Bruce Bartlett: Rick Perry Is 'An Idiot' For Comments About Ben Bernanke

Bruce Bartlett, who served as an adviser to Ronald Reagan and as a Treasury official under George H.W. Bush, called Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry "an idiot" Friday, referencing negative comments the Texas governor made about Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke this week.

While campaigning in Iowa Monday, Perry said it would be "almost treasonous" for Bernanke to print more money between now and the 2012 election. "I don't know what y'all would do to him in Iowa, but we would treat him pretty ugly down in Texas," he said.

Bartlett reacted to the comments Friday during an appearance on CNN's "American Morning." "Rick Perry is an idiot, and I don't think anybody would disagree with that," Bartlett said. "The thing is, the politics of the Fed itself are really a more serious problem."

WATCH:

Perry has received backlash from more than just Bartlett over the controversial statements. Several former aides to President George W. Bush have said Perry's comments prove he is not presidential material.

ThinkProgress reports:

This morning, Nicolle Wallace, who served as White House Communications Director in Bush’s second term, said on MSNBC’s Morning Joe that “someone who wants to be the next president probably shouldn’t use these words” and agreed that Republicans should “lay off of some of this some personal stuff and keep it ideological.” “Not only is it going to maybe turn off some people in the middle, but these aren’t fights that are going to serve Perry well politically,” she added.

...

Peter Wehner, who served as Deputy Assistant to Bush and Director of the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives, wrote a post on Commentary magazine’s blog calling the comments irresponsible “libel” and urged Perry to apologize for them.

Bush's former deputy press secretary, Tony Fratto, also criticized Perry's comments on Twitter, posting: "Gov. Perry's comments about Chmn. Bernanke are inappropriate and unpresidential.

Karl Rove had perhaps the harshest criticism for Perry while appearing on Fox News Tuesday. Talking Points Memo reports that Rove said on the show, "You don't accuse the chairman of the Federal Reserve of being a traitor to his country. Of being guilty of treason. And, suggesting that we treat him pretty ugly in Texas. You know, that is not, again a presidential statement."

Rove has expressed worry over all the GOP presidential hopefuls, stating that they need to think more about electability than moving further to the right.

"You don't want these candidates moving so right in the Republican primary that it becomes impossible for them to win the general election, because it will become a self-defeating message in the primary," Rove said in an appearance on Fox News. "People want to win. They don't want somebody who goes so far to the extremes of either party that they lack a chance to carry a victory off in November."

Perry has defended his statements about Bernanke, saying he is "just passionate about the issue."

Comments

[lw1]

08:00 PM on 09/10/2011

He only had one reason?

[Jose Perez Hernandez]

12:02 AM on 08/30/2011

Republicans, the good old-fashioned ones, very nice very good people who want to do the right thing for their country, are frustrated because there are no real conservatives out there running. They are embarrassed by a scary wave of mercenary evangelical extremists who are not moderate. These new reactionary nuts make oaths to private corporate sponsors to stick to an insurrectionist conspiracy which will hand over ownership of (our) public assets. The US has a private club of its own Carlos Slim wannabes. They are tired of waiting in the wings. The US needs clones of early conservatives and moderates to return.

[dgtrust]

12:36 PM on 08/28/2011

I totally disagree: Rick Perry is not an idiot. He knows perfectly well what he is doing in order to succeed with his political agenda, raise tons of contribution money, and swing voters presumption of him on right side of his tracks.

Do not underestimate this crook by reducing his image to harmless village idiot one’s – Perry is a threat bigger than his predecessor in TX governor’s chair and later a two term free loader at White House.

Perry is a huge danger for this country especially in time like now, and I hope people will realize this before it’s too late

[Syllogizer]

07:25 PM on 08/27/2011

Oh, Perry is much worse than just 'idiot' for saying what he said. His words were not just idiotic, they were intensely wicked. He has proven himself unfit for ANY public office with such words. Texans should find a legal justification for impeaching him.

[joneas x]

03:09 PM on 08/23/2011

Texas Governor Rick Perry distanced himself from George W. Bush by saying, 'I went to Texas A&M. He went to Yale.' In other words, his idea of instilling confidence is by saying, 'Don’t worry. I’m not as smart as George W. Bush.'" –Conan O'Brien

Hey ... all it takes is good hair to be president in this country. Seriously, think about it.

[ppswg]

11:14 AM on 08/23/2011

BEING A REGISTERED DEMOCRAT AFTER GW BUSH, I HAVE TO SAY, THE REPUBLICAN HOPEFULLS ARE REALLY SCARY, IF PEOPLE ARE BENDING THEIR EXPATATIONS TO FIT ONE OF THESE PEOPLE IN AS THEIR CANADATE, IT IS LIKE SAYING GW BUSH WAS A GREAT PRESIDENT...NOT.

[themightyabealrd]

05:39 AM on 08/23/2011

I'd sooner vote for Steve Perry than Rick Perry. At least we'd get a memorable rendition of the national anthem out of the deal.

[capt hastings]

02:03 AM on 08/23/2011

Does Bruce Bartlett have any sway with any party?
I'd like to know what Jed Bartlett thinks of Perry.

[Targetdog]

11:33 PM on 08/22/2011

We have a sayin' in the south, "If you can't say anythin' nice about some one, come sit by me!"

[Lela Karida]

11:18 PM on 08/22/2011

I hear ya.

[kmo722]

10:51 PM on 08/22/2011

Rick the Brick...

[alumcreek]

07:08 AM on 08/23/2011

That's blockhead not brick

[roccekt]

10:49 PM on 08/22/2011

Well if anyone know idiots, it would be Bartlett

[jeanwny]

10:40 PM on 08/22/2011

There is sufficient data to establish he was an idiot long before he made the "treason" comment.

[alumcreek]

07:09 AM on 08/23/2011

Same for GW Bush but they managed to sneak him into office and keep him there while making sure he did no harm to GOP donors.

[Syllogizer]

07:23 PM on 08/27/2011

But even Bush never sank as low as to accuse a Fed Chairman of treason. Not until after he was elected.

No, I think this will be the biggest, if not the final nail in the coffin for the Perry campaign. Look at how many of his fellow Republicans are already branding Perry "not presidential material" because of these evil words of his.

[Safire]

09:23 PM on 08/22/2011

Not just about comments!

[MulticoloredFlames]

08:33 PM on 08/22/2011

In his long awaited response, Gov. Perry insisted "I is not a i.d.i.o.t....so there!"