Rick Perry says he maintains a "great rapport" with former President George W. Bush, but he disagreed with Bush's efforts to reform education and create a prescription drug program under Medicare.
Perry dismissed reports that he had a tense relationship with Bush, whom he succeeded as Texas governor. Perry said during a Republican presidential debate that he was "very vocal" in his disagreement with the prescription drug program, which he called "very expensive."
Perry says he also opposed the No Child Left Behind reforms of the nation's education system. He said the federal government "has no business telling the states how to educate our children."
Asked to draw a contrast between himself and Bush last month, the Lone Star State Republican said, "You know, they’re not all carbon copies in Texas." He added, "I tell people, I say one of the quick ways you can tell the difference is that he’s a Yale graduate. I’m a Texas A&M graduate. But the fact is it doesn’t matter where you’re from. The next president of the United States, which state they’re from doesn’t matter. What matters is what’s in their heart and what’s in their mind. And what’s in my mind and what’s in my heart is we’re gonna get America working again."
Around the same time, the Texas governor had this to say when asked if there's any tension between the Bush and Perry camps in an interview with Time.
Not from my perspective, and certainly not between George W. Bush and I. And frankly, his dad, I mean, I got great respect for them. And the President 43 and I have a very good personal warm relationship. If there are people that were on his team [in] the past that haven’t agreed on policy or picked a different horse in a political race—you look back over my political career, and if I chastised and removed everyone who’s been on the other side of me in a political race I wouldn’t have any friends or helpers.
Political veterans in Texas, however, say the tiff goes back to 1995, when then-Governor Bush refused to appoint Perry's brother-in-law to the appeals court bench.
Below, a video of highlights from Thursday night's debate.
WATCH: