Fresh off her “Brutalized” tour, Anita Perry disappeared for a bit, re-emerging yesterday with new and improved messaging. In a transformation reminiscent of the Stepford Wives, our reclusive First Lady of the Lone Star State could easily have been mistaken for a campaign spouse as she took to the podium before a friendly crowd of Republican women.
According to Houston Chronicle Blog
...speaking to a group of Republicans at an Italian restaurant in a Las Vegas shopping mall, Texas’ first lady only fleetingly mentioned her faith and talked primarily about his economic record.
Anita Perry said that Rick would cut taxes, slash regulations and do what it takes to “shock our economy out of this tailspin.”
She explicitly criticized President Barack Obama and implicitly criticized Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney. Of Obama, she said, “We don’t need rhetoric, we need a record.” Alluding to Romney, she said that her husband “not only campaigns as a conservative, he governs as a conservative.”
Two hours after Rick Perry outlined his economic plan at a meeting of the Western Republican Leadership Conference, Anita Perry gave the Republican Women of Las Vegas a pep talk about the Texas governor’s record and vision.
Well, if it’s a pep talk they wanted, they should have brought Rick. He used to be a “Yell Leader” at Texas A&M. While they didn’t have this sort of thing at the quiet little college I attended in New England, in Aggie Land, this is a Major Big Deal, as the Yell Leaders are elected by the student body.
Anita 2.0 went on to address the Las Vegas ladies with a truly campaign-y sounding spiel:
“He has the right record to lead the country,” Mrs. Perry said. “He has a conservative vision to get America working again.”
Her programmers are to be commended. This is just the sort of vague, generic, unsubstantiated statement that will endear her to the voters. She may need a few tweaks back at the shop, but this beta test was a complete success.
Follow along below the new algorithm for more...
While many have had doubts about Anita 1.0 and her willingness to support our Secessionist-in-Chief’s presidential ambitions, Anita 2.0 says that:
…the entire Perry family is fully committed to a long presidential campaign.
“I’m all in with his candidacy,” she said. “Our children are all in. Our four dogs are all in.”
Anita must not be feeling the love lately. Back in 2010, when her husband was campaigning against the Most Excellent Democrat Bill White for governor, she refused – as has been her custom throughout the Perry Reign of Error – to grant interviews. (Hey – just because she’s on our state payroll, living in a $10,000-a-month rent-a-mansion, surrounded by staff, that doesn’t mean she owes us anything like accessibility.)
According to Get to Know Anita Perry Again
Perry’s 2010 campaign for governor, against Democrat Bill White, Anita Perry wouldn’t agree to an in-person interview, but she did respond to questions by email. Here’s what she told Chronicle reporter Claudia Feldman in September of that year:
Is campaigning a test of even a good marriage? How and why?
"Rick works a ton — whether he’s home reading briefings or traveling. Yes, the schedules can be grueling, but we talk a lot and try to work schedules so that we’re home almost every night — even if it’s late. We always have stories to share from the trail, or we talk about our fantastic children and daughter-in-law. And then there is our dog Lucy, who loves us no matter what!"
So: she had one dog in 2010, and she’s acquired 3 more dogs in the past year. If she needs more dogs to replace the love missing in her life, that $10,000-a-month rent-a-mansion will need to add a kennel annex, a full-time vet, and a pooper-scooper crew. It's no problem, though. Texas taxpayers know that no expense is to be spared for the ease and comfort of our First Couple just because the state has been ravaged by wildfires and millions are suffering.
Well, back to the "e-mail interview" questions. Here’s an interesting little stumble down memory lane (remember: these remarks were from 2010…)
There are many rumors your husband is eyeing a presidential race. How do you feel about that?
"We really don’t spend too much time worrying about rumors. I love Texas, and I know Rick does. He has a plan and a vision for Texas and his heart is here."
On the trail
"Rick always works hard to earn the support of Texas voters and has never lost an election, but it seems like he’s always under attack because of his conservative record and philosophy. He handles it all so well, but it’s hard for me to see such negativity directed at someone I love".
Yeah, that’s such a bummer. Having to listen to people criticize your loved one just because they execute some innocent people, slash the state’s budgets, and ignore the suffering of their constituents. People can be so cruel.
Still, let’s give credit where credit is due. After some false starts that could have spelled the end of the campaign, both Rick and Anita have picked themselves up, dusted themselves off, and gotten back on message. My guess – and it’s just a guess - is that they’ve ditched their original team of advisers, who had them locked in a prevent defense that was going nowhere.
There’s something very liberating about ditching advisers. My college adviser told me that I should abandon my career choice because I didn’t “have what it takes”. My marginal grades aside, I was clearly smart enough and determined enough to recognize this as bullshit, get another adviser, and pursue my dream which has provided me with an awesome career.
Any inferred resemblance between me and Anita or Rick Perry is probably as revolting to them as it is to me, but anyone with the moxie to kick their advisers to the curb and make a course correction might be worth watching… even if it’s only out of morbid curiosity.