In his weekly memo for the pro-Obama super PAC Priorities USA, former White House spokesman Bill Burton signals that the first wave of Democratic attacks against Rick Perry won't be about character, land deals, the HPV vaccine or any of the other early oppo hits on the Texas governor.
The early Priorities USA attack line against Perry is simpler: He's too extreme to be trusted with the White House.
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The early Priorities USA attack line against Perry is simpler: He's too extreme to be trusted with the White House.
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Burton riffs on Perry's first few weeks on the campaign trail, as well as other episodes from the Texan's recent political history, to call his candidacy a "powerful statement on how far mainstream Republican ideology has strayed from mainstream Americans":
Rick Perry thinks that Medicare and Social Security are unconstitutional — he wrote it in his book. When the health care debate was heating up, he raised the specter of secession. And when asked about the chairman of the Federal Reserve, he used the word "treasonous."
While fair-minded Americans may view these moments as dangerous flashes illustrating the kind of man Rick Perry is, a plurality of Republican primary voters view him as their choice to be the nominee. …
For Rick Perry, the way he matches up with these voters has proven to be at least a short-term political bonanza for him — but in the long-term, his ideology could have devastating consequences for our country. Especially the middle class.
Perry’s view that Social Security and Medicare are unconstitutional is — to him — a very real justification for the House Republican plan that would essentially end Medicare. … Perry’s threat that Texas may secede from the union was popular among Texas Republicans and conservatives. 51% of Texas Republicans approved of his comments. His statement is consistent with the Tea Party's broad hatred of the federal government.
Perry’s very loose and dangerous use of the term "treason" is something that brought him criticism from many corners — just not Republican primary voters.
Voters who are disturbed by ending Medicare, what it means when a major governor threatens secession in the 21st century, and what it means for a major national figure to throw around terms like "treason" should be just as worried about this Republican Party as they are about Texas Governor Rick Perry.
What the memo doesn't tackle is Perry's jobs record, which is unquestionably the biggest asset he would have in a general election. But amid growing scrutiny of Perry's tenure as governor, Burton's memo is a reminder that it's possible to overthink what Perry's general-election liabilities would be. Democrats wouldn't have to do a deep dive on Perry's gubernatorial record if they can just convince independent voters that he's way out of the mainstream.
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