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Subscribe to RSSRick Perry spokesman Ray Sullivan set off a flurry of punditry yesterday when he said on CNN that the campaign may skip some of the upcoming debates in favor of retail politicking.
Here's what Sullivan told NBC News today in defense of the campaign's decision to consider skipping future debates:
"We are committed to CNBC Nov 9th. We haven't declined any to date. There have been eight GOP primary debates to date, with 16 more scheduled over the next 12 weeks. We need to determine on a case-by-case basis whether and how these fit into our schedule given the pressing need to meet actual voters in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida and other early voting states."
He didn't answer specific questions about what criteria would need to be met to participate in a given debate. But asked to respond to critics who say this strategy essentially avoids rather than confronts an obvious weakness for the candidate, Sullivan said:
"We have done five debates and will do more. We have had tough questions at the debates and will at future debates. The voters and media of Iowa, NH, SC and FL ask tough questions too and we need time to campaign on the ground in those early primary states."
The campaign has been frustrated with the intense schedule of debates to date -- a venue in which their candidate has notably underperformed. Aides are fond of noting how much practice other candidates -- including Mitt Romney and, even, Ron Paul -- have had in past presidential debates compared to Perry, who largely avoided debating his opponents in past races.
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It's not like Slick Rick would be missed...
He's not 'with it' when he's there!
Little Ricky is suffering from a serious case of passive/agressive syndrome...
Which I have to admit is entertaining as hell... lol
Slick Rick complains about 'tough' questions at the debates...
What kind of CIC would he make?....He only wants the easy stuff/questions.
Questions like:
Explain the love affair with your gun.
Tell the people about growing up in Paint Creek.
What's your favorite reality show (besides the GOP Presidency Campaign)?
What do you think about Sarah Palin?
How did you develop that swagger?
Does he actually believe the President would allow him to skip the debates with him? Or the public?
I would miss Rick. Hell I'm thinkin' I might donate to his campaign. I want him to stay long enough to bloody Mitt up some more before he succumbs to the obvious. Remember, he's the one who's aggressiveness got Mittsy to say "I'm running for public office for pete's sake!
Perry wants to for go future debates because he's handed his lunch in the primary debates.
Heck, even crazy Bachmann makes Perry look like a moron in the debates. Pathetic!
Give the guy a little credit, folks.
He's not smart enough to hold up in a debate, but he IS smart enough to know it.
And his little soire with Donald Trump tells me that it's now all about the book deal.
Scary Perry has the reputation of avoiding debates....nothing new!
"We have met the enemy and he is us!" Pogo by Walt Kelly
You know her did, nurse!
He avoided the debate with Bill White, last fall, like it was the plague!
Isn't the same as losing the debate, is a no show a forfeit.
Forrest--we can only hope....
"We have met the enemy and he is us!" Pogo by Walt Kelly
Did Perry NOT know that debating was part of the deal when you think you are smart enough to run for President? Or did he think that they would give him special consideration and allow him to sit in a corner until it was over?
New Day---maybe God didn't tell him about the debates when He told Perry to run.
Or maybe he thought that he would get a pass because God told him to run!
"We have met the enemy and he is us!" Pogo by Walt Kelly
The question is not what would this guy do if he got the 3 am phone call, the question is would he even answer the damn phone.
Forrest---he would have a call forwarding feature to his money people.
Kind of. Rosalita the housekeeper would answer. Assuming INS hasn't raided perrier recently
The real question is who in his bed would actually answer the phone.
Well, that's too bad. Romney must be happy. Now there is no one to interrupt Romney's BS.
Perry should think about this again. He's got quite a presence up there on the stage. No one wants to look at or listen to Romney.
Cain and Perry are interesting, entertaining and can throw a punch and rattle Romney.
Don't give Romney a pass on this Gov. Perry. I didn't see the last debate but everybody I talked to who saw it thought Romney was the jackass, not you.
The Republicans had better worry if their putative pick Romney keeps looking like that, Pat. Perry could do some real damage to the next in line for the Republican nod.
I agree newdayDAWNING. Perry should stick with the debates. He's so low in the polls right now that he has nothing to lose. Romney on the other hand has everything to lose. And Perry could be the one to expose Romney. None of the others up on that stage will do it.
As a Texan, this whole thing is scaring me.
The TeaPeople are pissing Rick off by not voting to keep him at the head of the pack. He's got lots of money.......He believed the mantra that was pushed about entering the race...Now, they don't like him!
What's he gonna do......well, if this doesn't work out at all.....Maybe he'll just take his state and leave! He'll figure out how to be King of somewhere!
Yes, Perry has quite a presence up there on the stage. Unfortunately for him, not a good one. He's obnoxious as Romney is but in addition comes across as being dumb as a bag of rocks. Hard for him to combat the image because that's what he is.
If he can't even out debate Santorum and Bachmann, he should just quit the campaign. The nominee has to out-debate Obama, or he looks like an incompetent fool. Of course, in Perry's case, looks are not deceiving.
Perry is simply being consistent with his previous debate history...avoiding them unless absolutely unavoidable...and even the screwing them up. http://www.npr.org/2011/09/06/140119890/rick-perrys-top-five-texas-debate-moments
That's an awfully wide stance .....Mr Perry !
This baffoon can miss all he wants....no one's going to vote for him anyway... He's already shown he's an moron masking as a candidate.
Oh, i thought that was a qualification for republican nominee. My bad.
Perry is done. The man is amazingly dumb. What does this say about Texans? These are people who stand by while history is re-written to suit right-wing fantasies. It would be laughable, were it not so terribly sad.
I grew up in the day when everything in Texas was bigger. Today, it is the biggest polluter. That's just the tip of the iceberg. That iceberg will eventually sink Texas. Texas is bigger in all the wrong ways. The United States cannot afford to have a numbskull like Perry in the White House. Texans will, in the near future, discover they couldn't afford Perry in their Capitol.
David Walker....At last, Perry is exposed for what he is.
Inarticulate, if not dumb!.....Pay-to-play politics in the Capitol.....Ponzi schemes with Texas taxpayers money......lying about darn near everything!
There are those of us in Texas who know....but unfortunately not enough to tip the balance of votes!
If he stays in this long enough they are going to know him better, sounds like that could hurt his chances at keeping the governor's job.
I can't understand why Texas reps are not voting for a jobs bill that could build some water resovoiurs, I feel sorry for all the people affected by the drought and fires, I undersatand cattle ranchers are buying and hauling water just to keep going.
Sory I forgut to spel chuck!
Rick Perry is the "no brains" candidate. Americans are not so idiotic as to fall for the radical rhetoric and juvenile behavior of this thug from Texas. The Tea Party eats up his act, for sure. That just proves how out of touch that dangerous movement is with mainstream America and normal voters. Perry is a man that has advocated secession on multiple occasions. whether serious or not, he has said it, and it is to be taken at face value. This decision is tantamount to cowardice. What a fraud... http://www.sunstateactivist.org
Explain two terms for Bush 43 again for me. Please.
He was far the debates be-befar he was against the debates; hang in there buddy.
I think Perry has been reading up on his Mark Twain, who said:
Suitable quote Steeler Fan.
My impression of slick Perry (thing), Googaa Googaa Googaa Googaa ... ... Gaaaaaahrahr..
Just having a little fun to poke him (like birther thing, you know).
It's interesting that he issues a 20-20 plan and then says I want to aviod debate.This meanshe doesn't wont to face the high profile weakenss of his plan that are sure to be pointed out.And Slick rick isn't savvy enough to have come back ready.Since the next debate is on Foriegn affairs perhaps Cain should take a powder since already has said he doesn't know much and doesn't want to learn-and we can grill Perry and Bachmann on what they do know.
Bachmann was impressive inthe last debate raiing on her own 3 tough issues: the Iranian assaination plot on American soil, ,the mission to Uganda requiring US troops,and a rebuttal to Ron Paul's idea of cutting aid to Isreal. Rick Perry by contrast sluk away for his debate with Romney on immigration. We can only hope he knows where Palistan is-because Cain the Clown doesn't.
We would like to hear Perry's views on what he would do if the Greek melt down hit America...and whathe woulddo about Iran that hasn't been done. Where does he stand on a potential trade war with China?
Woud he,for instance,continue American policy of embracing theDali Lama in tibet? Where does he stand on OPEC-woud he support anti-trust action against the carel in the name of free entepise?
Would he suppost the original Bush promise of $5 billionto combat AIDS inAfrica-when the Republican congress only gave $100 million? Will he turn American accused of war crimes over to the Hauge for prescution?
Where does Perry stand on assasating american abroad without trial and due process of law?
Is Perry up to snuff..we don't hink so,
His debate performance could prove us worng.
If Perry can't debate Romney, how will he do against Obama?? I'm a political junkie and I remember every election since 1956. Rick Perry is the most unqualified, by far the stupidest, the nastiest, the all around worst presidential candidate I can remember. George Wallace would have made a better president than this fool. The Republican Party, the party of Reagan, Ike, TR and Lincoln, should disavow this disgraceful excuse of a candidate.
"Aides are fond of noting how much practice other candidates.....have had in past presidential debates compared to Perry, who largely avoided debating his opponents in past races."
This sounds like a variation of comedian Chevy Chase's line when his fictitious Gerald Ford debated Jimmy Carter - "It was my understanding there would be no math." Was it Perry's understanding he wouldn't have to debate just because he never had to in Texas? I guess if I were as inarticulate and slow on the uptake as he is, I'd avoid them as well. But not sure we want a fraidy cat for a president (and no, you don't get to let your gun do the talking).
As Rick avoided all attempts to debate while running for re-election under the guise of demanding his opponent release his tax returns, he only has himself to blame. Seems that Slick still put off joining the debates even AFTER these returns were released! Run Slick Run as in Run Away Slick Run Away!!!!! Yes, I'm from Texas which is becoming more like Mississippi every day he's in office. DEAD LAST IN EVERY EDUCATIONAL CATEGORY THAT IS PUBLISHED!!
Remember to vote the ABP ticket this election, that's ANYBODY BUT PERRY!!!!
Now I wish someone'd tell me where old Rick went...
Run away, Run Away, Run Away
Cause he took all the money that I saved for rent...
Run away, Run Away, Run Away
Whooooooooaaaaaaaaaa, Run Away Rick
Whooooooooaaaaaaaaaa, Run Away Rick
My apologies to Trey Anastasio and Tom Marshall. I couldn't help myself.
Perry naturally wants to avoid some debates. He`s running out of places to shoot homself.
Hey Texas, don't worry, you'll have your Gov. back soon.
The day after his re-election what does Slick do?
Stay in Austin to oversee the current legislation session?
Hell no , he's on the Today show promoting his new book!!
He's knocking the very establishment he now is attempting to join, while he should be in Austin.
Remember this election to vote the ABP ticket....that's ANYBODY BUT PERRY!!!!!
Fine if Rick the Mimbo doesn't want to participate in any more debates chuck his ass off the docket and let Buddy Roemer in.
Buddy Roemer Tea Baggers,the ONE GOP candidate who actually stands for the values you say you want,the one who won't take more that $100 donations,the one who campaigns on getting ALL the money...corporate,union and PAC...out of the process. The fact that you won't push for him to be included in the debates whilst irrelevant imbeciles like Gingrich and Santorum are speaks volumes to just exactly how full of crap the lot of you are.
Please do not use the derogatory term "tea baggers". We have rebranded with a european flavor, From hence forward we are to be referred to as the "Tea Baguettes", Thanks
That's OK, Rick. I've yet to see an actual debate between presidential candidates in my life. Although it says something about Perry that he can't even handle the sort of dog and pony shows they do instead.
I wonder if his foreign policy will be similar? turn tail and run.
Perry, who largely avoided debating his opponents in past races.
Read Perry Who refused to debate his opponents in past Texas races.
But think of this, my limited understanding of campaign laws is that a politician can legally convert his (her) remaining pot of loot to personal use when he (she) retires. He must have $10 - $15 million left, he's 60 years old and has not faced serious scrutiny yet. Since he is eyeball to eyeball to Michelle in the polls, maybe he realizes its time to do himself and Texas a favor by retiring.
Not surprising that Perry is running scared from the debates. The more he talks, the more damage is done
If the man can't handle a debate, how in the hell can he handle the White House. Bottom line, Perry is not qualified for the job.
what does he have to say other than i love my guns and i love texas oh yea and i have got more jobs in texas since i was governor than any other governor
The people of Texas are probably really disappointed that he is not doing well in the polls, because this was the only chance that they had of getting rid of him as gov. They have to be darn sick of him down there.
JoAnn Moundsville, WV
I am from Texas and I have to say JoAnn, you hit the nail on the head with this post. The only problem if he were doing well is that I do not wish Little Ricky on the entire country. He would devastate what is left of the middle class and the economy in America as he has done here in Texas. I am just anxious for the next Governors election here in Texas.
He barely won the last re-election and that is because of a lack of interest here. He ran against a goofus named Bill White and it just seemed to be a waste of time for most voters to even go vote. Only 5 Million of 18 Million registered voters even bothered and Perry did not carry even one of the big cities. Maybe he should go to Alaska! He could kill all of the defenseless animals he wants and he could sit on his pourch and look at Russia as the day ends with Sarah...
Robert,
I was hoping St. Louis would win the World Series, but maybe Texas should win to give you something to cheer you up!