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"I will tell you, it is three agencies of government when I get there that are gone: Commerce, Education, and what's the third one there? Let's see," Perry said, struggling to remember the third federal department he repeatedly has promised on the stump to eliminate. Texas Rep. Ron Paul suggested the Environmental Protection Agency as an option. Pressed by moderator John Harwood to name the third agency, Perry finally acknowledged, "The third one, I can't. Sorry. Oops."
The next time the Texas governor was called on, he had remembered "That was the Department of Energy that I was reaching for a while ago" but it was too late to avoid damage to a presidential bid that has been sinking. After the debate, Perry told reporters, "I'm sure glad I had my boots on because I sure stepped in it out there." Perry's stumble was the moment sure to become an instant classic on YouTube from a debate in which former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney seemed in his element and businessman Herman Cain was forced to address allegations of sexual harassment that have surfaced since the last such forum.
The debate's bottom line: Good news for Romney, whose support has been steady as two rivals, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and Perry, first soared and then crashed. In the USA TODAY/Gallup Poll released Monday, Romney was tied with Cain at 21% each. Cain, the former head of Godfather's Pizza and the National Restaurant Association, flatly rejected accusations of sexual harassment from four women and denied they had harmed his campaign. "For every one person that comes forward with a false accusation, there are probably there are thousands who would say none of that sort of activity came from Herman Cain," he said, referring to himself in the third person. "Over the last nine days, the voters have voted with their dollars, and they're saying they don't care about the character assassination. They care about the leadership and getting the economy growing and all of the other problems we face."
Romney, who called the allegations serious in an interview with ABC on Tuesday, declined to take a shot when asked whether his corporate takeover firm would have retained a CEO facing such accusations. "Herman Cain is the person to respond to this question," Romney said. "The people in this room and across the country can make their own assessments." The debate, sponsored by CNBC and the Michigan Republican Party, then returned to a discussion on tax plans, the eurozone debt crisis, housing policy, health care reform and economic philosophy. The eight candidates just eight weeks away from the Iowa caucuses and subsequent contests likely to winnow the field focused their fire not on one another but on President Obama, the news media and the Dodd-Frank Law regulating corporations.
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How much alcohol does he consume before each debate?
Tonight's debate was his worst performance yet. He seems to get worse every debate.
Obama, who owned McCain in all 3 debates, would destroy any of these clowns.
I look forward to the General Election debates.
How much alcohol does he consume before each debate?
Tonight's debate was his worst performance yet. He seems to get worse every debate.
Obama, who owned McCain in all 3 debates, would destroy any of these clowns.
I look forward to the General Election debates.
No he isn't the worst. He and GW Bush are about even.
We were all horrified when he became president so I wouldn't blow this Perry guy off. Republicans have very low standards. They just need somebody pliable.
Rick Perry fills the bill.
How much alcohol does he consume before each debate?
Tonight's debate was his worst performance yet. He seems to get worse every debate.
Obama, who owned McCain in all 3 debates, would destroy any of these clowns.
I look forward to the General Election debates.
No he isn't the worst. He and GW Bush are about even.
We were all horrified when he became president so I wouldn't blow this Perry guy off. Republicans have very low standards. They just need somebody pliable.
Rick Perry fills the bill.
The Tea-Tards need to wire Perry like they did Bush...
I remember that. Funny how that never got any traction.
I remember that. Funny how that never got any traction.
Yes, I always thought that was funny as well...
I remember that. Funny how that never got any traction.
Yes, I always thought that was funny as well...
He never could have got through a debate with John Kerry without help. GW is a nice man but he just can't think on his feet.
Yes, I always thought that was funny as well...
He never could have got through a debate with John Kerry without help. GW is a nice man but he just can't think on his feet.
George W. Bush is an asshole, idiot, and war criminal. He should be in prison pounding rocks.
How much alcohol does he consume before each debate?
Tonight's debate was his worst performance yet. He seems to get worse every debate.
Obama, who owned McCain in all 3 debates, would destroy any of these clowns.
I look forward to the General Election debates.
No he isn't the worst. He and GW Bush are about even.
We were all horrified when he became president so I wouldn't blow this Perry guy off. Republicans have very low standards. They just need somebody pliable.
Rick Perry fills the bill.
The Tea-Tards need to wire Perry like they did Bush...
Yes, I always thought that was funny as well...
He never could have got through a debate with John Kerry without help. GW is a nice man but he just can't think on his feet.
George W. Bush is an asshole, idiot, and war criminal. He should be in prison pounding rocks.
Yeah, go back to uh, um. What's that state with all the Cowboys? Colo- Colorado? No, Help me Dr. Paul, Newt, anyone?Obama might be the best debater.
Which goes to show that being good at debates has suck-all to do with being a decent president.
Go, Rick.
Yeah, go back to uh, um. What's that state with all the Cowboys? Colo- Colorado? No, Help me Dr. Paul, Newt, anyone?Obama might be the best debater.
Which goes to show that being good at debates has suck-all to do with being a decent president.
Go, Rick.
Moderator: "Gov. Perry, it's Wyoming with all the Cowboys. Do you remember now which state has all the Cowboys?"Yeah, go back to uh, um. What's that state with all the Cowboys? Colo- Colorado? No, Help me Dr. Paul, Newt, anyone?Obama might be the best debater.
Which goes to show that being good at debates has suck-all to do with being a decent president.
Go, Rick.
That's Wyoming with all the cowboys. And Dr Paul will tell you we had no right in the constitution to make Wyoming a state. So his first act as president will be to declare all lands acquired in the LA purchase independent countries.
