# The Rick Perry for President Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 14, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720 "2011-08-14T20:51:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/141 "2011-08-21T19:57:40Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Glad to have that cleared up. Me too. I wouldn’t want people to get the wrong impression, just because you deliberately misquoted me. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/142 "2011-08-21T20:41:40Z")
Not so. I asked for a cite for your claim that: > [@](#): > > …we have Republican leadership saying their number one job is to make Obama a one term president, even if it ruins the economy and makes life miserable for millions of Americans. From you, I got nuthin’. From a couple of others we got a statement from ONE Republican to the effect that Republicans want to be sure that Obama is a one-term president. In neither quote did we get a cite of any Republican saying that ruining the economy and making millions of Americans miserable was a Republican goal, which your post very much seemed to indicate was the case. One possibility remains however, and that is that you have subsequently decided to claim that the comma in that sentence separates what the Republicans actually said from what you tried to portray them as having said. In other words, everything after the comma is a fantasy dreamed up by you. You more or less admitted this when you stated: > [@](#): > > I never said they did. So to me, the issue had been settled: the Pubbies said they wanted to make sure Obama was a one-term president, and the rest was hooey. Now you’re claiming that I misquoted you. Would yo care to show just where it was I did that? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/143 "2011-08-21T20:44:56Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But if making him a one-term president is in fact their single most important priority, that does imply that they’re willing to sacrifice anything else for it. That’s what “most important” means, after all: Getting Obama out of office is a higher priority than, for instance, sustaining the American economy. Not necessarily. What if he truly believes that the biggest stumbling block to sustaining the American Economy is the policies of the current Administration? He can’t pass his own policies without the threat of a veto (if he can get them through the Senate). ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/144 "2011-08-21T20:47:19Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Now you’re claiming that I misquoted you. Would yo care to show just where it was I did that? It’s right here: > [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > The problem is with **Fear Itself’s** allegation that Congressional Republicans have stated that they “will ruin the economy and make life miserable for millions of Americans in order to make Obama a one-term president.” You misquoted somebody; if it wasn’t me, who was it? ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/145 "2011-08-21T20:58:19Z")
Oops. You’re right. I put the quote mark in front of “will” when it should have gone in front of the word, “ruin”. My bad. :rolleyes: Look, we can settle this very easily. Do you deny that your post was meant to lead people to believe that Republican leaders have said that their most important job was to ensure that Obama was a one-term president even if it meant ruining the economy and making millions of Americans miserable? If not, then we can dismiss the post-comma part of your statement as fantasy. If so, then I didn’t misquote you. I’m perfectly fine with either result. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/146 "2011-08-21T20:59:56Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Not necessarily. What if he truly believes that the biggest stumbling block to sustaining the American Economy is the policies of the current Administration? He can’t pass his own policies without the threat of a veto (if he can get them through the Senate). They have to destrpy the economy to save it. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/147 "2011-08-21T21:04:30Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Oops. You’re right. I put the quote mark in front of “will” when it should have gone in front of the word, “ruin”. My bad. > > :rolleyes: > > Look, we can settle this very easily. Do you deny that your post was meant to lead people to believe that Republican leaders have said that their most important job was to ensure that Obama was a one-term president even if it meant ruining the economy and making millions of Americans miserable? I do. You found it inconvenient to admit a Republican leader said making Obama a one term president was the most important goal, so you made a silly attempt to dismiss it by deliberatley misquoting me. > [@](#): > > If not, then we can dismiss the post-comma part of your statement as fantasy. You may do what ever you wish; it does not change the fact that you deliberately misquoted me, and it does not change the fact that Republicans would destroy the economy in order to damage Obama. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/148 "2011-08-21T21:09:26Z")
So you admit then that no Republican leader has gone on record saying that the Republicans would be willing to ruin the economy and make millions of Americans miserable in order to ensure that Obama was a one-term president? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/149 "2011-08-21T21:14:38Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > So you admit then that no Republican leader has gone on record saying that the Republicans would be willing to ruin the economy and make millions of Americans miserable in order to ensure that Obama was a one-term president? I never claimed they did. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/150 "2011-08-21T21:24:01Z")
Well then, as I said the last time you said this, the issue is settled. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/151 "2011-08-21T21:25:15Z")
Apology accepted. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/152 "2011-08-21T21:40:25Z")
Hmm…I wonder which one of us will have the last word on this issue? 😃 However, I think, since you’re the one who’s post was shown to be wrong, it would be more sporting to let you have it. So, knock yourself out. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/153 "2011-08-21T21:41:37Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Hmm…I wonder which one of us will have the last word on this issue? 😃 > > However, I think, since you’re the one who’s post was shown to be wrong, it would be more sporting to let you have it. So, knock yourself out. Your post is your cite? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/154 "2011-08-21T22:06:25Z")
Quoth **John Mace** : > [@](#): > > Not necessarily. What if he truly believes that the biggest stumbling block to sustaining the American Economy is the policies of the current Administration? He can’t pass his own policies without the threat of a veto (if he can get them through the Senate). In that case, the number 1 priority would be sustaining the economy, and getting Obama out of office would be but one of a number of possible means to that end (other possibilities being convincing Obama to compromise on the relevant policies, or getting a veto-proof supermajority in Congress). That’s not consistent with getting rid of Obama being the first priority. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/155 "2011-08-21T22:22:01Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Quoth **John Mace** :In that case, the number 1 priority would be sustaining the economy, and getting Obama out of office would be but one of a number of possible means to that end (other possibilities being convincing Obama to compromise on the relevant policies, or getting a veto-proof supermajority in Congress). That’s not consistent with getting rid of Obama being the first priority. Not really. Just because you would say it that way, doesn’t mean everyone else needs to. In his mind, fixing the economy and getting rid of Obama are one and the same. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/156 "2011-08-21T22:29:57Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > In his mind, fixing the economy and getting rid of Obama are one and the same. Then he expressed hinself poorly, because his words imply one is most important. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/157 "2011-08-21T22:33:58Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > In his mind, fixing the economy and getting rid of Obama are one and the same. That’s your theory, but after the Republicans’ performance with the debt ceiling issue, I don’t think it’s the most likely possibility. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/158 "2011-08-21T22:36:33Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Then he expressed hinself poorly, because his words imply one is most important. Again, not really, unless he thinks that the ONLY thing that will be accomplished by getting rid of Obama will be to improve the economy. I doubt very much that he does. In his mind, getting rid of Obama is necessary in order to fix the economy and, to pick one other very important issue, to make sure more SCOTUS justices like Roberts are put on the court. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/159 "2011-08-21T22:52:43Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Again, not really,.. Well, the only thing that is uncertain is what he meant. His words are indisputable, one thing is most important, and it is not improving the economy. Otherwise he would have said said “improving the economy is the most important goal, and making Obama a one term president is how to achieve it.” He did not say that, so if that is what he meant, he expressed himself poorly. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720/160 "2011-08-21T23:19:19Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Well, the only thing that is uncertain is what he meant. His words are indisputable, one thing is most important, and it is not improving the economy. Otherwise he would have said said “improving the economy is the most important goal, and making Obama a one term president is how to achieve it.” > > He did not say that, so if that is what he meant, he expressed himself poorly. It was a classic gaffe. He said what he meant. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-rick-perry-for-president-thread/592720.md?page=9)