Perry is a politician. I don’t deem him to be anything else. I live in Texas..we have a very large Hispanic population. If anyone thinks he will do anything to alienate that base, you might want to think twice. Hence the Dream Act nonsense that I totally disagree with. But it was supported by the legislature. And so far the Dems have lost.

E-Verify is a joke. Yep...you can call and find out if a ss number is valid. If not, you can inform the person. You cannot not hire them..or fire them. YET..the employer is at risk for hiring illegals.

The Texas Border really does not lend itself to a fence. Lots of rough terrain. Besides..in reality, that is a function of the federal government.

I fear there will never be any kind of provisions to stop this. If there is a candidate running today that actually has a plan..who is it? (no way they will alienate what small portion of the Hispanic vote they might get).

[Sun]

Perry has both good and bad qualities, but he’s not the most conservative candidate - we CAN do better!

[Arec Barrwin]

No one’s asking you to. But nice try.

[Arec Barrwin]

Love for Islam? Prove it.