AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Texas Gov. Rick Perry is pondering a run for president in 2016. And he would like to do so as a proven job-creator who molded Texas’ strong economy in his own political gunslinger image.
But what America remembers about him is his “oops” moment, which means more questions about whether Perry’s smart enough for the White House than if his record is strong enough to earn him a second chance on the national stage.
It all boils down to the moment when Perry, in the midst of a 2011 presidential debate, was unable to recall the third of three federal agencies he’d promised to shutter, finally muttering “oops.” As he looks at running a second time for president, Perry is banking on his record as governor to move past that 2012 campaign.