W’s Revenge: Ex-Bushies Gang Up On Rick Perry

by Talking Points Memo | 11:29 am, August 17th, 2011

» 42 comments

Rick Perry is facing a full-on assault from former Bush aides over his comments on Fed Chair Ben Bernanke, pushing a long-rumored rivalry between the two ex-governors’ camps out into the open.

Acknowledging to TPM that “there is no love lost between the W camp and the Perry camp,” one Bush veteran appealed for detente.

“I do not think it serves any purpose for any Bushy to fuel to fire or resentment,” the person said. “The goal for us should be to defeat Obama not defeat ourselves.

On Monday, Perry told Iowans that if Bernanke “prints more money between now and the election I don’t know what you’all would do to him in Iowa but we would treat him pretty ugly down in Texas” and said such a move would be “almost treasonous.”

Almost immediately, ex-Bush aide Tony Fratto condemned the remarks as “inappropriate and unpresidential” on Twitter.

He was joined the next day by Karl Rove on Fox News, who lit into Perry over the Bernanke rant.

“You don’t accuse the chairman of the federal reserve of being a traitor to his country. Of being guilty of treason,” Rove said. “And, suggesting that we treat him pretty ugly in texas. You know, that is not, again a presidential statement.”

In a post for Commentary, former Bush aide Peter Wehner, called Perry’s comments a “serious unforced error,” writing that “people shouldn’t throw around the words ‘almost treasonous’ loosely; and certainly a person running for president shouldn’t do such a thing.”

Nicolle Wallace, who served as communications director for Bush, said on Morning Joe that Perry had blown it. “Not only is it going to maybe turn off some people in the middle, but these aren’t fights that are going to serve Perry well politically,” she said. Wallace added that his remark that soldiers would be proud to serve under him and its implied dig at President Obama was “inartful.”
Talking Points Memo on Facebook

Rove and Perry go way back in Texas politics — Bush’s top strategist convinced Perry, then a Democrat, to jump party lines in the first place to run for Texas Agricultural Commissioner. But Perry broke from Bush in the latter’s second Presidential term, ripping on the president’s fiscal record in the statehouse and White House alike and criticizing his signature education law, No Child Left Behind.

Whatever the nature of their split, Rove is one of the most influential players in the GOP as head of American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS, unlimited money groups that are already spending tens of million of dollars on 2012 election ads. Crossroads’ top staffers have gushed over Romney in recent weeks, but steadfastly asserted that their groups will remain neutral in the primaries. One Crossroads-connected consultant and former Romney strategist, Carl Forti, raised eyebrows by helping to run a Super PAC devoted to electing Mitt Romney, Restore Our Future, on the side.

The various connections between Rove and Romney drew the attention of RedState’s Erick Erickson on Tuesday, who published a post entitled “Is Karl Rove Afraid of Being Marginalized?”

“I’m wondering if Karl is worried about staying relevant should Perry gain too much momentum,” he wrote. “If so, Perry better watch out. The attacks will come fast and furious.”

Note – this article was written by Benjy Sarlin for Talking Points Memo and appears here via a content sharing agreement.

Benji Sarlin, George W. Bush, Karl Rove, Rick Perry, Talking Points Memo, TPM

reasonable guy

LMAO
Anonymous

Rove, listen up. YOU are the one making the mistake here. Bush WAS NO FISCAL CONSERVATIVE and that is EXACTLY why the Dems won the House in 2006 and the electorate was disgusted with his spending by 2008. You’d better pay attention to the reasons that Carville predicted, after Obama’s election, that the GOP would “wander in the wilderness” for the next forty years.

YOU are wrong, Karl. Perry has been gentle with criticisms of Bush, don’t blow the 2012 election by your own partisanship. Mitt is NO FISCAL CONSERVATIVE, either, and the public knows it- nor is Huntsman. Most of us supported Bush even though we knew he was not doing the right things fiscally, but supporting the military superseded our dislike of his fiscal policies. Moreover, we knew John Kerry was a fake and a WORSE spender, so we voted for Bush. We admire your President for his courage after 9/11, BUT we are not ignorant of his flaws, so back off, or you will damage Bush’s reputation in history far more than you might imagine.
BatboysDad

Everybody needs to get it off their chest….Republicans are strong enough to take this.
azgrandma

Oh yes – the feathers are really ruffled and little sweetie Karal lets you know it. My guess is they stick have their panties in a knot over goofie kay losing to Perry – just laughable!!!!
azgrandma

Oh yes – the feathers are really ruffled and little sweetie Karal lets you know it. My guess is they stick have their panties in a knot over goofie kay losing to Perry – just laughable!!!!
azgrandma

ooopppsss – little corretion – still!
http://www.IndiaCurry.com Yogi Gupta

Karl and exWgang are going to lose this time. Let us face it, W was no fiscal conservative. During 2010, Karl and his exWgang did not like TEA party either. Many of Karl’s friends lost to teapary in primaries. Guess what? teaparty candidates won and gave the house to GOP.
Romney is the darling of Karl and exWgang. Romney was not a conservative governor as compared to Perry. Perry will be a clear choice for conservatives, and he will beat Romney in Iowa NH and SC.
Owl22

When the Bush yahoos don’t like you then you know you are way out there.
Epzw

You go G.W.Bush.History will be kind to you and your record.A big govenment spending socialist.Frosty the Rove snowman can not protect you and your failures.
Harry Flashman

These people can’t think past their elite noses.

They’re attacking Perry because they’re the Washington insiders who can’t get their candidate of choice – RINO Romney – in a solid position for the nomination. And by doing so they’re opening the door for their absolute worst nightmare – Sarah Palin.

I say keep it up. It’s what she’s been waiting on and they’re taking the bait hook, line, and sinker. So you Roves and his ilk attack Perry again. The Republican elite will wake up and find themselves in the same bed with the liberal elite – they’ll BOTH have been out maunevered by Palin.

This is gonna be fun to watch.
Anonymous

Great point, Harry. You’re right.
Anonymous

no sources, all gossip. looking forward to the next post from the National Enquirer. Oops, was this not the National Enquirer?
Anonymous

Wouldn’t it be hilarious if after being elected Perry gets Ben Bernacke indicted for printing money – currency manipulation?
Anonymous

What are the republicans going to do? Their favorite political adviser is dissing their republican candidate!! Looks like they may have to call in half-term governor to the rescue.
Anonymous

Um. Bernanke is the Fed chief. That means it is his job to manipulate monetary policy, so it would be hilarious… if you find someone getting arrested for doing their legal job comical.
Anonymous

Turd Fight!!!
Anonymous

Turd Blossom takes on closet case Perry. Must be some unresolved Daddy issues for Rove.
Anonymous

Another Republican indicited. Always a rib tickler.
Anonymous

I’m certain on this site, the hard right-wing will find a way to blame this feud on Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Keith Olbermann, and any other liberal/progressives.
Anonymous

You have to remember he’s using Birther reasoning.
http://games-survival.com Justplaythegame

Perry got a 10 gallon hat on a 20 gallon head, find another republican candidate. Washington as Usual.
Anonymous

I think Perry is a fool that spews whatever vomit that hits the lips. But W he was just dumb.
Anonymous

Bush and his group are big government Republicans. They are partly responsible for the rise of the Tea Party. The Tea Party has the same disdain for big gov’t establishment Republicans as they do with the Democrats. The vast majority of true conservatives have just as many problems with Bush’s views of the role of government as they do with 0bama’s views on the same.
Teanationisacancer

The GOP zombies cant help feeding on each other,,, its that smell of red meat for these zombies.
Anonymous

Fact: Bush whipped them twice now it’s Perry’s time!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Vera-Way/100000497388062 Vera Way

Palin couldn’t out maneuver a paper bag! Yours is the absolute funniest post I have seen BY FAR all day! I do give you kudos for correct spelling – something rarely seen by a Palin supporter! Good job!
Chrisg

Karl Rove is a beltway ELITIST!

Romney is RINO!

Do not let these RINO ELITISTS get you down Baggers!!!

You want another McCain??? Fight, Fight, Fight!! For TRUE conservatism!

Stand by your crazy Perry or Bachmann! Or whatever is the crazy tea bag flavor of the week….

Big Govt “R” is more insidious than Big Govt “D”!

Voting for the lesser of two evils is still voting for evil! EEEEEVVVVIL!

PURITY!

heheheheh

I’m a happy liberal! The only thing that could make me happier is if the Snowbilly Grifter from Wasilla was actually gonna run!

Thanks Baggers for insuring the re-election of Presiddent Obama!

Your suicidal terrorist tendencies are working in our favor this time…

The late night comedians also give you their thanks!
Fiftyeast3

Most of us supported Bush even though we knew he was not doing the right things fiscally

So that explains the sudden interest from Republicans on Obama!
Nature Freak

The Revolution Devours Its Own Children. A very relevant quote regarding the French revolution.

Karl Rove is the one who unleashed the monster. He should look at himself in the mirror. Karl Rove is also the one who wanted to play the 50 percent plus 1 game.
Anonymous

Quite true.

The plot thickens when you find out that it’s Jeb Bush and Mitch Daniels (the Bushes FIRST choice for a presidential candidate) who are pushing for Paul Ryan to run for President. I really like and admire Ryan, but it is not his time- he’s too young and does not have executive experience, but one day he may be President- he’s that outstanding.

Perry is more like Reagan than he’s like the Bushes.

There is more to this machination than meets the eye.
Epzw

Agreed
Nature Freak

Even W makes fun of Rick Perry’s intellect.
NeverWrong

Karl Rove and his RINO buddies are once again going to screw things up. Something he is very good at except he has become irrelevant as has GW, Bill Kristol and the other old guard rinos. The world has moved on and left that group behind. It is time the new guard takes over. Otherwise America will go the same way the Egyptian’s, Mayan’s, Inca’s, Aztec’s. and others who rose to the top of the worlds greatest civilizations went…disappeared off the face of the planet. America cannot afford another 4 years of OBUMbler and it doesn’t need another 8 years of a Bush-Cheney spending and war’ing dictatorship either.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jj-Wisniewski/100002654075475 Jj Wisniewski

Glad to see that Karl sees the arrogance and the god like complex in Perry. The Texas Prophet makes George Bush look like a liberal. The modern day Apostles are using Perry as a stepping stone toward running this country like a church. It’s just a matter of time before Perry implodes and Romney takes the nomination. Perry has no self control. Despite of what the chairman of the RNC says, this is not an ideal field. If jobs and the economy were in a better place, no one except for Romney would stand a chance against Obama. How do you go hard right to appease the T-Vangelicals, then pivot back to win independents.
Gorgegirl

You are wrong. The tea party won the elections and essentially took over the GOP by their terrorist actions, Perry might win the nomination, but he won’t be able to get the Independents in the general election.
Anonymous

If Obama wins the 2012 presidential race, then Jeb Bush can run for the office in 2016.
Anonymous

Just stand back for a change, and let the right fight among themselves. You are just diverting them back to a kind of unity.
Anonymous

It’s Fox’s problem, not ours. ;-)
Anonymous

As I recall, only about half of the Tea Party candidates won in their individual elections. Some didn’t get past the primaries, and a couple who did lost to Dems in the real thing. (C O’Donnell is big news again.) The net result would have been bad for Dems anyway, and Republicans were going to get about as many seats as they did without the Tea Party.

Shocking, ain’t it? Tea Party did not defeat Dems. Tea Party took seats that would go Republican anyway.
Anonymous

Wow — a “content sharing agreement” with the oh-so-unbiased Talking Points Memo website. Perhaps the line should read a “political philosophy-sharing agreement”.
Anonymous

Rick Perry graduated from Texas A&M in 1972 with a 2.2 GPA. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. There are 2 A’s, 19 B’s, 27 C’s, and 8 D’s. And one of those D’s is in Principles of Economics.
That comes out to:
A – 3.5%B – 33.3%C – 47.4%D – 14%F – 1.8%
These are some awful grades.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/19/1008486/-Rick-Perrys-college-grades-released
Anonymous

Republicans hate communism, so why do they refer to themselves as red states?