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First debate for Perry. Bachmann just fired campaign manager. And Ron Paul has revealed an AD attacking Perry.

Will Romney attack Perry? Can he wait a debate or two to see if anyone else does it for him?

I don't think Romney will attack him much, probably mention "career politicians" and play up his private industry experience to differentiate himself. I think he will have to take stronger shots at Obama. I think the base likes when Perry takes it to the President and one of the reasons he is leading Romney.
Good week to follow politics imo with this debate and the President's address.

You think Rick "Yosemite Sam" Perry will show? I have my doubts.

I wouldn't be surprised if Perry doesn't show up. Wildfires, dontcha know? He'll be out there personally fighting them.

Seriously, though, he has nothing to gain by showing up to one of these things. Missing the SC thing the other night was a brilliant stroke of luck IMO.

If he can get away with not showing he will. I have never seen him debate but I can't imagine he is good at it.

lol i've never even heard rick perry speak. i should probably look into that.

In before lock.

Perry not turning up would probably be strategically poor, there is another debate next week so he cant dodge them for long anyway and given recent polls they wont bite their tongues on attacking him.

Bachmann will cover him not being conservative/tea party enough, Romney will stick with him being a career politician and RP i assume will attack him for being mainstream. All sticking to their wheelhouse.

Latest polls show Perry trailing Obama by 4 points, and Romney beating Obama by 1 point. Stay the course!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngiJhmoFKkw


I think if I were RP I would stay home!

Lulz in that video. Perry needs to do a lot of growing up if he's going to survive on the national stage. The US ain't Texas.

And as others have pointed out, he really is Bush v2.0 (or should that be 3.0?).

I don't think the actual Bush 2.0 was really a 2.0 in the classical sense as much as he was in the familial sense.

OP, you started the thread 24 hours early. =)

As usually Paul will destroy them all, CNN and Fox will only show Romney and Perry and possibly Bachmann after the debate.

You got some real winners in the right wing media, you got this jerk Michael Medved calling Paul and anti-semite and anti Reagan. Has this dope visited every country to make sure there is not a better country on god's green earth. The guy is poo that walks.

steeeeeeeeeeeeelhoooooooooooooooooouse

Ron Paul does not understand voters...at all.

I want him to be President, but he is delusional because he thinks that the listeners (in general, obviously not anyone in this forum) of his debates understand a word he is saying.

They don't. I've watched a few of them...they're typically like a glassy eyed statue when he's talking. They don't even know what questions to ask.

Perry doesn't like to debate. He won't get away with skipping all three of the September debates though. He needs to not gaffe and going after Paul is the best strategy. If he can escape Romney and Bachmann unscathed, but get to be on the Reagan side of the argument versus Paul it could be a huge boost for his campaign.

Right now Romney is closer nationally to Ron Paul in 3rd than he is to Perry in 1st, he needs to stand out in these next three debates to stay in it in Iowa. He needs to show Perry as unqualified, uneducated, and unelectable.

Paul will likely be engaged by Perry who will try to make him look foolish. Paul needs to take this opportunity and win the exchanges. He needs to make Perry look like he supports bigger spending, deficits, and taxes.

No one is going to Pawlenty this time around and waste their breath attacking Bachmann. There's nothing to be gained and none of the other candidates are going to be interested in engaging her. She can win back Perry supporters so she should go after him, if she lays back it's in a misguided belief it could gain her a vice presidential spot.

Santorum will go after Romney and Paul.

Cain might take issue with Romney.

Huntsman might try to engage Perry or Bachmann.

Newt could go after Perry, Bachmann, or Paul.

I'll consider it a major step forward if we can survive the entire debate without the moderators asking people to raise their hands if they agree/disagree with something.

*raises hand to agree*

which will be the equivalent of a lightweight boxer taking on a heavyweight.

which would be the equivalent of asking for the death penalty.

I don't think he's so. He's not stupid.

And he'd win! Cause he'd pick his fights intelligently.

However, I think he remains in the race to peddle his books & my over/under on the number of times he mentions the title of one: 3

this was a pretty interesting read wrt perry and debates
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0911/62683.html

Can't believe santorum is still in this.

Ron Paul will win this debate, and become the GOP nominee. This is the push that Ron Paul needs. Ron Paul 2012. Ron Paul.

Why would Santorum go after Perry and Romney, esp Romney. Going for Bachmann makes more sense to be seen as the hard right heavyweight before then taking on the more middle road candidates.

All hitting Romney and Perry does now, ignoring him being owned, is drive support to Bachmann.

RP supporters say he has won every debate this year (certainly true for the early ones before Romney stepped into the race out of the ones ive seen) yet he is sat in fourth. Unless he outdebates his opponents so bad they commit seppuku he aint going to be getting a push to win regardless of if he wins or not.

perhaps this could happen if it were a real debate where each side asked the questions to the other side. But no, we have this fake debate with bull**** questions and reheared responses. At least I don't have to hear Pawlenty talk about his meat packing town when asked about jobs.