Anita Perry, wife of GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry, defended her husband while speaking at the Pinellas County Reagan Day Dinner Saturday night.
Anita Perry defends husband’s stance on Social Security
Tampa Bay Onlilne
ST. PETERSBURG —
In a speech to a Republican group in St. Petersburg Saturday, Anita Perry, wife of GOP presidential frontrunner Rick Perry, defended her husband’s stance on Social Security – an area where Mitt Romney has accused him of backing off controversial former comments.
“He does not back down in the face of criticism. He rejects weathervane politics … When he stakes his ground, he holds it,” including on Social Security, she said.
Perry delivered a humorous, folksy speech to about 450 Republicans at a fundraising dinner for the Pinellas County Republican Party, including descriptions of the small Texas towns where they both grew up.
“There were 13 people in his graduating class” in high school, she said of her husband growing up in Paint Creek. “He was the highest-ranking boy.”
In his book Fed Up, and elsewhere, Perry called the popular program “a Ponzi scheme” and questioned its constitutionality, saying the federal government should be running a pension programs and suggesting it should be left to the states.
Without retracting those comments, Perry now says only that the program needs to be reformed.
“I’ve known him since I was 6 years old,” Anita Perry said.
“He has not backed down an inch from saying Social Security’s financing is broken. It must be reformed,” she said.
Earlier in the day, Anita Perry attended a gathering of Republicans, including delegates to next weekend’s Presidency 5 state Republican Party convention and straw poll, at Ron’s Barbecue in Hudson.
All of the presidential candidates will attend the event, but Perry appears to be working hardest at recruiting delegates for the straw poll, which could have a significant effect on the race.
One delegate and Perry backer at the event, Rachel O’Connor of Wesley Chapel, a candidate for county commissioner in Pasco’s District 1, said she believes Perry is leading among Pasco’s delegates, but added, “I think a lot of them are undecided and waiting to see them in person in Orlando.”
County party official Bill Bunting, also for Perry, gave a more optimistic estimate, saying he thinks half of Pasco’s 86 delegates are for Perry.
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Wild Thing’s comment…….
She will make a beautiful First Lady of our country.
She’d make a great First Lady.
Why is there any discussion on the definition of what Social Security is? It is a Ponzi scheme now , it was the day FDR signed it into law. And Congress has been tapping into it ever since. It like any other government program it is broke. How many Trillions of dollars in the hole do we need to be before these commies realize Marxism doesn’t work.
But when its not your money why should they evern care.
If you liked Laura Bush you will love Anita Perry as First Lady. She will make America proud just as she has always been proud of America. Not just since her husband was elected.
Excellent, Tom R.
Mark, good point, I think it might get to doing that soon I hope so . The debates need to get back on track and away from the Bachmann drama attacks. We should be hearing a varity of questions being asked that we want to know what each person would do if they won.
Tom, that was great thank you so much. Laura was wonderful and I get the same feeling of Anita.