http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/a-new-more-moderate-rick-perry-114959.html?ml=po_rA new, more moderate Rick Perry
By Katie Glueck
2/5/15 9:15 PM EST
Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday positioned himself as a pragmatic, pro-compromise presidential candidate, dismissing 2016 rivals whom he said merely seek to be “critic-in-chief.”
Perry in recent weeks has sought to portray himself as a more moderate, thoughtful contender than he was during his 2012 campaign, when he entered the race as a firebrand conservative. In an appearance before the socially conservative group American Principles Project in Washington, Perry argued that Republicans should nominate someone with a message that goes beyond merely opposing the other side, an apparent swipe at fellow Texan Ted Cruz, a conservative hard-liner.
“We must articulate what we are for,” he said. “And in that respect, as we look to 2016, we must remember we are not electing a critic-in-chief, we are electing a commander-in-chief.”
Perry, the longest-serving governor in Texas history, left office last month. In a preview of campaign themes for his expected presidential bid, he touted his record in the Lone Star State on issues ranging from economics to immigration, and stressed that executives are uniquely prepared to handle such challenges. It’s a contrast that many of the governors in the crowded 2016 field are setting up with their counterparts in the Senate.
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