Can he or can't he?
That's the question that is being asked about Rick Perry's chances of becoming a serious player in the GOP race for president. The Texas Governor's impressive fundraising totals for the quarter that ended a month ago ($17 million) would seem to make him one, since not a single vote that matters has yet to be cast in the race for the nomination.
But his poll numbers are bad. His debate performances worse. And thus this week Perry has finally been conducting lengthy television interviews, including his first Sunday morning show, which just happened to be Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace.
The biggest news for Perry this week was supposed to be his proposal for a voluntary 20 percent flat tax plan. Of course, he stepped on it by going down the "birther" hole for a couple of days, but Wallace challenged him on the serious and not the ridiculous by asking about the new plan, and questioning as to whether it would "blow a hole" in the deficit, since it would bring in nearly $5 billion less in revenues for its first six years.
This article appears in Oct 27 – Nov 2, 2011.