Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
We've all seen, or heard about, Rick Perry's rather disastrous moment in last night's debate. I can't bear to watch again, but if you're so inclined, you can see the clip, thanks to King Prawn, over on the Member thread. Perry fans and opponents alike can't do much more than empathize with the man.
But I'd like to focus on what happened after. He immediately tweeted something making fun of himself -- "Really glad I wore my boots 2nite because I stepped in it out there." -- and his campaign sent out a release asking donors and supporters which agency they'd like to eliminate.
And then he did a round of morning shows. He took the problem head on.
I've already registered my serious problems with Perry's speaking -- I just don't think now is the time for a president who can't defend and articulate conservative thought effectively -- but I do think that handling a "crisis" well is important, too. Cain lost his momentum not because of odd, unspecified allegations but because of his campaign's confusing and ill-devised response to same.
Last night, pundits presumed Perry's candidacy dead. I, frankly, thought it over weeks ago. But something in me admires his handling of the gaffe. What do you think?
- Comment (23)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (0)
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
Comments:
May '10
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
Well, he got everyone talking about him again...
May '10
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
That said, my stance has always been that I like Perry and would still vote for him if he showed clear improvement in his articulation. This certainly wasn't a good step.
Your point is fair, however, and I'm stepping back a bit. Nevertheless, I'm moving closer to taking the gamble on Gingrich.
Jun '11
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
Dennis Miller played the clip moments ago and is declaring the Perry candidacy over. Miller likened the Perry vapor lock to watching Charles Barkley swing a golf club. But I would take that clever comparison a step further and say that nobody should think Charles Barkley wasn't a world-class athlete simply because he can't for the life of him swing a golf club.
Will Perry survive the debate-your-way-to-the-nomination process? Probably not. Being a good chief executive officer has very little to do with the things we seem to focus on in this process: appearance, glibness, sound-bite answers to daunting issues and so on.
I think that the tweet you mention and also his website this morning where one can vote for the federal agency you most want to forget are good efforts. As long as he doesn't tell us that if we have fun at his expense we're "heartless" he'll survive. After all there are at least 49 more "debates" to go!
Edited on November 10, 2011 at 4:32pmAug '10
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
Despite his ludicrously failed effort to physically resemble Ronald Reagan, Perry, from the first debate in which he took part, has struck me as a modern-day Elmer Gantry in search of his revival tent, and not in any way as the heir to the Great Communicator. And while there is ample evidence that, absent the aid of a teleprompter, the current occupier of the Oval Office has difficulty forming cohesive sentences, Perry's debating skills are so abysmally poor that, standing next to him, even Obama would seem articulate.
The one thing we know about the upcoming presidential campaign is that it will be brutal-- Obama is utterly incompetent as a president, but the one thing he does know how to do is campaign, and with the media and the unions backing him to the hilt, and pulling every dishonest trick in the book to get him reelected, the Republicans MUST nominate a candidate whose qualities include being very quick on his feet-- something that clearly leaves out the verbally flat-footed Perry.
A winning candidate will have to connect and resonate with his audience and, if one is listening, that candidate is, more and more, Newt Gingrich.
Edited on November 10, 2011 at 11:26pmRe: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
Here's a reminder of a horrible debate gaffe from 2004. I'd forgotten all about this. It's seriously bad. It's unfair, because Perry is absolutely no worse than Bush is here -- in fact, better. But who wants to endure more of this tongue-tied stuff?
UPDATE: the link went to a post where the author posted a clip of Bush flailing. Unfortunately it was edited to make it look far, far worse than it actually was. The link goes to an updated version of same post. Sorry for falling for a bad edit.
Edited on November 10, 2011 at 7:49pmApr '11
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
OK. Got it to work. There's no way that this is worse than Perry's problem. Bush paused for 5 seconds thinking about an answer, and then he gives a comprehensive and effective answer that responded closely to Kerry's charge. He didn't consult notes (which would have killed him at that point in the debate), nor fail to come up with an answer until later in the debate when he returned to it. Indeed, the news was all about a "gaffe" the next day, but that "gaffe" was Bush's "You forgot Poland". The pause didn't move a fraction of a news cycle, because in context it was part of a successful answer.
Edited on November 10, 2011 at 6:28pmNov '10
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
At least Perry is serious about getting rid of the dept. of Energy, Education and....I think there’s another one he wants to get rid of, what was it? Well, look even if one needs Google to look it up we still need the one who will actually look it up and make a serious effort to follow through on the promise.
Dec '10
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
If he can't talk he is no good to me. Not saying he is a bad guy, I just don't have any use for a conservative president who can't articulate and defend conservatism.
Apr '11
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
In his favor, the next debate is on foreign policy, so he's got very low expectations to beat. If he's good on it, that would probably be the story. Maybe worth coming to a deal with Ron Paul that they can face off against each other. Given Perry's buckets of cash, potential to make Paul look articulate, willingness to adopt new principles, and being Paul's governor, that shouldn't be too hard to find the right incentives.
Dec '10
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
Just a reminder: throughout the 2008 campaign we were told what a brilliantly articulate speaker was Barack Obama. In retrospect, he's not. And going just a litte deeper; demonstration of a candidate's ability (or inability) to provide flawless sound bites is a flipping stupid way to choose the leader of the free world.
Apr '11
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
It's time to throw the dirt on him. Some things are better left dead.
Jan '11
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
Well, he's certainly got a lot of practice dealing with his gaffes, no wonder he's getting better at it.
I'm certainly not going to condemn anyone for a moment of ....um ....uh ....whatchamacallit...oh yeah, brain freeze. But I do cringe at the thought of his having such a moment in a debate with Obama.
May '10
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
Fact is that the debates next fall will give us our next president; the voters who seldom pay attention will decide because of their "gut feeling."
A guy who is too young to have so many "senior moments" ain't gonna beat Mr. Givehopeychangeyonemorechance.
Reality is: American voters like to be schmoozed and seduced...even if it's BS like here..
Edited on November 10, 2011 at 5:54pmApr '11
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
Mollie, I didn't see the original version, but David Freddoso has posted a correction/clarification and replaced the video clip.
Apr '11
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
Charlotte
Mollie, I didn't see the original version, but David Freddoso has posted a correction/clarification and replaced the video clip. · Nov 10 at 9:00am
That's better. I should add to my above statement that Bush wasn't just hammered for pointing out Poland's support in Iraq, but also for the suggestion that he was wired. Search for Bush wired on google and you'll discover that even the people claiming he was being fed his lines didn't think that this was him waiting while he was fed his lines. If Bush had had a Perry moment in 2004, there's no way that any of us would have been allowed to forget it.
Dec '10
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
What Perry really lacked was saying "There I go again."
Dec '10
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
All of the answers from every candidate to each question were basically identical: less government, more free markets. The interesting aspect of “Gladiators: The Rematch” or “argumentum ad nauseam,” is how the moderators structured the questions and answers.
They did their best to give each candidate the opportunity to address the public perceptions of their ineptitude or that of all Republican positions on the most controversial issues, which is appropriate.
As Cain’s perceived weakness is foreign policy, the very first question of the debate, “[DJIA] dropped 400 points today. The reason: Italy is on the brink of financial disaster” goes to Cain, then Romney, Paul, Huntsman.
Romney’s weakness is flip-flopping. Second question, “With a record like that of seeming to be on all sides of the issue” goes to Romney, then Perry.
3rd question asking how tax reform creates jobs (citing FED Chairman Bernanke[?!]) goes to Gingrich, then Bachman and Santorum (not Paul).
The Money Honey interrupts her own 4th question, “What is the plan once you repeal "Obamacare?" with the question to Cain “Why should the American people hire a president if they feel there are character issues?” Then Harwood asks Romney, “Would you keep [Cain]?”
[…]
Dec '10
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
[…]
5th question (after ignoring the fourth), OWS and income “inequality” [?!], goes to the wealthy, family fortune, candidate Huntsman.
6th question of the debate held in Michigan, “the bailout that Governor Snyder supports in Michigan was a mistake?” goes to Huntsman.
7th asking if corporations are evil, “Governor Romney, do you believe public companies have any social responsibility to create jobs?” then “Governor Perry, 30 seconds to you,” then Gingrich.
8th, another Money Honey
interruption, to Gingrich “what is the media reporting inaccurately about the economy?”
9th, industry begging government for subsidies for energy development, goes to Santorum.
10th set of questions, tax reform, goes to 999 Cain (finally) then Romney, Bachman, Paul, which leads to another question to Paul on interest rates, then a commercial.
Round Two.
1. “Governor Romney has said that the government should let the foreclosure process play out so that the housing market can recover and the free markets can work. Speaker Gingrich, is Governor Romney right?”
2. “Governor Romney, respond in 30 seconds. Not one of your 59 points in your economic plan mentions or addresses housing. Can you tell us why? (“Yeah, because it's not a housing plan, it's a jobs plan.”).
[…]
Dec '10
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
[…]
3. “[housing in four or five years we'll be at 1999 price levels… Are you willing to let that happen in America?” to Romney, then Perry, and Bachman.
4. “Since you mentioned Fannie and Freddie, Speaker Gingrich, 30 seconds to you. Your firm was paid $300,000 by Freddie Mac in 2006. What did you do for that money?”
5. “…make it even harder than it is right now for Americans to get home loans?” to Cain.
6. Banks too big to fail to Huntsman.
7. “Down the line, 30 seconds: If you repeal "Obamacare," what's the answer?” to Huntsman, Paul, Perry, Cain, Romney, Gingrich (‘my colleagues have done a terrific
job of answering an absurd question”), Bachman, Santorum, back to Romney, and Paul, then a commercial.
Round 3.
1. “what could you possibly offer Democrats to get them to go along and compromise with you on the things that Republicans want?” to Santorum, who falls into the trap, explaining how often he worked with Democrats while in the Senate, then Romney (“Governor Romney, you've shown that you can work with Democrats”), then Perry, leading to this exchange:
[…]
Dec '10
Re: Rick Perry's Bad Night, Better Morning
[…]
Debate over, Romney’s the nominee. Four more years of collectivism.