Perry Should Not Bow Out of Debates

Here's my article from Examiner.com:

Governor Perry is apparently re-thinking his debate strategy. His campaign is saying that it is not possible for a candidate to attend every debate given the demanding debate schedule.  However, it is more likely that the campaign is considering how poorly Perry has performed at these events.

Perry has lost significant support in the polls after a string of bad debates.  His performances have been at times inarticulate, disengaged, and combative.  One of the larger gaffes was during the Orlando debate where he famously told audience members that they “don’t have a heart” if they don’t support in-state tuition for illegal immigrants.  The most recent debate in Las Vegas was very contentious, especially between him and Governor Romney.  Perry went on the attack, disregarded the rules, and cut into Romney on a number of issues.  While Perry supporters were grateful that he was more engaged than in past debates, many gave his performance mixed reviews and so far the poll numbers have not reflected a boost as a result of the debate.

If Perry decides not to participate in some of the future debates, he likely will be criticized for running from the problem.  Perry has gotten good at saying that Americans “don’t want the slickest debater.”  However, the fact is that the GOP wants a nominee that can go toe-to-toe with President Obama, which means this person does, in fact, have to be a very slick debater.   As the GOP makes its decision about who will go up against Obama, the ability to debate him on a national stage in a compelling way that will win over the electorate is absolutely one of the criteria for the GOP nominee, if not the primary one.

 

Perry, instead of refusing to participate in the debates, needs to get really good really quickly.  If bad debate performances have brought his poll numbers down in the GOP primary where most conservatives agree with a lot of his platform, consider what a poor debate performance would do nationally against Obama?
The GOP simply cannot afford to put a weak spokesman up as its nominee.  Despite Perry’s strong, conservative record, in this day and age, the ability to articulate the tenants of conservatism and sell the American people on its merits is a prime requirement for the GOP nominee.  And, this nominee should be able to do that on any stage against any opponent.