| Since reassessing his candidacy in a mere twelve hours after Iowa, Rick Perry is poised to finish last in New Hampshire and then lose again in South Carolina. Voters would be justified rejecting Perry on the quality of his reassessment alone.
New Hampshire
ABC Debate: Criminally Stupid
On Saturday night, Rick Perry was in New Hampshire for the ABC debate.
More than anything, the debate showed just how irrelevant Perry has become. He was barely included in the conversation, speaking only a few times.
When he did speak, Perry was more articulate than he has been in previous debates. More energetic, too. Most media outlets pointed this out.
But, he was also stupid - very stupid.
While the candidates discussed Iraq, Perry promised to re-start the Iraq War if he's elected president.
"I would send troops back into Iraq," Perry said.
When the Iraq War was brought to a close, two-thirds of Americans opposed it. Even if Perry meant a supervisory role for troops, as his spokesman claimed he did after the debate, it amounts to the same thing: a violation of the Status of Forces Agreement first negotiated between the Bush administration and the Iraqi government and a re-invasion of Iraq.
Political blogger P.M. Carpenter wrote:
"If tonight's debate has accomplished nothing else, it has demonstrated, beyond any last slim thread of doubt, that Texas Governor Rick Perry is criminally stupid. He would, he said, send American troops back into Iraq, today, so as to rebuff Iranian influence there -- which arose, of course, because we went in to begin with...That's not just stupid. It's criminally stupid."
Carpenter is dead on: the logic of Perry's argument is dangerous and without any merit. He shot himself in the foot again by espousing this ridiculous position.
NBC-Facebook Debate: Look Ma, No Hands
On Sunday morning, the Republicans took the same stage again for the NBC-Facebook debate.
While his rivals hurled insults at Romney, Perry sought to repair his "oops" moment from early in fall, something he hasn't been able to do over the course of three months.
Whilst completely ignoring a citizen's question about why receiving government assistance in a recession is "un-American," Perry stated the three federal departments he wants to cut: education, commerce and energy.
He then turned to his rivals, held up three fingers, and smiled as if he expected them, and the audience, to give him a treat.
Though the Perry campaign is probably happy their candidate could remember three of his "principled views," it was actually an utterly embarrassing moment.
The "oops" moment was so consequential because of the seemingly endless string of gaffes that came after it that showed America just how little mental heft Perry has.
NATIONAL: Perry Won't Give Up or Do Well
Perry arrived in South Carolina on Sunday night, where he hopes "real Republicans" will form a groundswell under his candidacy and get him back in this race.
Bold prediction: Not. A. Chance.
Perry is averaging 1% in New Hampshire polls. On Tuesday night, when he finishes last in the primary, he'll look even weaker than he did after Iowa. Remember, Perry campaigned for months in New Hampshire - he's no Santorum, who campaigned in Iowa exclusively.
In South Carolina polling, Perry averages 5%.
"When I got a target in my sight, I don't give up," Perry said at The Beacon Drive-In in Spartanburg. "I've never quit a day in my life in the face of adversity, and I'm not just about to quit on the future of America. I'm going to stay in this race and stay in this fight."
The reason Mitt Romney continues to lead in every foreseeable primary state is that his strategy is working. By offending the least people with his polled-for-the-primaries views and rhetoric, he comes across as the most sane candidate in the primary.
And Republicans seem to be preferring that "sanity" in 2012.
Bad news for Rick "Oops" Perry. |
