Rick Perry quits before he loses

Well, the candidate who only a few months ago was hailed as the GOP's savior, today officially acknowledged his fall from grace. Rick Perry is dropping out of the race, which technically preserves his record of never having lost an election since quitting is not quite the same as losing. He's throwing his tens of supporters to Newt.

The only real effect this is likely to have on the race is to destroy my creds as a prognosticator. I didn't count Huntsman in when I predicted nobody would drop out before the SC vote but I thought Perry would hang on to the end. He had plenty of money. Of course, I also thought they would show a swaggering, evangelical Texan a bit more love there. And I forgot to factor in the interminable debates. Dropping out today spares him from another humiliating stint on the stage.

So Gov. Goodhair returns to Texas and will get back to praying for rain I guess.

And Austin weeps.

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