Rick Perry vs. Mitt Romney: Texas Governor Likens Bain Capital To 'Vultures'

FORT MILL, S.C. -- Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry is likening front-runner Mitt Romney's former private equity firm to "vultures" that ruin workers' lives.

Perry is sharpening his attack in hopes of drawing a clearer contrast on jobs with Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who touts his business credentials. The issue has special salience in South Carolina, where unemployment is high.

Addressing a retiree community in South Carolina, Perry criticized Romney's Bain Capital firm for two business deals that caused job losses in the state. He said private equity firms are "just vultures" that feed off sick companies no matter the human toll.

Perry often boasts of fostering the addition of a million jobs as Texas governor.

Perry was alone in South Carolina Tuesday while his rivals were in New Hampshire for the primary.

Comments

[NuuzMan]

05:38 PM on 01/11/2012

Henry Ford once said that a business that makes nothing except money is not a good business. Companies that make money off of picking apart the hard work of others do very little to advance the national economy. The book Cannibal Capitalism details not only the various forms of cannibal capitalism­, but how to capitalize in the way that gives the greatest bang for the buck. Buy the book. You won't regret it. (amzn.com/­111817531X­)

[FLFan]

03:06 PM on 01/10/2012

Too little too late for Rick Perry. He should've gone after Mitt 3 months ago when people still thought he might have a brain.

[Mas]

02:23 PM on 01/10/2012

Today Rick refers to the actions taken by Willard, but tomorrow when Perry is out of the race and Willard is campaiging in Texas, Rick will be on the stage talking about how their families share the same values.

Rental politicians playing to a base.

[HeartT]

02:21 PM on 01/10/2012

How in the world can he run on this crap?
Obama has said education no longer prepares kids who can't afford the high cost of college for a decent job; that manufacturing jobs boosts the economy because they provide the middle class with a means of supporting a family and discretionary cash. Everyone can't vacation at the Waldorf. But a working class family can spend a few nights at a Motel 6. America needs a strong middle class to thrive economically.
Obama has and still addresses these issues. Has he done everything we need him to? no. But to report that he doesn't get it or that he is a socialist is unfair and untrue.
Something else Obama says, change will not be easy and that we are the change we have been looking for. Perry and others are running on dark age concepts based on our perceived ignorance, hate, and democratic apathy. But we've seen in Wisconsin and via OWS, things change when we the people speak up. The wealth-driven republicans are not interested in the working class no matter what populist words they use.
Rick Perry knows that the president is not a socialist, but his comment is an example of how his party continues to exploit the ignorance of some, the hate that drives others, and apathy of democrats and independents who can't understand why the media and other leaders do not call him on it.

[Col Hogan]

03:06 PM on 01/10/2012

Nicely written, HeartT.

[ajbernhard]

02:21 PM on 01/10/2012

Rumblings from the muddy bottom.

[PublicCitizen21044]

02:19 PM on 01/10/2012

Good issue Perry but you look tired and road weary. What are you going to do as POTUS with an extremely grueling schedule. Maye you are not fit for the position for more than one reason. How is your back and are you no longer relying on pain medication which can be addictive for we do not need a drug dependent semi-lame POTUS with a god complex in the 21st century.

[Picachu]

02:17 PM on 01/10/2012

When one Republican criticizes another for ethical lapses it embodies the adage "the pot calling the kettle black"! Yes Republicans, when you point the finger at each other there are 4 other fingers pointing back at you - three are yours, and one is the middle finger I am giving you.

[Aleks Hunter]

02:14 PM on 01/10/2012

People used to look at Romney as the guy who fired you father. Now we know that is not true. Romney is the guy who either fired you or would love to make a buck firing you.

[legitane]

02:10 PM on 01/10/2012

Rick,
Good news.. You don't have to leave the race..
Bad News...The race already left you...

[jadedwilliam]

02:06 PM on 01/10/2012

Rick Perry is wrong. Vultures provide indispensible clean up of dead rotting roadkill on our highways which benifits everyone, unlike Bain Capital which only benifits the shareholder.

[vobox3343]

02:05 PM on 01/10/2012

A message to all Republican candidates from God - "Quit making me look stupid."

[Robert Secrist]

02:04 PM on 01/10/2012

The only jobs Perry has created are in his over-the-top security entourage.

[eulogy8894]

02:02 PM on 01/10/2012

What Mitt Romney and Bain did was nothing other than embody the principles that the GOP stands for: unregulated, free market capitalism.

To be against that is to be socialist, right?

[Jason1953]

01:57 PM on 01/10/2012

When even Rick Perry is landing gut shots on Romney you know the race is going to get interesting.

[whttx]

01:51 PM on 01/10/2012

Ricky looks tired, it shouldn't be to long now until he's back in Texas, he can rest again then as the do nothing and out of sight Gov.