One of Rick Perry’s aides claims the GOP presidential candidate misspoke when he suggested the mass shooting at a historic black church in Charleston, S.C., was “an accident.”
Speaking with Steve Malzberg of Newsmax, Perry criticized President Obama for using the massacre as an opportunity to raise the issue of gun reform, claiming the president was seeking to “take the guns out of the hands of everyone in this country.”
“This is the MO of this administration. Anytime there is an accident like this — the president’s clear, he doesn’t like for Americans to have guns and so he uses every opportunity, this being another one, to basically go parrot that message,” Perry said.
A Perry communications adviser wrote in an email that Perry clearly meant to say “incident” and not “accident.”
Interestingly enough, Rick Perry diverts attention to discuss America’s drug problem, insinuating drug consumption ought to be a focal point in the Charleston shooting, and not bringing light to the country’s racial and gun issues.
“When watching the entire interview, it’s clear from the context of his comments that Governor Perry meant incident,” said the adviser, Lexi Stemple.
During a 2011 presidential debate, Perry fumbled with his words while trying to enumerate the third government agency he would eliminate if elected president.
SOURCE: BUSINESS INSIDER
