'Idiot' jab lobbed at Perry
(CNN) - Former Treasury official Bruce Bartlett labeled newly-minted Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry "an idiot" Friday.
Bartlett, who served at Treasury under former President George H.W. Bush and as a domestic policy adviser to the late President Ronald Reagan, delivered the choice words to the Texas Gov. in reference to his recent comments about Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.
"Rick Perry's an idiot, and I don't think anyone would disagree with that," Bartlett said Friday on CNN's "American Morning."
Perry sparked controversy when he said Bernanke would be "treasonous" if he printed more money to stimulate the economy before the 2012 election.
"I mean, printing more money to play politics at this particular time in American history is almost treacherous, or treasonous, in my opinion," Perry said Monday in Iowa. He stood by his comments Tuesday.
Bartlett said the politics at the Federal Reserve are a serious problem and in part blamed U.S. presidents, who he said have historically not focused their energies on the bank.
"He [Obama] has had open seats on the fed almost his entire presidency and I think that this sends a signal that he just doesn't care very much about what the fed does," Bartlett said.
Despite serving in Republican administrations, Bartlett is no stranger to GOP criticism, particularly of former President George W. Bush.
Bartlett's 2006 book "Imposter: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy" accused the administration of departing from conservative economic principles. More recently he attributed the economic recession to the former president and Republican Party.
Team Perry did not immediately respond for a request for comment.
Can't blame the "leftist lamestream media" for this one.
Karl Rove is NOT the leader of the Republican Party......he just thinks he is!
"More recently he attributed the economic recession to the former president and Republican Party."
Indeed. I'll second that.
Thank you Bruce Bartlett. I'm glad well respected people see him as an idiot, becuase that is exactly what he is. He is slowly self destructing.
The Republican party is to blame for the economy problems. George W. Bush only worked to make his big business buddies happy and fat, at the cost of millions of Americans. Now the Tea Party and its Republican puppets want to continue the trend. When they say, "No more blank checks for the President," its because they want those blank checks for themselves!! I voted Republican 100% all my life until the GW Bush years. I'm totally convinced that my decision to vote Democrat and Independent since have been the right choices!!
Sure I would disagree. The Fed has been extending this depression, with bad monetary policy, which just keeps the pain in place, instead of allowing time to solve our problems. Perry knows that, and his comments, while using wrong words, were meant to show that it is time to stop trying to spend our way, out of the problem, which simply isn't possible.
I agree....He's an idiot!
Yes he is triple idiot. What was he thinking?? Did he think he is running to be the President of Texas???
He said that? Whoa. Does this mean that we are allowed to agree and Gooberner Perry an idiot, too?
Well Rick Perry is an idiot. They are all idiots. The lawmakers in Washington are terrorists destroying our economy.
It's great to know that we are sinking fast.
Perry, "your evangelical loonies in the south,and your Ceo Buddies, are not going to be enough for you to win Janitor of the White House??? I don,t know if anybody notices, "The evil blackness in this guys eyes??? About the same as "The great White Shark,except a great white is very particular about its "Pray"!!! Perry is going to "Attack anything that moves!!! I,m not going into these waters!!!! No Thanks.
The sky is falling, the sky is falling . . . . I just read about a Republican who tells the truth. As a liberal thinking individual, I'm not overly excited about my presidents negotiating strategy. However, when Republicans continue to nominate and support "idiots", (O'Donnell, Engle, Bachman, Palin, and now Perry), there are no options. I'm judging slowly on my president and hope his second term provides more support for working men and women who are hurting the most with the do nothing congress (Remember the 2010 campaign mantra from republicans, JOBS, JOBS, JOBS. Twelve bills passed this republican congress; Half of them naming bridges, and not one bill for jobs.
Okay, Perry's academic transcript from Texas A&M college has been released, and his grades alone should put this issue to rest. The man is indeed an idiot, and academically inept. It should be telling that the man failed courses in his own major (he was trying to be a veterinarian... be glad he's not working on your dog), and that he only got a "D" in economics. Seriously! This is the man who wants to dictate major economic decisions for the largest economy in the world... and he almost failed basic college economics.
I know, there are people out here who seem to think that having "Joe-the-Undereducated" as President is a good idea. "He's like us," they say. They want someone on "their own level" leading them.
Listen up, America... the rich politicians are nothing like the rest of us because they live in a posh little bubble. And yes, that applies to most of them, from both parties. They're not us. HOWEVER, as an Army veteran, I always wanted my leaders to be at least as smart as me, and preferably smarter. The higher up the chain of leadership, the smarter they should be. I want leaders with a rare combination of both brainpower and training. I want someone who understands enough about economics and politics so as not to sink us.
You don't have an idiot who never went to college performing brain surgery on you, right? You want the smartest and best surgeon, someone who completed years of med school, residency, and specialty fellowship, right? Why? Because your life would be at stake.
Now, I want you (yes, you) to listen closely: Lives are at stake. Quite literally. A massive economic downturn costs human life. People can't afford decent food (or ANY food), people who had worked hard all their lives end up homeless, and people with severe health conditions can't afford to see a doctor. Do you see that this actually does kill people?
I'm sorry, but I want my leaders to have both the education and raw intelligence to put them into the realm of the academic elite. I don't want someone who got a D in economics to lead my country through an economic crisis. What do you want?
"Bartlett, who served at Treasury under former President George H.W. Bush and as a domestic policy adviser to the late President Ronald Reagan, delivered the choice words to the Texas Gov. in reference to his recent comments about Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke."
"Bartlett's 2006 book "Imposter: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy" accused the administration of departing from conservative economic principles. More recently he attributed the economic recession to the former president and Republican Party."
So, here we have a former Treasury official who served under the "greatest GOP president of them all" who thinks Perry is an idiot. This same official also places blame on W. Curious as to why none of the tea party scholars can't seem to come to grips with this.
Parry has shown a propensity to grow govt in Texas, heck the largest net job growth was in State Government jobs.
The idiot label is appropriate.
And this is coming from a conservative.
Ouch, that must hurt. Look, the GOP is relying on their beautiful women to make the 'out-of-bounds' comments, but now 'pretty boy' Perry is joining the fray. All surface, and no substance is their mantra by adding the phrase to the end of each of their views, " Obama should have.... blah,blah,blah". All hot air from people with pretty hair. Meanwhile, even the Republicans who do speak clearly and with solid research are criticized by these wacko crazies. It should all end in 2012 if the general voter has any sense.
The Perry campaign is playing out like a slow motion train wreck – at some time in the near futrue it will be a total derailment.
"Rick Perry's an idiot, and I don't think anyone would disagree with that," Bartlett said Friday on CNN's "American Morning."
I certainly won't be the first to dispute that statement. But, at first, he didn't LOOK like an idiot. Oh, well who's the next dunce to audition?
This is going to be entertaining, watching Perry dig a very deep hole for himself. Yeah! a new character for SNL!
Astute observation by Bartlett.
Actually doesn't take much to realize that Perry is a complete idiot.
["I mean, printing more money to play politics at this particular time in American history is almost treacherous, or treasonous, in my opinion," Perry said]
But that SAME printed money was given to you in a way of a "stimulus" that enabled YOU to create jobs – What's up with that? PerryWinkle is and "idiot" and as the days go on, it shows!!
Good, someone with government and economic expertise is finally talking to these morons in the same language the rest of us have been using for over twelve years.
Who in the, cares about what Gov. Perry says!! He will say anything to get people talking. And what do we do? TALK. He is a Tea Partier thru and thru, and will do everything he can to keep himself in the media. Remember, words do hurt, but, he does not care!! Do we really want a president that will divide people of all classes, except for the TP, instead of bringing people together. Also, would you please talk about what you would do for the people of our country, because we know there is no such thing as $2.00 gas. And tell the truth, and know what your talking about before you part your lips!
Well said!
If you're willing to both believe that Perry is a "prophet" while being a major porn investor, you're an idiot also.