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Rick Perry up against his own track record as he runs for president again Rick Perry up against his own track record as he runs for president again
(about 7 hours later)
Rick Perry joined a crowded field of Republican hopefuls by launching his second bid for the White House with a new campaign website on Thursday – but he faces a daunting task. Rick Perry, the former Texas governor whose presidential bid in 2012 was defined by forgetting the name of a federal agency he wanted to eliminate, on Thursday launched a second campaign for the White House.
“I am running for president because I know our country’s best days are ahead of us,” he said on his new website. Speaking from an airplane hangar outside of Dallas, Perry positioned himself as a humbled man whose experience would best that of his likely primary opponents – namely anyone who goes by the title “Senator”.
“If we’re going to revive this American dream again, we need a president who provides leadership that transcends the petty partisanship of the last few years – someone that’s been tested,” the former Texas governor said in a campaign video on the site. “We need a president that tells the American people the truth.” “Leadership is not a speech on the Senate floor. It’s not what you say. It’s what you have done,” Perry said, a thinly veiled jab he has used in recent months to question whether a trio of first-term senators also running for the GOP nomination are ready to serve in the nation’s highest office.
He added: “We don’t have to accept the weakness abroad that we’re seeing today. We don’t have to accept the slow recovery that we see at home. You see, a lot of candidates will say the right things - whether it’s about the border, whether it’s about taxes, whether it’s about spending – but we need a president who has done the right thing.” Perry began using the line not long after Florida senator Marco Rubio, Texas senator Ted Cruz and Kentucky senator Rand Paul declared their candidacies for president as a contrast to his past experience at the helm of the second largest state in America.
“We have seen what happens when we elect a president based on media acclaim rather than a record of accomplishment,” Perry said. “This will be a ‘show me, don’t tell me’ election.”
Perry was elected governor of Texas in 2000, after George W Bush left the post to take over the presidency. He was re-elected three times before retiring from the job last year and fueling speculation over another attempt at the White House.
Perry’s last bid for the GOP nomination was marred by one of the most memorable gaffes of the 2012 cycle, even as the moment came at a time when his campaign was all but over. Perry had begun listing three federal agencies he would eliminate if elected president during a primary debate, only to forget the third and declare “oops” before a packed crowd and on national television.
On Thursday, Perry emphasized his executive experience and record creating jobs in Texas. He also pointed to his humble beginnings growing up on a farm in Paint Creek, Texas – a home he said was “too small to even call it a town” – to empathize with the plight many Americans are facing today.
“Mom bathed us on the back porch in a No 2 washtub. She also hand-sewed my clothes until I went off to college,” Perry said.
It was from this modest upbringing that the former Texas governor said he came to understand the “unshakeable family bond” and importance of giving back to the community.
Perry said his hard work and perseverance eventually propelled him to the governor’s mansion in Texas, where he loosened regulations and lowered taxes.
His tenure as governor would serve as the blueprint for a Perry administration, he said, while hurling criticisms at Barack Obama for slow economic growth and overregulation. Perry said he would repeal several Obama-era regulations, including environmental protections and the Wall Street reform law Dodd-Frank.
He also made several “day one” promises, such as securing the border to curb illegal immigration, rescinding a nuclear agreement with Iran and authorizing the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline – the long-in-development crude oil project that has been maligned by environmental activists.
“We are a resilient country,” Perry said. “We’ve been through a civil war, two world wars, the Great Depression – we even made it through Jimmy Carter. We will make it through the Obama years.”
After his 2012 campaign was sunk by a moment’s forgetfulness in a live debate, the former Texas governor’s fresh attempt to win the Republican nomination would arguably benefit from a mass memory lapse by prospective voters.After his 2012 campaign was sunk by a moment’s forgetfulness in a live debate, the former Texas governor’s fresh attempt to win the Republican nomination would arguably benefit from a mass memory lapse by prospective voters.
His ambitions this time around – which he is set to outline at a campaign launch rally in Texas – are complicated by felony charges that are likely to linger in the background as an unwelcome distraction throughout the summer.His ambitions this time around – which he is set to outline at a campaign launch rally in Texas – are complicated by felony charges that are likely to linger in the background as an unwelcome distraction throughout the summer.
A grand jury indicted Perry in August 2014 on allegations that he abused his official powers when he threatened to veto funding for an anti-corruption unit unless Austin’s district attorney, Rosemary Lehmberg, resigned after a drink-driving conviction. She refused and Perry duly withheld the money.A grand jury indicted Perry in August 2014 on allegations that he abused his official powers when he threatened to veto funding for an anti-corruption unit unless Austin’s district attorney, Rosemary Lehmberg, resigned after a drink-driving conviction. She refused and Perry duly withheld the money.
The 65-year-old has called the charges politically motivated and has strongly maintained he did nothing wrong – but his high-powered legal team has so far failed to have them dismissed.The 65-year-old has called the charges politically motivated and has strongly maintained he did nothing wrong – but his high-powered legal team has so far failed to have them dismissed.
“It’s a major problem for him directly and indirectly,” said James Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas. “It creates the opportunity for his opponents to offer faux support, even as they remind voters he’s under indictments … I think it’s unlikely that he can ride it out unless something happens and it’s summarily dealt with in his favour.”“It’s a major problem for him directly and indirectly,” said James Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas. “It creates the opportunity for his opponents to offer faux support, even as they remind voters he’s under indictments … I think it’s unlikely that he can ride it out unless something happens and it’s summarily dealt with in his favour.”
Perry’s official announcement at Addison airport near Dallas will underline his military credentials. He is an air force veteran and is backed by popular figures including Taya Kyle, the widow of Chris Kyle, subject of the film and book American Sniper; and by Marcus Luttrell, a retired Navy Seal whose book, Lone Survivor, also became a movie. Perry’s official announcement at Addison airport near Dallas underlined his military credentials. He is an air force veteran and is backed by popular figures including Taya Kyle, the widow of Chris Kyle, subject of the film and book American Sniper; and by Marcus Luttrell, a retired Navy Seal whose book, Lone Survivor, also became a movie.
That will chime with a probable cornerstone of his campaign: border security. Perry spent much of last year lambasting the Obama administration’s immigration policies and trumpeting his largely symbolic decision to send national guard troops to the Mexican border. His tough stance may play well with conservative Republicans who four years ago were concerned that Perry was soft on immigration because of his support for in-state tuition rates for undocumented students.That will chime with a probable cornerstone of his campaign: border security. Perry spent much of last year lambasting the Obama administration’s immigration policies and trumpeting his largely symbolic decision to send national guard troops to the Mexican border. His tough stance may play well with conservative Republicans who four years ago were concerned that Perry was soft on immigration because of his support for in-state tuition rates for undocumented students.
During his “oops” moment in a Republican presidential debate in November 2011, Perry said he would eliminate three federal agencies but could not remember the name of one of them. The blunder in effect killed off his already faltering campaign.During his “oops” moment in a Republican presidential debate in November 2011, Perry said he would eliminate three federal agencies but could not remember the name of one of them. The blunder in effect killed off his already faltering campaign.
As he has mulled over making another bid for the White House, Perry has tried to make himself a more credible national figure, surrounding himself with experienced advisers and making frequent visits to key states such as Iowa and New Hampshire. He has said that he underperformed in the 2012 race because of health problems stemming from back surgery.As he has mulled over making another bid for the White House, Perry has tried to make himself a more credible national figure, surrounding himself with experienced advisers and making frequent visits to key states such as Iowa and New Hampshire. He has said that he underperformed in the 2012 race because of health problems stemming from back surgery.
But Perry is not even the most popular candidate from the state where he was governor for a state-record 14 years. A University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll in February found Ted Cruz leading the way there with 20% of votes. Perry was in fifth with 8%.But Perry is not even the most popular candidate from the state where he was governor for a state-record 14 years. A University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll in February found Ted Cruz leading the way there with 20% of votes. Perry was in fifth with 8%.
Cruz’s presence will mean Perry is battling him in Texas for wealthy donors as well as conservative voters. An average of recent polls by Real Clear Politics has Perry tenth in the race for the nomination with 2.3%, making him a borderline candidate for inclusion in the first televised GOP debate on Fox News in August.Cruz’s presence will mean Perry is battling him in Texas for wealthy donors as well as conservative voters. An average of recent polls by Real Clear Politics has Perry tenth in the race for the nomination with 2.3%, making him a borderline candidate for inclusion in the first televised GOP debate on Fox News in August.
“We’ve seen what classic American values and core conservative principles can do in Texas: set the bar for job creation, economic growth, and border security,” Perry wrote in an email to supporters on Wednesday. In his previous campaign Perry claimed credit for the “Texas miracle” of job creation and economic prosperity while much of the rest of the country struggled. That, along with his political experience as a longtime governor of the second-most populous state, is likely to be a key theme again. “We’ve seen what classic American values and core conservative principles can do in Texas: set the bar for job creation, economic growth and border security,” Perry wrote in an email to supporters on Wednesday. In his previous campaign Perry claimed credit for the “Texas miracle” of job creation and economic prosperity while much of the rest of the country struggled. That, along with his political experience as a longtime governor of the second-most populous state, is likely to be a key theme again.
However the oil price downturn clouds the economic outlook for Texas, which led the nation in job losses in March, underlining that the state’s success is heavily dependent on high oil prices and the fracking boom.However the oil price downturn clouds the economic outlook for Texas, which led the nation in job losses in March, underlining that the state’s success is heavily dependent on high oil prices and the fracking boom.
Nor did many of Texas’s most vulnerable people benefit under Perry’s governorship. Near the end of his tenure Texas had the highest rate of medically uninsured residents in the US and one of the highest poverty rates in the country. While Perry touted Texas’s business-friendly model of low tax and limited regulation, the state’s child poverty rate increased dramatically, reaching 27% in 2011.Nor did many of Texas’s most vulnerable people benefit under Perry’s governorship. Near the end of his tenure Texas had the highest rate of medically uninsured residents in the US and one of the highest poverty rates in the country. While Perry touted Texas’s business-friendly model of low tax and limited regulation, the state’s child poverty rate increased dramatically, reaching 27% in 2011.