Perry and the Media Ick Factor
A friend of mine has the good fortune of soon meeting Texas Gov. Rick Perry, in part to ascertain whether he's serious about a presidential run.
My friend's typical of many a Republican these days -- not wild about Romney, doesn't think Bachmann can make it all the way to the Oval Office, isn't impressed with the rest of the GOP field.
In short: shopping for an alternative.
This is Perry's opportunity: stepping into that void.
But how does he deal with a political media that might try its best to get the Texas governor to step into . . . a pile of something else?
Normally, I'm not one to play the "media bias" card. But in Perry's case, I think you can fairly ask: will the press give him an honest vetting, or does the guv embody too many qualities that liberal reporters detest?
Think: public displays of faith, conservative values, 5th-generation Texas cockiness, political conversion, a ballyhooed record.
Already, there are signs that the media may look at Perry as a Republican tear-down project. For example, this Time piece on Perry serving as the Texas chair of Al Gore's presidential campaign, recycled a week later by Huff Post (let's assume, for no better reason than to keep the story alive).
For the sake of argument, let's say that Perry cowboys-up and throws his Stetson in the ring.
Phase one: the media will laud him as a donor powerhouse and potential game-changer.
Phase two: tearing down what they just built up.
Perhaps along these lines:
1) The “Texas Miracle". At the heart of a Perry narrative is a state that recently passed $1 trillion in annual economic output and is home to three of every eight net new jobs since the “recovery” began two summers ago (Texas adding 265,300 net new jobs vs. 722,200 for the entire nation). Already, reporters are looking for cracks in the façade -- Texas McJobs, the long term sustainability of importing other states' jobs, etc.
2) Texas’ State Budget. Last month, Perry signed a budget that didn’t raise taxes and went easy on the state’s Rainy Day Fund -- music to Iowans' ears. It’s also a two-year budget, and some tough choices were shelved until 2013 – when Perry might be living in a different time zone. Here’s another vulnerability: Perry, like other conservatives, is no fan of Obama stimulus spending; yet Texas used $6.4 billion in federal Recovery Act money to help plug the $6.6 billion hole in the state’s 2010-11 cycle.
3) Beating Around/Beat Up the Bushes. Reportedly, the ties are strained between Perry, who was George W.'s lieutenant governor, and Bush 43’s camp. The source of friction: some say it began when Perry, as a surrogate for Rudy Giuliani’s presidential campaign in late 2007, started trashing Bush as weak on spending during his Texas days. Others speculate the rift is more personal – Bush thinks Perry is a lightweight; Perry thinks the Connecticut-born Bush is faux Texan, and so forth.
4) The Rumor MilI. Reportedly, Perry’s aides already are in rumor mode – the health of his marriage, his wife’s temperament, even the governor’s sexuality all drifting across the Internet. If there’s a skeleton in the closet, beware: back in 2008, Roll Call broke a story about Idaho Sen. Larry Craig getting arrested in an airport bathroom for untoward behavior. The next day, at least three-dozen daily newspapers nationwide ran with the story. The National Enquirer broke the news of John Edwards’ affair, love child and cover-up. Not a newspaper covered it. You can say the differences are newspaper vs. tabloid and arrest record vs. unnamed sources. Then again, Edwards was a liberal media darling, Craig was an un-telegenic social conservative. Double standard, anyone?
Stay tuned to see if Perry joins the fray. Then brace yourself for the media tear-down.
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Jun '11
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
The media will hate Gov. Perry--Eagle Scout, Aggie, veteran, Christian, long term stable marriage, father, rancher, successful governor.And they will be afraid of him.
Dec '10
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
I keep thinking of Lucy showing Charlie Brown his faults in a slide presentation. Here's the clip on youtube.
May '11
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
I think it is encouraging that Perry seems to be laying the groundwork for a campaign very carefully. He is a career politician with strong connections throughout the party. I don't think he will be blindsided by media attacks and he seems to have the discipline to stay on message. He will be formidable. My friends in Texas are ambivalent about his campaign, because he is a career politician after all, but I haven't heard anyone who didn't think he was very astute politically.
Apr '11
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
No doubt the media love to make bricks with the straw of "Texas cockiness", but doesn't the economic record give Texas just a little something to be cocky about? I get a little tired of people making much ado about Texas pride, as though such things are peculiar to that state. Heaven knows there is no undo pride in the hearts of the noble New Yorker, or Bostonian, or DCer, or Floridian or Californian (ok that one's iffy).And yes, I live in Texas. Wasn't born here, but I got here as quick as I could.
May '10
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
All I can say is if there's any reality to the rumors, he would be doing the country and the conservative cause incalculable harm by getting in the race.
Aug '10
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
The story about the so-called lavish house being rented to house the Gov and family during repairs on the official residence has already been trotted out to test the ph of the political waters. They are going to go after any and all who dare to challenge their Obama.
If necessary, they will lure the unsuspecting candidates into a warm circle of praise and then strike, ala John (Rebel) McCain .
Now, if we just watch Sarah Palin work on her end run game planning, we can learn alot. Do you hve your ticket to "Undefeated" yet ?
Sarah knows that the public will not even bother reading a NYT review of this movie, anymore than they would have looked for the Going Rogue review to be in the book reviews section. She also knew that a "reality" show was an even response to Tina Fey's fictions.
Oh, I'm sorry. You were talking about Perry.
May '11
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
Another point. I don't think the rumor mill has much effect on the majority of voters. They are just not that engaged. I think most SC voters assume Lindsay Graham is light in the loafers, as we say in the South, but it doesn't keep him from being elected. Unless a scandal hits the front page, it doesn't resonate. The scandals surrounding Nikki Haley probably boosted interest in her campaign. Mark Sandford beat Lindsay Graham in a hypothetical poll for the 2014 senate race with 61% of the vote.
Edited on Jul 15, 2011 at 1:00pmApr '11
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
"Already, there are signs that the media may look at Perry as a Republican tear-down project."What Republican candidate has ever NOT been treated this way by the media? They loved ol' Truth Bus McCain, until he was available to get votes against a Dem and out came the knives.The question is, can the candidate overcome the inevitable media wagon-circle and reach the voter?
Oct '10
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
Absolutely one of the essentials this campaign cycle. The media tipped their hand to such an extent during the last election that I can't imagine there are many people who aren't aware of the bias. Though they were exposed, I don't think that will make them any more objective this time around.
Dec '10
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
My favorite political cartoon in the history of ever...Eric Allie 11/13/08. Appropriately demonstrates what any Republican will be up against, even more so if that Republican happens to be a conservative as well.
Apr '11
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
I recall not so many years ago that we were all so proud that the media monopoly had been broken. Rush! Fox News! And yet tow-the-line liberal journalists still outnumber the fair minded or right leaning by a huge margin. Most importantly they are still able to frame the debate, color the issues, and influence the direction campaigns take. Too many times we see otherwise strong candidates derailed by answering silly questions rather than rejecting the premise. We see smart people backed into corners by disingenuous arbiters. No one really expected the mainstream media to double down on partisanship, but that's what they've done. Unfortunately the result hasn't been diminished influence, mostly because our candidates still play by their rules.
Edited on Jul 15, 2011 at 1:46pmAug '10
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
Texas Dems don't kowtow and neither do the major dailies down there. Texas Monthly would love to hand him his head too- and they have not yet done so.
One thing he will have to deal with seriously and well is the execution of Cameron Todd Willingham and the posiibility that the system executed an innocent man.
David Grann reported the daylights out of this story. IMO his reporting is a long, long way from the knee-jerk, weak-tea, liberal sob story I usually expect from the left.
There is certainly more than enough meat on the bone for the sharks to feed on.
Perry simply declined to grant clemency, but that will not give him a pass should he oppose The One.
He is my pick for the anti-managerial progressive candidate.
I think watching Perry, Palin and Bachmann out social conservative each other would be a hoot, but not worth the price to the winner once he or she must then attempt to reach the center for the general election.
May '11
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
Squishy Blue RINO: Texas Dems don't kowtow and neither do the major dailies down there. Texas Monthly would love to hand him his head too- and they have not yet done so.
One thing he will have to deal with seriously and well is the execution of Cameron Todd Willingham and the posiibility that the system executed an innocent man.
Thanks for the link. It was an interesting story but I doubt if it will be a problem for Perry. There was enormous media attention placed on the Carla Faye Tucker execution during Bush's governorship and it didn't have an impact on his campaign. The death penalty is one of those issues the American voter doesn't want to think about.
Aug '10
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
Southern Pessimist
Squishy Blue RINO: Texas Dems don't kowtow and neither do the major dailies down there. Texas Monthly would love to hand him his head too- and they have not yet done so.
One thing he will have to deal with seriously and well is the execution of Cameron Todd Willingham and the posiibility that the system executed an innocent man.
Thanks for the link. It was an interesting story but I doubt if it will be a problem for Perry. There was enormous media attention placed on the Carla Faye Tucker execution during Bush's governorship and it didn't have an impact on his campaign. The death penalty is one of those issues the American voter doesn't want to think about. · Jul 15 at 2:19pm
I lived in Austin for 12 years and backed W every time he held the line on executing murderers trying to get clemency on sketchy grounds, including a Mexican national and Carla Faye Tucker.
I came away convinced Texas needs to look into its system simply because I would love to see CA step it up in that department.
Far too many stone cold killers in CA's prisons.
May '11
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
Squish, I agree with you. I go to a conference every year where one of the more active lawyers involved in the Innocence Project gives an update and I have come to see that the issue is not easily defined by the usual liberal/conservative approach to jurisprudence. My point is that Americans don't want to think about the death penalty and will tune out.
Edited on Jul 15, 2011 at 2:40pmAug '10
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
Southern Pessimist: Squish, I agree with you. I go to a conference every year where one of the more active lawyers involved in the Innocence Project gives an update and I have come to see that the issue is not easily defined by the usual liberal/conservative approach to jurisprudence. My point is that Americans don't want to think about the death penalty and will tune out. · Jul 15 at 2:38pm
Edited on Jul 15 at 02:40 pm
I see your point and I agree. There is no easy solutions and the issues are ultimate ones, evil, justice, tragedy and loss.
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
The only thing that could really hurt Perry is the fourth item on your list. If he has been fooling around and it can be established, he will not get off the ground. Otherwise, he has a real shot. If he does not make a fool of himself along the way, he might well be the nominee.
Bachmann cannot beat Romney. She lacks the requisite gravitas. No one else in the race can beat him either. So Perry has a real opening.
Yes, the media will go after him, and they will not lay a glove on Romney. They know what we ought to know -- that he is a managerial progressive not apt to quarrel with the administrative entitlements state. Bachmann is a danger to them, and Perry might be one as well.
Aug '10
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
Paul A. Rahe: The only thing that could really hurt Perry is the fourth item on your list. If he has been fooling around and it can be established, he will not get off the ground. Otherwise, he has a real shot. If he does not make a fool of himself along the way, he might well be the nominee.
Bachmann cannot beat Romney. She lacks the requisite gravitas. No one else in the race can beat him either. So Perry has a real opening.
Yes, the media will go after him, and they will not lay a glove on Romney. They know what we ought to know -- that he is a managerial progressive not apt to quarrel with the administrative entitlements state. Bachmann is a danger to them, and Perry might be one as well. · Jul 15 at 4:07pm
I sincerely hope he becomes a danger to the administrative entitlements state .
By the way sir, I am slowly working my way through your Soft Despotism book and I thank you for helping me understand what we are up against.
Edited on Jul 15, 2011 at 4:20pmMay '11
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
If his wife wears a conservative pink suit and goes on 60 Minutes with him to say that this is behind them, or otherwise not worth discussing, it will not be an issue. The American electorate will accept almost any level of depravity as long as it can be politely ignored.
Jun '10
Re: Perry and the Media Ick Factor
"Reportedly, Perry’s aides already are in rumor mode – the health of his marriage, his wife’s temperament, even the governor’s sexuality all drifting across the Internet."
Does this mean we'll have a lock on the Gay vote?