Thursday, September 8, 2011

Will "Ponzi Scheme" Comment End Perry's Run?

Social Security is a Ponzi scheme…it is a lie.” With that one statement Governor Rick Perry may have torpedoed his run for the Presidency.
The Republican Party held a debate last night and it quickly became evident that absent the entrance of a Chris Christy or a Jeb Bush, the race for the Republican nomination is down to two people…Perry and Mitt Romney.    The back and forth between Governor Perry, the current frontrunner, and former Governor Mitt Romney, dominated the debate leaving the other candidates to assume the role of spectator.
Pundits wondered how Perry would fair when coming face to face with his fellow challengers.  Suffice to say he did not disappoint his base.  Perry was his bombastic self.  Rather than shy away from many of the controversial statements in his recently published book: “Fed Up”, he embraced them.  He questioned the science of global warming and reiterated his stance on immigration reform.  He stared down the moderator when defending the liberal use of the death penalty in his state saying: “if you commit a heinous crime in the state of Texas you will face the ultimate justice.”  He was forceful when on offense while stumbling a bit when on defense.  He will have the opportunity to clean that up in the future debates.
Romney was Presidential.  He clearly benefitted from his debate experience.  He willingly engaged Perry and was not afraid to defend his record on jobs and his Massachusetts version of Obamacare.
Michelle Bachman for all intents and purposes ended her campaign.  She was inconsequential during the debate and unable to recapture the support that she lost once Perry entered the race.
The rest of the candidates were little more than mannequins filling out the stage.
The story last night was Rick Perry and Mitt Romney.  Based on their performance Perry probably holds on to his frontrunner status.  The question is, is Perry just another flash in the pan like Trump or Palin or Bachmann; or is he in it for the long haul?  Slow and steady usually wins the race. 
Perry tossed out a lot of red meat to satisfy his base; but can he win a general election. We don’t think so.  We think “Social Security is a Ponzi scheme” will hang like an albatross around his neck.
        

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