Rick Perry Drunk At New Hampshire Speech? No Way, Says Event Host

Texas governor and GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry wasn't orating while intoxicated when he delivered an unusual speech in New Hampshire over the weekend, the host of the event claimed Tuesday in an interview with The Hill.

"I can tell you unequivocally he wasn't drinking at the event and he hadn't been drinking prior to the event," said Kevin Smith, executive director of conservative group Cornerstone Action, which organized the event, told The Hill. "I was sitting with him, and I found him to be very engaging with all of the people he was talking with, he was very articulate."

According to Smith, Perry drank "only water" in the period leading up to his address. He also said that the general reaction by the Granite State audience had been, "wow, he hit it out of the park" with the speech.

While those in attendance may have viewed the speech as a big success, much of the media reaction to it has treated it like a strike out.

HuffPost's Jon Ward reported on a montage of Perry's remarks that surfaced after his appearance:

But while the video is designed to make Perry look bad, it does capture elements of his speech that were widely remarked upon in the crowd by those who saw the speech.

"It was different," Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas told HuffPost after the speech.

WATCH:

MSNBC host Rachel Maddow took the speech to task Monday, saying, "I would argue that Rick Perry can really no longer be considered a serious contender for president after this ... Once you see this tape, you'll never look at this guy the same way again."

So far, the Perry campaign's response to the footage has been minimal and matter-of-fact.

"The Governor is passionate about the issues he talks about," Perry spokesman Mark Miner said in an email to HuffPost over the weekend.

Comments

[davboz]

02:04 AM on 11/11/2011

I go with the "XanaX or Ativan" idea. I know people who take the crap, and if you're perceptive you can even identify which one they're on any given day. The guy is a clown and one of the biggest jokers I've ever seen. I hope he somehow doesn't somehow get some winning surge.

[peacefuleasyfeeling]

12:13 AM on 11/08/2011

He does not appear drunk to me. He is giddy, though. I think he's high on himself....he knows he is something special. "Bring it." Ewww.

[fredjernig]

04:56 PM on 11/07/2011

He is a bit bizarre, but very coherent, telling people exactly what they want to hear. I'm watching this and thinking he's actually quite good.

[bluelyne]

03:51 PM on 11/08/2011

Then you must be drunk.

[Windpiper]

06:05 PM on 11/04/2011

HE WAS NOT DRUNK. HE'S JUST NATURALLY GOOFY

[Bobio]

08:04 PM on 11/03/2011

I like him better drunk. It sort of gets rid of the meaness

[chazevans]

07:50 PM on 11/03/2011

I think he's just channeling deceased comic/actor Jim Varney...know what ah mean Vern?

[TFlint]

04:11 PM on 11/03/2011

Texas water has lots of lithium in it. When Texans leave the state, manic depression kicks in.

[Json]

03:16 PM on 11/03/2011

Things are different today,
I hear ev'ry GOP'er say
Perry needs something today to calm him down
And though he's not really ill
There's a little yellow pill
He goes running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
And it helps him on her way, gets him through his busy day...

[bluelyne]

03:54 PM on 11/08/2011

The event host wouldn't say if he was drunk anyway. He's either a total clown or he's on pills. I'd vote benzos (Xanax or Ativan).

[Thisboy]

01:39 PM on 11/03/2011

I don't know about most Americans but I resent the Rights accusations that it is the fault of Middle Class and poor Americans for their current economic state and this recession. It is doubly insulting that their offerings of presidential leadership attempt to reduce the problems of this country into a joke or profit drumming book tour for themselves. This group of arrogant millionaires has the nerve to claim their wealthy constituents are suffering and under tremendous burden with regulations and taxes while sitting on two trillions in profits made during this recession and still unwilling to hire or loan money to anyone who doesn't already have money. Dismantling the very programs and benefits that made the Middle Class grow and prosper for generations is not funny.

[Tonni Canaday]

01:05 PM on 11/03/2011

Perry's actions while "different" are not main concern. Perry's policy on illegal's is what I cannot, will not condone, not with a fox, not in a box. People running for office need to be concerned with damage being done to our nation by illegal's from around the world. A plan to employ enough workers to clear backlog( up to ten years) to immigrate legally ,will stop waste of taxpayer dollars. .Costs of jail, deporting, allowing illegal's to go to college at state rates,( students with degree's still can't get a job when they are illegal) fee's for social security, medical fees,etc, could be decreased dramitically,creating jobs and efficient way to process people to cross legally.( NON CRIMINALS.)

[Json]

11:40 AM on 11/03/2011

I think we can all agree that that wasn't not the behavior of man who is sober.
He was definitely in some weird euphoric state. The only question is what got him there. Alcohol? Coke? Meth? Amphetamines? Crack?

[justishar]

02:30 PM on 11/03/2011

I vote benzodiazepines.

[Babylonisfallin]

11:15 AM on 11/03/2011

The title says it all really

[gDogMan]

11:13 AM on 11/03/2011

If you can't smoke crack responsibly, put the pipe down. Wasn't anybody listening to Charlie when he warned us all about letting recreational drug abuse get out of control? ;-)

If you can't form a coherent sentence (for any reason), stay away from the microphone. Didn't Rick learn anything from his de-mentor?

If Rick wasn't impaired by drugs, he should have lied about it. Drugs eventually wear off. Rick's "impairment" will never really go away. Appearing stupid in front of his sheople won't phase them. Appearing less than / other than "butch" could be a fatal blow (no pun intended).

[Missy Vague]

10:49 AM on 11/03/2011

omg Obama would love to run against Perry ! Not that I'd back either.

RON PAUL

[hgus]

10:25 AM on 11/03/2011

I think this hurts Perry more than it helps him.

At least if he was drunk he would have an excuse for the stupid, idiot comments that he made.

[Momcatusa]

01:29 PM on 11/03/2011

Absolutely! Funny, when Howard Dean was running for President, and gave an excited "Yee-haw!" upon a win - in Iowa, was it?, or Ohio? - the media totally trashed him for it. Perry, who seems to think being a Texas excuses almost any stupidity he might come out with (and why not? Apparently it worked just fine for Bush), delivers a speech which might have been made by a well-lit college sophomore running for class president, and Huffpost is the only place I've seen anything about it. Either Perry forgot his meds, or was under the influence of something here- this exceeds his normal exuberance.