Rick Perry Heckled Over Ad Criticizing DADT Repeal, Gays In The Military

Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry was heckled Sunday in Ames, Iowa over his recent ad criticizing President Barack Obama for signing legislation to allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military.

The Texas governor spoke for about 15 minutes and made a gaffe when referring to the Department of Energy's loan guarantee to the energy company Solyndra, referring to it as a country. "No greater example of it than this administration sending millions of dollars into the solar industry, and we lost that money," Perry said. "I want to say it was over $500 million that went to the country Solynda," he said.

Afterwards, hecklers confronted Perry. "Why are you marginalizing people in this country? Why are you demonizing gay and lesbian people?" yelled Warren Blumenfeld, who teaches a gay studies course at Iowa State University, according to CNN.

"Why can't gays compete in the military?" shouted Jason Arment, 24, an Iowa State student who said he served with the Marines in Iraq in 2007 and 2008, according to the Los Angeles Times. "It was insulting, it was degrading to service members," he later added. Perry did not respond to the hecklers.

Perry's ad drew controversy among his staff, with his top pollster, Tony Fabrizio, calling it "nuts." "You don't need to be in the pews every Sunday to know that there's something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school," says Perry in the ad.

Comments

[talkstocoyotes]

08:44 AM on 12/22/2011

Does he still have the Brokeback jacket?

[bettestreep]

12:38 AM on 01/01/2012

yeah -he's getting sequins sewn on them now.

[Christopher Erwin Hogan]

04:20 PM on 12/13/2011

This is my favorite parody video so far:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=73HhoCHaAmM

[caroleann926]

02:08 PM on 12/13/2011

I'm sure all the comedians are loving these GOP candidates. Where else can youn find so much fodder for their shows. Sad, but true. Perhaps Europe, Asia and Australia are snickering to how low this country has become with our choices of candiates. GOP = snick, snick.

[truth be told again]

10:51 AM on 12/13/2011

Shocking news. SHOCKING, I tell you ...

http://www.buzzfeed.com/willio/fox-news-poll-picks-obama-anchors-shocked-in-disb-460x

[bettestreep]

01:00 AM on 01/01/2012

this is one of those rare occassions where fox news polled intelligent people for a change.

they won't make that same mistake again.

[Roman238]

02:13 AM on 12/13/2011

Saying that Solyndra is a country was not even a gaffe, which could've been excused. He meant it. Do we really want someone in the White House who is so out of touch with reality? I sure don't.

[marqus]

12:29 AM on 12/13/2011

America - people do you want this ?
in the White - House ?
look how many Mum & Dad do not have Medical - In. ?
in TX.

[time2talk]

12:14 AM on 12/13/2011

Maybe it's because of the internet that we know more about the candidates. Maybe it's because of TV that we see more of the candidates. Maybe it's the candidates themselves. Irregardless, these GOPTP candidates are looking and sounding mighty weird.

[Brian Gannon]

12:22 PM on 12/13/2011

I agree with what you're saying but "irregardle­ss" is not a word. The word is "regardless."

[caroleann926]

02:05 PM on 12/13/2011

You're quite wrong. I just looked up "irregardless" in the Merriam-Webster dictionary and .....voila!! There it is.

[Godfearing]

11:24 PM on 12/12/2011

The GOP presidential candidate will have to have Karl Rove's, Grover Norquist's, and Ralph Reed's endorsement. There is only one person who can get that endorsement and that is a fellow by the name of Jeb Bush! Sorry all you debating boys and girl, you are toast! Another Bush heading for the White House.

[l78lancer]

11:05 PM on 12/12/2011

It's official. Perry has no message. He's like a lame horse trying to run a race.

[pegasusgiraffe]

03:14 AM on 12/13/2011

What? How dare you, sir or madam! His message is... um, is........ 'no on gay, yes on Jesus', something something?

[l78lancer]

10:09 AM on 12/16/2011

LOL! I apologize. Thanks for clarifying. Heeheehee....

[FantasticFourFan]

09:42 PM on 12/12/2011

If Perry wasn't attacking gays serving openly then he needs to make that clear. Though I have a feeling he won't because he wants to repeal the ban. And this time there won't be any DADT to protect closeted members under his administration. Cons better figure out pretty quickly that this isn't the eighties anymore. You don't get to bash gays without consequences these days.

[bettestreep]

01:05 AM on 01/01/2012

it's quite simple really.

if the teapublicans succeed in repealing the ban on DADT - then all LGBT persons who are thinking about enlisting - SHOULD NOT.

and if possible - any current serving soldier or marine who is LGBT - should quit en masse.

then the forces will have to try and find new recruits amongst the heterosexual community - or even bring back conscription.

then watch how many sons and daughters of teapublican and some democrat politicians will conveniently declare they have two left feet and can't be conscripted.

[rudewaitress]

09:34 PM on 12/12/2011

When one feels that his way of life is THE way of life, the top of the world soon becomes the bottom of the barrel.

[time2talk]

12:09 AM on 12/13/2011

Perry's expressions and body language don't match what he is saying. He acts like he is putting on a performance but over-acting. I don't know why the Republicans still think he can win.

[rudewaitress]

10:50 AM on 12/13/2011

His whole act is Reagan meets Bush. Practice, practice, practice....and no doubt in front of a very large mirror.

[Algebra Palin]

08:45 PM on 12/12/2011

wasn't rick perry a cheerleader in school or something? (serious question)

[truth be told again]

09:21 PM on 12/12/2011

College, I believe.

[FantasticFourFan]

09:42 PM on 12/12/2011

Bush was. I don't know about Perry.

[time2talk]

12:10 AM on 12/13/2011

So they put on a flight suit to look masculine. Texas is a very strange place.

[bootsnchaps60]

08:34 PM on 12/12/2011

Maybe his true calling is standup comedy. Who was the comedian whose schtick was mispronouncing words? Ah, but he probably couldn't remember a routine either.

[anon004]

04:20 PM on 12/13/2011

Norm Crosby. And George Bush.

[davis brant]

08:11 PM on 12/12/2011

i don't want to have anything to do with perry's "pews".
does "whitened sepulchres" have any resonance here?

[truth be told again]

09:22 PM on 12/12/2011

With me it does.

[Tigerama]

08:08 PM on 12/12/2011

Wow, that Asmondius thing - there have been some sour posters here before, but that one takes the cake. Post after post of total inaccuracies dripping with hate. Eeeesh.