Perry Spent 16 Mil on Campaign, Now Less Popular Than Ever

Watching the Superbowl in Plano, Texas meant that during the station breaks you'd get a glimmer of Metroplex news in addition to LMFAO ads for beer. One of the local Bowl-related stories was kind of a sad caveat featuring members of the Dallas Cowboys at a local restaurant, where they signed merchandise and watched the game, probably wistfully, maybe bitterly. Here's a quote from DeMarcus Ware, outside linebacker for the team, to ESPN: “Yeah, I’ll watch on Sunday...It will sort of motivate me to play a little bit harder next season, knowing how close we were.”

It's a bummer, but no one really faults the Cowboys for not going all the way. On the contrary - and to stretch this metaphor to its breaking point - Texans are not as forgiving of Rick Perry and his failed, frequently embarrassing presidential run. The Associated Press reports that “Rick Perry about as popular in Texas as Obama after failed bid for GOP presidential nom,” and the Tribune says that Perry's campaign cost all of $16 million, with most of that money going toward “TV ad buys." Which, in turn, means a whole lot of cash going toward what is pretty clearly the most “...the fuck?” ad of this campaign season.

What makes Perry's poor showing sting is how unnecessary the whole thing was. Why did Governor Perry even want to run for president? Though the claim that he is a closet secessionist (among other things) have been roundly debunked, the man almost seemed preternaturally intent on expressing how much better our State was than every other place ever, including the rest of the Union. He said, in 2009:

“You know, my hope is that America and Washington in particular pays attention. We’ve got a great union. There is absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what may come out of that? So. But Texas is a very unique place and we’re a pretty independent lot to boot.”

In spite of how that above comment is interpreted, it still feels strange that Perry would relinquish his years as a State servant for the national stage, when his comments in the past have been mostly derisive toward “Washington” in general.

What weird impulse drives people to run for president? Is it like a dare, where you're thinking “If the former governor of this State could do it, and he can't even look through binoculars correctly, then I sure as heckfire can?” Is it some type of happy delusion where you suddenly think you're a “prophet” because you're unpopular? Either way, it feels like money for nothing, though we did get a few good subtle spoofs out of the whole expensive mess.