Texas Governor Rick Perry is said to be considering entering the 2012 presidential race, and for those who wonder how he would distinguish himself from his patron and predecessor, the Lesser Bush, the answer is becoming clear:
On government spending, immigration and education, Mr. Perry’s criticisms of Mr. Bush have given him cachet with conservatives, especially with Tea Party voters who blame the former president for allowing spending and the reach of government to grow rapidly.
Those criticisms have burnished the Perry image as less prone to ideological compromise or a fuzzy “compassionate” brand of conservatism, an appealing trait to those Republican primary voters seeking purity in their nominee. And they have helped Mr. Perry escape the shadow of Mr. Bush, whose sponsorship, along with that of his chief political strategist, Karl Rove, was critical to Mr. Perry’s rise.
Sounds like a platform: Bush was too liberal, too bipartisan, and too nice. Have fun with that, Governor. Have fun with that, Republicans.