Perry: The Troops Prefer A President Who's Worn The Uniform
Obama: Watch Your Mouth, But I'll Cut You Some Slack
Perry: You're Killing Jobs

Sorry for all the Perry stuff, but it is news.

Vid at the link, but here is the transcript:

WOLF BLITZER, HOST, CNN'S "THE SITUATION ROOM": Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, Republican presidential candidate now, says, the men and women of the United States military want someone who's worn the uniform. He says he served in the Air Force.

Do you see a comment like that, that he makes, referring to you, as disrespectful to the commander in chief?

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You know, Mr. Perry just got into the presidential race. I think that everybody who runs for president, it probably takes them a little bit of time before they start realizing that this isn't like running for governor or running for senator or running for Congress, and you've got to be a little more careful about what you say.

But I'll cut him some slack. He's only been at it for a few days now.

Perry responded to him in kind. Vid here, but here is the transcript:

"Yesterday, the President said I needed to watch what I say. I just want to respond back, if I may. Mr. President, actions speak louder than words. My actions as Governor are helping create jobs in this country. The President's actions are killing jobs," GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry said at a breakfast on Wednesday morning.

This is actually sort of a nonsequitor, but that's why I like it. Obama whined about Perry's statement that he had never served in the military, and Perry's response is Dude, you're an economic disaster area.

Responding directly to Obama's whine would have been unproductive and further would have put Obama in control of their ongoing dialogue. Perry's response was to ignore the topic at hand and note that Obama is this.

Technically off-topic, but it is in fact the only real topic there is. Always be closing. Always. Be. Closing.

Byron York noted that by keeping close to Obama's bus tour, now in Iowa, Perry was attempting to set up the narrative that it is Perry vs. Obama, not Perry vs. Romney or Perry vs. Bachmann. (Romney has until now been very effective at always making it Romney vs. Obama, plus some other people who talk nearby him on a stage.)

That pundit also knocked the other candidates for leaving Iowa, thereby allowing Perry to do just this, have a one-on-one (via media soundbites) with the sitting lame-duck.

The New York Times gives him his headline:

Obama Presses His Case in Crucial Iowa, but Perry Is Close on His Heels

Although I think Perry's comment about Bernacke was ill-advised for other reasons, it could be that his plan is to provoke Obama into direct response to him, thus furthering the narrative of Perry v. Obama.

Rich Lowry has a somewhat similar idea, noting that maybe Perry is following Trump's formula of provocation.

posted by Ace at 12:52 PM

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