If nothing else, Rick Perry — in all his imperfection — remains likable. In fact, he’s arguably even more likable now than when he entered the presidential race with all the apparent arrogance of a man who had famously never lost an election. Chastened by his own mistakes, he’s learned to take himself lightly but his principles seriously.
That was the message he delivered today at the South Carolina Faith and Freedom Coalition breakfast. He light-heartedly referred to his debate stumbles, but reminded listeners that he’ll stand up for conservative principles. National Journal relates a particularly memorable moment:
Rick Perry’s no stranger to gaffes, but he has tried to turn it into an asset, making self-deprecating jokes about it on the campaign trail.
On Sunday, he found an ally in a fellow speech-challenged leader that drew laughs from the audience of the South Carolina Faith and Freedom Coalition prayer breakfast: Moses.
“Moses, he tried to talk [G]od out of making him go lead the people,” Perry told the crowd of about 300. “He wasn’t a good speaker. Now, from time to time I can relate to that.”
Talk about knowing your audience! Perry was very on point to deliver that quip to this particular crowd. Maybe he’s like Moses in another way, too. While it’s true Moses didn’t think of himself as a particularly effective spokesperson (Exodus 4:10), he was known to others as “powerful in speech” (Acts 7:22). Perhaps Perry is on his way to that (if not the nomination), as well: His speech today earned him a standing ovation.
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