Perry: 'I May Get To Be A Good Debater'

CONCORD, N.H. -- Rick Perry said Friday that he does not regret keeping the birther issue alive and soft-pedaled reports that he will skip future Republican presidential primary debates.

Perry came to the state capitol building in the first-in-the-nation primary state to file his papers as a presidential candidate, and then sat down at a desk in a state elections office room to answer questions from journalists. It was a rare press availability with the Texas governor.

Perry said he did not regret calling birther speculation about President Barack Obama's citizenship a "good issue to keep alive."

"I don't consider making fun of something being a mistake," Perry said, and then sought to downplay the significance of the issue.

"The president's the president. That's a fact," Perry said.

Perry also gave the impression that he plans on taking part in some, if not most, of the debates in the months ahead. His campaign aides have raised the prospect of him skipping some of them and Perry himself has said he thinks the forums are intended to trip up the candidates rather than help voters discern where candidates are on the issues.

"I don't know whether or not we'll forego any debates or not," Perry said. "There's going to be a lot of debates. I may get to be a good debater before this is all over."

As for his commitment to New Hampshire, where Perry is floundering in the polls, the governor said he still thinks he has a chance in the Granite State.

"I'm here to win," he said.

Comments

[Clevelandinwi]

09:39 AM on 10/30/2011

Being a coward is so hard to hide. gw and cheeney couldn't do it and neither can parry.

[Clevelandinwi]

09:34 AM on 10/30/2011

rickie, don't you get it? You're a joke. And so's your staff and your wife. And you've turned the great state of Texas into a third world 'country'. Please have someone explain it to you and then go hunting at your lodge or something. Maybe 'clear brush'.

[Clevelandinwi]

09:30 AM on 10/30/2011

No regret? I keep hearing gw saying this as he murdered hundreds of thousands in Iraq in his 'made up' war. These phony former cheerleaders are all the same.

[Von Bismark]

06:19 AM on 10/30/2011

How does he feel when fun is poked at him? Imagine a future who will take his directives from Trump.But the underlining truth about it is that he can't veil his racial instinct. Pathetic!

[stephan67]

03:45 AM on 10/30/2011

Perry, the problem with you is lack of intelligence.You should try to improve your I.Q, if possible.

[OhMyBoehner]

02:13 AM on 10/30/2011

may even become a master bater!

[Peace Walker]

12:00 AM on 10/30/2011

"I don't consider making fun of something being a mistake," Perry said.

And therein lies the cornerstone of the GOP. Its called "ridicule" Perry, and its generally the sign of a weak mind. It is also certainly the mark of a bully.

[dayzee10]

01:22 AM on 10/30/2011

I am glad he feels that way because there are a lot of people that are going to be making fun of secessionist Gov. Dick Dingleperry

[windy33]

10:31 PM on 10/29/2011

when you wish bad or do bad to others it ALWAYS COMES HOME TO ROOST. LOOK AT THE POLLS YOUR REALLY NOT SITTING PRETTY AT ALL. AND THERE WILL BE MORE TO COME OUT ABOUT YOU. you might think your what this country needs but we the people will show you that we DO NOT NEED YOU AT ALL YOU ARE WAY TO MEAN TO THESE WHO HAVE LESS THEN YOU AND YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT THE RICH. YOU CLAIM YOU ARE SO RELIGIOUS, WELL WHAT WILL YOU TELL YOUR MAKER WHEN YOUR TIME COMES. YOU CAN'T LIE TO HIM. ALL YOU CAN DO IS TELL THE TRUTH. YOU WANTED TO SQUASH ALL PEOPLE THAT ARE BENEATH YOU AND PUT THE RICH ON A PEDISTAL

[geif]

09:09 PM on 10/29/2011

Looks like Perry is chickening out of debating his colleagues. What a coward.

[geif]

09:05 PM on 10/29/2011

This election cycle is going to be like a non-stop SNL show with the likes of Perry, Romney, and Cain. It can't get any better for Obama's re-election. I love it!

[geif]

09:03 PM on 10/29/2011

Why are Republicans from West Texas so ignorant?

[OhMyBoehner]

02:15 AM on 10/30/2011

something in the water!

[Clevelandinwi]

09:37 AM on 10/30/2011

They have been delay-ized, bush-ized and parry-ized. That will do it every time.

[bobsoph]

07:42 PM on 10/29/2011

Perry:....".I may become a good debater". I'm 80 years old and"I may become an astranaut.

Don't like the odds for either of us.

[westronandnan]

02:36 PM on 10/29/2011

Rick Perry reminds me of an ol' saying by Josh Billings where he said, "The trouble with people is not that they don't know but that they know so much that ain't so."

Selah!

[Charles Queen]

01:06 PM on 10/29/2011

I'd have to say that the elections are going to be mostly all about Perry and Romney,it will be one of them that ends up in the wh this time

[wrasmus306]

03:50 PM on 10/29/2011

Morning or afternoon guided tour?

[morven]

07:26 AM on 10/30/2011

BWAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

[Gestas]

12:32 PM on 10/29/2011

Rick....Had you never said a single word, you would be way ahead in the Polls...