Will Rick Perry Run? Only He and His Hairdresser Know... [Politics]

Rumors continue to fly about a Rick Perry 2012 presidential run. Of course, Governor Perry and his hair have been denying any interest in running for higher executive office since 2007. But recent events have kindled interest to a more fevered pitch than ever before.

As a matter of fact, just for kicks and giggles, google "Rick Perry" for President 2012. Go ahead. We'll wait.

Several well-known and not-so-well-known conservative figures have begun calling for a Rick Perry draft. Rush Limbaugh waxed rhapsodic on his radio show about Perry, saying "he has the potential to light this thing up." And Thursday, former Democrat-turned-Republican state Rep. Aaron Pena, R-Edinburg, led the Hispanic Republican Conference in endorsing the governor.

What's gotten conservatives so revved up about Perry? Is it that glorious mane, or his penchant for packing heat while jogging? Perhaps it's his hard-line anti-coyote stance. More likely, according to longtime political observers such as strategist Mark McKinnon, it's the failure of a truly exciting candidate to emerge from the current pack of Republican contenders. McKinnon has predicted a "Texas-size tornado draft" to get Perry into the race. Other observers cite Perry's appeal to Tea Partiers and his proven ability to raise money. And a recent luncheon address, delivered Tuesday to a gathering of top Republican officials in Dallas, illustrated further that—as the late Molly Ivins might have said—he appears to be the only feasible candidate with any "Elvis" in him. From the Washington Times:

He’s not on the ballot for 2012, but Texas Gov. Rick Perry strongly impressed a gathering of top Republican officials here Tuesday, with many high-ranking GOP officials saying the governor would be their top choice if he entered the presidential race.

“I would love to see a movement to draft Rick for the nomination if that’s the only way we can get him to run,” said Republican National Committee general counsel Bill Crocker after Mr. Perry delivered a luncheon address that had several hundred party officials attentive throughout.

Conflicting reports abound. Perhaps the most provocative of the recent rumors comes from Real Clear Politics, which claims that operatives are very quietly taking the political temperature in Iowa. That rumor has been contradicted by others claiming the opposite--that no groundwork has been laid as yet. In the meantime, Governor Perry's stance appears to have shifted somewhat--he's gone from categorically denying any interest whatsoever to admitting that the prospect of a run is tempting. The most recent word? He'll... think about it.

Oh, Rick, you coy minx. A conservative nation turns its lonely eyes to you: just 'fess up. Will you or won't you run for president against Barack Obama in 2012? Mark McKinnon says this is your moment.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@austinist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Barbara Strickland in News on May 30, 2011 10:07 AM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

TitoP

Perry is a misogynist and racist who forced the legislature to focus on the issues of going-up-the-business-of pregnant women (GOVT get out of my vagina!) and keeping immigrants running scared rather than encourage his conservative cronies to get with the program and fund education sensibly. The only reason TX has stayed slightly above the fray economically is due to oil/energy money and inflated development. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with Perry policies, aside from his acceptance of slicked-up donations from said thriving industries.

Chris Hummel

Well so far he would absolutely be the best option out of the confirmed candidates.

Amir

nice info ...

Texasoil

How lame. Is that the best you can do? attack his hair? That is so so lame. Who are you some girl that couldn't get a date and decided to attack some one else on their looks because you are not happy about yours? It is so Donald Trump. It is so old if you didn't understand that last statement.
But there is a bright side here. Since you can not attack perry on his policies or how good of a job he is doing you resort to the low road of going after his looks.
Do us all a favor and go back to school and actually learn some thing.
To be young and liberal is noble. To be old and liberal is ignorance.
Why dont you go find out who said that and you just might learn some thing.

Tim Thomas

It's hard to look up Churchill quotes when you mis-quote them. That said, you miss the point entirely of the quote. Churchill was not talking about Democrats and Republicans. He as talking about small 'l' liberals and small 'c' conservatives. Basically just your capacity for change. Right now the Republican party is extremely fiscally liberal. They're attempting to remake the entire funding structure of the federal government and reduce or privatize social services. That's a massive amount of change and is not in any way small 'c' conservative. Small 'c' conservative would be to raise taxes to ensure that all social services can be provided in exactly the same way they have been for the last 50 years.

Kathryn King

should be an easy job for him. thinks the fed shouldn't do anything with/for the states and has no foreign relations experience so he can shove that off on someone too. all he will have to do is smile and wave....and screw up the country. If rush is for it...you know it's bad for any sane human being.... (do i hear the strains of O Canada in my future?)

loop289

Agreed, Rush is a moron. All that Governor Good Hair is good for in the presidential primaries is to shake things up, and say the things the more serious candidates don't want to talk about. It will force them to pick more definitive sides on key issues. Other than that, he won't excite enough people to pick him.

I promise you that I'm no fan of Good Hair, but he hasn't screwed anything up, and it's no secret that Texas has a pretty good economy compared to other states such as California, Ohio, Michigan, etc. That's not by accident either. I also don't belong to either party, but take a look at who's controlled our great Republic for the last number of years.

That said, President Obama has no clue as to what foreign relations are either - even if it's written on his teleprompter. Funny that "smiling and waving" was mentioned, because that's all he does..... Unfortunately for our country, he's in way over his head, and we're suffering more now than we were during Jimmy Carter's years. Once the long gas lines start again, and inflation skyrockets (which isn't that far away) history will be repeating itself yet again.

(to credit Carter, at least he didn't piss all over our state by refusing federal funding for wildfire disasters, and then fly in to ask for millions of dollars from his minions here in Austin. The kicker was when Obama, checks in hand, wiped his butt all over our great city by sticking us with the $2 million price tag for his visit.)

It's going to take another revolution, and the sad thing is both the Dems and the Repubs both SUCK. One is most certainly not better than the other.

mrtexasfreedom

After 9/11, Rick Perry let a terrorist burn the Governor's Mansion to the ground. Due to his lack of attention to proper security practices, no one was ever charged with this act of terrorism, either. Meanwhile, he lives in a rental mansion in West Austin that is paid for by taxpayers.

Tim Thomas

Hasn't screwed anything up? The 300,000 state employees about to be jobless disagree with you. The kids and handicapped about to lose their health insurance disagree with you. Our educational system is bottom of the barrel. We're at the top of the list for teen pregnancies. College tuition has skyrocketed since Perry deregulated it.

If any other state had the kind of population boom Texas had had they would be leading the nation rather than trailing it. Michigan had the kind of boom Texas is experiencing at the beginning of the last century and they used it to successfully educate a massive immigrant population. Texas has used that boom to only do the minimum possible. If the boom stops, the crash of the Texas economy is going to make leaders wish they were in Michigan.