Gary Johnson, third tier candidate extraordinaire, becomes the first of the field to attack candidate-to-be Rick Perry, saying he is a “parody of George Bush”:
The former New Mexico governor and extreme presidential long-shot puts on the record what a fair number of Republicans in Washington are saying privately:
For all the speculation about Rick Perry’s presidential potential, Gary Johnson feels certain the campaign would fall flat — if only because America isn’t ready to put another Texas governor in the White House.
“Have you ever heard Rick Perry talk? I thought when I listened to him talk, I thought he was doing a parody of George Bush. And I was looking around to see if anyone else saw the humor in that. And it wasn’t. It was just the way that he talked,” said Johnson, the former New Mexico governor who’s running his own long shot campaign.
That’s not Perry’s only problem: he’s another in a long list of “status quo,” politicians focused more on “fluff” than specifics, Johnson said in a conversation with POLITICO on Thursday, explaining why he’s running his own long shot presidential campaign against them.
Welcome to the game, Governor.
July 28th, 2011 at 8:40 pm
Wow. So a guy who is not even running – yet – gets back to back hit pieces.
July 28th, 2011 at 8:49 pm
Another reason to like Gary Johnson
July 28th, 2011 at 9:07 pm
Wouch!
…I’m lookin’ at you, Willard and your mini-me J-Hunt! Take that!
Go, Gary, go!
July 28th, 2011 at 9:20 pm
leave it to MarqueG to find a way to throw Mitt into this mix.
what a stiff
July 28th, 2011 at 9:20 pm
I’m suddenly a massive fan of Gary Johnson.
July 28th, 2011 at 9:35 pm
No vote tonight in House. Stunning.
July 28th, 2011 at 9:41 pm
This is BIGGGGG — just in, Boehner’s bill will NOT be voted on tonight!!!
Victory for Hannity, Levin & Limbaugh vs. Boehner!
And BIG victory for Palin (and America)!!!
July 28th, 2011 at 9:46 pm
Johnson has a point. I thought the same thing. Only he doesn’t have as much class as Bush. Maybe he will get better with time. But I do not think anyone outside the south is going give him much time to wow them. Perry does not make a good first impression.
July 28th, 2011 at 9:56 pm
Is this W or Perry?
Honestly the portrayal reminds me more of Rick than George.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rP_TPN-So4
July 28th, 2011 at 9:57 pm
7. I am afraid you do not know how much credibility the Tea Party is risking. If Democrats successfully pin any market problems on the Tea Party. That will be that. No one will listen to what they have to say again.
There were far smarter ways to get more done.
The Tea Party has passed nothing. And Obama and his socialists look sane and under control in comparison.
Some solid legislation had better get done soon, or the Tea Party is history.
You seem to think Americans like wild out of control government. I don’t think that is true.
July 28th, 2011 at 9:59 pm
I think it’s a little odd to have a Republican make fun of the Texas accent. That’s a fairly dumb thing to do in a REPUBLICAN Primary.
July 28th, 2011 at 10:00 pm
petuna:–
with all due respect, boy do you have it bass ackwards!!!
July 28th, 2011 at 10:03 pm
It’s not the just accent, but the mannerisms that go with it. And the syntax. Perry is Bush at his least articulate, when he is mispronouncing stuff. He needs to work on it.
And Johnson is barely a Republican.
July 28th, 2011 at 10:08 pm
NY Times: Palin’s Well-Timed Reminder to Freshmen
Stacy Drake
Did Governor Palin’s well-timed Facebook post influence this afternoon’s events on Capitol Hill? New York Times writer Michael Shear posted an article today pondering the matter. He wrote:
SARAH PALIN HAS IMPECABLE TIMING.
The former Republican vice presidential nominee took to her Facebook page Thursday afternoon to warn freshman Republicans in the House that they just might face primary opposition if they cave in to demands by their party to raise the debt ceiling.
“All my best to you, GOP Freshmen, from up here in the Last Frontier. Sincerely, Sarah Palin,” she wrote.
“P.S. EVERYONE I TALK TO STILL BELIEVES IN CONTESTED PRIMARIES.”
Just two hours later, House Speaker John A. Boehner was forced to postpone the vote on his proposal to increase the debt ceiling at the last minute, apparently facing a revolt among some of those very members.
The House delayed the vote on Mr. Boehner’s bill, moved onto the business of naming post offices, and eventually went into recess.
There is no proof that Ms. Palin’s online missive was even read by any of the wavering Republicans or played any role in helping to stir up the sheep in Mr. Boehner’s flock.
But the former Alaska governor is very good at capturing media attention when she wants it. And refusing to go along with what the establishment — especially the Republican establishment — wants is one of the ways she does it.
Beyond that, it is interesting the how things panned out today. GOP House leaders had been telling the media that their bill was as good as passed, then all of the sudden, it wasn’t.
Shortly after she republished her letter to the freshmen from last November, things in the House shifted.
Her statement was a reminder about principles and it was a timely reminder indeed.
This is what you call Sarah Palin’s nightstick in action!!!
July 28th, 2011 at 10:11 pm
Well Jack, I guess we will see. But so far the Tea Party has got nothing, and allowed the Democrats to win the PR battle.
Is there a second act? Because all kinds of money was pulled out of our markets today and put with less risky countries. I don’t see that as a victory.
This was more like the stuff Obama did to fix the country than any kind of solid governing.
First rule: Do no harm. They over played their hand. We may lose the whole country if they have shaken confidence enough that Obama wins in 2012. This could be the end. Why was this worth that kind of risk?
July 28th, 2011 at 10:12 pm
PabloZed
I thought you were trying to convince us that Perry is running, and were cheering him on all the way? (What happened in your life to make you so snarky and nasty all the time?
)
Gov. Perry, welcome to the vetting wars. May you survive to make it to the beach (actually announce)
July 28th, 2011 at 10:14 pm
Plutonia has very soft spot for RINOS but high intolerance(hate)
for the Tea Party patriots.
Good,time to see who is who!
July 28th, 2011 at 10:18 pm
Wow, I actually feel sorry for this guy. It’s a vicious world out there.
July 28th, 2011 at 10:19 pm
#3 I doubt either of them are looking back.
July 28th, 2011 at 10:31 pm
I don’t think Johnson’s attacks are fair, even if they are true. We shouldn’t vote against a guy because of his accent.
July 28th, 2011 at 10:32 pm
There are plenty of reasons not to like Perry. The way he talks is a pretty weak one.
July 28th, 2011 at 10:33 pm
#15 – I tend to agree. If you are rich or if you are single with no responsibilities what is going on may not mean much. But I have a business, mortgage, investments – all will be impacted by a jump in interest rates. The markets could very well tank tomorrow unless we get some positive news. I already sold some stock so that if it crashes I won’t be penniless.
#16 – I have not intentionally tried to convince anyone Perry is running, but instead have pointed out reasons why he would (weak field, weak frontrunner, Texas jobs).
July 28th, 2011 at 10:47 pm
“All my best to you, GOP Freshmen, from up here in the Last Frontier. Sincerely, Sarah Palin.
P.S. EVERYONE I TALK TO STILL BELIEVES IN CONTESTED PRIMARIES.”
===================
This is so Reaganesque!
Only Reagan and Sarah Palin have the nerves and spine of steel to confront not only the enemies but the members of their own party in times
of need.
July 28th, 2011 at 11:51 pm
Let me be clear. I would not hold Perry’s accent against him, I don’t think it is just his accent, I dislike his whole demeanor, but I am still open to him convincing me he is the best man for the job. Let the best man win, and I mean that. I want the best we can get. And I have limited exposure to him. So far I have found little that I like, but that could change.
I am irritated that Congress is so disfunctional. This vote matters so very very little. The debt ceiling is going to be raised. If the Tea Party will not play, Bohener will be forced to go to Democrats for help. And our side gets nothing.
But I would love to see a Balanced Budget Amendment. I just don’t know that this kind of confrontation accomplishes anything, and the markets today were stunned, and this is exactly what Obama did!!!!! The House sent a strong message that Republicans could care less what happens to businesses. They don’t care about inflation or interest rates or trade with other countries. This is something Obama would do, put a political victory ahead of what is good for business.
If this economy is going to prosper we have to understand markets and what scares the heck out of people who run businesses. And having our interests rates go through the roof is going to cost more jobs that the Stimulus!!!
We need to be calmer and more make steady progress. Showing this kind of unsteadiness, and readiness to throw the baby out with the bath water, will not instill confidence in businesses.
We have to do better than this. We have a raving lunatic in the Whitehouse, we don’t need anti-business politicians in a raving lunatic Republican Congress as well. There are enough mixed messages to keep Wall Street up at night for years!
This circus was bad for business and I see no reason for anyone to trust Republicans to provide a strong and steady hand on our government spending! What would make anyone hire someone because they were confident that the Republican Party is united and pro-business? Showing no regard for higher interest rates? No attempt to stop the inglation that will certainly follow higher interest rates?
This is anti-business. Just like Obama only from the other side.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:15 am
The debt ceiling is going to be raised. If the Tea Party will not play, Bohener will be forced to go to Democrats for help. And our side gets nothing.
Exactly. Reason #1,765,283 why the Tea Party is too green to play politics with the big boys. First, they destroyed our chances of taking the Senate in 2010. Now, they are squandering the one best line of attack we have against Obama: the economy.
If the economy collapses further, Obama will point to the GOP-led House and say, “They did nothing. All I wanted was a balanced approach. A compromise. And all they wanted was to lift up their unrealistic extremist principles. And the horrible economy that resulted is their fault.”
The American people will buy it hook, line, and sinker, and Obama will be re-elected overwhelmingly in 2012.
People like Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann are just making the situation worse. “I won’t vote to raise the debt ceiling!!” Oh, really? Somebody needs to ask Bachmann what happens when we can’t pay our bills. See if she, or the Arctic Fox (or whatever wildlife moniker is being applied these days to the celebrity gubernatorial quitter from Alaska) have any flippin’ clue what will happen. See if they have one iota of understanding of how debt works in this country. SEe if they can explain the situation. Because I’ve got a thousand dollars on the table says they can’t even come close.
Any politician who simply refuses to raise the debt ceiling should be voted out of office, because they do not live in reality. And what the heck is so bad about the Boehner plan, anyways???
$1.2 trillion in spending cuts in return for $1 trillion ceiling raise, plus a required vote on a balanced budget amendment.
C’mon, people! What, you’re holding out for a guarantee that a balanced budget amendment will pass the House and Senate? Seriously? A simple democratic vote isn’t good enough for you? What country do you live in? This is a democracy.
$1.2 trillion in spending cuts is a phenomenal first step. The ceiling needs to be raised. It’s going to be raised. The question is, will Republicans get off the stupid pills before they usher in Obama’s second term.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:33 am
25
Comment of the month
July 29th, 2011 at 12:34 am
George Stephanopoulos:
“If Republicans held on just one more day Bill Clinton was ready to cave.”
Why are RINOS always for “compromise”-surrender?
Because they are squishy,spineless RINOS!
That’s why!
July 29th, 2011 at 1:34 am
#10 Petunia..
I agree with you…this could be their end…..
July 29th, 2011 at 1:53 am
Petunia and Matt C…
Your comments are right on the money….I hope people read them…and think about the consequences of what could happen if the Republicans don’t start working with with each other..
July 29th, 2011 at 4:41 am
I hate the Tea Party and Sarah Palin!
July 29th, 2011 at 4:54 am
I had a restless night over this. Just to give you guys an idea what investors and Wall Street are thinking right now, the question is what position (investment holdings) do you want to go into this weekend with. There is so much more uncertainty now after last night’s bombshell failure to launch the safe move is to take a larger position in cash or more liquid short-term investments (because stocks may crash). That is how we get a panic – people rush to get to higher ground.
Maybe they have a plan that we can’t see (which Ron Paul has suggested exists), but if this wasn’t part of a plan it will have been the greatest political and economic blunder perhaps in our lifetimes.
July 29th, 2011 at 6:27 am
Part of the reason the debt and financial crisis even exists is because of our nation handing over power that used to belong to the states, over to the Feds. The taxes grew like crazy and the centralized power of Washington DC has also grown like crazy. Along with it’s appetite for special programs and entitlements. It’s severely out of balance and we all suffer for it. When Arizona tried to resolve it’s own significant problem with immigration, Obama threatened to sue them. “How dare you make a decision without me!”
State rights are your friend far more than your enemy. It is only because of state rights that traditional marriage is upheld anywhere at all. It is the only logistical and effective way to fight the issue of abortion.
Whether it is unwitting or not, what Perry is pushing is a road back to even being able to overturn abortion anywhere. Please wake up and look around. Social conservatism is a minority position. National politics and law is largely controlled by the more populated areas of our nation – which are liberal. I almost wonder if Perry isn’t winking while he is marketing state rights in a way that appeals to liberals?
Liberals have nothing to gain by state rights in this day and age, they control public opinion in the most populated areas which in turn controls the majority vote when it comes to social issues on a national level.
We have everything to gain by making abortion a state decision and right once again, along with education and many other issues.
The mess with the finances is more a result of our nation becoming so top heavy with control and power and it requires a hard cure to reel it back.
July 29th, 2011 at 6:31 am
Sorry, I posted my comment on the wrong thread…this belongs to the states rights post before this post…oh well…
July 29th, 2011 at 6:49 am
As far as debt default is concerned, don’t Bachmann and Perry have some math skills? The Government takes in about $ 173 Billion in August. Debt service, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Defense contracts and a few other minor accounts …take $ 173 Billion. That’s it ! Zippo ! No more money. So……who is still to pay ??
How about the soldiers and sailors and airman fighting 3 wars ?? Perry and Bachmann gonna tell them why there’s no dough ?
How about all the federal funded construction? No pay to these folks either.
How about all Government employees ? No pay in August …so they all go home too. ( Good idea for Congress Michelle is seldom there anyway, now )
Now . everyone will say…” That’s the problem. Too few dollars chasing too many accounts. So……look at the above list, in an election year, and start cutting !!!
CraigS
July 29th, 2011 at 6:55 am
25 – You’re exactly right. I am so pissed off at Congress right now (particularly the Republicans, to be honest). If we default, the Republicans are going to get the bulk of the blame. Especially when we have two of our Presidential candidates loudly saying there should be no debt limit increase and that default would actually be a “good” thing for the country. That is insanity. How on earth can Republicans use the economy against Obama if their refusal to be sensible makes the economy worse in a very visible and notable way? If there is no debt ceiling increase, I predict Obama wins the White House. This idea that default is not that big of a deal is crazy talk and is reason #1 why the crazy aspect of the Tea Party movement is destroying our country.
July 29th, 2011 at 8:22 am
Well said.
We are going to look back in 25 years and think wtf was the crazy tea party all about.
July 29th, 2011 at 8:32 am
What a shock!
RINOS hate Sarah Palin and Tea Party,the very same people who brought
republicans to power in Congress.
Why don’t you hold hands with libtards and start singing Kumbaya?
July 29th, 2011 at 9:05 am
I agree with Palin we should have contested primaries, let’s beggin with all the Tea Party wackos in the House.
July 29th, 2011 at 8:32 pm
Lol
.
July 29th, 2011 at 8:33 pm
#35 Jaxemer11,
I agree. The Tea Party is filled with a bunch of idealogues that have no idea what the long-term implications of what they are doing will be. My political philosophy fiscally is as conservative as anyone in the Tea Party but I don’t think they are being at all realistic right now. The Tea Party Caucus is willing to burn down Washington in the pursuit of an unrealistic goal.
This is the same mindset they exemplified in the 2010 midterms where they refused to accept electable Republicans in Senate races in Delaware, Nevada, and Alaska and insisted on purity. They prevailed in the primaries but predictably the consequences were that the party lost all three seats in the general election and lost the chance of controlling the Senate.
I haven’t forgiven them for that fiasco and this is shaping up to be another disaster for the party. Wars are won one battle at at time, not all at once. The Tea Party seems not to understand that.