Someone saw some flagging support and falling polls
(Newsmax) Presidential candidate Rick Perry on Wednesday apologized for saying that anyone who opposed giving tuition breaks to the children of illegal immigrants “did not have a heart.â€
In an exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV, the Texas governor said he had made a poor choice of words during the Sept. 22 presidential debate, but he stood by his view that the decision in his state to extend tuition breaks was the right one.
“I was probably a bit over-passionate by using that word and it was inappropriate,†Perry admitted. “In Texas in 2001 we had 181 members of the legislature – only four voted against this piece of legislation – because it wasn’t about immigration it was about education.â€
So, he “sorry” for calling all you folks who think that people who come to this country illegally should be deported, regardless of age, and shouldn’t have public money spent on them, shouldn’t be given easy breaks for in-state tuition, and shouldn’t take up spaces in colleges that could be filled by, you know, American citizens, “heartless”. But, he still thinks he’s right and you’re wrong, it’s just that he used the wrong word to describe you heartless SOBs.
The rest of the interview was pretty good, you can read it and watch the video over at Newsmax, but, people will still remember the “heartless” comment. Call me crazy, but, Perry pulled a Democrat gaffe, which is when a Democrat tells the truth and says what they really think. And you can expect Perry’s GOP opponents to hammer him during the next few debates for that comment, and put him on the spot regarding his belief that we should educate the kids of illegals, and give them a pathway to citizenship. Said pathway always seems to mean that we won’t deport the parents, because that would be “mean”, and separate the kids from their parents.
Perry wasn’t really sorry, except for getting caught saying what he really thinks.
Meanwhile, a federal judge upheld key parts of the Alabama illegal immigration law, including the provision to check the immigration status of students.
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In a way, Perry is right. The vote was about education.
It was about providing education to those who are here illegally at a lower cost than to those legally in this country.
In doing so, it deprives legal families of money to provide an education for their kids because they are paying more for illegal immigrants.
I really believe that Perry wanted to stand up there and use the “you don’t have a heart” phrase as some sort of “memorable clip” akin to “I knew Jack Kennedy and you’re no Jack Kennedy.”
The stance, the phrase and the delivery was too polished and too ready to be anything else.
Instead, the comment is now a lead balloon against Perry. Every conservative saw it and now questions his commitment to conservative values and beliefs. While conservatives may not agree on the best way to stop illegal immigration, we all agree that it is wrong and should not be rewarded.
Perry misjudged his base.
Badly.
Yeah, his issues are only because he called conservatism heartless. Perry, another in the line of what was termed Passionate Conservatism.. which in my world means.. RINO.
Perry was already flagging prior to that statement, and his laziness at the debates and his continued support of big spending and his support of law breaking is his death-knell.