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Text of
Governor Perry’s
Remarks
Thank you.
As I have stated
numerous times
on the campaign
trail, this
campaign has
never been about
the candidates.
I ran for
President
because I love
America, our
people and our
freedom. But the
mission is
greater than the
man.
As I have
traveled across
this great
country: from
New Hampshire to
California, from
Iowa to Florida,
and to numerous
states in
between, I have
discovered a
tremendous
purpose and
resiliency in
our people. They
have never lost
hope despite
current
circumstances.
They haven’t
stopped
believing in the
promise of
America or the
American Dream.
Americans are
down, but we can
never be counted
out. We are too
great a people.
What is broken
in America is
not our people,
but our
politics.
And what we need
is a Washington
that is humbler,
with a federal
government that
is smaller so
our people can
live freer.
I entered this
campaign
offering a
unique
perspective: a
governor who has
led a large
state leading
the nation in
job creation, an
executive leader
who has
implemented
conservative
policies, a son
of tenant
farmers born
with little more
than a good
name, but who
has experienced
the great
possibilities of
freedom.
But I have never
believed that
the cause of
conservatism is
embodied by any
one individual.
Our party, and
the conservative
philosophy,
transcends any
one individual.
It is a movement
of ideas that
are greater than
any one of us,
and that will
live beyond our
years.
As a former Air
Force pilot, I
know we can’t
lose track of
the ultimate
objective in
carrying out our
mission, and
that objective
is not only to
defeat President
Obama, but to
replace him with
a conservative
leader who will
bring about real
change.
Our country is
hurting with
more than 13
million
unemployed,
nearly 50
million on food
stamps and a
debt of more
than $15
trillion and
growing.
We need bold,
conservative
leadership that
will take on the
entrenched
interests and
give the
American People
their country
back.
I have always
believed the
mission is
greater than the
man.
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.
Therefore, today
I am suspending
my campaign and
endorsing Newt
Gingrich for
president.
I believe Newt
is a
conservative
visionary who
can transform
our country.
We have had our
differences,
which campaigns
inevitably bring
out. And Newt is
not perfect, but
who among us is?
The fact is,
there is
forgiveness for
those who seek
God and I
believe in the
power of
redemption, for
it is a central
tenet of my own
Christian faith.
And I have no
question Newt
Gingrich has the
heart of a
conservative
reformer, the
ability to rally
and captivate
the conservative
movement and the
courage to tell
the Washington
interests to
take a hike if
it’s what is
best for the
country.
As a Texan, I
have never shied
away from a good
fight,
especially when
the cause was
right.
But as someone
who has always
admired a great
Texas forefather
— Sam Houston —
I know when it
is time for a
“strategic
retreat.”
So I will leave
the trail,
return home to
Texas and wind
down my 2012
campaign
organization.
And I will do so
with pride
knowing I gave
myself fully to
a cause worthy
of our country.
And as I head
home, I do so
with the love of
my life by my
side, a woman
who makes every
day a good one
when she is by
my side, my wife
Anita.
Thank you Anita
for all you have
done.
I also want to
thank my son
Griffin, my
daughter Sydney,
and my
daughter-in-law
Meredith for
standing with us
in this great
effort.
With a good
wife, three
wonderful
children, and a
loving God in my
life, things
will be good no
matter what the
future holds.
I’m proud of the
policies we put
forward to the
American people
and believe they
provide the
right path
forward for our
party and our
nation:
overhauling
Washington and
returning power
to state and
local
governments and
to the people,
creating energy
jobs and energy
security,
cutting spending
and eliminating
unnecessary
federal agencies
and cutting
taxes to a flat,
fair 20 percent.
And I will
continue to
fight for these
conservative
reforms because
the future of
our country is
at stake and the
road we are
traveling today
– President
Obama’s road –
endangers our
future.
I want to thank
some wonderful
individuals who
have stood by my
side in this
state: Katon
Dawson,
Ambassador
Wilkins, and a
strong and good
man serving you
in Congress,
Mick Mulvaney.
I want to thank
all my
supporters from
across the
country, in
particular
Governor Bobby
Jindal, Steve
Forbes and
Governor Sam
Brownback, as
well as Senator
Jim Inhofe,
Congresswoman
Candice Miller
and Congressman
Sam Graves.
And I want to
say a special
thanks to three
distinguished
veterans who
have joined me
on the campaign
trail: Medal of
Honor awardee
and Navy SEAL
Mike Thornton,
Navy Cross
recipient Marcus
Luttrell and
Purple Heart
recipient,
Marine Captain
Dan Moran.
I began this
race with a
sense of
calling.
I felt led into
this arena to
fight for the
future of this
country.
I feel no
different today
than I did then,
knowing a
calling never
guarantees a
particular
destination, but
a journey that
tests one’s
faith and
character.
So now the
journey leads us
back to Texas,
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 a
real
transformation.
We must rise to
the occasion and
elect a
conservative
champion to put
our nation back
on the right
track.
And this I know,
I am not done
fighting for the
cause of
conservatism. In
fact I have only
begun to fight.
Thank you, God
bless you, and
God bless
America.
Anita and I
Thank You for
Your Support
Today I am
suspending my
campaign for
President.
Anita and I have
been blessed by
the many
supporters who
have believed in
our conservative
vision for the
country.
Although I will
no longer be on
the campaign
trail, I will
continue to
champion
conservative
principles: a
Washington that
is humbler with
a federal
government that
is smaller, real
tax reform that
can spur
economic growth,
and a renewed
commitment to
fiscal
discipline so
the future of
this country is
not mortgaged on
a mountain of
debt.
As we return to
Austin and the
Texas I love, I
am proud to
continue as
governor of this
great state and
will work every
day to make
Texas a better
place to do
business and
create jobs for
all Texans.
We cannot thank
you enough for
your generous
support which
enabled our
campaign to
champion these
conservative
values.
God bless.
Rick Perry
Source:
Rick Perry For President 2012
Website |
