Confession

TIME Magazine arrives in my mail each week, I think it's usually on Wednesdays. I usually throw it in the trash, without opening it's front page.

Today, I recognized the face (if not the photo-shopped 5 o'clock shadow) as my governor,Rick Perry. So I did open the front page and take the time to read David Von Drehle's article (with reporting by Mark Halperin and Hilary Aylton/Austin, Eric Dodds/NYC and Elizabeth Dias and Michael Scherer/DC).

Short of giving Perry the moniker of 'teflon Rick' (reminescent of Reagan) they make him out to be one lucky guy. They do a decent job of framing his upbringing as authentically small town Texan with the tongue in cheek quote from Perry depicting his hometown so small that it didn't exist.

But they set the stage for everyone, including the TEA Party and Republicans, to take shots at the front runner. With Perry's minute plus ad hitting the youtube blitz today contrasting "Zero v. Hero" the race is clearly on. If America wants bold contrasts in the presidential election, they will get it IF the Obama/Perry match up holds. Looks like the lamestream print media is doing its best to set it up for a contest.

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The 3 P's

After last night's Republican Debate, it occurred to me that there are two declared Republican Presidential Candidates and a possible Candidate-in-Waiting (or in the vascillating position of possibly running) who have a common thread, which I believe most will find agreement: Palin, Perry and Paul have changed the conversation in the past two years in American Politics.

Yes, my guess is that in any Republican gathering you could activists clearly on the side of one of the three current headlines-grabbing politicians. I believe that any Republican group would be comprised of ones who would vote for one of the three for President TODAY without reservation, though November 2012 is 14 months away.

It is my contention that Palin, Perry and Paul have clearly shifted the conversation about what is important to debate and bring to the table to discuss, no matter what the outcome of the November 2012 election. And I hope with all my heart that Barack Obama is a one term President...that any one of these individuals will bring a paradigm shift that modern politics has not experienced in modern times.

President Reagan re-connected us with our foundation and love of country. He motivated us to take a stand for our country and re-invigorated us to believe in ourselves again. Palin, Perry and Paul are asking us to ask hard questions about the very purpose of government and what we will do to keep our freedom.

While I do have my own personal preference for the next President of the United States, at this point in the election cycle, I believe that Republicans should be listening with ears that hear what the real message is from each of these people and ask simple questions: Will we be better off as individuals, as families and as a country if we follow the plan that this candidate is outlining? And does he or her have the track record of experience to lead the greatest country in the world out of this economic decline? This is THE election of our lifetime. Vote with your head, as well as your heart.

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