At the CBS/National Journal debate in South Carolina Saturday night, Rick Perry seemed to welcome the chance to joke about the epic flub that made him the most memorable candidate at the last debate on Wednesday.
Perry, as everyone in America with YouTube access now knows, couldn’t remember that he wants to disband the Department of Energy as part of his plan to slim down the government and make it more, he says, business-friendly. Since the Wednesday debate, Perry has tried to joke away the moment many said doomed his chances at the nomination. He took that act to the debate on Saturday.
“Governor Perry, you advocate the elimination of the Department of Energy,” moderator Scott Pelley began, “If you eliminate the Department of Energy–”
Perry cut him off.
“I’m glad you remembered it,” Perry said, to laughter.
“I’ve had some time to think about it, sir,” Pelley shot back.
“Me, too,” Perry responded.
Perry certainly seemed on his game an hour into the debate, and this moment was indicative of that. It also showed his strategy of trying to mitigate a massive failure by attacking it head-on.
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