Perry: Government you can TRUST.

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

Saint OhMy! is okay with mass distribution, and in fact encourages it.

I'm asking her for more.

What a coup! 

Truly, the man has 11 dicks.

[Luna]

Damn.  Perry has had to do a LOT of editing history.  First, his "Social Security and Medicare are unconstitutional and I would abolish them" stance.  Now, it's, "but I never actually used the word secession."

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/09/22/325842/rick-perry-no-truth-on-secession/

Doesn't count if the only reason you didn't use the word is that you don't have the vocabulary, dickbreath.

[Doktor Howl]

Now he's reacting.   

[Cain]

About Perry's claim that it is his duty as a Christian to stand with Israel:

http://www.slate.com/id/2304311/

Whoa. That's something George W. Bush never did. Bush never said he had a Christian duty to stand with Israel, because to say such a thing would have been stupid and dangerous. By framing U.S. foreign policy in terms of a religious alliance between Christians and Jews, Perry is validating the propaganda of Islamic extremists. He's jeopardizing peace, Israel, and the United States.

Bush understood that the terrorists who struck us on 9/11 wanted a religious war. The key to defeating them wasn't to wage that war, but to refuse it. That's why Bush constantly praised Islam, emphasized American freedom of religion, and dismissed Osama Bin Laden as a renegade killer of Muslims....

Go back and look at Bush's comments about Israel. In eight years, he never mentioned his Christianity as a basis for his policies there. He defended Israel as a democracy and an ally. When he mentioned Judaism and Christianity in this context, he always included Islam. "The Middle East is the birthplace of three great religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam," Bush said in a speech to the American Jewish Committee a few months before 9/11. "Lasting peace in the region must respect the rights of believers in all these faiths." In 2007, Bush told Al Arabiya: "I believe that all the world, whether they be Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, prays to the same God. ... I believe that Islam is a great religion that preaches peace." Again and again, Bush affirmed: "If you're a Jew or a Christian or a Muslim, you're equally American."

Perry has trashed this legacy. By declaring that "as a Christian, I am going to stand with Israel," he has vindicated Bin Laden's narrative. 

[LMNO]

I saw that.  Clearly, this man is a foreign policy GENIUS.  I was going to ask you if the reactions in the middle east would be as dramatic as the article implies.

[Cain]

It would probably go down as well as....well, a US president vetoing the establishment of a pathetically undersized Palestinian state while supporting repression in Yemen and Bahrain.

So business as usual, pretty much.  There is a culture of conspiracy theorizing in Middle East politics though, and statements like that certainly play into it.

Also, this amused

http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/95251/perry-romney-problem-fox-news-debate

Asked a hypothetical about Pakistan losing control of its nuclear arsenal, Perry wisely ducked the explosive what-would-you-do-first part of the question. But then Perry veered off on an odd tangent that took him from the Haqqani terrorist network in Pakistan to our reputed reluctance to sell advanced F-16s to India, Pakistan's historic enemy. Next, Perry drifted into our unwillingness to fully arm Taiwan. About all that was missing was a critique of our military posture towards Luxembourg.

Perry's starting to flounder 

[Cain]

Dipping in the polls, as well:

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2012/election_2012_presidential_election/new_hampshire/election_2012_new_hampshire_republican_primary

Romney earns 39% of the vote in Rasmussen Reports' first telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary Voters in New Hampshire in the Election 2012 campaign season. Texas Governor Rick Perry is a distant second with 18% support, followed by Texas Congressman Ron Paul at 13%.

Among Tea Party voters, the race is much narrower, with Romney posting a 30% to 26% lead over Perry. Non-members prefer Romney over Perry 45% to 14%

Unaffiliated voters can vote in the state's GOP Primary, and among those voters Romney earns 34% support with Paul in second place at 19%. Huntsman gets 15% support from unaffiliateds, followed by Perry at 12%.

But just 34% of all likely GOP primary voters in the state are certain how they will vote at this time, and Romney leads Perry 43% to 17% among these voters. Paul also has 17% support within this group.

Seventy-seven percent (77%) of likely Republican primary voters in New Hampshire hold a favorable opinion of Romney, including 32% with a Very Favorable one. Only 21% view him unfavorably, with six percent (6%) Very Unfavorable.

Perry is seen favorably by 61% and unfavorably by 33%. This includes 22% with a Very Favorable regard for him and 17% with a Very Unfavorable opinion.

It's not all good news, but Romney could still take this from Perry, if he manages it right.

[LMNO]

I think his "Texas Crazy" approach doesn't work very well in states North of the Mason-Dixon line.

[Doktor Howl]

The RWN hierarchy (Kristol, etc) has turned on him.

Woot.  Woot, I say.

[deadfong]

As tiresome as it is to have all this primary-election hoopla months out from the first actual voting, it does have the benefit of giving each candidate plenty of time to implode.

On the other hand, it does also give Perry plenty of time to claw his way back out of an early grave, if it comes to that.

[Cain]

True.  But once you implode in the eyes of the conservative establishment (and probably the liberal establishment too, for that matter), you're dead to them, and no longer a Serious Candidate.

Lets put it this way: I don't see Sarah Palin ever making a comeback.  Once you peak, that seems to be it, you can only go down.

If anyone can think of any modern exceptions to this, I'd like to hear them.

[Doktor Howl]

True.  But once you implode in the eyes of the conservative establishment (and probably the liberal establishment too, for that matter), you're dead to them, and no longer a Serious Candidate.

Lets put it this way: I don't see Sarah Palin ever making a comeback.  Once you peak, that seems to be it, you can only go down.

If anyone can think of any modern exceptions to this, I'd like to hear them.

The last one I can think of was Richard Nixon.

[Cain]

Yeah, same here.  And Nixon was ultimately of a different breed to your modern Republican, even though he helped form them.  The party definitely aint what it used to be...

[Triple Zero]

True.  But once you implode in the eyes of the conservative establishment (and probably the liberal establishment too, for that matter), you're dead to them, and no longer a Serious Candidate.

Lets put it this way: I don't see Sarah Palin ever making a comeback.  Once you peak, that seems to be it, you can only go down.

If anyone can think of any modern exceptions to this, I'd like to hear them.

That's probably because if they have to make someone "big" they might as well start with one with a clean slate, it's not like there's any shortage of braindead morons to fill the positions? So just get a new one instead of recycle the blemished old one.

[Elder Iptuous]

True.  But once you implode in the eyes of the conservative establishment (and probably the liberal establishment too, for that matter), you're dead to them, and no longer a Serious Candidate.

Lets put it this way: I don't see Sarah Palin ever making a comeback.  Once you peak, that seems to be it, you can only go down.

If anyone can think of any modern exceptions to this, I'd like to hear them.

That's probably because if they have to make someone "big" they might as well start with one with a clean slate, it's not like there's any shortage of braindead morons to fill the positions? So just get a new one instead of recycle the blemished old one.

Like Disney owned boy bands.

oh god.
now i can't get the image of the republican debate with poppy music and choreographed dancing out of my head!