Title: “Head Figure Head: The Search for the Hidden Life of Rick Perry”

Author: Glen Maxey

Rank: “#1,364 Paid in Kindle Store”

Blurb: “On June 23, 2011 a national reporter called Glen Maxey, the first and only openly gay state legislator in the history of Texas. Rick Perry was making noises about running for president, and the reporter asked about rumors that Perry possibly may have had homosexual sex. Glen had heard the rumors before but never investigated them. Now curious, Glen sent out messages to his wide network of gay and political contacts. Within hours, he received astonishing information from multiple sources. For the next five months, Glen’s life was consumed with investigating the rumors and stories about Perry. Did Rick Perry have sex with men? Read this remarkable book and decide for yourself.”

Review: “Maxey clearly has a vast network of connections in the gay community that no ordinary journalist could hope to match. The direct evidence he recites is strong (though, as he says, it’s still hearsay) — the stories of the gay hustler and the Craigslist guy are amazing.”

Footnote: Hiring Herman Cain!’s lawyer is not an admission of guilt.

Head Figure Head [Amazon]

Buy or Die [Stinque@Amazon Kickback Link]

[via Know Your Meme]

“Perry makes a $150,000 annual gross salary as Texas govenor. Now, thanks to his early retirement, Perry, 61, gets a monthly retirement annuity of $7,698 before taxes, or $6,588 net. That raises his gross annual salary to more than $240,000.” No, he’s not quitting. Just “retiring”. [Texas Tribune, via Political Wire]

“The Tebow mania sweeping the nation sacked a group of Long Island high-school students who were suspended for mimicking the quarterback’s famous prayer pose… Administrators said the weeklong ‘Tebowing’ craze was a distraction and a hallway hazard after dozens of classmates followed their lead.” [NY Post]

Mr. & Still Mrs. Herman Cain! wish you the best this holiday season.

[via TPM]

As Bill O’Reilly says, sort of, Candidates Rise, Candidates Fall. They always rise, and always fall. And as Newt is now discovering, you can’t explain that.

So who is now on the rise? (Hint: It sure as hell ain’t Former Senator Frothy Mix.) Why, none other than the man who bestowed the 2008 campaign with one of History’s Greatest Visual Metaphors! The Blimp is back, baby!

Which makes us more than usually shitfaced drunk pleased to welcome you to our GOP Debate Open Thread/Balloon Boy Revival. Because nothing says “love” like spelling it backwards.

“After leaving Congress, Gingrich cultivated a network of a few dozen uber-wealthy backers who poured tens of millions of dollars into a network of groups that helped him maintain a foothold in politics. Now, operatives supporting his presidential campaign are asking those same donors to write fat checks to a suite of new super PACs they hope can spend big on ads to offset Gingrich campaign fundraising that had lagged behind his rivals.” [Politico, via Political Wire]