Brilliant diary. My only quibble is that Bush, with all his weaknesses at least won some of his debates over the years.

does fit the mold of the hard core conservatives that are already watching the GOP race unfold.

However your assumptions of Perry’s team are just that, assumptions. The top folks for Perry’s campaign team are actually seasoned people who have worked in national campaigns since Reagan. They have actually done research on what works in campaigns and what doesn’t.

They found that debates really don’t have an effect on your polling by the time the election comes around. They found out that the biggest movers were doing meet and greets in certain markets where Perry does well with people one on one. The local news papers then pick up positive remarks from people and what was said there and is spread through out that region to other local news papers.

At these events, Perry is also answering questions on the Gardasil and border issues with answers that finally let people understand how he came to those positions. People interviewed by the local papers are saying they finally understand and no longer are upset with Perry.

I’ve been following this by searching for news on Perry, finding local paper’s online and reading what they print. This has much more affect on people than if Perry were to go on all sorts of national programs which is less personal.

Herman Cain went on all sorts of national programs for quite some time to get his name out there. It helped only a little bit, and the effect wore off after he stopped being on air so much.

If you need a better explanation, then look for “Perry and His Eggheads” for Kindle for 99cents.

I haven’t heard the first person here claim he was perfect.

Cain hasn’t bumbled though right?

One of his biggest bumbles should hit close to home for you Martin. HE WOULDN”T APPOINT ANY MUSLIM IN HIS ADMINISTRATION. Of course that was exactly what he said, before he claimed that he really didn’t mean that. And all his supporters will come out of the woodwork to protect him and say he really didn’t mean that.

I hope Perry’s campaign starts to step it up in the next few weeks, especially the debate. I don’t know how many people will see the next debate though. I guess now that the MSM, FOX, RINO establishment and many Conservatives are now throwing everything they have at Perry he should have taken a dive in the polls.
I would like to see a strong defense, it’s hard to get your message out against the endless hours of propanganda. So for those who want more details of his economic program, stop circulating mindless “rock” stories! (Oh, yeah that was the MSM and the Rovies on Fox, oh and don’t forget Cain!)
Maybe the MSM and RINOs will do Cain’s dirty work for him, finish Perry and then turn their attentions to Cain. Let’s see Cain on defense for a change. “No Muslins in my administration”, “What Israeli right-of-return?” “I find that insensitive” and much more.
Enough with the slick talker lovefest, 9-9-9 is a good marketing tool, Cains a slick marketer, but 9-9-9 adds another ta. (Be serious, they will not repeal the income tax) and he hasn’t had to work with any legislature so he can have a clean record(no tough decisons, no embarrassing votes or bills, but no jobs, no tax cuts, no economic growth) (Godfathers pizza, is not running a state, it doesn’t have borders to protect, and it didn’t have to fight the EPA or HHS on air-quality and Obamacare). Red meat rhetoric is cheap, results are not.

Perry raised 17 million dollars in spite of the fact that Fox news, and 8 republican candidates, have attacked him since the first day he entered the race. Somebody out there must like his message….

Perry will be the first to admit he doesn’t like scripted “cattle call debates” where the main objective is to get a quick one liner in. Perry is at his best when talking directly to the folks on the campaign trail. And let’s not forget that in 1984 Ronald Reagan has some of the worst debate performances I’ve ever seen – far worse than anything Perry has done. Yet shortly after those debates, Reagan won a landslide victory.

He makes his case and is done.
If you do a word count for the debates, he loses.
If you do a substance count, he wins.
You have to pay attention.

will certainly out-perform his low standards at the next debate! I look forward to it, as it can only be a win/win situation. Wait and see!

where it takes 4 quarters to make a full game. Fourth time is a charm in Texas! Anita knows. Perry will shine again.

but horrible on the third debate. First debate was his best. If Perry can perform in future debates as well as he did in his first one, Perry has nothing to worry about. Debate #4 is equivalent to a must-win, must-draw for Perry.

which is why he is the candidate I am leaning toward. I refuse to allow the MSM, or the GOP party elites, or the “conservative” pundits, or even the GOP candidates who are attacking Perry with misleading statements influence my decision-making process. I will do my own research and my own analysis.

I immediately discount someone’s argument when they resort to half-truths, exaggerations, or out-right lies to make their case. I’ve seen Bachman, Cain, and Romney resort to those tactics, but not Perry. He is not articulate in the debates, but he speaks truthfully.

I agree with you 100% Mr. Knight. Rick Perry is our best hope. He needs to bone-up and bring the big guns to these next two debates. He must explain, in stark detail, WHY he is our best hope.

I think he may just do that.

For me, Governor Perry is the real deal. Having said that, I have to agree that it’s simply not enough to just BE one. He also has to effectively PRESENT himself as one.

My advice?

1. BE YOURSELF: Be yourself and don’t try to copy some of the more “slicker” debaters. Rather, make your “liability” your asset–allying yourself with the audience by drawing laughter and that “neck-down” sense of connection that speaks to the heart. Governor Perry did some of that when he matter-of-factly admitted the next day: “Hey, I’m not the slickest debater . . .” (or words to that effect). We need to see some more of that: that “Hey, I am confident with who I am” Perry, rather than the one who gets flustered, tense, and defensive.

2. DON’T GET CORNERED AGAIN: Don’t be linear or let your opponents box you into a corner AGAIN. That happened time and time again in debates 2 and 3, where they MAGNIFIED the HPV and illegal immigration issues precisely to keep the focus away from Governor Perry’s stellar jobs record. AND THEY WILL TRY IT AGAIN, since it’s worked so well the last two times. Yet, this time, instead of getting all flustered and trying to RE-explain his position on these issues for the millionth time (which is what his opponents want), Governor Perry ought to surprise them and simply throw the question or argument right back at their faces. Here’s an example:

“You know, you keep bringing up this issue at every debate. The American people know where I stand and in their hearts know that I am the only candidate up here on stage with a solid and undeniable jobs record. So perhaps it’s time for us to talk a little more about that, however uncomfortable for you, than indulging yet again in your self-serving digressions to paint me as someone the American people know me not to be in their heart of hearts. So instead of trying to score “debate points” on me, let us know how YOUR particular jobs creating record, assuming you have one, can top the long-standing, unmatched, proven jobs record of mine. . . (addressing the audience) And folks, here’s the real issue: jobs and the economy. I am the only candidate here on stage who’s running on a solid, proven record on job recreation. As your President, you can count on me to turn the economy around. Don’t get side-tracked by those who seek to obscure this uncomfortable truth for them by repeatedly trying to distort who I really am: a principled conservative and the ONLY candidate here with a strong, proven track-record on job creation and the only one who can beat Barack Obama in 2012!”

3. PUT THE OTHERS ON THE DEFENSIVE: Let them try to “explain away” how exactly their untested “plan” or dismal record can top your proven record of job creation—and try to hold off on the laughter as THEY start sweating and hemming-and-hawing for a change! AND DON’T LET THEM SLIP OUT OF THE CORNER! . . NEVER! . . . BE CHARMING BUT UTTERLY RUTHLESS WITH YOUR ATTACKS AND HAVE THE AUDIENCE BACK YOU UP AS WELL!

4. TAKE COMMAND OF THE DEBATE: You drive the debate. Don’t let the others determine the direction of the debate. A great way to do this, as provided in the example above, is to engage the audience and to help them realize what’s happening up there on the stage and what your opponents are trying to do. This sort of narrative/commentary automatically places you in a position of command and authority. These “here-and-now” commentaries are an effective means of breaking out of a corner that your opponents are desperately trying to paint you into and to bond and ally yourself with the crowd—gaining their support.

In closing, policy and records matter, but in a debate situation, the folks particularly want to see their candidate be able to take charge of the debate and determine its direction—not falling into the rhetorical trap of either having to RE-explain and thereby RE-focus on a position or being on the defensive. As my sparring instructor used to always say: IF YOU’RE DEFENDING, YOU’RE LOSING!

As a strong Perry supporter, there is not one thing I disagree with or would amend. Just brilliant. Thanks.

After Bush, I simply won’t vote for a Republican in a Presidential primary that has poor communication skills.

If you think Bush leaving with some of the lowest approval rating in the history of polling and handing Congress over to the Democrats wasn’t due in large part to how poorly he could communicate to the public, you’re delusional.

And the reason Reagan was able to successfully pass so much of his conservative agenda despite having a Democrat Congress? Because he was an effective communicator.

Conservatives need to keep a realistic perspective about how important it is to have a figure that can handle the 24/7 barrage of destruction from the MSM. Perry has blown 3 debates, and not only were they “off performances” they were painful to watch. For my vote, they’re disqualifiers, it wasn’t just a single off night, and I’m not going to watch Obama smoke our guy in national debates.

I’m not drinking the Kool-Aid that the only that matters is some ideological checklist (which Perry doesn’t have either), I want a President that can do an effective job of defending and broadcasting our agenda.

I want a President who I can trust to repeal Obamacare, get the economy moving and keep us safe. I don’t care if he keeps the MSM happy or gives marvelous soundbites. No more style over substance. Paul Ryan, Marco Rubio and plenty of other Conservatives can articulate the message, but the MSM will never give a Republican President a fair hearing anyway. The only way to win people over to our ideology right now is with results that show our methods bring jobs, get rid of regulations that harm our economy, and give individual freedoms back to the people. When people have a job and they realize that it was lower taxes and less regulation that got them the job, then they will be more willing to listen to Conservative ideology. Results matter, not rhetoric.

Perry is doing ok in my book.
He doesn’t make a mountain out of a mole-hill.
His defense is fine.
His offense is fine too.
I understand everything he has said.
He doesn’t suffer from diarrhea of the mouth.
It’s everybody else that just yammers on and on.
He lost a debate? I thought that was Bachmann, Santorum and Huntsman.
You just have to listen to what the man is saying.
And he doesn’t just repeat himself, so listen closely.

Rick Perry is a man of valor and honor. Who threw the first punches in debates? Not Perry. He came to the debates to talk about his record in TX. He has done little else than dodge arrows. Go to the Des Moines Register and follow newspapers wherever he goes and you’ll get a very different picture than the media wants us to believe. Supposedly, Cain is coming at him hard on Tues. Mr. Cain: the Values Voters held you in high regard. That means they expect Christian charity and a ‘love they neighbor as thyself’ attitude. You are quickly becoming a seasoned politician in your attacks and insults against a man you know very little about. WWJD in that case, Herman? You’re the prom king at this point. You have never protected or defended a border. You have never been ill-advised and cast a bad vote. You have never done anything in the realm of politicis. You are fresh off the talk radio circuit and have decided the highest elected office in the land should be your first stop. I respect you at this point, but if you start gutter ball attacks and sleazy politics at the next debate in order to take out another man that has worked just as hard as you have and has overcome just as much as you, my respect will be ill-placed, won’t it? As for me, if we’re going to send a conservative talk show host to the White House that worked his way to top from humble beginnings, my vote goes to RUSH!

I, too, think Rick should be our nominee to defeat BHO handily, based upon both substance and style.

That said – and noting how many like-minded people have tried to provide “constructive criticism” and/or “tough-love” on this page – it is mandatory to note certain concerns that [believe it or not] have not yet been articulated [in one place] and may be found by others to be worthy of note.

First, Rick must anticipate that the attacks will continue; that he has had a good $-raising quarter [and that daily-donations were calculated to have risen after the debates] will provoke another panata-atmosphere [lest he recover].

Second, Cain will continue to receive softball handling, as evidenced during the Sunday-shows; he will be able to walk-back his anti-Muslim comment, and he will be able to rationalize his flip-flop on auditing the Fed…and the adolation will continue to prompt people to register perceived-displeasure with Rick [and self-perceived racial-tolerance], accruing to his benefit [and to a MSM that wants people to perceive a horse-race which will attract eyes of both candidate-adherents and "reality-TV"-addicts].

Third, the MSM-narrative that the social-conservatives are softening to Mitt will grow [consistent with the "flood" of GOP-establishment endorsements won after CC withdrew]; Sarah and The Donald will only be afforded attention if/when they climb aboard this distraction from core-beliefs [limited government, etc.].

Fourth, recalling how Rush keeps reminding us that the MSM mustn’t again be allowed to choose our candidate, it must now be recognized that – because the field is set – there is NO ONE ELSE who can satisfy the BASIC NEEDS of the GOP in this SCOTUS/POTUS-race other than Rick; for a terse reminder, simply scan any of EE’s Thursday-noon commentaries].

Fifth, it must be noted by SOME non-elitist GOP-pundit that the effort to diminish Rick is intended to provoke him to become beholden to the powers-that-be; he resists, and they double-down [...as opposed to Herman, who's luvin' it!]

Sixth, proving inability to depend upon the MSM, note the unique flavor of his anti-UN presser a fortnight ago [attended by Turner, which amazingly failed to turn heads], and anticipate how the confluence of “interests” of the MSM/Party-Stalwarts has yielded reinforcement of Mitt “Wall St.” Romney over Rick “Main St.” Perry; perhaps acting against-type, he should lash-out @ BHO’s overseas antics [and how they have hurt BOTH American Exceptionalism AND everyday activities-of-daily-living].

Seventh [and I'll "rest" on this point, recalling "Creation"], it is mandatory that the life-line available to Rick be shored-up maximally during the next two days, prophylaxis against the “disinterested interpretations” that can be anticipated from the likes of Gergen, Maddow and Rove; they [amplified by "Morning Joe" RINO-Scarborough] will claim he didn’t measure-up to diminished expectations, telling voters to look elsewhere in this wretched field of candidates.

Therefore, my “advice” to Rick is as follows:

1. Quote from “Fed Up!” whenever sufficient time exists after having answered the question within the first 10-seconds; transition to what the voters need to learn, because your narrative is simple and extraordinary and correct.

2. Regardless of the question, note how you have manifest the concept of Constitutionally-mandated Federalism when decision-making; this will allow you to “nationalize” your track-record, again helping voters appreciate your inner-strengths.

3. Do not take the bait of counter-attacking [either the other candidates or the MSM]; the former plays into the hands of those who wish distractions will yield advertising sound-bites in a year, and the latter [popularized by The Newt] actually can antagonize both the interviewers [who will claim they are manifesting the-will-of-the-people] and the listener [who may not mind noting spillage of some blood-in-the-water].

4. Enjoy yourself, because you have “walked the talk” like no one else on that stage [military-service, jobs-creation, heartfelt-values]; do not fear citing from any text [Biblical and NY-Times] when apt, for your observations will be un-matched.

5. Observe the passing-scene candidly and forcefully; note that the “Occupy”-Movement reflects anguish over banker-bailouts, how ever misdirected the “anger” may be, and don the “populist” mantle with pride [recalling your tag-lines of wanting to get America Working again while ensuring Washington is made as irrelevant as possible in day-to-day existence].

6. Demonstrate that you appreciate that the American economic-split [taxpayers vs. Obama-Money dependents] is the underlying stressor when each/every economic-query is raised, and speak to the angst of self-image damage that most adults are either experiencing or fearing they may soon experience [having watched friends/family as they have suffered]; when crony-capitalism is tossed @ you, simply note that your method of incentivizing has proven successful.

7. Again, “resting” here, your overall friendliness– your admiral mien that we watched when you announced @ RedState’s gathering, THIS is what must emerge REPEATEDLY; I learned when debating The Tobacco Institute in the late-1970s in NYC [while a fellow @ the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center] that you should not hesitate to REPEAT a concept as often as every 10-minutes [recognizing limits to the attention-span of the viewer].

Therefore, create a pyramid of your themes and convey them consistently; they won’t be able to lift a problematic quote in any of the triad-realms [economy-jobs, foreign-policy, social-concerns] and you will then proceed to wipe-up during January….

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/65256.html

“Who will be the GOP messiah?”

Buried in this idealistic piece is an attack on Cain’s 9-9-9 ["Whatever the economic merits of his 9-9-9 plan, it is doomed to political failure because, among other things, it would have Americans give up something they like — their home mortgage interest deduction — for something they won’t like: a 9 percent national sales tax that would be levied on top of state and local taxes."].

I’ve long considered Fred Barnes to be a moderate, yet surprisingly he has written one of the best pieces on the current GOP campaign season I’ve read.

“The debates have overwhelmed the Republican race. ‘They are about all there’s been to the campaign”, said Fox political commentator Brit Hume. After each debate the campaign has been frozen until the next one except for arguments over issues spawned by the debates themselves.”

Perhaps Mr. Hume would do well to have a little one on one with his colleague Chris Wallace who has done his level best to keep those arguments, over non-priority issues alive. Wallace spawned much of the infighting between the candidates with his line of questioning, and provoking one candidate to go after another, as Barnes even points out.

I give Newt much credit for voicing his opposition to the gotcha questions posed by Wallace in one of the debates. I give him credit for saying that he was not going to participate in a take down of his fellow candidates. He firmly grasps the charade that the networks have made of the Republican candidates, simply to increase their ratings (including Fox), and it is only a winner for Obama, as he has largely been ignored when he is the one we are trying to defeat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfcOGWRfXdk

I read somewhere this weekend . . . I think it was a New York Slimes piece . . . that Governor Perry now has a Romney-double to spar against in preparation for the upcoming debates. I’m all for that–don’t get me wrong–but it just sounds so hilarious! A Romney-double? Imagine that!

Now how about a Santorum-double, frothing at the mouth as though every day were October 31st?

An HPV-obsessed Bachman-double who apparently also “knows more” about border security than the biggest border-state governor who’s been feverishly at it for well over a decade?

Or the not-so-Christian-after-all, “kick the man whilst he’s down” Herman Cain-double?

Ron Paul? . . . Well, could there even be a double for him?

That said, I’m sure our guy, Governor Perry, will do just fine!

I read somewhere this weekend . . . I think it was a New York Slimes piece . . . that Governor Perry now has a Romney-double to spar against in preparation for the upcoming debates. I’m all for that–don’t get me wrong–but it just sounds so hilarious! A Romney-double? Imagine that!

Now how about a Santorum-double, frothing at the mouth as though every day were October 31st?

An HPV-obsessed Bachman-double who apparently also “knows more” about border security than the biggest border-state governor who’s been feverishly at it for well over a decade?

Or the not-so-Christian-after-all, “kick the man whilst he’s down” Herman Cain-double?

Ron Paul? . . . Well, could there even be a double for him?

That said, I’m sure our guy, Governor Perry, will do just fine!

It will be released out of PPP tomorrow.

But this is also on top of some of the best news you could hope for out as a Perry supporter. Studying and Debate prep has been a huge piece of his schedule over the last few weeks. Something he apparently has never really done before.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/10/us/politics/perry-campaign-works-to-smooth-out-flaws.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

Lets face it he needs to blow out the expectations tomorrow!!

http://hotair.com/archives/2011/10/10/change-cain-now-leads-perry-nationally-and-in-new-hampshire/

Cain is rising, Perry falling.

More polls. No where close to what the Harvard Poll says.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html