Perry on CNN’s State of the Union: “I don’t know who she’s [Clinton] playing to, but she’s not playing to the people of Texas…”
Today on CNN’s State of the Union, presidential candidate and former governor, Rick Perry (R-TX), joined chief congressional correspondent, Dana Bash to respond to Hillary Clinton’s comments on expanding voting days, big banks being held accountable for their mistakes and his campaign theme song.
Text highlights and a transcript of the discussion are below
MANDATORY CREDIT: CNN’s “State of the Union”
TEXT HIGHLIGHTS
Perry responds to Clinton’s comments on expanding voting days: “… I think we make it pretty easy in the state of Texas for people to vote, so, you know, again, I don’t know what her beef is with the people of the state of Texas about voter I.D., but I think she’s on the wrong side of the issue.”
Perry on holding big banks responsible for mistakes: “…if a bank makes bad decisions, they’ll fail. Nobody ought to be too big to fail, and all these regulations did was codify in the law, and I’d certainly get rid of those. You make a mistake, and you make bad choices, you need to pay a price in this country. I don’t care who you are, or whether you’re a big Wall Street firm, or you’re a big bank.”
Perry on his campaign theme song: “Colt Ford is — you know, Colt’s actually a golfer by (INAUDIBLE) but, he’s turned into quite a very good country-rapper, so — Pete Scobell who’s a dear friend, Navy SEAL, is a close friend of Marcus — Marcus Luttrell. He too came to me and said, listen, I got an idea for a song for your campaign, and so, anyway, that’s what it turned out. Matter of fact, it’s on iTunes today, first day, so go to iTunes and buy it. Get a little country-rap going.”
FULL TRANSCRIPT
THIS IS A RUSH FDCH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Governor, thanks so much for joining me.
RICK PERRY, FORMER GOVERNOR OF TEXAS: Glad to be with you.
BASH: Tell me about this is the Roast and Ride — you have your own ride coming here, tell me about that.
PERRY: We had, I don’t know, 150, 175 veterans that we had coordinated — had some very well-known military heroes. Mike Hardin, a Medal of Honor recipient. We had Marcus Luttrell, the, “Lone Survivor”. We had Taya Kyle, the wife of Chris Kyle, the “American Sniper”. Morgan Luttrell, Marcus’ twin brother who’s also on SEAL team. Dan Moran, who’s kind of young.
They all rode so, yeah, it was — and just a host of other veterans and other pro-military types that were with us. It was a great way to get over here to Joni — to ride.
BASH: Can you start by asking a topical news question — that is Hilary Clinton is calling you out by name. She’s criticizing your voting rights record. She’s cited as discriminating against minority voters. Why is she wrong?
PERRY: I think it’s way outside the norm of ridiculous, if you want know the truth of the matter — to call out to the people of the state of Texas, because that’s what she did. I just happened to be the Governor that signed that legislation I had supported — but the vast majority of the people of the state of Texas support that.
So, you know, what Secretary Clinton did was basically say to the people of the state of Texas that they don’t know what they —
BASH: but it was (INAUDIBLE) legislature —
PERRY: — Well, we get elected by the — by the people, and you go poll the people of the state of Texas, they are for voters having a voter I.D.
BASH: Specifically, the argument that she and other democrats are making is why would you say that it’s o.k. to have a bunch (INAUDIBLE) registration, a gun license and not a college I.D.?
PERRY: Why would you say that you need a photo I.D. to get a library book, or to get on an airplane? This is a state issue, and this is an issue that the people of the state of Texas overwhelmingly support, and so I — I don’t know who she’s playing to, but she’s not playing to the people of Texas, and I don’t think she’s playing to the Americans that believe that the sanctity of the vote is really important.
And, you need to have photo I.D. to go vote. It’s that simple. The people of Texas wanted it, and you know, whichever state Hillary Clinton considers to be her home state —
BASH: — What about your —
PERRY: — She goes home and she argues that they’re not have any.
BASH: What about your arguments, which is true, that a Federal judge said it’s not just discriminatory, but was discriminatory in intent?
PERRY: I could probably find a Federal judge to say just about anything. I mean, the Supreme Court is — well, I think if this goes to the Supreme Court, clearly the people of the state of Texas, in this case, will be right.
BASH: (INAUDIBLE) just generally, the idea of voting rights, and this idea that she proposed, which is to have early voting at least 20 days ahead of time to have election day a national holiday and so forth just to make it easier for people to vote?
PERRY: I think we make it pretty easy in the state of Texas for people to vote, so, you know, again, I don’t know what her beef is with the people of the state of Texas about voter I.D., but I think she’s on the wrong side of the issue.
BASH: Let’s talk about the economy. In your announcement speech this week, you sounded like a populist. You said, “Capitalism is not corporatism,” you said it’s, “not a guarantee of reward without risk. It’s not about Wall Street at the expense of Main Street.” I’ve seen it written that you sounded more like Elizabeth Warren than members of your own party.
PERRY: I think I sounded like a boy who grew up on a dry land cotton farm in a house that’s — didn’t have running water.
I grew up in a place where my Mom and Dad both had to work really hard, and I don’t think it’s right for Wall Street to be able to walk away from bad mistakes, and the people on Main street have to pay for it. That’s — if that’s populism, than I’m proud to be a populist on that issue.
The bottom line is we need to be putting policies into place where Main street folks — Dodd-Frank’s a great example it right here in Iowa. These bankers — these small community banks are being strangled by regulations, and they can’t loan money to their farmers or small businesses. That’s just not right.
BASH: So, what would you do about Wall Street? Would you do — would you try to break up the big banks? How would you actually —
PERRY: — Well, listen, if a bank makes bad decisions, they’ll fail. Nobody ought to be too big to fail, and all these regulations did was codify in the law, and I’d certainly get rid of those. You make a mistake, and you make bad choices, you need to pay a price in this country. I don’t care who you are, or whether you’re a big Wall Street firm, or you’re a big bank. You know? That’s what our bankruptcy laws are for.
I wasn’t for G.M. getting a restructure. They should have been — gone through bankruptcy just like everybody on Main Street would have, Dana. I mean — this is pretty simple from my perspective. Treat everybody the same.
BASH: This is Iowa, and you’re doing pretty well here considering how many people are in the race, but you’re still only at five percent. What is your plan to re-introduce yourself to the people of Iowa after you’re not so wonderful race in 2012 leaving you (INAUDIBLE) —
PERRY: — We’ll be here a lot. In 2011 the first time I even came to Iowa — the day right after the straw poll, so being in this state, introducing yourself to people in a very personal way. I don’t care whether it’s two people or 2,000 people. If I get invited to come to Iowa, I’m going to be here. Nobody’s going — well, there might be somebody that comes to Iowa more than I do, but if they do, they better pack their lunch.
BASH: So Iowa is the place where you’ve got to do well? You’re putting a lot of eggs in this basket.
PERRY: Well, we’ve put eggs in New Hampshire’s basket, South Carolina’s basket, as well. We intend to do very well. We’ll do whatever we need to do to do as well as we can in the caucus’s.
BASH: Last question, I have to ask you about the Rick Perry country-rap. Where did that come from?
PERRY: Colt Ford is — you know, Colt’s actually a golfer by (INAUDIBLE) but, he’s turned into quite a very good country-rapper, so — Pete Scobell who’s a dear friend, Navy SEAL, is a close friend of Marcus — Marcus Luttrell. He too came to me and said, listen, I got an idea for a song for your campaign, and so, anyway, that’s what it turned out.
Matter of fact, it’s on iTunes today, first day, so go to iTunes and buy it. Get a little country-rap going.
BASH: Alright, well, one day I’ll have you do your Rick Perry rap for me. Not today.
(LAUGHING)
PERRY: Not today.
BASH: Thank you, Governor.
PERRY: Thank you.
END INTERVIEW