Rick Perry's Announcement Speech

The line was sweatier than Cool Hand Luke, about 250 people waiting for 45 minutes (or more).

Pictures coming (I'm right in front of the podium). Live blogging:

Talks about his upbringing in Paint Creek, and the values he learned -- "hard work and thrift."

"Socialist systems" try to order people in society -- but Americans do not "like to be told their place."

"That's why we reject this president's unbridled fixation" on taking money from citizens, punishing success, increasing dependency on government.

"one in six work-eligible americans cannot find a job, that is not a recovery, that is an economic disaster"

"This president and his big-spending policies have prolonged our national misery, not alleviated it."

"How can the wealthiest nation in history fail so miserably to pay its bills? Well Mr. President you cannot win the future by selling it to foreign creditors."

"This is only the latest downgrade... for three years he has been downgrading employment, downgrading our financial situation, downgrading our confidence, and downgrading our hopes for a better future."

"This president wishes to dictate the borders of our friend, Israel, while being an abject failure in defending the border of the united states."

"It's time to get America workin' again." Minor quote, but I suspect this is to be a theme of his campaign. Best way to do this is to "give a pinkslip to the current occupant of the White House."

Talks about making tough decisions in cutting spending to balance Texas' budget -- "It can, and it must, be done in Washington DC."

Several principles for how to do this: "One, you don't spend all the money!"
Also tort reform, regulation reform.

notes he just got "loser pays" tort reform.

"I know America is not broken, Washington DC is broken!" Another campaign theme. Mentions "generational theft." Will not accept "the path that America is on." "A renewed nation needs a new president."

"It is time to get America working again, and that is why.... I declare to you today as a candidate for presdident of the uS"

We cannot except the exchange of "less freedom for more government."

"The people are not subject to the government, the government is subject to us."

Talks about what is needed to "get American workin' again."

"I will work every day to make sure that Washington DC is as inconsequential to your lives as possible."

Just said goodbye and posed briefly with his family, which is pretty cute.

Overall impressions: 1, he's a good speech giver.

2, a point I didn't touch on because I was trying to get quotes, he condemned Obama for being too cowardly to suggest any entitlement reforms. He did not specify his own.

3, I think he might be softening his Texas accent, aware of the comparisons to Bush. While he clearly had a Texas accent, 1, he didn't sound much like Bush, and 2, it sounded subtle.

I heard that he was a good speaker, could charge the room, channel emotion, speak clearly in appealing themes. This is the first time I've actually seen in him action. Early reports were accurate; he's very good on the stump.

posted by Ace at 01:18 PM

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