Alternatively: Rick Perry has remembered he's the governor of Texas, and ending his campaign means he has to go back to work.

Beats hanging out in Texas

Ah, there you are, Perry!

Let me posit a more likely theory: Rick Perry is a farking imbecile who is too stupid to know when he's lost. And I can understand that slightly since Perry has never lost an election in his career.

So...

Perry is black?

Scenario C: torpedo Santorum in SC and Florida hoping for a cushy gig in one of the federal agencies he can't remember in return

This campaign season it seems that if you just hang around long enough you will get your shot. No matter how stupid or crazy or Gingrich you are eventually the flighty GOP base will flock around you. Perry can hang around and possibly get a second wind when they've washed themselves of Santorum.

Dude, people just are not ready for another Texas hick governor your smarter predecessor poisoned that well for a while.

By sticking in South Carolina and Florida he undermines santorum more than romney. Perry knows that the republican old guard (ie where the money is) supports romney and the republicans historically are willing to give candidates second chances. By sticking in, he actually aids romney, shows he can play ball and gives himself a chance to rehabilitate for a 2016 run.

If he runs home at the same time as michelle bachman, with only the memory of goofs and gaffes, he gains nothing. If he can stick it out and manage to not screw up through the next few states, it helps him to create the begining of a national team in those states and it rehabilitates his image somewhat. if he follows that up with visits, campaigning and plenty of practice and study over the next 4 years, he is in a strong position.

qorkfiend: Alternatively: Rick Perry has remembered he's the governor of Texas, and ending his campaign means he has to go back to work

Being the governor of Texas doesn't actually involve much work.

Perry is still in the race because he is exactly what the Conservative base wants. He is the safe date but crazy girl at the party. Sure she's good looking, says all the right things, and touches your soul, but's she's crazy and says stupid things. So they said, "okay, let's see who else is out there." There was Cain, too black. Then there was Newt, too crazy. Then there was Santorum, too Roman Catholic Italian. Perry is still in it because he will be the last crazy standing.

Did you really mean Jor-El? Or was this a Thor reference? Seems more Thor-ish to me.

tlchwi02: By sticking in South Carolina and Florida he undermines santorum more than romney. Perry knows that the republican old guard (ie where the money is) supports romney and the republicans historically are willing to give candidates second chances. By sticking in, he actually aids romney, shows he can play ball and gives himself a chance to rehabilitate for a 2016 run.

This. The old guard that will fund the republican presidential campaign, though the wonders of not having to disclose PAC donors thanks to CU, see a Santorum run as an auto-loss and Romney as better than a snowball's chance in hell.

I dunno. Perry might do well in SC. No way to know for sure. But Santorum is really riding high. I mean, it's an absolute avalanche of Santorum right now. Santorum will spread out in a wave from Iowa and just cover the southern states. Perhaps the tide of Santorum will break when it tries to race into the northeastern states, but pools of Santorum will spread and join together all throughout the midwest and south. Look for Santorum levels to just keep rising.

No, but seriously, he's the most socially conservative of the Not-Romneys, and he doesn't have crazy eyes. He'll do very well.

Dalrint: qorkfiend: Alternatively: Rick Perry has remembered he's the governor of Texas, and ending his campaign means he has to go back to work

Being the governor of Texas doesn't actually involve much work.

Sure it does. Takes some work to drown out the last minute phone calls begging for clemency for the guy they have strapped to the Chair.

Dammit, no one bought my signed copy of a Rick Perry book. I knew I screwed up holding on to it until November.

Good hypothetical. Now for the real answer - dropping out means no more campaign donations.

wildcardjack: Dammit, no one bought my signed copy of a Rick Perry book. I knew I screwed up holding on to it until November.

CSB: I found a signed copied of Obama's second book at a book sale this past summer. I'm holding onto it until the end of his second term, and then see how much I can get for it.

zedster: Headso: Dude, people just are not ready for another Texas hick governor your smarter predecessor poisoned that well for a while.

LBJ?

Lyndon was never governor of Texas.