The Atlantic: Is America Ready for 'George W. Bush on Steroids'?

[Eugene]

Source: The Atlantic

Is America Ready for 'George W. Bush on Steroids'?
By Joshua Green

Aug 6 2011, 6:05 PM ET

HOUSTON -- The days leading up to "The Response," Texas Gov. Rick Perry's prayer rally at Reliant Stadium, had looked a little grim for the governor and the event's organizers. Only about 7,000 people had confirmed that they would attend a venue that seats 71,500, and the controversial roster of sponsors -- including the American Family Association, which is labeled a "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center -- drew as much attention as the event's stated purpose of praying and fasting for the nation's improvement.

At least from the standpoint of attendance, though, things didn't turn out so bad. The consensus estimate put the crowd at around 30,000 people, and it was a diverse group of many backgrounds and ethnicities. So were the speakers. And while a number of them have a history of making extreme and ugly pronouncements, the general tenor of the event did not reflect that. (Which is not to say that people won't find cause for offense.) It was as much a Christian rock festival as anything else.

-snip-

The bottom line: Perry came exactly as advertised. His overt religiosity is unlikely to hurt him -- indeed, could help him -- in the Republican primary. He'll present a vivid contrast to the current frontrunner, Mitt Romney. But beyond that, it's anyone's guess. I thought the day's shrewdest political insight came from Dr. Richard Land, the former president of the Southern Baptist Convention and a sixth-generation Texan, who I bumped into in the hallway after Perry spoke. "If he runs, he'll be a strong candidate," Land told me. "He's a charismatic figure. I think about him on stage with the other candidates and he'll stand out. He's not a wallflower. But the most interesting question for me is whether the country is ready for somebody who looks and sounds like George W. Bush on steroids."

Read more: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/08/is-america-ready-for-george-w-bush-on-steroids/243203/

[Warpy]

1. Yeah, because that last swaggering dimwit from Texas worked out so well

Perry is even dumber than Bush, who started out with normal intelligence but was never given a reason to develop it. Perry is just plain dumb with a side order of ruthlessness.

Still, he shouldn't be misunderestimated. While I doubt he'll win the nod this time, Mitt being the heir apparent, he could be a factor in 2016.

[Uben]

2. Gotta watch out for Perry.....

...if he gets elected, he'll have 16 lane super-tollway built all the way from Canada to his door step in Austin so they can deliver the truckloads of cash he'll be making off of it.

[leveymg]

3. Reminds me of the fanatic USAF General and the superpatriot rallies in Seven Days in May

[Adsos Letter]

4. One of my favorite movies. Lots of big names in that one.

[leveymg]

5. Lancaster brought more dignity to the role than it deserved. Strangelove was better cast

Both Sterling Hayden and George C. Scott captured the spirit of Curtis LeMay, perfectly.

[Bluenorthwest]

7. Could not disagree more. Both films are amazing and exactly

what each set out to be. To compare the two is absurd, to run them back to back inspired.

[leveymg]

8. Check out this site: CivilDefenseFreak.com - Cold War memories you thought were long lost

http://wvcivildefensefreak.webs.com/civildefensepictures.htm

[Bluenorthwest]

6. During 08, in Portland Oregon, Obama drew 70,000 to a venue

that holds far less. People were on the water, on the bridges, everywhere. So by their own estimate there were 41,500 empty seats, at a free event. Far more that half empty.
That piece, it is some kind of spinning spin being spun.