Rick Perry’s wife gives the green light
posted at 8:45 am on July 21, 2011 by Tina Korbe
Texas Gov. Rick Perry has said his decision as to whether he’ll run for president hinges primarily on his ability to raise enough money to mount a successful campaign — but, just in case his supporters fear a Mitch Daniels moment, it’s good to know Perry’s wife is already on board.
Following a brief meeting on state finances Tuesday, Perry talked expansively for the first time on what his wife, Anita, has been telling him about a White House run.
“My wife was talking to me and saying: ‘Listen… get out of your comfort zone. Yeah, being governor of Texas is a great job, but sometimes you’re called to step into the fray,’” the governor said.
As an experienced political wife, Anita Perry has been stepping into the fray with her husband since he ran for the Texas House in 1984.
But Anita isn’t merely supportive; she’s also likely to be an asset should Perry decide to run. She wants her husband to join the race not out of vanity, but out of a genuine concern for the direction of the country. As a nurse, for example, she has expressed worry about Obamacare’s probable effects on the nation’s health care system. That conviction should carry her better than sheer ambition ever could as she weathers weeks on the campaign trail herself. And after years as the First Lady of Texas, she has already overcome her original shyness to canvas for votes for her husband. She’s used to a grueling schedule, as one profile of her makes clear:
Even seated, she is still on the run. Her weeks are a collection of calls, meetings, travel and speeches. Her agenda is preserving county courthouses, sponsoring the Texas Conference for Women, promoting tourism, pushing childhood immunizations and raising money to restore the Governor’s Mansion, gutted by arson two years ago.
This is the Anita Perry described by her friends: unadorned, straightforward and as steady as her blue-eyed gaze.
Perhaps most importantly, she’s also accustomed to the praise and criticism of her husband that come with the territory of an elected executive position — and makes it her priority to keep him grounded.
If Rick Perry has a checklist, he should be nearing the end of it — and, so far, it seems, every item has been checked in the “yes” column. A call? Check. Wife’s support? Check. Fundraising potential? Check. Positive polling? Check. He still faces those pesky comparisons to former President George W. Bush — but, as those “Miss me yet?” shirts hint, that’s not necessarily a negative.
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I’ve listened to the Palin hype since 2008. She has no magical powers.
Sarah Palin:”I can win”.
Ya. And I can climb Mount Everest wearing nothing but a Speedo and a pair Birkenstocks.
NickDeringer on July 21, 2011 at 9:53 AM
Unitl Palin runs, it’s pure Hollywood.
BTW: Bristol is signed up for another reality show.
NickDeringer on July 21, 2011 at 9:55 AM
That doesn’t answer my question.
darwin on July 21, 2011 at 9:55 AM
Delusional…..
idesign on July 21, 2011 at 9:56 AM
Agreeing with “a capella” there.
And Thompson’s campaign was disappointing, to say the least. His wife made a far more important impact on the public than he did as a candidate, for starters. Thompson was just too sleepy, his campaign to submissive.
To the contrary, Perry has a credible and formidable campaign organization/talent available to him. He’s also already proven his history of smart campaigning, that wins. I don’t see any comparison there as to the campaign abilities between Thompson and Perry.
Lourdes on July 21, 2011 at 9:56 AM
Is it his “job to cover for your lack of knowledge?”
MJBrutus on July 21, 2011 at 9:57 AM
Or wearing ratty jeans shorts and a t-shirt as she steps off AF-1.
AZCoyote on July 21, 2011 at 9:58 AM
Waiting a month to decide is annoying? Then you must despise Palin. I don’t have a problem with Perry thinking about it. Obviously he had to discuss it with his family and we now know they’re onboard. The next step is determining whether or not he can raise enough money for a White House run. Personally, I think that’ll be a cakewalk if/when he starts to gain traction in the polls. Another factor the media’s ignoring could be Palin. He might be waiting to see what she decides. But he’s probably figuring at this point she’s either not running or taking so long that he can’t afford to wait anymore.
Doughboy on July 21, 2011 at 10:01 AM
No, that’s because you all hate everyone. You hate EVERYone except your little group and your leader who most of you seem to have abnormal emotional assumptions about.
I didn’t read your earlier comment or question or whattheheck. I don’t loiter on every comment on posts and tend to scroll-on-by the notably hostile pack here. There’s little point in even trying to correspond with most if not all of you. Note that your conversations here, your group’s, are limited to:
– writing comments hating people in the third person, gossiping about other users; and/or
– chatting within your group about same or about nonsense no one else gives a flip about.
Lourdes on July 21, 2011 at 10:01 AM
It’s too bad that Pawlenty hasn’t caught on because he’s been a great campaigner, and it’s very, very hard to be a conservative Republican in Minnesota, eg Pawlenty, Coleman. At least a quarter of the state vote 3-1 Democratic, ie core cities, iron range. A SUSA poll has Obama, Pawlenty tied. I do think Pawlenty would have a shot of winning the upper midwest, but it’ll be difficult. Bachmann could never run statewide in MN and win.
IR-MN on July 21, 2011 at 10:02 AM
I think it’s called — the sick game you all play — “trying to chase anyone away who isn’t in our pack of haters”. You claim the world’s against you, yaddayaddayadda, yet you all loathe nearly everyone, all candidates (*except one*), the GOP (no complaints from you all about the Democrats except when another female is mentioned who isn’t in your group)…
What’s decent or even redeemable about that? That you even assume you’re garnering interest or support for your favorite obsession is the big issue, because your actions and behaviors accomplish exactly the opposite. No one likes to be called the names you all use with frequency and no one will surely forget you calling them those names when voting and donation time comes around.
Lourdes on July 21, 2011 at 10:04 AM
Yeah, let no one forget that site. It’s been a pitiful experience, hasn’t it…
Lourdes on July 21, 2011 at 10:06 AM
You missed what is, IMO, the most importnat part of the narrative.
“President Obama and I both inherited GWB economies. Folks… compare and contrast.”
JohnGalt23 on July 21, 2011 at 10:09 AM
At this time next year, this will be a feature and not a bug.
Mutnodjmet on July 21, 2011 at 10:10 AM
Hey NickDeringer: I saw you over @ Brietbart.
I comment over there as ‘atwerp’.
annoyinglittletwerp on July 21, 2011 at 10:10 AM
That was pretty good, and probably what most non-lefty’s in Texas think about Perry (except for the yahoos that hate him).
Those out of state are in for a surprise if Perry enters. He is a campaigner more along the lines of Clinton or Reagan rather than Bush.
cozmo on July 21, 2011 at 10:10 AM
Mrs. Perry sounds like an intelligent and classy lady.
She’s going to make a wonderful first gal. Much better than Moooochelle.
annoyinglittletwerp on July 21, 2011 at 10:13 AM
You missed what is, IMO, the most importnat part of the narrative.
“President Obama and I both inherited GWB economies. Folks… compare and contrast.”
JohnGalt23 on July 21, 2011 at 10:09 AM
You like Perry?
Well, it looks like we’ve found something we agree on.
*smiles*
annoyinglittletwerp on July 21, 2011 at 10:14 AM
Are you seriously naive enough to believe he hasn’t decided already?
LOL – he’s already MADE his decision – he made that LONG ago.
So has Palin.
Everyone who’s a potential has decided already.
They are simply waiting for the right time to announce it publicly. Until then – they’ll claim they haven’t made a decision – but you can rest assured they have.
HondaV65 on July 21, 2011 at 10:14 AM
Perry is the three-term GOP governor from the second largest state in the Union, whose economy is humming along while the rest of the country is in the dumper.
He is what a smart political party runs in opposition to a sitting POTUS.
He is a game-changer.
JohnGalt23 on July 21, 2011 at 10:15 AM
Unitl Palin runs, it’s pure Hollywood.
BTW: Bristol is signed up for another reality show.
NickDeringer on July 21, 2011 at 9:55 AM
Bristol seems like a very nice kid(ALL the Palin kids cross me as good kids)but she does seem to have inherited the female line’s attention hog gene.
annoyinglittletwerp on July 21, 2011 at 10:17 AM
True dat. Especially when that sitting President won despite having no qualifications. The limitations of having a learning on the job WH have been laid bare.
MJBrutus on July 21, 2011 at 10:19 AM
Hey, I’m a Ron Paul guy, all the way.
But I’m no starry-eyed idealist either. I know politics, and I know winners. Rick Perry has a fist full of trump against PBHO, against everyone else in the GOP field, and if trends run constant horizontally across Texas governorships, he will be able to raise ridiculuous amounts of money.
Everything I know about the science, art, and craft of politics tells me Rick Perry is the best shot we have to win next year.
JohnGalt23 on July 21, 2011 at 10:20 AM
Waiting for the “God talked to me directly and told me to run” crap.
Dave Rywall on July 21, 2011 at 10:21 AM
Think of the sweet irony of Barack & Michelle being waved AWAY from the White House by another Texas governor and his wife! Keep trying to tear Texas down, Skippy. Karma’s gonna get ‘ya! Barack Obama – bookended by Texas!
redwhiteblue on July 21, 2011 at 10:21 AM
Waiting for the “God talked to me directly and told me to run” crap.
Dave Rywall on July 21, 2011 at 10:21 AM
Immigration called. They said that you’re commenting on this blog illegally & to keep your garbage on your side of the border.
annoyinglittletwerp on July 21, 2011 at 10:23 AM
Everything I know about the science, art, and craft of politics tells me Rick Perry is the best shot we have to win next year.
JohnGalt23 on July 21, 2011 at 10:20 AM
Agreement is fun. LoL
annoyinglittletwerp on July 21, 2011 at 10:24 AM
Waiting for the “God talked to me directly and told me to run” crap.
Dave Rywall on July 21, 2011 at 10:21 AM
Immigration called. They said that you’re commenting on this blog illegally & to keep your garbage on your side of the border.
annoyinglittletwerp on July 21, 2011 at 10:23 AM
———
fly vs elephant
Dave Rywall on July 21, 2011 at 10:29 AM
From the person who holds a Phd. in Fantasy Politics.
I love the smell of roasting Palinistas in the morning.
NickDeringer on July 21, 2011 at 10:31 AM
I agree. Obama has done a lot to rehab GWB’s image. I think people have a much more positive view of W after 4 years of the Gangsta Barry.
NickDeringer on July 21, 2011 at 10:33 AM
Could you please hold your breath while you’re waiting?
I mean, if you think it’s inevitable, it won’t be long, right?
DrAllecon on July 21, 2011 at 10:33 AM
fly vs elephant
Dave Rywall on July 21, 2011 at 10:29 AM
I’m not as big as an elephant.
Actually I’m more like a Mako shark:small, quick, and anti-social.
annoyinglittletwerp on July 21, 2011 at 10:33 AM
I agree. But this is not how you run for POTUS.
The country could default in a couple of weeks. The hell with the stupid movie and run for POTUS. She’s not going to do it.
NickDeringer on July 21, 2011 at 10:35 AM
Nick Deringer, troll. Probably on Soro’s payroll.
Viator on July 21, 2011 at 10:41 AM
1. It’s not her movie
2. Her announcing won’t stop the country from defaulting
3. The country is not going to default
So much fail…
fossten on July 21, 2011 at 10:45 AM
Nick Deringer, troll. Probably on Soro’s payroll.
Viator on July 21, 2011 at 10:41 AM
Deringer isn’t a Palin fan. That fact doesn’t make him-or any of us ‘Other Than Palin’s'-trolls.
annoyinglittletwerp on July 21, 2011 at 10:47 AM
Don’t you know that there are 3 kinds of people in the world? There are those who can count and those who can’t!
No wait, I mean Palians and ABPers. Either you’re obsessed with her being President or you’re obsessed with her not being President.
MJBrutus on July 21, 2011 at 10:49 AM
EVERY time you used the word “you” could not possibly have meant me. (itsnotaboutme!) Unless you have a very fertile imagination.
Again, I understand why you have so many enemies. Either you’re full of malice, or you’re very difficult to understand (in both of your apparently slanderous posts against me).
And I had never, ever addressed you before you started this!
itsnotaboutme on July 21, 2011 at 10:52 AM
Anyone considering supporting Perry should look at this..from the New Hampshire Tea Party Coalition.
http://www.nhteapartycoalition.org/tea/2011/06/23/rick-perry/
Not good.
takeamericabackin10 on July 21, 2011 at 9:04 AM
******************************************************
I read their info on Gov. Perry and also others. It appears that they are looking for Perfection, since they just criticize. They just attack Gov. Perry more than Romney, Huckabee, etc. In their opinion Gov. Perry is not Perfect and here is why. I would suggest to them to take care of their own State House first and then advise Texas about their Gov.and why he wouldn’t make a Perfect President.
bluefox on July 21, 2011 at 10:53 AM
Oh my. Reagan’s thirteenth commandment being obliterated on this thread!
psychocyber on July 21, 2011 at 10:56 AM
MJBrutus on July 21, 2011 at 10:49 AM
The funny thing is most of us Other Than Palins will campaign/vote for SP if she’s the nominee.
Btw: There ARE quite a few reasonable Palin supporters here-the most ardent supporters just ten to out-shout them.
annoyinglittletwerp on July 21, 2011 at 10:57 AM
You’re right of course. The more vocal or obnoxious people get the most notice while the majority of reasonable people get drowned out. I amended my own ways and no longer getting in to food fights with the bad apples (was that a pun?).
It is a clear fact that H/A attracts a disproportionate number of Palin fans. I think that’s because her positions do tend to be “pure” and that she adopts many of them for the reasons I stated before. That’s not a knock on her so much as an observation which supports my belief that she is not interested in being a candidate.
MJBrutus on July 21, 2011 at 11:05 AM
Ready to support Rick Perry. If he’s not the one to be the nominee, I’ll support the next most-conservative. He’s not the most conservative, but he does have a good story and can win against Obama. He’s a friend of the Tea Party.
kerrhome on July 21, 2011 at 11:10 AM
wheelgun is a serial Perry hater. He’s also a serial liar. Perry tried to eliminate “sanctuary cities” in the special session and he’s definitely not “open borders”.
cartooner on July 21, 2011 at 11:17 AM
If the New Hampshire Tea Party buys a load of crap from “Texas Tea Party”, they are pretty dumb. This “Texas Tea Party” guy claims to have the clout to speak with Perry face to face, yet remains anonymous except for “Texas Tea Party”. There are many Texas Tea Parties, and it’s well known that Democrats and others have used “Tea Party” as cover for nefarious purposes including running candidates for office.
cartooner on July 21, 2011 at 11:29 AM
Watching Fox News just now, and Rasmussen has Perry polling 39-44 against Obama — and he’s not even a candidate. That strikes me as kind of amazing. I would think the Obama Regime has got to be pretty fearful of a Perry run.
Rational Thought on July 21, 2011 at 11:38 AM
Kyle Farnsworth is a relief pitcher for the Tampa Rays. Big, ugly dude, with major arm tatts. Kind of glowers all the time
Supposedly he wears t shirts that say Do I Look Like A People Person?
a capella on July 21, 2011 at 11:43 AM
Post a picture of that when you’re finished. I want to see that.
mizflame98 on July 21, 2011 at 12:38 PM
America isn’t going to vote for another Texas Gov.
You might as well run Jeb Bush.
Moesart on July 21, 2011 at 12:43 PM
Doughboy, Lourdes, gophergirl, RationalThought, smfoushee & JohnGalt23 make more sense on this thread than the others. If I’ve left any other Rational posters out, I’m just limited on time at the moment. Most of the others are snippers or trolls or both and don’t contribute anything worthwhile.
I support Gov. Perry and think his wife is an asset and would make a fine First Lady.
On the subject of Gov. Perry’s pick for his Cabinet & VP choice, that would be his decisions to make. The Primary & the General Election would be the bridges to cross first.
As I said yesterday, as much as I admire Sarah Palin, I am a realist as JohnGalt23 is. We as a Country need to WIN and I don’t think she can; nor do I think Bachmann can either.
Sarah Palin has the creds, Bachmann does not in my opinion. She has allowed her speaking at various places and limited success to go to her head. Sarah Palin is qualified to be President, Michelle Bachmann is not.
bluefox on July 21, 2011 at 1:31 PM
Right, because what American in their right mind would want to vote for a man who has years of experience running one of our biggest states, a state which has had one of our best economies over the past few years?
It would make far more sense to elect a part-time law lecturer and race-baiting community organizer who has never run anything but his own Marxist mouth!
AZCoyote on July 21, 2011 at 1:33 PM
IMO Perry cannot beat Palin. But I welcome him into the race. The more the merrier.
greeneyedconservative on July 21, 2011 at 1:42 PM
Here’s a great article about Perry in my favorite magazine this month:
http://www.texasmonthly.com/2011-08-01/btl.php
This is the Perry Trove of articles if you’re interested in learning more about Perry. The mag tends to lean left.
http://www.texasmonthly.com/magazine/perry
silvernana on July 21, 2011 at 1:57 PM
Love, love, love the lefties pain, expressed in all the Perry-memes:
- Looks and might be gay
- God is calling him to run
- Might be GWB II
- Supported Gore, when Gore was still somewhat sane
- Texas jobs are different from national jobs
- Rumsfeld and other rich/influential people nudge him on to run
Meh, he has flaws, but the fear from the left is schadenfreudig, indeed.
Schadenfreude on July 21, 2011 at 1:58 PM
You posters with the faux-impatience over declarations are being silly, whether it’s Perry or Palin or whoever. It’s still early in the game. Declarations this September through next January would not be historically out of line. Relax.
slickwillie2001 on July 21, 2011 at 2:36 PM
Perry-Rubio? I can live with that.
SukieTawdry on July 21, 2011 at 2:42 PM
He can appoint Mitch Daniels Treasury Secretary.
SukieTawdry on July 21, 2011 at 2:43 PM
MJBrutus on July 21, 2011 at 10:49 AM
And then there’s me. I’m in the camp of ‘if she’s in, she’s in. If she’s not, she’s not. I wouldn’t mind if she ran; the more, the merrier. But if she doesn’t, I won’t die. I like her, I like her stances on just about everything, but if she sits this one out, NBD. Obsessors on both side of this issue vex me, but not to the point of me letting my head explode. I just leave the thread and go look for one of those ‘palate cleansers’ we get occasionally. Or go shop for t-shirts on the web. Or take a nap.
odat on July 21, 2011 at 3:50 PM
Thanks for that. Interesting read.
AZCoyote on July 21, 2011 at 4:27 PM
You’re very welcome. You may see me post it on other Perry threads so more will see it. I seem to always get in on the tail end of every thread. I thought it was a great read for folks who don’t know much about Perry.
silvernana on July 21, 2011 at 5:07 PM
All good. I’ve heard nothing yet to make me think he cannot beat Obama.
humdinger on July 21, 2011 at 5:13 PM
DAYUM!!! I think I’d “green light” Anita Perry!!
or something.
44Magnum on July 21, 2011 at 5:28 PM
Oh, that comes later. Right now Perry is basking in that ABP glow. The tough stuff is to follow.
ddrintn on July 21, 2011 at 9:27 PM
not you either… you voted on some very bad things in tex
amend2 on July 21, 2011 at 10:01 PM
I thank you too. I was away and, like you, I seem to get in at the end of threads. lol
I copied your link to my Word file and if I don’t see you post it, I will.
Great link. Very interesting. Especially for a Yankee girl like me. Explained the whole “Aggie” thing that confused me. lol
Everyone should read the link.
Interesting excerpts:
he has a strategically valuable knack for being underestimated by his critics . . .
. Perry is not George Bush. . . . . Perry has been the opposite kind of chief executive: dismissive of Democrats and fond of political maneuvers that put the heat on moderates within his own party. . . . Perry, the son of a Big Country cotton farmer, is at ease with a populist tea party message . . . .
Perry has won every race he’s ever run. . . . .
. It’s not a big deal that Perry was once a Democrat. To suggest otherwise will make you look foolish. When Perry was elected to the statehouse, in 1985, conservative Democrats ran the Legislature . . . .
. Texas is not a “weak governor” state. A common misconception. It used to be true, but during his historic governorship, Perry has reinvented the office as a power center . . .
He is the kind of politician who would rather be feared than loved—or respected . . .
Perry’s parents were tenant farmers, and not just tenant farmers but dryland farmers, which is as hard as farming gets. . . . Perry also described taking baths in the number two washtub and using an outhouse until his father built indoor plumbing in his early years. “We were rich,” Perry said, “but not in material things . . .
Perry is an Aggie . . . A&M military culture . . . Perry bought all the way in, becoming a yell leader. To this day, Perry’s style on the stump is that of the Aggie yell leader (“Are you fired up?”). . . .
If you look at Perry’s career, it seems that fate is always arranging the universe so that its favorite son will be in the right place at the right time
Elisa on July 22, 2011 at 11:56 AM
Fred was my top pick before he let the whole thing go and you are absolutely right.
Elisa on July 22, 2011 at 11:59 AM
I always appreciate your posts.
Elisa on July 22, 2011 at 12:00 PM
My feelings exactly. Except, instead of being a “Ron Paul guy” I’m a “Herman Cain gal.”
Elisa on July 22, 2011 at 12:02 PM
Perry was raised in Paint Creek, just a few miles away from where my hubby grew up. Most all of our parents back then were yellow-dog democrats which would be close to a Republican today. Like many people, the Democrat party left these people, so they became Republicans. It’s why Texas went from a Democrat to Republican state. To try and pin the “he was a democrat” label on him is disingenuous.
I also love the part explaining about him not being another George Bush, which people label him just because he is from Texas.
silvernana on July 22, 2011 at 1:27 PM
I bet those Texas Dems were even MORE conservative than most present day Republicans.
Elisa on July 22, 2011 at 2:00 PM
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