Why Rick Perry Is Optimistic About America’s Future

NASHUA, N.H.—Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, in a speech today that hinted he might run for president again, said he is “optimistic” about the future of the United States.

“This is an incredibly resilient country,” said Perry. “We lived through a civil war, two world wars, we lived through the Great Depression, we lived through Jimmy Carter. We’ll live through Barack Obama.”

Perry, addressing the audience at the First in the Nation Summit hosted by the New Hampshire Republican State Committee, said the next president shouldn’t be “of Washington” or “from Washington.”

“Change is only going to come from the outside from my perspective,” said Perry. “There is nothing wrong in America that can’t be fixed with new leaders. I believe that with all my heart. We are only a few good decisions away—and a leadership change at the top—from the best days this country has ever seen.”

He criticized leaders in Washington, whom he referred to as “elites,” for failing to listen to the will of the American people on issues like Obamacare, Common Core, national security and the tax rate.

“A congressional majority is a terrible thing to waste,” said Perry, adding that “liberals in Washington have spent 30 years criticizing Reaganomics while delivering what I refer to as trickle down liberalism.”

“Change is only going to come from the outside from my perspective,” says @GovernorPerry.

The next president, said Perry, must know how to address the threat of radical Islam, grow the economy and ease the tax burden.

Perry outlined his résumé as the former governor of Texas, highlighting achievements in the state of Texas like job growth and efforts to secure the border.

Perry added that a “young, first-term senator” may not have the necessary executive experience to be president, a possible allusion to his potential Republican opponents Sens. Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio.

Asked by an audience member what would differentiate his second White House run from his first, Perry cited his own health.

Perry said that in 2011 he had “major back surgery,” but he is now healed, and has used the years since to study the issues facing the United States and gain more executive experience.