There is this thing about writing. When you publish something under your name, you own it, for better or for worse. I have experienced the “for worse” side of it. It’s no fun, as Rick Perry is finding out. He wrote a book, presumably with assistance, called Fed Up. In
The story ran in Politico on Monday: America’s trial lawyers are getting ready to make the case against one of their biggest targets in years: Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Among litigators, there is no presidential candidate who inspires the same level of hatred — and fear — as Perry,
Perry has taken a lot of hits this week, perhaps the hardest of which came from GOP rival John Huntsman. Most of them won’t matter. Why? Because the criticism of Perry occurred in the context of a Republican primary race, which Perry is well situated to win. He passed Romney
For a successful politician, and Perry has known nothing but success in his career, Perry lacks, for want of a better term, a normalcy compass–the instinct to understand where the majority of Americans stand on the conventional wisdom of the day. He has spent his entire career on the far
I was on a radio interview tonight (Sunday) with Tom Bevan, the founder of the RealClearPolitics web site. The topic was Perry, of course. Tom believes, as I do, that Perry’s gaffes are not necessarily gaffes at this stage of the game, that what he loses with the media, the
I misinterpreted an e-mail that I received from Allbaugh, which I discuss below. Allbaugh was forwarding an article from Huffington Post by Howard Fineman. The headline of the article was highlighted in the e-mail: “Karl Rove created Rick Perry–Now can he stop him?” The rest of my original post
Forget about Perry’s outburst about “treason.” The significance of his attack on Bernanke is the revelation that he has been paying attention to monetary policy. Perry’s critics who are counting on him to be ignorant of federal issues and show his ignorance in the upcoming debates may be in for
The good people who sign my paychecks have asked me to do radio and television commentary regarding Governor Perry, when news organizations make requests. I have been doing a lot of this recently, including NBC Nightly News and The News Hour. They mainly want to know who Rick Perry is.
Readers are no doubt aware that Perry was asked by a child in New Hampshire “how old the earth was.” Before Perry could respond, the boy’s mother urged him to ask about evolution. Perry responded, “Your mom is asking about evolution. You know, that’s a theory that’s out there;
Suggesting that the head of the Federal Reserve’s policies border on treason one day. Questioning global warming the next. Rick Perry is not on his game. The campaign appears to be shoot-from-the-hip. (I’m told that he recanted his stance on HPV without telling anyone what he planned to do.) Why
Wayne Slater has an interesting story [this was earlier in the week] — which I am unable to link to, but it is in the Quorum Report — about Karl Rove’s displeasure with Rick Perry’s lack of gratitude toward then-Governor Bush during the 1998 primary races for governor and lieutenant
A phenomenal showing by Perry, who has done nothing more than announce his candidacy and press the flesh in three venues. The impending battle for Tea Party support between Perry and Bachmann may already be over. Romney has been running for four years and is hardly any better off than
He had already reversed himself on his statement that it was fine with him if New York chose to allow gay marriage; it was a matter of states’ rights. Now he is reversing himself on his HPV edict of 2007. A couple of things to remember about that episode: One
Texas A&M’s move to the Southeast Conference is not just about football. It is also about politics. It is a way for Perry to validate himself as a southerner. In one bold move–and don’t think for a moment that Perry didn’t orchestrate this–Perry has used A&M to leverage himself into
We interrupt your regular blogger to bring you a special message from the editor: So it’s official. As of today, at 1:30 pm EST, Governor Perry is finally a formal candidate for president (though we’ve been convinced he had eyes on the job as far back as
I drove to San Antonio this morning to hear Perry’s speech. It occupied the 8:30 – 9:45 time slot. I was making good time on I-35 until an ominous message appeared on one of those black information signs. “Major accident at I-410 West. Use caution.” Soon everything slowed to a
Just about everybody thinks it is going to be Saturday, but I wouldn’t count on it. The Perry team has been playing the game very shrewdly, stretching out the time until he commits. I suspect that when he goes to South Carolina and New Hampshire on Saturday, he will continue
The gist of the piece is that Perry ignored what presidential candidates are supposed to do — participate in the Iowa straw poll, for example — and stiffed Iowa (not to mention his home state press) by planning to announce his candidacy in South Carolina on the
When early estimates of the crowd, several days before the event, were in the 10,000 to 20,000 range, it looked as if the Response might be regarded as a failure for Perry. The estimated attendance of 30,000 is a good number — almost half of Reliant’s capacity. Perry got what
I am not going to comment on it. Rick Perry is a different person today than he was at A&M. I’m a different person than I was at Rice. And neither of our transcripts was anything to write home about. End of discussion.
Evan Smith arranged a dinner Thursday night at Curra’s for media folk. Mark Halperin was in town and the subject was Rick Perry. Others present were Emily Ramshaw, Jay Root, Ross Ramsey, Patti Hart, Evan, and myself. No one thought Romney could win the Republican nomination. He is vulnerable on
I hope Governor Perry’s experimental adult stem cell treatment is successful. I admire his courage in opting for the treatment. And I congratulate Emily Ramshaw and the Tribune for getting this story. But I do have a couple of questions. Ramshaw’s story yesterday included this statement by the
From the Statesman, August 1: A spokesman for Gov. Rick Perry would not directly say Monday whether Perry supported the debt-ceiling deal reached between President Barack Obama and congressional leaders. Asked whether lawmakers should approve the deal, Perry spokesman Mark Miner said: “The governor thinks the right track to
You didn’t ask, but here’s some free advice for you and the rest of the national press corps as you prepare to write about Rick Perry.
One of the skills that has kept Rick Perry in power is that he has a knack for knowing where his constituency stands on most issues. But his instincts failed him when he comingled states-rights with gay marriage. I'm referring, of course, to Perry's statement to the Family Research Council,
[This post has been revised since it was first published yesterday to reflect that the water bonds will not have to be paid for with general revenue. Since then, a reader has posted the fiscal note. It says that the bonds include both self-supporting and not self-supporting debt, and that
The July ARG poll is based on 600 telephone interviews conducted July 18-24. MOE +/-4. JULY POLL Perry 16% Bachmann 15% Romney 15% Palin 13% Cain 11% Giuliani 7% Paul 4% Gingrich 3% Pawlenty 1% Huntsman 1% Santorum 1% Undecided 12% MAY POLL Romney 26% Huckabee 14% Gingrich 11% Palin 9%
When the Texas Freedom Network puts out an approving statement about an action taken by the State Board of Education, you know something strange is going on. Here was the TFN statement: “Today we saw Texas kids and sound science finally win a vote on the State Board of Education.
Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report weighs in on Perry’s presidential “calling.” The Colbert Report Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c God calls Rick Perry to Run
The fundraiser is scheduled for August 9 at the Austin Club. Checks are to be made payable to Texans for Rick Perry. This is a state PAC, not a federal PAC. None of the contributions may be used in a federal race, even if Perry later establishes an exploratory committee
I would have said no, until Newsweek unleashed its megacoverage of Sarah Palin. She hints broadly that she is looking at running and that she can win. Palin eclipses Perry in every way — name ID, loyal following, fundraising ability, celebrity status. The Palin buzz created by Newsweek stepped all
No surprise here. A WMUR/Granite State poll, conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, shows the former Massachusetts governor far in front, Bachmann running second, and everyone else in single digits. The date of the poll was not reported. The poll results (773 likely Republican primary voters, MOE
Fortune magazine published an online article yesterday (which will appear in the magazine's July 25 issue) stating that the bailout is going to be a winner--a big winner--for taxpayers and the federal government. An abridged version appears in last Friday's Washington Post in partnership with Bloomberg News. The bailout is
The choice came down to Barbara Cargill and David Bradley. Perry should have picked Bob Craig, of Lubbock, a respected member and a moderate. Cargill will get to occupy the chairman’s seat until the Senate refuses to confirm her in 2013, as it has chosen to refuse to confirm the
Larry Swearingen has ten scientists and doctors who say he isn't a killer. He also has a new execution date.
After Governor Perry blamed Senator Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, for the failure of the sanctuary cities bill, the Senate Republican caucus issued a statement of solidarity dated June 28 (yesterday). The text of the statement follows: On Saturday, June 25, the Senate Republican Caucus convened to discuss the issue of possibly
I have been involved in nineteen of the twenty previous articles, and I cannot recall a more difficult year when it came to selecting the members on both lists.
The first debate of the political season will occur on Monday night. It is the New Hampshire Republican debate on CNN. Seven candidates have accepted invitations; in alphabetical order they are Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, the late Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty, Mitt Romney, and Rick Santorum. Bachmann and
[Editors note: an earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that the Texas Association of School Administrators and the Texas Association of School Boards were among the groups that met with Senator Royce West last weekend to discuss the school finance plan. Neither TASA nor TASB were present at a
As the 82nd Legislature hurtled this weekend toward a crash landing, freshman Republican Representative Lanham Lyne of Wichita Falls stepped up to the front microphone of the Texas House to deliver his first major legislative speech. Lyne was arguing on behalf of the budget, which cuts billions, yet he seemed
I heard about the threat from a Democratic senator. The veto would be retribution for the Wendy Davis’s filibuster that killed the school finance bill and forced a special session, which Perry did not want. If the Legislature fails to pass a redistricting bill during the regular session, the task
Oh, ye liberals, Democrats and college professors, weep. There is no doubt now that the man you love to hate – Governor Rick Perry – will be the biggest winner of the 82nd Legislature. Perry has gotten his way on almost every item on is legislative agenda and squeezed the
Once upon a time, not so long ago, in a faraway land called Pennsylvania, a woman named Sarah Palin brought 200 protest cookies to school for children at the Plumstead Christian School - because she had read a report – mistaken as it turns out – that the state was
Betting on the come, in gambling terms, means: You don’t have what you need but you’re betting that you will have it when you need it. Betting on the come is exactly what House and Senate Republicans are doing with Governor Rick Perry as they press for a final budget
The worst deficit facing Texas right now is not the one in our budget: it’s the leadership deficit.
From Bloomberg: Texas’s reserve fund may climb to 28 percent more than officially forecast by 2013 as energy prices rally, a gain that might help the second-most populous state avoid some spending cuts, a key senator said. The fund, fed by energy taxes and forecast by the state comptroller
Our April “Home Plates” package included “Last Meals” from Jim Lehrer (“no dessert or coffee” – with good reason), Willie Nelson, Jason Moran (who takes up for mac-and-cheese as a vegetable), Charles Butt, Karen Hughes and Governor Rick Perry (bing-cherry congealed salad with cream cheese and pecan topping –
Rick Perry's quiet war on higher ed.
From Tom Jensen on the Public Policy Polling Web site: Much has been written about the weakness of the 2012 Republican Presidential candidate field but what I think might be most remarkable about the leading quartet of Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, and Newt Gingrich is that
You have to feel sorry for the Legislative Budget Board. The LBB came out with a required report titled "Dynamic Economic Impact Statement" on the effect of the House budget, and you have never heard such squealing in the pink building. Among those seeking to apply the Maybelline were David
