No. But just because I didn't, you immediately assume I am excluding them.
All Presidents have to be smug to a degree. It comes with the territory. You have to be smug to deal with the 24/7/365 microscope you live under. Bush clearly had that to some degree. Cheney did of course, but as a VP nobody really cared. Same with Biden, who fits the smug bill perfectly. The current President, though, has taken it to a new level of smugness. He even has outdone the last Democrat to hold the office. And has clearly outdistanced Bush 43.according to the polls as of July 30. Somehow Gov Kasich slipped past Perry with a 2.7 rating as opposed to Perry’s 2.3.
The Donald will be front and center at the 9 o’clock debate, of course. Gov Perry gets to join Carly, George, Lindsay and the other DOA candidates at the 5 o’clock debate. Apparently, despite Perry’s spin that going to trial for felony abuse of power does not hurt his campaign at all, the voters polled don’t like the idea of selecting as nominee a guy more likely to spend next year in the Big House rather than the White House.
You gotta love Fox for single handedly narrowing the candidates for us. What’s wrong with the 5 o’clock debate you ask? Well, most of us are working at 5. I won’t get to watch till prime time.
Should a television network have the power to impact presidential campaigns in this fashion? Why not 2 debates in prime time splitting the candidates 50/50 rather than relegating the bottom six to a kiddie debate? Does not seem fair to me.
Will we see the bottom six go on attack this weekend in a vain attempt to kick up to get media coverage and their polls?
Gov Perry is going down and deservedly so, but maybe not for the reason I thought . LO
But, I'm dreading you having created an opening for the old discussion about what you originally meant by he's "going down." 
Perhaps Perry is just running for Vice President, thinking he'd be a good pick given him being from Texas; a lot of electoral votes. However, he's not that important since any Republican is going to beat any Democrat, in the Presidential race, in Texas.
Perry lost any chance of holding a nationally elected office the moment he had his televised brain freeze during the 2012 debate. Oops!
As for the rest of the Gang of Five O'Clock... there is only one legit reason I can come up with for any of them to be in the race. Exposure.
Matt, I know you said it in jest, but I do believe some of these folks are only in it to get greater name exposure while jockeying for a spot in the next administration... VP, Cabinet post, Ambassadorship, etc. but I really don't see the benefit in having a VPOTUS running mate who only brings 1/2% to the table.
The Donald, newly empowered by his prime time prime spot in the debate, may very well be angling for nothing more than inflating the value of his brand. At the moment, despite the flurry of cancellations from media outlets (Univision/Telemundo at the top of the list), people forget his primary business is and has always been Real Estate.
And the net worth of his real estate holdings is increasing by the day.
As big a buffoon and self-promoting bombast as Trump is, give him credit for sticking by his guns and not flip flopping like every other politician in recent years not named Ron Paul; a man who was never going to be the candidate either
Ambassadorships and Cabinet positions. Though I can't see Perry as an ambassador. "Diplomatic" and Perry don't seem to go hand in hand. His handlers would have to keep him on a very tight reign. Perhaps Energy Secretary. But, jockeying for such positions has always been part of the process. And, I can't recall there ever been the sheer numbers, running for this office, from one party. It seems that the only thing that's changed, that might be a factor for the increase, is the opportunity for acquiring dark money. Perhaps some of these guys have the hope of pocketing some campaign money.
As far as Trump, I think it's good that he's had the success he's had, so far, because it amplifies the trend of politicians using their own personal wealth to get elected to public office. Though, it didn't help Carly Fiorina much.
...of the properties which bear his name are owned by others who pay Trump a licensing fee for the right to use his name. The more publicity he gets running for president, the higher fees he hopes to command for his name.
bc I would dearly love to see the moderator ask him how he can run for President when he is under felony indictment, and hear Perry say it is a “political indictment,” and then have to face the follow up question – how can you say that when no Democrats have been involved in the indictment?
And then ask him how he can spend campaign funds on legal expenses ($2 million so far)
and best of all
If he regrets not paying for air conditioning in Texas prisons when he might end up there.
Come on - you know that would be great theatre.
Opps
Using dark money to pay his legal fees!
The Donald will be front and center at the 9 o’clock debate, of course. Gov Perry gets to join Carly, George, Lindsay and the other DOA candidates at the 5 o’clock debate. Apparently, despite Perry’s spin that going to trial for felony abuse of power does not hurt his campaign at all, the voters polled don’t like the idea of selecting as nominee a guy more likely to spend next year in the Big House rather than the White House.
You gotta love Fox for single handedly narrowing the candidates for us. What’s wrong with the 5 o’clock debate you ask? Well, most of us are working at 5. I won’t get to watch till prime time.
Should a television network have the power to impact presidential campaigns in this fashion? Why not 2 debates in prime time splitting the candidates 50/50 rather than relegating the bottom six to a kiddie debate? Does not seem fair to me.
Will we see the bottom six go on attack this weekend in a vain attempt to kick up to get media coverage and their polls?
Gov Perry is going down and deservedly so, but maybe not for the reason I thought . LOL
The odds of Perry getting to the White house are Slim and None, and Slim has left town.
The odds of him going to the Big House? Well, no one knows what the evidence is that convinced the grand jury. I still think he would get a suspended sentence if convicted but even that would turn on the degree of corruption. If there was a bribe....
It could happen. The White House? Nada
This will really jump start Kasich's candidacy. I think he is the biggest threat to Bush, not Walker or Rubio. He went from just announcing his candidacy a week ago to sitting at the grown ups table.
That's a HUGE move in such a short period of time, especially for someone that lacks name recognition as he does.
Two debates would have been better, splitting equally among the candidates approval rating, like a regional bracket in march madness. lol.
The primetime will get boffo ratings as Trump is just such an "X" factor and it will be quite interesting to see how the others handle him.
I would expect more than a few Bush/Trump face offs, but I think The Donald will try his best to look presidential, but really, how long can that façade hold up? lo
That's a HUGE move in such a short period of time, especially for someone that lacks name recognition as he does.
Two debates would have been better, splitting equally among the candidates approval rating, like a regional bracket in march madness. lol.
The primetime will get boffo ratings as Trump is just such an "X" factor and it will be quite interesting to see how the others handle him.
I would expect more than a few Bush/Trump face offs, but I think The Donald will try his best to look presidential, but really, how long can that façade hold up? lol
His approval rating, in a purple state, has been in the mid to upper 50's during his term, which is excellent in comparison to most others.
People their give him credit for the economic turn around in the state.
He is a serious contender and comes from must have, high electoral vote Ohio.
He is a champion of a balanced budget, so that will play very well with the fiscal conservatives and economic moderates.
His candidacy is very intriguing
smirking and sneering their way through 8 years in the White House? ;