# Perry the Showman \[Rick Perry's speeches and debate performances\]
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460
**Category:** Politics & Elections
**Created:** [November 1, 2011, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460 "2011-11-01T04:22:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2011, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/1 "2011-11-01T04:22:18Z")
[http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=perry’s%20speech%20in%20new%20hampshire&source=web&cd=3&sqi=2&ved=0CDcQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.politico.com%2Fnews%2Fstories%2F1011%2F67196.html&ei=YnOvTsP3O-ry0gH91\_itAQ&usg=AFQjCNE85ZwYOfdGp3j4UUYDsIjbY\_UxHQ](http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=perry's%20speech%20in%20new%20hampshire&source=web&cd=3&sqi=2&ved=0CDcQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.politico.com%2Fnews%2Fstories%2F1011%2F67196.html&ei=YnOvTsP3O-ry0gH91_itAQ&usg=AFQjCNE85ZwYOfdGp3j4UUYDsIjbY_UxHQ)
I had flash backs of “_Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure_” watching this performance. And it was quite a performance. Just not the type any of his supporters were expecting, I’d imagine. 😃
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### Author:  [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2011, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/2 "2011-11-01T04:27:44Z")
I was thinking Phil Hartman had come back to life to parody Rick Parry.
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### Author:  [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2011, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/3 "2011-11-01T04:29:07Z")
[http://www.google.com/imgres?q=bill+and+teds+excellent+adventure+pictures&hl=en&sa=X&biw=780&bih=509&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=C4x7LZL2WOe7sM:&imgrefurl=http://cdmovieviews.blogspot.com/2010\_07\_01\_archive.html&docid=UQhScXAZWOcqhM&imgurl=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/\_Vngbkp5rVvk/TERqdBQAVdI/AAAAAAAAAmo/o57mY1v0958/s400/eabtwall1.jpg&w=400&h=276&ei=83SvTvbHMMLMtgfznqyoAg&zoom=1](http://www.google.com/imgres?q=bill+and+teds+excellent+adventure+pictures&hl=en&sa=X&biw=780&bih=509&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=C4x7LZL2WOe7sM:&imgrefurl=http://cdmovieviews.blogspot.com/2010_07_01_archive.html&docid=UQhScXAZWOcqhM&imgurl=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Vngbkp5rVvk/TERqdBQAVdI/AAAAAAAAAmo/o57mY1v0958/s400/eabtwall1.jpg&w=400&h=276&ei=83SvTvbHMMLMtgfznqyoAg&zoom=1)
_All we are is dust in the wind, dude._-Ted.
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### Author:  [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2011, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/4 "2011-11-01T08:15:43Z")
I think he was more entertaining than I have ever seen him. Kinda channeling a fey Jack Benny if y’know what I mean.
So flamboyant is bad for a Republican? For myself, I have heard the “Rick Perry is gay” rumors for a while and never seen anything that would make me think they had any basis. I will say, my gaydar was pinging throughout that speech.
Whatever. If anything, I think it might help him just because is actually rather entertaining and amusing.
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### Author:  [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2011, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/5 "2011-11-01T10:25:42Z")
Was he drunk?
I’m not trying to be funny. His movements, along with the WTFness! of what he was saying, suggests that he was under the influence
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### Author:  [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2011, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/6 "2011-11-01T11:25:56Z")
If a “muskie” is defined as the amount of political damage caused by shedding one tear in New Hampshire, this performance probably is in the neighborhood of several hundred kilomuskies. Should he get the nomination, all Obama has to do is buy two hours of airtime on all the networks and major cable outlets the night before the election and run this speech four times back to back.
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### Author:  [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2011, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/7 "2011-11-01T13:03:08Z")
_The Daily Show_ sums it up:
[QUOTE=Jon Stewart]
Best case scenario, that dude’s hammered. Worst case scenario, that is Perry sober and every time we’ve seen him previously, he’s been hammered.
[/QUOTE]
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2011, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/8 "2011-11-01T14:03:23Z")
> [@monstro](#):
>
> Was he drunk?
>
> I’m not trying to be funny. His movements, along with the WTFness! of what he was saying, suggests that he was under the influence
At the very least. Why his campaign staff would allow him in front of cameras in that condition is a mystery. Lesser moments have tanked candidacies.
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/9 "2011-11-01T16:53:38Z")
I think Perry blamed one of his bad debate showings on medication he takes for a bad back. I don’t know if that’s what went here or if maybe he’s just overstressed because his campaign is flaming out. Regardless, it’s been a bizarre couple of months. He was the favorite or co-favorite before he even officially declared his candidacy and it’s been all downhill since then. He’s just getting dumber and weirder.
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### Author:  [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/10 "2011-11-01T17:14:34Z")
> [@Marley23](#):
>
> … He’s just getting dumber and weirder.
Is there a lower boundary? Because soon, it’s not going to be amusing any more.
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### Author:  [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/11 "2011-11-01T17:59:52Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#):
>
> Is there a lower boundary? Because soon, it’s not going to be amusing any more.
Mathematically, it’s defined as the Paline.
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### Author:  [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/12 "2011-11-01T18:40:22Z")
This follows on the heels of Perry mistaking a satirical piece in the Globe and Mail for an actual comment from a protester:
> [@](#):
>
> “This was in Toronto,” he told the crowd before paraphrasing the fabricated quote in an Oct. 21 Globe and Mail essay by freelancer Mark Schatzker. The piece was clearly labelled satire.
>
> Mr. Perry summarized the quote as: “I guess greed just makes you work hard.”
>
> The actual fake quote in Mr. Schatzker’s piece was attributed to “Jeremy, 38,” from the Occupy Toronto protests: “It’s weird protesting on Bay Street. You get there at 9 a.m. and the rich bankers who you want to hurl insults at and change their world view have been at work for two hours already. And then when it’s time to go, they’re still there. I guess that’s why they call them the one per cent. I mean, who wants to work those kinds of hours? That’s the power of greed.”
[LInk](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/rick-perry-mistakes-satire-as-real-in-speech-on-occupy-toronto/article2221236/)
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### Author:  [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/13 "2011-11-01T18:40:47Z")
What are you all talking about? That speech is totally winning. Getting that bottle of Tiger Blood at the end was totally bitchin’. He’s a F-18 dropping anti-tax bombs, there.
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### Author:  [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/14 "2011-11-01T18:59:22Z")
I’m trying to imagine Rush’s reaction to Obama giving a similarly goofy talk, and I can’t quite feature that.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/15 "2011-11-01T19:23:33Z")
> [@Marley23](#):
>
> I think Perry blamed one of his bad debate showings on medication he takes for a bad back. I don’t know if that’s what went here or if maybe he’s just overstressed because his campaign is flaming out. Regardless, it’s been a bizarre couple of months. He was the favorite or co-favorite before he even officially declared his candidacy and it’s been all downhill since then. He’s just getting dumber and weirder.
Oxy use would certainly make sense. I’ve taken that for back pain and it makes you loopy as hell.
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### Author:  [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/16 "2011-11-01T20:38:57Z")
oh my dear lord. We MUST have Perry as president. This is just TOO good of comedic gold. This guy will bring us so many laughs if he is our president… this video totally won me over.
Also, Perry does sound incredibly gay during this speech…
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### Author:  [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/17 "2011-11-01T20:45:16Z")
> [@Finagle](#):
>
> Mathematically, it’s defined as the Paline.
😃
Oh, well done, well done indeed. Good show, sir!
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### Author:  [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2011, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/18 "2011-11-01T23:43:29Z")
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> Oxy use would certainly make sense. I’ve taken that for back pain and it makes you loopy as hell.
Does it make you gesticulate with decidedly gay body language and facial expressions when you speak? That’s one hell of a side effect. 😃
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### Author:  [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2011, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/19 "2011-11-02T00:00:01Z")
“I picked the wrong day to stop taking my anti-psychotic meds.”
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### Author:  [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/20 "2011-11-02T00:58:11Z")
Is this speech Perry’s Dean Scream moment? Because if Howard Dean couldn’t recover from that single exuberant expression to go on to win the nomination, I can’t imagine how Perry’s going to be able to live this down.
The guy looks seriously like he’s on something other than adrenaline.
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