Chart of the Day: Perot sold that story too
Sunday, August 21, 2011 at 10:57AM 
Now let me first say that I hunger for serious competition to Obama. If he gets back in, I want it to be a tough fight because, otherwise, his first-term arrogance will return unabated.
Let me also say that, as a rule, I think second terms are disasters. I have always favored a single six versus 2x4=8. I haven't lived through a second term yet that I wouldn't have traded in for the 2nd election competition. I just see scandals and drift and lots of lesser talent creeping in for no good effect.
So I want Perry to be real, because Romney ain't doing it for anybody except Peggy Noonan. And while I respect her considerable political instincts, I remain unsold (even though his campaign book cited me very favorably), primarily because I'm unsure he can win and - again - I want a real election and not some disappointing recrowning for a weak first term. If Obama is to win, I want him to earn it this time rather than have it somewhat handed to him by a weak opponent.
And so far, Perry is looking like an un-self-aware Romney. Romney may flip a bit to win the nomination, but he at least knows who he is. Perry is for HPV vaccination so long as his friend says so, but then the religious right get on him and he flips like a pancake for no more reason, it seems, than his initial decision.
Now, he's selling the Texas miracle like H. Ross Perot sold his buffalo-tinged, I-made-my-own-fortune story, except Perot and EDS got fat mostly through gov contracts and Perry's jobs miracle seems similarly fueled:
Texas Gov. Rick Perry has leapfrogged to the top tier of Republican presidential candidates largely on the strength of one compelling fact: During more than a decade as governor, his state created more than 1 million jobs, while the nation as a whole lost 1.4 million jobs.
Perry says the “Texas miracle” rests on conservative pillars that he would bring to the White House: minimal regulation and government, low taxes and a determination to limit the reach of Uncle Sam.
What he does not say is that much of that job growth has come because of government, not in spite of it.
With a young and fast-growing population, a large and expanding military presence and an influx of federal stimulus money, the number of government jobs in Texas has grown at more than double the rate of private-sector employment during Perry’s tenure.
This guy needs to figure out if he's real or just enough of a snow job to sell in Texas. If he is real (the other numbers are undeniably un-shabby), then he needs to start acting real, meaning acknowledging truths and acknowledging that what goes on in Texas is indicative of just about nothing in this country (Anybody else getting a one-fifth increase in gov jobs? Because those can go away too.).
So yeah, make your sale on your record, but make it honestly and show me some realistic translation to the real world known as the US outside of Texas. Indiana, for example, has a serious governor with a serious record and a serious capacity for telling the truth - Mitch Daniels. I don't like everything he does, but at least our finances aren't a disaster amidst all the ongoing difficulty, and that counts plenty.
Perry is coming off, so far, too slick and too political. I am not sensing the "real deal" dynamics in his presentation to date. Some of that may be how the press is working him over, the usual rumor mills from enemies, etc., but the guy needs to get a grip before he gets himself defined down dramatically. Maybe that's inevitable and there ain't no there there (all hat,no cattle, in TX terms), but mebbe it ain't.
It just doesn't feel like it's working so far, because I smell a Perot, and I don't want any cartoon character running for POTUS.
Reader Comments (9)
I too was hoping for better from Perry. The hard scrabble farm boy from Paint Creek image is appealing. Wondering what's your opinion of fellow Badger Paul Ryan? With him, I feel like the voters are being treated like adults, and the hard truth of our predictiment is being told. While he appears to have no foreign relations experience, this election could be a referendom on the size of government we're willing to pay for.
It's all frustrating. A country of 300 million people and somehow we get candidates that seem to have jumped out of a segment of America' Funniest Home Videos. Are these folks really the best be have?
Perry popped up very suddenly. I have tried to do some research online about the man. Not much there. I have looked at past speeches he has given and he does a first rate imitation of Huey Long. Good old down home hell fire and bombast. Flash that toothy smile, hand out the Blue Ribbon for the best apple pie and then on to the next County Fair. Works in Texas.
On the other hand I have seen a couple of clips were he was in a one on one interview situation and he did not do well. I suspect he may not be able to stand the intense spot light that is going to be focused on him.
He and at least two of the other top contenders rely on set speeches and slogans. If pressed for explanations or challenged by facts that contradict their talking points they flee or simply repeat their statements. A good high school debater could nail all of them. How did we come to this?
The political players and media folks covering them seem like members of a 'reality TV' show. I hope that the final act moves to the reality of what economic/political/social transformation really means for Americans ... and produces a meaningful game plan... a 'reality.'
I think the the GOP candidate should have been Gov Daniels of Indiana. He seems to have been designed for this moment in time (except for having a wife that said no to a POTUS run).
Answer to Ted O'Connor: Look around, that is how we came to this. "The People get the Government they deserve." It's true for the Arab Spring, and it's true for us. Once upon a time, people only saw a picture of the President AFTER he was elected. Now, image is everything. Mike Dukakis, Bob Dole, need I say more??!
There has not been a "strong" Presidential candidate nominated since Ronald Reagan, by either party. Since then all those who ran, whether elected or not, came from the International Waffle House . . And you see what that gets you . . today, Obama, tomorrow, probably Perry because he (at this point anyway) waffles the least.
That too will change . . .
With Colbert's super pac how can Parry (with an A) lose?
All jokes aside I could never vote for Perry. His social views are far too religious for my taste. I've also found him to be hopelessly narrow minded. When confronted with evidence that contradict his statements he doesn't have decent answers--just seemingly blind faith that he is right.
He believes abstinence is more effective then birth control, but there is little evidence to support this claim. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ngiJhmoFKkw)
As mentioned in this post he claims small government is the key to success, but public employment has increased substantially in Texas.
I do like some things that Perry has to say. His interview with Jon Stewart was really great, and he did make some interesting points about state rights. Unfortunately, when pressed for details, his ideals seem to falter.
(http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-november-8-2010/exclusive---rick-perry-extended-interview)
Re: Obama arrogance
He is indeed arrogant. But, to do that job, don't you have to be? I work in health care and have met a lot of top-flight surgeons. Everyone one of them arrogant to the core. They have to be if they are going to have the self confidence to do what they do.
Can you think of a top level political player (or pundit) who is not arrogant?
During the time that government jobs increased by ~20%, the population of Texas also increased by ~20%. In 2000 the population of Texas was 20 million people. Today it is a little less than 25 million. That is why Texas is picking up more Congressional seats after the last census. I assume that the category government workers includes school teachers for the additional school age children.
If you want to cherry pick your starting point, you can show that more new jobs have been created in Texas than in the entire rest of the country while Perry has been Governor. I am not going to make that claim but I will say that the State of Texas has been a good business climate during Perry's term and looks pretty good in comparison to your neighbors in Illinois or, to compare it to another large western state with a significant Hispanic population, California.