Congressional Republicans to Perry: Tone it down
posted at 7:38 pm on August 19, 2011 by Allahpundit
C’mon. His cowboy image is half the reason the base is excited about him. And surely the dreaded GOP establishment on the Hill understands that they’re only doing him a favor with the base by trying to shush him. If you thought yesterday’s quasi-endorsement of Perry by Obama’s team was campaign gold, imagine what it’ll do for him once word gets out that those darned RINOs on the Beltway cocktail-party circuit wish he would go easy on the rhetoric. They’re throwing him in the briar patch here and they must know it.
“You can’t be calling Bernanke a traitor and you can’t be questioning whether or not Barack Obama loves America, that type of thing,” said Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee and veteran Long Island incumbent. “I’ve been with Perry a few times, and I can see how he could project, again, if it’s done the right way. But no, if he continues this, he’ll have a tough time.”…
Peter Roskam (R-Ill.), the Chief Deputy Whip and an emerging political powerhouse in suburban Chicago, added of the treason reference: “That’s not something you want to lead with if you’re trying to get independents to come your way. I would imagine that he’s thinking through his strategy.”…
“This is a very critical period for Perry,” said Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), a former National Republican Congressional Committee chairman and longtime political strategist. “He’s got to prove he won’t self-destruct. There is only one race like the presidency and that’s the presidency. He’s been playing Triple-A ball until now.”…
“He is not my type, but I suspect I have a lot of constituents who will like him,” said one moderate Midwestern Republican of Perry. “And in spite of the fact that I do not agree with him on numerous issues, I suspect he’d be better than Michele [Bachmann].”
One of the many fun aspects of a Perry/Palin/Bachmann race in Iowa will be the competition among them to see who can talk the toughest about Obama and the Fed. Someone has to win the “authenticity” primary and there are only so many ways to do that via the relatively small policy disagreements that exist between them. Palin’s the most blue-collar (although Perry will challenge her on that), Perry’s the most southern/small-town/rural (although Palin will challenge him on that), and Bachmann’s the most ardently socially conservative. Who wins that game of rock/paper/scissors when you’re playing with an electorate like Iowa’s?
Via Think Progress, here’s Palin on Perry’s Bernanke comments.









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Oh joy. I want to be able to agree with “the base”. I can’t agree with candidates who use the words Bernacke & Treason in the same sentence. Bernacke & treacherous? Fine! He should tone it down, at least in that respect.
Buy Danish on August 20, 2011 at 12:24 AM
Oh, please. Roskam may not be fringe-right, but he’s no RINO.
Jaibones on August 20, 2011 at 12:26 AM
Karl Rove was on O’Reilly today. Sounds to me like he is just fine with Perry running for President. In fact, he thinks he has a good chance.
I sure don’t know why there is all this Rove and Bush don’t like Perry. The evidence that I have seen is that simply is not true.
Voter from WA State on August 20, 2011 at 12:32 AM
You mean besides their backing KBH over Perry in ’10?…
Gohawgs on August 20, 2011 at 12:50 AM
Why the fu%k not…?
… It’s true!
Seven Percent Solution on August 20, 2011 at 12:55 AM
It comes from the left…anything to throw the front runner off of his game.
Everything is just fine, the nominees are punching it out, and at the end we will all rally around the victor and kick a poor excuse of a president out of office.
I have no idea whom, but it will be the winner and the next president.
right2bright on August 20, 2011 at 1:28 AM
At this point I’m quite a bit beyond questioning whether or not Barack Obama loves America. Clearly, he doesn’t. The only question is whether or not he’s indifferent to it, or actively seeks its destruction.
Blacklake on August 20, 2011 at 2:10 AM
People are too thin-skinned.
COWBOY UP
John the Libertarian on August 20, 2011 at 2:24 AM
I think Obama is treasonous and hates this country and should not be president at all.
I like his vacance to MV and wish he would stay put there.
So of course I view Perry’s statements as over the top.
Whoa there, pilgrim!!
Sherman1864 on August 20, 2011 at 2:45 AM
So Rep King says, “You can’t be calling Bernanke a traitor and you can’t be questioning whether or not Barack Obama loves America, that type of thing.”
I ask, “Why not?” I am questioning motives for the people involved and have reached the same basic conclusion to which he alludes. Bernanke is interested in the best interests of the banks who really run the Fed. And Obama is our first true virulently anti-American POTUS.
He spoke what just a whole lot of people are thinking.
{^_^}
herself on August 20, 2011 at 3:27 AM
Well, first of all he didn’t call Bernake a traitor. “Almost treasonous” does not equate to “traitor” even grading on a curve.
And second, WTF should he tone it down? They don’t like how well his barbs have been working to put Obama on the spot?
The fact is, Obama had an easy set up (by the “establishment” from both parties) and the MSM to help propel him into an office he is barely qualified for & for which he has proven himself incompetent. The fact that the “establishment” wants everyone to continue to take it easy on him is very, very worrisome, IMO.
Dark Star on August 20, 2011 at 4:16 AM
I love how Romney’s responding to all this. Wearing 2 magic undies instead of 1.
Gedge on August 20, 2011 at 5:42 AM
This is the problem with being in DC too long: you breathe too much swamp gas.
And very soon you start to emit it from both sides of your mouth and both ends of your body and not even realize how out of touch you are with the rest of planet. Considering what Mr. Civility has called Tea Partiers and Republicans, and how to treat same, Gov. Perry has decided that he can play at that low of a level and start to undermine the whole Leftist ‘civility’ junk which is just another way to say ‘shut up’.
The time to shut up and ‘play nice’ started when Mr. Civility started calling on his friends to bring a gun to a knife fight, punish their enemies, and that they were hostage takers. I didn’t see any R’s Upon The Hill get vapors from THOSE items. They can cork it and keep the swamp gas to themselves, they are living in an era that is now long past and is trying to drag us down with it. These aren’t RINOs they are swamp denizens of DC and you can tell them by what they admit when the boat is rocked from the outside… rocking it from the inside seems to be just fine to them.
ajacksonian on August 20, 2011 at 6:54 AM
Conservatives to beltway RINO’s: STFU!
AZCoyote on August 20, 2011 at 7:12 AM
NUTS!
mrt721 on August 20, 2011 at 7:39 AM
If beltway GOPers have a problem with Perry’s style, they should take it to him in private. Don’t feed the leftist beasts. Follow the Eleventh Amendment.
petefrt on August 20, 2011 at 7:41 AM
The Presidential race is not a game of ‘Let’s Pretend’ or ‘Let’s Play Nice’. I’d rather hear a candidate show a candid side. And as far as I’m concerned, our President’s behavior indicates a strong dislike for our nation and he needs to be called on it. The same goes for those that serve at his pleasure, including Bernanke. The fool is flooding the markets with currency–in light of everything else going on in this country, it is almost treasonous. I’m glad Perry spoke up.
zoyclem on August 20, 2011 at 8:03 AM
Obammy wanted to change America. Why? Because he doesn’t like it. ‘Nuff said.
We had a wet noodle run in 2008 and you see where that got us.
iceman1960 on August 20, 2011 at 8:25 AM
Alot of RINOs to defeat before this is over. As timid as they have been with dems, they should try growing a pair before whining like spoiled brats getting their fannies spanked. Crybaby Boehner has sold out to Obama on everything submitted. The only difference between Boehner and Obama is he is a better putter.
volsense on August 20, 2011 at 9:25 AM
McCain…..NEVER AGAIN.
volsense on August 20, 2011 at 9:26 AM
I thought everybody wanted him to run, so why the fuss, establishment? Now you’re trying to stop a man who made a sacrifice and a tough decision. Who will you be happy with-Bush 3.0? Huntsman?
BTW that GOP’s leader whateverhisnameis is doing a wonderful job at attacking Obama’s administration.
ProudPalinFan on August 20, 2011 at 9:32 AM
Awesome!
kg598301 on August 20, 2011 at 10:12 AM
Note to “Congressional Republicans:” Shut up.
IrishEi on August 20, 2011 at 10:19 AM
As per usual republicans are showing their quivering jello spines.
abcurtis on August 20, 2011 at 10:31 AM
Here’s how it came across to me: Rove takes all the credit for making Perry who he is, then out of the other side of his mouth takes swipes at him. I think he’s jealous. I admit he is a brilliant strategist, but he can be a real petty little biatch sometimes. I agree with others here who said that he is more into power than principle. Screw him. You go Rick!
kg598301 on August 20, 2011 at 10:37 AM
Congressional Republicans need to keep their weak mouths shut – for the most part, a shameful lot. Agreeing with the Democrats’ MSM will put them on a primary list…shameful lot!
Karmi on August 20, 2011 at 10:37 AM
Unless those politicians criticizing Perry are being paid to consult or are part of Perry’s campaign staff, they need to STFU. It’s none of their business how Perry runs his campaign.
When the next “Conservative” Republican President is voted into office in 2012. The first thing I want to see is in depth investigations in to these career politicians who care more about keeping their political power structure intact than doing their duty to the people who elected them to serve as their representation. There is a very good chance that we are going to find out that our current government’s incarnation is one of the most “corrupt” in our history. People like King are going to be asked why he gave political cover to that same corrupt entity.
American politics is a contact sport, James Carville.
If Perry’s opponents can’t take the heat than they need to stay out of the kitchen.
Dr Evil on August 20, 2011 at 10:45 AM
lol…comment producing gold!
cranbone on August 20, 2011 at 11:05 AM
Who cares what RINOS think? They are no different than other liberals. All are pushing for the same policies.
I’m talking about Allahpundit, of course.
LeeSeneca on August 20, 2011 at 11:07 AM
Perry’s AGW denialist posture isn’t going to serve him well. You aren’t going to have an AGW denialist in the WH. Period.
Perry’s dismissal of the strong, global consensus on man-made global warming makes him look too “out there” to be elected.
It’s a pity, because I think he would be a good candidate for the conservative cause otherwise.
oakland on August 20, 2011 at 11:23 AM
BS polling has shown that more and more Americans DON’T believe in AGW. The Americans polled who still believe in AGW is going down faster than prom queen’s dress on on prom night.
Dr Evil on August 20, 2011 at 11:29 AM
Funny how the RINO’s are always more concerned with independents than with actual Republicans.
Akzed on August 20, 2011 at 11:49 AM
Akzed on August 20, 2011 at 11:51 AM
One of those Congressman is from my district in Oklahoma who is closely aligned with Karl Rove and the whole Bush Family. In fact, he, Rove, and Hastert were behind shutting off funds to Dr. Coburn in 2004 in DC along with others. The establishment candidate sent out a mailout which showed him walking with Pres Bush on the WH portico in the PRIMARY. The Congressman’s former consulting firm (use former lightly) was behind another candidate who tanked in the primary and Coburn won a 3-way primary with no run-off. Sound familiar kind of like the TX Governor’s race last time. Big donors in TX don’t listen to Bush 41 or Rove and are behind Perry.
Even in the general election, Bush refused to even make a stop in OK for Dr. Tom, but finally George Allen at NRSC and VP Cheney came in to raise money. You would have thought Dr. Tom’s opponent in the race was the conservative — he was a Clintonite but his ads said conservative. Then about three weeks before the election Hastert came out and said Coburn cannot win. Many of us went through the roof and doubled our efforts for Dr. Tom and the rest is history — he won big time. Why did they not want Coburn in the Senate? Because he really is about smaller government and doing away with earmarks and pork something establishment Republicans hate.
Those of us in Oklahoma have seen this before out of this group of establishment Republicans and frankly I am sick and tired of them.
BTW, in case you don’t remember Tom Cole was head of the NRCC who with Rove managed to lose the 2006 election big time. They protected incumbents instead of helping new candidates. Pete Sessions turned that around. He is is one of Perry’s biggest supporters in Texas. That says it all — establishment versus the grassroots who were Tea Party before there was a Tea Party in Oklahoma. I firmly believe that the grassroots are going to tell the establishment Republicans led by Bush 41 and Karl Rove to stuff it just like we are going to tell members of Congress who cave to Democrats to stuff it. Reagan’s Atwater beat Bush’s Rove in 1980 and those of us who were Reaganites are stepping up to the plate to beat him again.
PhiKapMom on August 20, 2011 at 11:52 AM
Actual conservatives to “Congressional Republicans”: STFU. Quit being part of the problem.
deadrody on August 20, 2011 at 12:15 PM
Also, if you aren’t throwing your hat in the ring, DEFINITELY STFU about the ones with the stones to actually DO IT.
deadrody on August 20, 2011 at 12:16 PM
THEY can tone it down.
We want to WIN. And the way you win is by having some passion, and telling it like it is.
I’m sick of these guys supposedly on our side who are traitors in appeasement clothing.
Alana on August 20, 2011 at 12:26 PM
Don’t know what BS polling is, but after your comment, I have an idea.
It’s not that “belief” in AGW is “going down”. It’s that economic concerns have eclipsed concerns about man-induced heating of the planet. When it comes down to paying one’s mortgage or thinking about investment in “green” energy, the more immediate concern receives the lion’s share of the attention.
Of course, whether or not the “majority” believes in AGW is completely irrelevant to the science of the matter. It’s the science that Mr. Perry takes issue with. And when you dismiss the aggregate of scientific achievements in global warming theory as “hoax”, you don’t do yourself much good amongst the rational crowd. Or the well-informed crowd.
oakland on August 20, 2011 at 12:33 PM
Great comments from all of the above about the RINOs needing to STFU.
I am a little embarrassed about how long it has taken me to understand just how anti-conservative and pro-establishment the RINOs are.
GaltBlvnAtty on August 20, 2011 at 12:33 PM
Good stuff, thanks.
Re:AGW… the impending coal-fired electric plant shut-downs and this gawdawful heat wave are going to change the AGW discussion considerably. Immediate needs will trump.
itsacookbook on August 20, 2011 at 12:52 PM
I’ve noticed that myself. Few RINOs ever seem concerned about how the base will react to something.
katiejane on August 20, 2011 at 1:22 PM
The only way Repubs could do worse is to give the nom to Palin.
Obama would stomp Perry, just like Obama would have stomped Bush. Obama is a weak President, but very formidable on the campaign trail.
That’s because independents swing national elections. Not, idiots that believe America really wants to ban abortion. They are on the same extremist page with idiots that believe America really can’t wait for gay marriage. Both of these issues lose on any ballot they are put on, because extremists are the minority in this country.
Moesart on August 20, 2011 at 1:58 PM
I was going to say, “Ramp it up.”
But your “COWBOY UP” is better.
davidk on August 20, 2011 at 2:30 PM
Yeah, we know how worthless those Congressional Republicans are. It’s time that someone in the GOP actually told the truth and said what needs to be said. It’s amazing when someone who claims to be a Republican doesn’t act like a wuss ready to bend over and grab his ankles, who quickly the Washington establishment wants to quiet them down! That’s because the Washington establishment is just as crooked as the left and doesn’t want anyone to upset their apple cart and take away their cushy jobs and retirements. I say Perry aught to be more confrontational and tell it exactly like it is. Ruining the country, on purpose, is treason!!!
flytier on August 20, 2011 at 3:46 PM
Sick and tired of Congressional Republications (RINOs) shooting their mouths of about anyone who dares complain loud and strong that Obama is a loser and shoving the country down the toilet! These are the same bellyachers who backed Bush 43′s compassionate Republicanism to the hilt so much you coulnd’t figure out who was a Democrat or a Republican – Democrat-lite. Just one big happy country club up there on Hill; Tea Partiers and other common folk need not apply. We know what’s best so, just shut up and eat your peas! Rove, Krystal, Dana Perrino et al need to get serious. Like James Carville said about the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf – but more generally – “People are dying down here!”
Bob in VA on August 20, 2011 at 4:26 PM
(corrected obvious error in headline)
My advice to Perry:
Pay no attention to those men behind the curtain who operate the Washington D.C. smoke machine.
The last thing we need is one more of them!
landlines on August 20, 2011 at 4:38 PM
Oakland,
Please just be quiet – the consensus in science never existed and was bought by govt and rent seeking companies like Enron. Their computer models have completely failed. None of the alarmists’ predictions have come true.
And now the science is beginning to tear apart the “science” you suggest agrees with AGW. Once you get past heat sink concrete jungle night time temperatures, more and more of the temperature records manipulation has been discovered. The Mann hockey stick has been definitively refuted by professional statisticians. No one on the alarmists side has been able to respond. The supposed heat trapping qualities of CO2 have been debunked.
The only people who still believe in AGW are those who have a financial interest in it being true, companies like GE who think it will allow them to make money off govt regulation, and democrats and big govt RINOs who want to keep lording over the population. Which one you are I don’t know.
As to Perry – his comments are impolite. But not inaccurate. Bernacke is suggesting that he will take a financial act that has nothing but political implications for the re-election of his boss (well who recently re-appointed him). All FED chairman get accused of this – I get that. This one crossed the line. I hope Perry puts a ton of Washington higher ups in both political parties out of work. They are all dangerous, some with desires that will result in misery and despair for all of us – regardless of one’s political affiliation. They are the evil the Founders warned us about. The only thing I don’t know is if Barack the Growth Slayer is doing this on purpose with Mr. Soros and so is in fact evil and traitorous or he is just completely incompetent. In either case, he needs to lose in 2012. And so do many people who are currently in DC, who think creased pants and their own tingles up their legs are methods of determining who is qualified to run the country.
Zomcon JEM on August 20, 2011 at 5:09 PM
I wondered if that would be the case. Thanks for the good news!
kg598301 on August 20, 2011 at 7:25 PM
Really? There are many people just like me who actually read and pay attention to all sides of these issues. We are not cowed by cries from Al “Fly me to the Moon in my Jet” Gore that the world is coming to an end because temperatures change. We understand that temperatures fluctuate from year to year and that there are warming periods and cooling periods and have always been.
I have noticed consistently that there are few days of broken records where I live because the high temperatures were above 100 degrees F in years like 1953 and 1931 and 1901 and 1898.
The UN reports have been discredited by proof of so many holes, inaccuracies, “facts” that were supplied by biased sources or by people who don’t even have a degree in the sciences they are supposedly championing.
You’ll never get it because you have signed onto the Church of Global Warming. It is a religion and no matter who provides facts, no matter of the whole Climategate scandal, you’ll keep listening to the Gods of the Yellowing Grey Lady who tell you to move along because there is nothing to look at in all those pesky facts provided by “skeptics”.
We’ll provide money to defeat candidates who believe this AGW idiocy because we know that those who push it are wealth redistributionists who want to line their pockets with gold in the process.
Greyledge Gal on August 20, 2011 at 8:12 PM
No, I won’t “be quiet”.
The scientific consensus grows stronger day by day, year by year.
If you have some science share it. Otherwise, it’s all just blather.
oakland on August 20, 2011 at 8:52 PM
The science related to AGW isn’t related to politics. Solutions to the problem may be.
Try not to get the two confused.
As far as religion, I have only one. And that is devoted to my Lord and Savior, so you can dispense with that “religion of global warming” nonsense.
oakland on August 20, 2011 at 8:55 PM
Actually the main scientific theory of AGW has taken some serious hits lately. There are two reasons: 1) the atmosphere releases more CO2 into space than previously thought, and 2) Sun activity has a greater effect on our average temperatures than previously thought.
We are not causing the warming. We have no power to prevent the warming. Any money we care to invest in the problem should go toward methods of adapting to a warming planet, not wasting resources in a futile attempt to prevent it.
alwaysfiredup on August 20, 2011 at 11:34 PM
Imagine my relief when I read alwaysfiredup’s posting that asserted that man is not responsible for the present warming of the globe. Then, imagine my dismay when, after actually reading the articles, I found out that relief was completely unfounded.
Did you actually read the articles, alwasyfiredup?
For one thing, there is nothing in either article that indicates that “more CO2 is being released into space than previously thought”.
Here is one quote from the article:
Now, if earth releases heat to space more than it retains it, then why isn’t the planet’s temperature dropping (rather than rising)? If the earth can’t retain a net balance of heat, then we should soon be a snowball, no? How, then would we have a liveable planet?
Other quotes from this same article don’t seem to be consistent with alwaysfiredup’s assertions:
Now, regarding the other article alwaysfiredup cites, this appears in the second paragraph.
It is widely understood that the sun influences global temperatures. That is so obvious that no in depth explanation is necessary. However, one is left with trying to explain why, with a record-setting decade (for global high temperatures), the sun is responsible when it is in a minimum phase.
Of course, this article in no way refutes present theories of man-induced warming and climate change. It simply indicates that in the past the sun has been responsible for warmings trends. And, anyone with any knowledge of climate matters understands that the sun is the most important influence, yet there are other influences (such as greenhouse gases) that can magnify the influence of the sun.
oakland on August 21, 2011 at 7:33 AM
Yeah, those statements by Rep. King are surprising. King’s been one of the few in Congress who has actually called to question many a dubious thing of late so I’m surprised he’d be so encouraging as that to cave on any candidate directly confronting the obvious, as Perry has done.
Perry’s choice of words, perhaps, were not the most polished but his MESSAGE was right. And it’s the message that most people heard and agreed with, not that he did or didn’t use “the right words” or “speak properly.”
Lourdes on August 21, 2011 at 8:32 AM
And about “global climate change,” and whether or not it is “man made”: THE POINT IS that there’s a wealth of information that calls to question any foregone conclusion that it IS “man made.”
Our industrial age certainly has had and is having an impact on our environment, few can question that.
BUT the point that all or any “climate change” occurring is due to man’s industrialization is irrational. The Left DISALLOWS all questions to that conclusion, worse.
And, the Left has used this false conclusion to alter our very economic structure, our means of self-support and self-provision such that it’s a socio-political need by the Left to push such a false conclusion (“global climate change is because of man’s industrial abuses”) and it does NOT represent science, particularly when no “antithesis” evidence has been allowed to be figured into the Left’s insistent and false conclusion (which is why it’s a false conclusion, that they’ve discounted any antithesis data).
Lourdes on August 21, 2011 at 8:37 AM
We’re waiting, oakland. And, so far, all we’ve gotten from the cult of global warming is blather from people with no expertise in any field other than writing grant proposals to suck up federal dollars.
Btw, any cult that lists accountants and sophomores in college in their list of “scientists” and “experts in AGW” shouldn’t be taken very seriously.
Solaratov on August 21, 2011 at 12:03 PM
Oakland,
I’m glad you at least started to bring some science. Pretty weak opinion garbage, but at least it is something. The science I already brought includes the amazing discovery that CO2 lets more heat “exit” the atmosphere than anyone thought. The statistical science, done by professional statisticians that Mann’s hockey stick is a statistical joke – and a joke is being polite since any random numbers entered into Mann’s algorithm pretty much creates said hockey stick. Prof Mann should bone up a bit.
We could go into the science that talks about heat and carbon transfer between ocena and atmosphere that the warmers got wrong.
And of course let us not bring up the very significant lack of science demonstrated by the climategate emails as well as the IPCC’s executive review which was so full of inaccuracies and out and out lies, the IPCC has been thankfully discredited. Oh, and let us not forget that the alarmists’ model predictions on warming have been well off, scientifically well beyond any error margin.
Now I will pose to you a question? I don’t know if AGW is a viable theory. I don’t believe anyone really knows outside of urban jungle nighttime temps. So, what do you feel is the most compelling scientific fact which supports the alarmists’ claim? Let’s hear it.
Zomcon JEM on August 21, 2011 at 2:20 PM
and who would those experts be that are remaining strangely tacit?
oakland on August 21, 2011 at 3:22 PM
What are you referring to? Please cite or quote.
You will need to identify for me the “alarmist claim”.
oakland on August 21, 2011 at 3:27 PM
tacittacet
oakland on August 21, 2011 at 3:29 PM
The claim that supports the alarmists’ position that man is a significant cog in “heating up” temperatures or perhaps more accurately is heating up the climate.
Zomcon JEM on August 21, 2011 at 5:31 PM
And of course that would be heating up the climate above and beyond that which occurs naturally.
Zomcon JEM on August 21, 2011 at 5:33 PM
and what do you mean by “occurs naturally”?
Do you mean heating up the planet such that the present observed global average temperatures would probably not be as high as they would have been without the help of human activities (i.e., greenhouse gas emissions)?
oakland on August 21, 2011 at 6:29 PM
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