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STORM LAKE, Iowa -- The X-factor candidate in the Iowa caucuses is in Rick Perry's crosshairs.
"Dr. Paul's just wrong on this issue," Perry said on Friday after ripping his libertarian-leaning rival's view that hawks have inflated the dangers of a nuclear Iran. "You can't make nice with the mullahs. They hate us."
Perry, who trails Paul in the first caucus state, said that Paul's isolationist policies "truly make me nervous" and warned Iowans at two small-town campaign stops that such views could lead to the destruction of Israel or even the United States.
"We cannot have a president of the United States that basically is so hands-off to a country like Iran that they say "it's not our business, we're not going to get involved,' he said. "It is our business."
The swipes come as political observers increasingly wonder if Paul's organizational strength and fervent base of support could vault him to victory in the Jan. 3 caucuses.
But Team Perry hopes that Paul's dogged doveishness, particularly on the issue of a nuclear Iran, is a bridge too far for Iowans.
"You're trying to dramatize this, that we have to go and -- and treat Iran like we've treated Iraq and kill a million Iraqis, and 8,000- some Americans have died since we've gone to war. You cannot solve these problems with war," Paul protested during Thursday night's FOX News debate in Sioux City.
Bob Haus, Perry's Iowa state co-chair, told NBC News after the debate that Paul's comments about Iran could give pause to voters who have been drawn to the congressman's deficit- and spending-based message.
"His success has really stemmed around the economic side of his message," Haus said of Paul. "And in debates like tonight when you start seeing the foreign policy side of his message, that's where he starts to really have some difficulties. I don't think he represents most Republicans or even most Iowans on a lot of these defense issues."
Paul was not the only GOP candidate on the receiving end of a jab from Perry during the third day of his Iowa barnstorm. Asked by a reporter if former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's work for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac disqualified him from serving as president, the Texas governor slammed Gingrich's attempts to distance himself from the label of "lobbyist."
"The idea that somehow or another 'I'm a consultant, I wasn't a lobbyist.' ... For most of us that is a very weak excuse at best," Perry said.
Perry hit stops number four and five of his 44-destination Iowa bus tour, appearing in two crowded but intimate venues in conservative northwest Iowa. The retail-rich blitz is designed to repair the damage from Perry's early debate stumbles by placing the candidate face-to-face with Iowans.
But the campaign faced disappointment late Thursday night when it lost a key endorsement race in South Carolina, with Gov. Nikki Haley announcing her backing of Mitt Romney.
"I respect Nikki. [She's a] good governor," Perry said today. "But, you know, she made her choice. And we'll see who was right."
GOP candidates are now hoping to hold everyone's attention, right before Christmas. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.
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I just read where Gov Rick Perry (R) TX is a huge fan of old Three Stooges episodes and he carefully watches each episode and takes copius notes so he will know what to say the next day to the media and at the debates. So this looks like Larry attacking Moe and Curley Joe to me!
Jesus Christ said "Love your enemies", he did not say surgically bomb them into submission! These military hounds motivation is based on a foundation of FEAR, the very opposite of true PEACE! I've
never known a time where we have not had some national evil enemy who’s conveniently blamed to be the cause of ALL our problems! Time to do as the good doctor RON PAUL prescribes and honestly look into the mirror!
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God
(Matthew 5:9 KJV)
I am so sick of hearing Rick Perry talk his garbage when he's the dumbest out of all the GOP candidates. Hopefully he will go back to Texas soon and we won't have to hear anything else but him being voted out of office. Theirs no doubt that Texans will wise up to this nut case. I'm not a Republican but if I had to choose , I would definitely vote for Ron Paul, over the rest of the bull shi$$ers. All the rest of them sound like a used car salesman giving you a bunch of crap. They no damn well they are not going to do no more for the American people than Congress allows them to do. This administration is a prime example. Obama had visions too, but it took a bunch of a$$holes in Congress who's main goal was not to work for the good of the American people but (out of their own mouths) stop Obama. For God sake people wake up! Don't fall for their crap. You tell them what you want and if that can't deliver, they will go too. Bset of Luck Ron Paul, at least you show some kind of dignity!!
I don't agree with many of Paul's positions, but I admire his honesty. You are totally correct about the rest of the field. Comparing them to used car salesmen is sort of an insult to the car salesmen, though.
What gets me is that Perry won the last time, White had a great record in Houston, but Perry has all of the nuts that go along with his right wing thoughts.
There's dumb.
There's scary dumb.
And now,
There's Texas dumb..
Thanks rick !!!
Doesn't Perry have advisers that can tell him that his chances died about two months ago? It is cruel to allow him to think he has a snowball's chance.
I have to say, for the most part, I agree with Ron Paul. Still who would support him if he was in the White House. Would it be another four years with both houses fighting the White House.
As far as Iran, how many times do we as the United States have to play games over there. We tried once before when they took our embassy hostage.
Ron Paul is right, let Europe and the far east alone and bring our service people home.
Still if he got rid of the five agencies or departments and brought all armed service people home, what would we do for jobs to feed all these people?
In the end could I vote for Ron Paul in 2012. I do not think I could, still I am open, I do not like the games that are in Washington and I do blame the GOP's for it. The same game was played in the 10's 20's during the last depression.
Like I said, no reason to change any comment, MSNBC doesn't. This is a fine example of the gross distortion of news that MSNBC offers, never happy thoughts, never supportive thoughts, always gotcha moments without benefit, always leftist leaning hard core barack hussein obama, sal alinski, bill ayers oriented material. This company doesn't want solutions, isn't oriented toward America the Great, isn't supportive of ground swelling, grass roots efforts in their elitist ego centric clinging to their guns and religion (whoops, that's what they say about us...Referring to working-class voters in old industrial towns decimated by job losses, the presidential hopeful said: "They get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations). Like I said.
Mr. Perry shouldn't be threatening assault with a deadly weapon against anyone.
We are going bankrupt being the World's policeman. I would believe Perry to be genuine if he were calling for a Trillion dollar annual tax increase on the top 1%. Also abolishing corporate welfare and establish a minimum tax for any business worth more than a billion. WARS AIN'T FREE!! If we had a WAR TAX maybe we wouldn't have so many wars.
" Oil Company Puppet " Perry is done. His 15 minutes are up - exit stage extreme right. Now the greedy crooked polluting gas, mining and oil companies have to find another dumb Republican puppet to bribe and bankroll ( won't be hard ).
Don't listen to this establishment tool Perry, Ron Paul explained his position at length on the Leno show, UTube it
Perry is a douche and gingrich is a fat sack of crap. Ron Paul is the only candidate who actually cares about this country and the people in it. The others just want to be president for the sake of being president. They could care less about the people in this country.
Newt Gingrich,Repub nominee,Good God Repubs whats wrong with you! Ethics violations while in congress,paid a huge fine;influence peddling in D.C., taking huge sums of $from fannie and freddie also milked insurance co down for huge amts, this clown has no ethics, he worships at the altar of $$$$.If nominated he'll lose to Obama so Barack can continue his relentless pursuit of a socialist country, where the workers support the 40 percent plus do nothing class. Who take your hard earned tax dollars, use and distribute drugs and have carloads off illegitimate children, until the country implodes,which isn't far off. Wait till China stops buying US Gov't obligations.
Hey Repubs, If you put this newt in office you can kiss this country goodbye, this lowlife would sell this nation out for a Penny. Newt the GOP Reject.
Bunch a little monkeys, jumpin' on the bed, screaming hysterically, throwing poo, falling on their heads...
Love and politics, you're not an average American if you're not stupid. They voted for Bush the second time, remember.
Dr. Paul is not an isolationist. Let me repeat: "libertarian-leaning" is the antithesis of isolationism. Libertarians of any flavor are noninterventionists, the same logic applies to you in your home. You don't have the right to tell your neighbors that they're drinking to excess too often and hurting their bodies, do you?
Just wikipedia "isolationism" and "noninterventionism," you'll quickly understand why it's an anti-Paul tactic to call him as such.
Is there anything more wonderful than having all the Republican candidates tell us why none of them are qualified to be president?