Ron Paul Assails Rick Perry

Congressman Ron Paul has some unkind things to say about his fellow Texan, Rick Perry, who is the presumptive Republican front-runner in the 2012 Presidential primaries.

According to ABC News, Paul lambasted Perry as a “candidate of the week” and suggested Perry’s strong polling numbers would decrease once the public learned more about the Texas governor.

“He was the one saying, ‘Oh yeah, I’m all for secession,’ and that kind of talk,” Paul told the Associated Press, in a reference to Perry’s statement in 2009 that Texas might consider seceding if Washington persisted in “[thumbing] their nose at the American people.”

Paul added: “The only thing I would advise is looking into [Perry], looking at his record, and not just taking him at face value. Texas has had a lot of changes in these last eight years, not exactly positive either.”

Paul has earlier stated that Perry’s entry into the race would actually help Paul’s campaign since it would highlight Paul’s independent, maverick status as a political outsider.

During a rally in Fairfield, Iowa, Paul told the crowd:“[Perry] appeals to the status quo, and we don’t represent the status quo. He will dilute the status quo, and he will enhance our campaign.”

However, Paul assured AP that he will run as a Republican, not as a third-party independent.

“The reason I rule it out, the easiest way, and this is disgusting, because we don’t have a very good Democratic process here. … The Republicans and Democrats write the laws, so they make it very hard to get on the ballot,” Paul said.
Paul, at age 75 is running for President for the third time. He has hammered away at a theme of increased liberty and less government. Paul’s supporters have complained that their man has been largely ignored by mainstream media as a “niche” candidate.

Jim Granato, director of the Hobby Center for Public Policy at the University of Houston, told local media last month: “Ron Paul’s domestic policy views resonate with a growing faction in the GOP. But his effect on Rick Perry or any other GOP rival will carry much more weight if he can win some primaries.”

Paul, a dry intellectual physician, is a vastly different candidate than Perry, the tough-talking, rough-and-tumble career Texas politician.

Paul told CNN: “It may surprise you: I don’t know the governor. I don’t recall ever having met him.”
During a campaign stop in Concord, New Ham[shire, Paul openly mocked Perry.

“Now they have this other governor, I can’t remember his name,” Paul said. “He realizes that talking about the [Federal Reserve] is good, too. But I’ll tell you what: He makes me sound like a moderate.”