Welcome to the Rick Perry pile-on. After his relatively lackluster debate performance Thursday night, the conservative political pundit class has basically concluded that the Texas governor is not yet ready for prime-time.
Jay Root
Jay Root is an award-winning journalist who reported for the Tribune from 2011 to 2020. He covered the dramatic collapse of Gov. Rick Perry’s 2012 presidential campaign and went on to write an ebook about it called “Oops! A Diary from the 2012 Campaign Trail.” Root also broke the story that put the Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, on the path toward criminal indictment, co-wrote an exposé that brought an end to privately funded prosecutions in Travis County, and authored a series of watchdog articles that prompted a wave of firings and resignations at two major state agencies.
In 2017, Root co-directed “Beyond The Wall,” a film exploring border politics in the age of Trump, which won a national Edward R. Murrow award for best news documentary. Root’s latest film, “Border Hustle,” was released in early 2019 and reveals how desperate migrants have become cash cows on both sides of the border.
Previously, for a dozen years, Root was Austin bureau chief of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where he chronicled the rise of then-Gov. George W. Bush, wrote about cartel violence in Mexico and covered Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. During a three-year stint at the Associated Press, Root was twice named AP Staff Reporter of the Year for his watchdog reporting, including a story that sparked felony charges against a sitting state representative.
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Health care
In Third Debate, Perry Prepared But Stumbles
Gov. Rick Perry headed into his third Republican presidential debate with a lot to prove. He left with a mixed bag.
Posted inState Government
Perry Prays for Obama Again
In a speech to the Faith and Freedom Coalition in Orlando, hours before his third presidential debate, Gov. Rick Perry said the most frequent target of his political attacks needed a little divine intervention to guide him in the White House.
Posted inState Government
VIDEO: Perry Addresses Faith & Freedom Coalition
This afternoon Gov. Rick Perry spoke to a gathering of the Faith and Freedom Coalition in Orlando, Florida — hours before his third high-stakes debate as the GOP’s presidential frontrunner.
Posted inState Government
Perry Has Modest Wealth, But Questions Remain
Gov. Rick Perry, who once scored big on land deals, gave up much of the profits on Wall Street and no longer directly owns any land or even a house, new disclosures indicate. The modest holdings are a big contrast to those of his wealthy rival Mitt Romney.
Posted inState Government
Facing a Key Debate — and a Tougher Race
He’s still the front-runner, but Gov. Rick Perry has entered a crucial and more competitive phase of the 2012 Republican presidential contest, ratcheting up pressure on him ahead of his third televised debate this week in Orlando.
Posted in
Demographics
Updated: Tea Party Presses Perry on Immigration
Tea Party activists staged a news conference Monday urging Gov. Rick Perry to take more stringent action against illegal immigration. They want the governor to enact a ban on so-called “sanctuary cities.”
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State Government
Automated Request Halts Email Destruction in Governor’s Office
Gov. Rick Perry’s state office has temporarily stopped deleting emails every seven days, thanks to the efforts of Wisconsin-based political activist John Washburn. His request for the emails has shed new light on a controversial records destruction policy.
Posted in
Demographics
Perry Gets Roughed Up in Second GOP Debate
Gov. Rick Perry on Monday found himself under attack from an unfamiliar place — the right — in the latest GOP debate as his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination attacked him for being insufficiently conservative on key issues.
Posted inState Government
Liveblog: The CNN/Tea Party Express GOP Debate
We’re liveblogging as Gov. Rick Perry faces off against seven other GOP presidential contenders tonight in Tampa, Fla., in a debate co-hosted by CNN and the Tea Party Express. It’s Perry’s second debate since he became a candidate.
