Romney-Perry Mix It Up in GOP Debate

by John M. Curtis
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Copyright October 18, 2011
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         GOP presidential frontrunners former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Gov. Rick Perry rumbled in Las Vegas Oct. 18 in a heated CNN debate moderated by feisty news anchor Andersen Cooper.  Perry had more to lose watching his candidacy sink after a series of poor debate performances after entering the race Aug. 13.  Pushed into the race by religious conservatives, Perry rose rapidly to the top, largely because of the so-called “Mormon Issue.”  Over the last few weeks, each of the GOP candidates had been forced to enter their judgment regarding the “Mormon issue,” all coming down that it didn’t matter—sort of.  Cooper called out Perry’s campaign for raising the Mormon question as a campaign issue, despite Romney’s continued assertion that his face didn’t affect his judgment on public policy.  Romney showed more aggressiveness in attacking Perry’s key campaign issues.

            Blasting Perry for illegal immigration, Romney drew applause for shaming Perry about his support of tuition for illegal aliens.  Most inside the GOP have little sympathy for the plight of illegal immigrants, favoring instead tough border policies, including building a massive electrified fence or immigration raids.  “Texas has had a 60 percent increase in illegal immigration in Texas.  If there’s someone who has a record as governor with regards to illegal immigration that doesn’t stand up to muster it’s you, not me,” said Romney to Perry at point-blank range.  Romney was encouraged to show he could mix it up with Perry, despite looking more aggressive.  While most polls show Romeny running best against President Barack Obama, Perry still appeals to evangelical Christians, a key component of the GOP base.  Romney’s Mormon faith rankles the GOP’s Christian base.

            Showing too much aggression doesn’t look presidential for either Romney or Perry.  For the national TV audience, voters gauge candidates’ temperament with special reference to whether or not candidates show presidential metal.  Both Romney and Perry watched former God Father’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain gain ground for his 9-9-9 economic plan.  Neither Romney nor Perry have any economic plan that offers much different than Democrats, aside from urging the so-called budget supercommittee to continue slashing the federal government.  Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben S. Bernnke believes that slashing the budget would have catastrophic effects on the economy, including laying off untold numbers of federal, state and local government workers.  Neither Democrats nor Republicans address what needs to be done to create more jobs.

            After lambasting Perry for his record on illegal immigration in Texas, Perry fired back, pointing out that Mitt hired undocumented workers to work at his home.  “Mitt,  you lose all you standing, from my perspective, because you hired illegals in your home and knew about it for a year,” said Perry, facing his opponent directly.  While Romney appears tough on undocumented workers, he knows that it’s both a curse and godsend for American businesses.  Bush’s “compassionate conservative” approach to illegal immigration was to grant amnesty to keep undocumented workers united with their families.  Neither Perry nor Romney are that far off when it comes to illegal immigration.  Both wish to extend government services and a path to citizenship to hard-working  immigrants.  Illegal immigration highlighted the differences between the two, which, in reality, were not too great.

            `Romney walks a fine line attacking Perry, looking mean-spirited and sore.  “Rick Perry is desperate.  He is trying to revive a candidacy that has sunk beneath the waves, said senior Romney ail Eric Fehrnstrom.  Getting red in the face attacking each other doesn’t help either candidate in pursuit of “no drama Obama,” Washington’s unflappable Teflon personality.  Despite the lack of consensus over how to fix the economy, the GOP is united behind the idea of getting rid of Obama.  As voters begin to narrow their choices, they’ll vote their pocketbooks, including whether the GOP, under any candidate, plans to slash the federal budget in order reduce budge deficits.  “Herman, I love you brother, but let me tell you something.  You don’t need to have a big analysis to figure this out,” said Perry, telling Cain that his 9-9-9 plan was out-of-touch with the aspirations of mainstream voters.

             Perry and Romney need to be careful not to win the battle and lose the war.  Most consider Romney at this point the most viable candidate to go up against Obama in Novemeber 2012.  If the economy improves, neither GOP candidate will be in a good position to upend an otherwise popular incumbent.  While no one likes a sluggish economy, Obama has acquitted himself well as president.  More intemperate displays by either candidate could backfire on the GOP.  Both need to chill-out before they meet in the next debate.  Confrontations make good theater but it’s not presidential.  “Their only strategy is to attack me,” said Cain, also complaining about the combative nature of the GOP race.  Cain has relentlessly attacked Romney’s Massachusetts health care plan, calling it the same as Obama’s.  All GOP candidates should heed the late President Ronald Reagan’s call to not attack fellow Republicans.

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com.and author of Dodging the Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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