Here You Go, Googlers: Drunk Rick Perry

I get a lot of hits from folks who are entering the search term "drunk Rick Perry." And that search brings them here because of the combination of my Baudelarian blog name and the fact that I do write quite a bit about Texas Gov. Dick Perry, sometimes even getting his name right. I don't know if those people are disappointed to discover that this blog does not actually feature any photos or footage of Gov. Perry in a state of intoxication. Maybe that's just one of the things that disappoints them when they get here. All I can say is, try HuffPost.

Anyway, for those searchers who have patiently clicked through, I bring you, live on videotape from a speech to conservative advocacy group Cornerstone in New Hampshire on October 28:  Possibly Allegedly Arguably Not Proven to Be Drunk Rick Perry.



I'm running the full speech here, because there are a lot of edited cuts out there that condense some of Gov. Perry's wilder moments into a continuous skit. Some people rightly say that presents a skewed version of his overall performance. So this is a 25-minute political speech, and although I must admit he's being wacky, there's also a lot of just, you know, political stuff in there. Stay with it.

So the question is: Had the Governor imbibed prior to making this speech, or was he just trying to loosen up and play to a less formal crowd? Or has he been showing a stiffer, less personable side during his debates and campaign stops and this is the "real" Dick Perry?

I've heard the man speak in person. In fact, I've heard him speak in a relatively informal, non-political setting. Let me tell you, I don't think he has a less stiff, more personable side. He certainly didn't play with maple syrup and make cute little hand gestures when I saw him.

But I make no judgments. I just want blog hits, frankly, so I'm giving the searchers what they want. Enjoy, analyze, decide for yourself.

I do like the bit where he's pretending to bury gold in the back yard, though. Very Presidential.