Here's a chronology of Gov. Rick Perry's roller coaster ride as a Republican
presidential candidate:
May 27: At a news conference near the end of the regular legislative
session, Perry confirms that he is thinking about running for president.
June 9: Several of Newt Gingrich's senior campaign aides resign,
including Dave Carney and Rob Johnson, two former Perry advisers. The pair
will eventually help Perry launch his presidential bid.
June 18: Perry steals the show at the Republican Leadership Conference in
New Orleans, delivering an energetic speech that increases interest in him as
a potential presidential candidate.
Aug. 6: Perry is a featured speaker at The Response, a day of prayer and
fasting at Houston's Reliant Stadium. It draws thousands of people and
national attention because of Perry's involvement. Organizers insist that the
event is apolitical.
Aug. 13: Perry makes it official in South Carolina. "It is time to get
America working again," Perry says. "That's why, with the support of my family
and an unwavering belief in the goodness of America, I declare to you today my
candidacy for president of the United States." He quickly rises to the top of
national polls.
Sept. 7: Perry participates in his first presidential debate and does
fairly well considering that he is the focus of much of the questioning. The
big news of the night is his full-throated defense of his earlier description
of Social Security as a "Ponzi scheme."
Sept. 12: In Perry's second debate, candidates pounce on his 2007
executive order requiring all girls entering sixth grade to receive a
vaccination against certain types of HPV, a sexually transmitted virus, and
they question his record of job creation in Texas. The event is later seen as
the start of Perry's long decline.
Sept. 22: Perry's third debate is a mess as he struggles to defend his
record on illegal immigration and clumsily attacks Mitt Romney's record on
healthcare. The next weekend, Alec Baldwin portrays Perry as a fumbling
flip-flopper on Saturday Night Live. Polls soon show Perry's support dropping
markedly.
Oct. 2: The Washington Post reports that Perry's family had for years
leased a West Texas hunting camp that was long known by a racially offensive
name. The camp's original name was visible on a rock at the camp in the 1980s
and 1990s and possibly far more recently, according to the Post, but Perry
insists that it was painted over in "1983 or 1984." Some African-American
leaders and lawmakers criticize Perry, but the story never gains traction.
Oct. 18: At a Las Vegas debate, Perry gets into a heated exchange with
Romney over whether Romney knowingly hired illegal immigrants to work at his
home. His feisty performance prompts pundits to predict that Perry will soon
regain his standing in the polls and that the race will come down to Perry and
Romney.
Oct. 27: A Perry speech in New Hampshire goes viral because of segments
in which Perry appears to be rambling and stifling giggles. Clips from the
speech quickly become fodder for late-night comics; some question whether
Perry was drunk or on strong prescription medication. An edited version of the
speech posted on YouTube has been watched more than 1.3 million times.
Nov. 9: Oops. During a CNBC debate, Perry can recall only two of the
three federal agencies he wants to eliminate. Though he tries to move on, a
moderator presses the issue, asking whether Perry can remember the third
agency. "The third one I can't," Perry eventually acknowledges. "Oops."
Dec. 7: Perry releases "Strong," an ad in which he says, "There's
something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but
our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school." The
advertisement draws a barrage of negative reaction online and from gay-rights
groups. The ad has been viewed more than 7 million times on YouTube. Perry's
campaign later says the ad helped Perry connect with conservative voters.
Jan. 3: After finishing fifth in the Iowa caucuses, Perry announces that
he is heading back to Texas to "reassess" his campaign. "With a little prayer
and reflection, I'm going to decide the best path forward," he tells
supporters.
Jan. 4: After an early morning run, Perry announces via Twitter that he
is still in the race and focused on South Carolina, surprising supporters and
seemingly some of his staff.
Jan. 10: Perry finishes sixth in New Hampshire. Though his campaign had
long said it didn't consider winning the state a priority, pundits still view
the 1 percent showing as an embarrassment.
Thursday: Perry ends his presidential campaign and endorses Newt Gingrich
two days before the South Carolina primary.
