Protesters stand outside Popovers on the Square as Republican presidential candidate and Texas Governor Rick Perry campaigns inside August 18, 2011 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
ABC: …. What Perry may not have loved, however, is the treatment he received just 24-hours later at a meet-and-greet stop in this picturesque Seacoast town where he encountered about two-dozen protesters who shouted at him, held signs with slogans like “Another Texas idiot for sale,” and followed him into a cafe to yell some more.
The protesters, some of whom were senior citizens and members of the New Hampshire Alliance For Retired American gathered on a sidewalk more than an hour before Perry arrived at the event….
As the presidential candidate from Texas walked into a local restaurant, Popovers on the Square, he was forced to shake hands with voters amid shouts of “Hands off Social Security and Medicare!” and “You’re a threat to America” from the anti-Perry forces who gathered just a few feet away from him….
Inside the café, Gail Mitchell (a small-business owner from Barrington) and a companion grilled him: “You said Social Security was unconstitutional.”
“Social Security’s going to be there for those folks,” Perry answered his inquisitors, making reference to the elderly.
“But you said Social Security is unconstitutional,” Mitchell repeated.
“I don’t think I – I’m sorry, you must have,” Perry said before stopping himself.
Instead of elaborating, Perry stuffed a generous piece of popover in his mouth. (Perry called them “pop ups.”)
“I’ve got a big mouthful,” Perry said and then ordering a glass of water. He later tripped over one of the women standing at his side pressing him on Social Security.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” Perry said to her.
In an interview with Newsweek last year, Perry was asked about his opinion on the constitutionality of programs like Social Security and Medicare.
“I don’t think our founding fathers when they were putting the term ‘general welfare’ in there were thinking about a federally operated program of pensions nor a federally operated program of health care,” Perry said in the interview. “What they clearly said was that those were issues that the states need to address. Not the federal government. I stand very clear on that. From my perspective, the states could substantially better operate those programs if that’s what those states decided to do.”
At a house party in New Hampshire last Saturday, Perry referred to Social Security as a Ponzi scheme.
More here
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Steve Benen: When a candidate would rather stuff food in his mouth than answer an important question, it’s safe to say he considers the issue politically problematic.
Later, Ray Sullivan a Perry campaign spokesperson, told reporters he’s “never heard” the governor question the constitutionality of Social Security.
Sullivan may be the only one.
As for Perry’s reluctance to stand by his own positions, what happened to the swagger, Rick? Folks want to know if you stand by what you said about Social Security. You’re not going to let polls and a bunch of aides tell you what to think, are you?
Full post here
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Washington Post: Newly-minted presidential candidate Rick Perry got a taste Thursday of the rough-and-tumble nature of presidential politics, with protesters dogging him on the campaign trail, demanding to know whether he thinks Social Security is unconstitutional and begging him to follow through on threats of Texas seceding.
Nearly two dozen hecklers greeted the Texas governor with signs saying, “Ricky Go Home” and “Seniors Say NO to Ricky.” As Perry prepared for a meet-and-greet at a cafe downtown, they began chanting, “Hands off Social Security and Medicare.”
“He’s appealing to the tea party,” said Larry Drake, a retired federal worker and Democrat who said he came Thursday to show his opposition to the Republican governor. “It’s like George W. Bush on steroids.”
…A man shouted, “Please secede,” referring to comments Perry has made about Texas leaving the United States because of what he considered encroachment by the federal government. Perry ignored them with a tight smile.
The Obama Diary 
I remember the msm making a BFD over the President saying “sweetie” to a few ladies.He almost had to apologize yet we don’t hear jack about Perry saying sweetheart yet again THIS President is black so … 🙄
He’s a fool. Make’s Bush the Lesser look like Einstein. I love the fact that he’s being aired out and I hope it continues to the extent that Texans become humiliated that they elected this buffoon and that he’s running around the country making them look bad. Maybe then Texas will go in another direction when they choose their governors. (Of course this doesn’t apply to the many great Ivins and Richards and Jordan type of Texans 😀 .)
Thank you for including that addendum. 🙂 As a sane Texan (and there are soooooo many of us around) I cringe everytime I see Perry or hear him talk because I just know that many around the nation are judging and stereotyping all Texans through the lense of Bush and Perry. This is going to be a loooooooooooooooooong campaign season. I soooooo badly want him to win nomination so maybe, just maybe we might have a democrat as Governor again.
Heard a political writer today on Ed Schultz radio program, my only choice when I am out and about, say that Repubs now believe that Perry is going to waltz to the nomination, which is just mind-blowing to me. They said the fundamentalist Christian primary voters will never vote for Mormon Romney, that it’s a well-known but unspoken fact in those political circles.
Incredible. It’s as if he has no conception that something he says in one place is going to be recorded, heard, and quoted back to him in another place. “You must be mistaken, I didn’t say that” doesn’t work any longer? Whoa, how’d that happen? Shades of John McCain, who got similarly bumfuzzled on a regular basis.
I am on fire finding stuff 😆 and PLEASE can those on twitter keep in touch with Miss Megan Jacobs http://twitter.com/#!/meganajacobs who works for Press Secretary for the Iowa Democratic Party, former Comm Dir for Chet Edwards (D-TX), 😀
Romney vs. Romney on Tax Cuts
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/08/17/romney_vs_romney_on_tax_cuts.html
Close-up: Texas under Perry
Health care falters in state
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7701850.html
Gov. Rick Perry’s big donors fare well in Texas
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-0816-perry-donors-20110816,0,6024689,full.story
OMG, I love these signs. Folks are listening. I love the sign that says “My SS is not a ponzi scheme”. This is amazing!!!! The word is getting out folks.
You are on fire Fred, thank you!!!!!!!!!! 😉
go home perry…texas needs you
No. No we don’t. 🙂 I’m hoping he wins nomination so we may have the chance of a democrat as Governor again.
God I am sooooooo loving this! Keep talking Rick!
I have a tingle running up my legs over this. 🙂
I HAVE A GREAT ANSWER FOR PERRY…’GOD’ IS THE ORIGINAL CREATING FATHER. AND WE ARE TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE IN NEED! PERRY’S JUDGEMENT FOR EMBELISHING THE CONTRARY WILL BE HORRIFIC!
Anyone who makes GWB look even remotely smart is a buffoon and a bumbling idiot. “Social Security Is A Ponzi Scheme.” Who says that? Gosh. The GOP is just filled with stupid, stupid, stupid people. The candidates, congressmembers, head honchos, anyone associated with the GOP, and GOP voters alike.
I have the feeling that not only Perry but many more of the un-informed have never questioned FICA on their pay stubs…Do they not realize this is not an “entitlement” or “ponzi scheme”…We have paid into this fund (of which they have helped themselves generously to) all of our working lives. No one will remember this guy past October (I hope). He’s a pretty face and KKKarl and the Bushies DO NOT LIKE HIM… The PTB will see to it that Romney is their guy. After all, it’s his turn…
Rev Al. is just too crazy!….after clips of GWB flubs and bushisms,he wrapped up his show now with these words…”remember,the last time we laughed at a Texan,we ended up crying later”. Brilliant!
Seriously my TOD friends, you can’t make this stuff up. Central Casting couldn’t create this slime-ball. We all know MANY politicians are F.O.S., but this D-Bag is the new gold standard. I wonder if he’s ever said or done ANYTHING honest EVER? This is going to be fun!!
Perry is an evil-looking, ugly man. He looks and is sinister. He is full of false humility. He will be outed.
He already looks worn out. What will he look like come 2012 when the primaries kick off? Love that, just like Mittens, he’s keeping some gray. You know, for that sort of authentic look!