A worse moment was yet to come. When the candidates met in Michigan in early November, Perry lost his train of thought as he was trying to name the three federal agencies he wanted to eliminate. Despite prompts and assists from his rivals, he stammered to one of the most embarrassing moments in the history of presidential debates, acknowledging that he could not remember the third agency. After citing the Education and Commerce departments, he froze. “I can’t [remember],” he said plaintively. “The third one, I can’t. Sorry. Oops.”
The “oops moment” was etched in public consciousness and came to symbolize Perry’s flagging campaign. He made a heroic and good-hearted effort to repair the damage, heading into the spin room moments after the debate to acknowledge his mistake. “I’m sure glad I had my boots on because I sure stepped in it out there,” he said.
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Texas governor Rick Perry announced that he is ending his campaign for president and endorsing Newt Gingrich on Thursday. (Jan. 19)
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GOP PRIMARY TRACKER: The race for delegates
The Perry campaign long ago budgeted its advertising dollars and ground operations throughout South Carolina, and the candidate, after a momentary pause after Iowa, jumped into the race here with the intention of campaigning through Saturday.
But by Wednesday afternoon, in consultation with his wife, Anita, he decided to quit and endorse former House speaker Newt Gingrich.
“As I have contemplated the future of this campaign, I have come to the conclusion that there is no viable path to victory for my candidacy in 2012,” he said gamely in a nondescript conference room in his North Charleston Hotel before a throng of reporters and cameras.
Although vanquished, he tried to hold his head high as he prepared for the trip home. “The journey leads us back to Texas,” he said, “neither discouraged nor disenchanted, but instead rewarded for the experience and resolute to remain in the arena and in the service of a great nation. Our country needs bold leadership and real transformation.”
In that, there were hints of another run for president, or so said Ray Sullivan, Perry’s communications director. He volunteered to reporters Thursday that, if Republicans don’t win the White House in November, Perry might try again in 2016.
Had Perry told him to say that? Sullivan responded: “I told him it was my intention to talk about that and I didn’t get dissuaded.”
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