# Perry the Showman \[Rick Perry's speeches and debate performances\] **URL:** \ **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:** 3
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/41 "2011-11-10T06:14:46Z")
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUA2rDVrmNg) This is very sad. Don’t watch it unless you can take hard core schadenfreude. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/42 "2011-11-10T06:21:30Z")
I’ve heard several commentaries to the effect that while Perry has never been a good debater, he can’t be ruled out because he’s sitting on a metric buttload of money and can be counted on to run a slick campaign once the real campaigning starts. But IMHO he’s managed to dig himself into an abyss that Orpheus himself couldn’t rescue him from. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/43 "2011-11-10T06:31:28Z")
Man, I kinda feel sorry for the guy. That was pretty painful, even his opponents were trying to help him. Ah well, I guess he can go back to Texas and cheer himself up by executing some retarded criminals, or whatever it is Texas governors do when they’re blue. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/44 "2011-11-10T06:51:46Z")
His whole campaign is a Ponzi Scheme if you ask me. I’d feel sorry for him if they started flaying him on stage. Maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/45 "2011-11-10T07:08:35Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUA2rDVrmNg](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUA2rDVrmNg) > > This is very sad. Don’t watch it unless you can take hard core schadenfreude. Damn. That was rough. It was refreshing, though, to at least see a moderator or interviewer not give the politician (in this case Perry) a pass and let the issue go. John Harwood persisted. Nice. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/46 "2011-11-10T12:17:53Z")
Whatever it was, it wasn’t pretty. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/47 "2011-11-10T12:25:59Z")
Oops. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/48 "2011-11-10T12:36:21Z")
Just wanted to throw this out there – there are a lot of reasons this could have happened. I’m wondering what medications he’s on. I had the same kind of memory lapses when my Wellbutrin dosage was too high – gaa, SO embarrassing! ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/49 "2011-11-10T12:49:27Z")
> [@PandaBear77](#): > > Just wanted to throw this out there – there are a lot of reasons this could have happened. I’m wondering what medications he’s on. I had the same kind of memory lapses when my Wellbutrin dosage was too high – gaa, SO embarrassing! Normally I’d say “brain fart” but I’m starting to wonder too, after his previous and very \*entertaining \*public appearance. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/50 "2011-11-10T13:03:26Z")
The morning news on KHOU, the local CBS affiliate, led with the clip. Hey, right now it’s featured on their website! [http://www.khou.com/news](http://www.khou.com/news) (Soon to be replaced by a car crash or shooting, I’m sure.) The whole news staff thought it was hilarious & the anchorlady predicted another subject for _Saturday Night Live_. Texas cities tend to vote Democratic; maybe this idiocy will convince some of Perry’s supporters out in the boonies to see him in a new light… ETA: He’s also on the front page of the London _Times_ site. Behind the pay wall, alas… ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/51 "2011-11-10T13:16:53Z")
Uh oh… _Anita tears Warning__Anita tears Warning_ ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/52 "2011-11-10T13:41:47Z")
Oh poor thing. He really should just admit that he is just in over his head and get out now. He doesn’t do well under pressure. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/53 "2011-11-10T13:52:02Z")
His campaign HQ ought to get a supermarket-style sign: TALKING POINTS: Two Items Or Less. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/54 "2011-11-10T13:58:18Z")
I actually felt sorry for him, because I sometimes blank out on a word or phrase, and trying to name government agencies would flummox me, too. Them I remembered, “Oh, right, _I’m not running for President_.” ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/55 "2011-11-10T14:07:58Z")
And if they’re agencies that you propose to dismantle, you should really be able to not only name them, but explain very clearly what they do. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/56 "2011-11-10T14:10:18Z")
How can this guy seriously still be campaigning? How is he still around after being high on stage? ---
**Author:** ![SmartAlecCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SmartAlecCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAlecCat)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/57 "2011-11-10T14:11:00Z")
These agencies are clearly not very important if they aren’t even memorable. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/58 "2011-11-10T14:26:09Z")
“I propose to dismantle the 5 agencies…” “Three agencies…” How did he get to be governor, again? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/59 "2011-11-10T14:26:31Z")
> [@SmartAlecCat](#): > > These agencies are clearly not very important if they aren’t even memorable. Hopefully it’s the DEA. Seriously though, for criminy’s sake. A whole agency? Hundreds of thousands of people? Whole careers? All gone? And you can’t remember its name? What the hell. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460/60 "2011-11-10T14:28:25Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > I actually felt sorry for him, because I sometimes blank out on a word or phrase, and trying to name government agencies would flummox me, too. > > Them I remembered, “Oh, right, _I’m not running for President_.” It wasn’t really tip of the tongue syndrome though. He could’ve just started to explain what the agency did and someone would’ve jumped in with the name. He didn’t seem to remember at all what agency it was at all. I don’t think he was just blanking on the name. (he also didn’t exactly cover himself with glory throwing in the EPA just because someone suggested it, and then walking it back when called on it). > [@smartaleccat](#): > > These agencies are clearly not very important if they aren’t even memorable. Well, the one that he was trying to remember (Dept of Energy) keeps track of where our nuclear bombs are. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perry-the-showman-rick-perrys-speeches-and-debate-performances/601460.md?page=4)