ABC's Good Morning America and CBS's the The Early Show on Saturday, as well as Friday's World News on ABC, seized on GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry forgetting the name of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor as the Texas governor criticized President Obama's tendency to appoint activist judges. As he teased Saturday's The Early Show, CBS anchor Russ Mitchell even asked, "How long can his presidential candidacy survive?"
As CBS correspondent Jan Crawford appeared on the show, Mitchell posed to her: "Let me ask you about Rick Perry. A couple of more flubs this week."
After playing a clip of Perry, the CBS anchor continued: "So he forgets the names of one of the Supreme Court justices. He also said there are eight justices instead of nine. At this point, what do these types of gaffes do to his campaign?"
Crawford responded:
Uh, well, I mean, Russ, I mean, what they tell you is that his campaign is on life support. I mean, what they tell you is, what this means is when you go to states like Alabama, my great home state, you ask people about Rick Perry, and they'll say, oh, you know, he just ain't got it.
She continued:
And at a time when voters think America has serious problems and they want a candidate who can fix it, who can debate, who can beat Barack Obama. And all of these gaffes has translated in plummeting poll numbers for Rick Perry. He is trying to turn it around in Iowa. He is asking for voters to give him a second look, but these kind of things like we saw yesterday. And listen to this: He has a case before the Supreme Court right now! His state does. Not good news for Rick Perry.
On Friday's World News, as anchor Diane Sawyer brought aboard correspondent Jake Tapper, she mentioned Perry's "oops" moment:
In fact, all across this state, they have been pouring in, and for one, there was another rocky moment today. ABC's Jake Tapper has the roundup of this day's political thrills and one oops. Jake?
Tapper began:
That's right, Diane. The race is on, the candidates are working hard, and today has been a day of vicious attacks and at least one candidate gaffe. Iowa is teeming with candidates. They're here for tomorrow night's debate and to win support, a task made more challenging by "oops" moments, as when Rick Perry today forgot the name of a Supreme Court justice.
On Saturday's Good Morning America, correspondent John Berman mentioned the flub within a report on the presidential campaign:
And, of course, what about the others trying to break through? Ron Paul, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum. And Rick Perry, who will try to rebuild his image that keeps taking hits, like when he said there were eight Supreme Court justices instead of nine and couldn't remember one's name.
Berman's piece then played a clip of Perry having trouble recalling Sotomayor's name.
Below are transcripts of relevant portions of Friday's World News on ABC, Saturday's Good Morning America on ABC, and Saturday's The Early Show on CBS:
# From the December 9 World News on ABC:
DIANE SAWYER: In fact, all across this state, they have been pouring in, and for one, there was another rocky moment today. ABC's Jake Tapper has the roundup of this day's political thrills and one oops. Jake?
JAKE TAPPER: That's right, Diane. The race is on, the candidates are working hard, and today has been a day of vicious attacks and at least one candidate gaffe.
Iowa is teeming with candidates. They're here for tomorrow night's debate and to win support, a task made more challenging by "oops" moments, as when Rick Perry today forgot the name of a Supreme Court justice.
RICK PERRY: Uh, no, not Notomayor
UNIDENTIFIED VOICE: Sonia Sotomayor?
PERRY: Sotomayor.
#From the December 10 Good Morning America on ABC:
JOHN BERMAN: And, of course, what about the others trying to break through? Ron Paul, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum.
RICK SANTORUM: You can't buy Iowa.
BERMAN: And Rick Perry, who will try to rebuild his image that keeps taking hits, like when he said there were eight Supreme Court justices instead of nine and couldn't remember one's name.
RICK PERRY: Whether it was, uh, not, Notomayor-
UNIDENTIFIED VOICE: Sonia Sotomayor?
PERRY: Sotomayor, Sotomayor.
# From the December 10 The Early Show on CBS:
RUSS MITCHELL, IN OPENING TEASER: Good morning. Poll position. A new CBS News poll finds a majority of Americans don't feel President Obama deserves a second term. 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft sat down with the President and asked if Mr. Obama can start to turn the economy around before election day.
Oops. Texas Governor Rick Perry gets the number of Supreme Court justices wrong, and again draws more attention to his flubs than his record.
RICK PERRY: Whether it was, uh, uh, not, Notomayor-
UNIDENTIFIED VOICE: Sonia Sotomayor?
PERRY: Sotomayor, Sotomayor.
MITCHELL: How long can his presidential candidacy survive?
...
MITCHELL: Let me ask you about Rick Perry. A couple of more flubs this week. Let's take a look at one.
PERRY: Whether it was, uh, uh, not, Notomayor.
UNIDENTIFIED VOICE: Sonia Sotomayor?
PERRY: Sotomayor, Sotomayor and Kagan are both activist judges.
MITCHELL: So he forgets the names of one of the Supreme Court justices. He also said there are eight justices instead of nine. At this point, what do these types of gaffes do to his campaign?
JAN CRAWFORD: Uh, well, I mean, Russ, I mean, what they tell you is that his campaign is on life support. I mean, what they tell you is, what this means is when you go to states like Alabama, my great home state, you ask people about Rick Perry, and they'll say, oh, you know, he just ain't got it. I mean, that's what this is translating into.
And at a time when voters think America has serious problems and they want a candidate who can fix it, who can debate, who can beat Barack Obama. And all of these gaffes has translated in plummeting poll numbers for Rick Perry. He is trying to turn it around in Iowa. He is asking for voters to give him a second look, but these kind of things like we saw yesterday. And listen to this: He has a case before the Supreme Court right now! His state does. Not good news for Rick Perry.
- Brad Wilmouth is a news analyst for the Media Research Center