The official transcript of Rick Perry’s speech at the Values Voter Summit in Washington Friday showed the Texas Republican giving some full-throated appreciation for the endorsement and introduction from an anti-Mormon pastor.
Robert Jeffress, head of the Southern Baptist Convention, gave a rousing introduction to Perry he later posted online. Watch (Jeffress comes on right after VVS MC Gil Mertz in the clip):
Perry then took the stage and thanked Jeffress heartily for his words, which included a call for the social conservatives gathered here to cast their ballots for a candidate who is a “true follower of Christ,” meaning not Mitt Romney. After the speech Jeffress said Romney is a member of a cult and not a Christian, both of which are official Southern Baptist Convention views.
After Jeffress said those words, Team Perry said they don’t judge him, but said Perry doesn’t believe Mormonism is a cult.
On stage, Perry was happy to take Jeffress on as a supporter. From the transcript of the speech sent to reporters by the press team here at VVS:
And Pastor Jeffers (sp), I want to thank you for a rousing introduction. He – he knocked it out of the park, as we – we like to say. And – and a fellow who on any given Sunday is working with 10,000 Texans in his – in his church. So I just again want to say thank you to quite a leader.
