| That's a wrap, folks.
On Thursday in Charleston, South Carolina, the same city in which he announced his candidacy, Rick Perry delivered the news that has been inevitable for three months: his candidacy is over.
And what a run it was.
In the beginning, when the Perry-for-President rumors hit a fever pitch, it seemed Republicans had found their ideal non-Romney candidate.
He was a great campaigner and a proven conservative, someone with a strong record who could mount a real challenge to President Obama.
None of that turned out to be true.
He was gradually exposed as a pay-for-play politician who used government as a piggy bank for his donors. Perry's previous support for a mandatory HPV vaccine, and less-than-insane immigration policy, did him in with the new Tea Party-infused Republican Party. He could never correct the image of himself as less-than-pure because he has always acted out of political expediency, not principle.
Governor Good Hair made gaffe after gaffe on the stump, from threatening violence against Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to making up a country called "Solynda".
Culminating with his now-legendary "oops" moment at a September debate, Rick Perry made a mockery of himself and our great state. He never recovered from the American people's realization that he is an utter fool, utterly unprepared for the presidency.
Perry became a non-factor in the Republican primary even before the voting began. When it did, he lost desperately in Iowa (5th) and even worse in New Hampshire (5th with 0.7% of the vote).
Though he deemed South Carolina a state of "real Republicans" where his candidacy would turn around, Perry couldn't inspire any new support there and dropped out two days before the primary.
As a political story alone, Perry's candidacy is a sad one. But as the story of a politician as disastrous for Texas as this one, it is an uplifting one.
The Perry campaign couldn't find a strategy that would cover up their candidate's fatal flaws. The real Rick Perry seemed to teem over the edge of his artifice, no matter what tack he took.
After he dropped out last week, top Perry adviser Ray Sullivan told the Texas Tribune that Perry may run again, for governor and/or president.
"Keep in mind that almost all of our nominees in the last 50 years have been on their second attempt at the White House, so Republican voters tend to like experienced candidates that they've seen for a long time," Sullivan said, also noting that "we don't have term limits in Texas."
Not a chance. Perry disqualified himself from another viable run by accidentally showing America who he really is: a shell of a politician who stands for nothing but self-promotion.
And if he does run for governor again, he may well lose. In the last poll of Texas primary voters, Perry placed third. And it's not because Republicans want their governor back - he was far ahead in Texas months ago.
Attorney General Greg Abbott wants to be governor and has a serious war chest, preparing him to mount a serious challenge against Perry.
The best path forward for Perry would be to finish his term quietly. In the 2013 Legislative session, he should completely change course and prioritize issues like public education and clean water so that Texas can support its recent population growth and prepare for the future. Afterwards, he should release his death grip on state government by retiring from public life.
But we can't expect him to do the right thing. He's Rick Perry, bound to continue his awful record leading our state. As Texas progressives, it is our responsibility to fight him at every turn.
At least we can say this definitively, and very happily: there will never be a President Rick Perry.
It's been a great experience writing "On Perry's Trail" and hearing back from BOR's insightful readers. The complete archive is here. |
