Martin Frost Describes Perry to a Texas T
Sep 27th, 2011 | 7 responses
Since Rick Perry stepped out of the protective shade provided by the beautiful Texas Live Oak trees onto the harsh, unforgiving light of the national stage, much has been said and written about his obvious unpreparedness—perhaps inability—to face the scrutiny of the national electorate or even of a relatively friendly and forgiving Republican audience.
But while some may have been surprised by the recent fumbling, stumbling and tumbling, like Texas tumbleweed, of the previously swaggering, “pistol-totin’, lethal-injectin’, square-shouldered cowboy,” at least one Texan was not fooled.
He is former Congressman Martin Frost who has been involved in Texas politics for 40 years.
Frost saw Perry’s predicament coming like the folks in Western Texas can predict and see tumbleweed blown by the late summer winds.
In an article Frost wrote on Politico already six weeks ago, he described Perry’s deer-caught-in-the-headlights moments to a T.
Frost writes that while Perry knows how to appeal to the conservative electorate in Texas, he is untested on the national stage.
Frost predicts—remember, this is August 12—that “[t]here will likely be a honeymoon stage with the national media when he enters the presidential race, but Perry will soon face intense scrutiny.”
I don’t think even Frost could have predicted how short-lived that honeymoon with the national media would be. But perhaps even more surprising, how short the “luna de miel” might be with his own Party.
Frost also brings up how similar Perry is to Bush: “[H]e sounds just like Bush. They both come from West Texas. Perry drops his g’s at the end of words, just like Bush, and even uses some of the same expressions,” and the fact that Perry may have to deal with “Texas fatigue…No new Texans.”
And then there is his up-to-then largely unexamined record as Texas governor; the fact that the booming Texas economy has not much to do with Perry’s record as governor; the fact that “Perry has slashed education and social service spending in a way that is unhealthy for a prosperous state — and would not be acceptable in many parts of our country.”
Frost concluded—six weeks ago—that Perry may not survive national scrutiny; that “No one should hand him the nomination or the election quite yet.”
Frost has gotten it right so far.
Martin Frost served in the House from Texas from 1979 to 2005 and was Democratic Caucus chairman and head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He is now an attorney with Polsinelli Shughart.
Read more here.
7 Responses to “Martin Frost Describes Perry to a Texas T”
The first time I heard him talk he reminded me of dubya more than anyone else. I guess I know why now. If Texans want him then it’s their business (his TX detractors certainly have my sympathy) but someone of his severely limited grasp has no more business leading the USA than did GWB.
Republicans nowadays sacrifice our national future with education spending cuts, destroy jobs but attract business with cheap illegal labor from Mexico, make sure healthcare is unaffordable by constantly fighting healthcare reform, waste money on grandiose military acquisitions even the Pentagon don’t want while failing to put a leash on military wasteful spending overall, coddle those whom pollute the earth for profit, waste lives in wars of convenience, and blame the Democrats for every Republican failure.
Is it any wonder their candidates are incoherent idiots?
Candidates like Perry and Romney are stumbling because the actions they took as governors to stay in office conflict with the national party platform. The Tea Party folk have introduced so much rigidity to the GOP, that only those who are just beginning in politics or total idiots like Palin or Bachmann will pass muster.
Today’s Republicans are pretending to be populists who want lower taxes and a vigorous economy, but who in reality are pimping themselves out for corporate megabucks. Only the ultra-rich will benefit from their policies which have been decimating the middle class since 2001.
I am really sorry for the people of Texas. Must be horrible being forced to wear a cowboy hat in the twenty first century.
Actually, Allen, I have met many, many decent Texans—a lot of them wearing cowboy hats.
The ones I have a problem with are those who are all hat and no cattle, and there have been many Texan politicians meriting such a label—some reaching the governor’s office and even the highest office in the land.
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I’m just joking around Dorian. We have a Texan in the family. Puts up with a lot of our crap about Texans when his “boys” playing. Besides, your’re a Texan now.