W2: "Merck gave me $5,000"

[Laura PourMeADrink]

On MSNBC this morning:


Perry: Merck gave me $5,000

WSJ: Merck Contributions
Actually: $29,500
Merck gave $352,000 to Republican Governor's Association

[joeybee12]

1. Surprise, surprise, he's a liar...

Well, not a surprise, actually.

[rfranklin]

2. He was being truthful...that was the pocket money they gave him in cash...

The other stuff is just campaign contributions.

[gateley]

3. Leno had a clip on it last night, showed Perry's response

"If you think I can be bought for $5,000 you're insulted". Leno said something like "So there you have it, if you want to buy Rick Perry's favor you'll have to pony up more than $5,000"

I didn't do it justice, but it was good.

And we've known that he actually took much more than the $5,000 for a while. The moderators never should have let that stand.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

6. did you see him react during the actual debate? He was so

smirky and you could tell he had practiced/prepared that line. Amazingly stupid - because
it was the first thing I thought too....you have to give him more than $5000.

he is so creepy...have you noticed that little bounce up and down he does

[gateley]

8. I've seen the clip and yeah, you could tell he was ready for it.

He IS creepy - scary, even.

[karynnj]

9. It is strange as making it about the amount does immediately open him up to the joke

I think this is the case of something that OTHERS can say about you and it sounds ok. (I would bet that I can find examples where someone posted of a Democrat and it was a reasonable point. However, saying it of yourself does not work. There the best response is simply (lame though it sounds) a legalistic sounding comment that his action (or vote in the case of a legislator) was not influenced at all by the contribution (or your chief of staff's career). It is very difficult proving actual quid por quo - but this looks very bad - especially to the libertarian Conservatives Perry wants to win.

[Imajika]

4. I think Perry is claiming the 5k was in one election cycle...

...relevant to the Gardasil issue. The $29,500 may be the amount donated over all of his campaigns. He is probably splitting hairs and claiming there is a difference.

[hamsterjill]

5. He's a Republican!!!

That's what they do best, right?

[Imajika]

7. Yup, he's being dishonest...

...but with just a grain of truth that allows him to get away with it.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

10. There's also the $48,000 Toomey contributed to Texans for Rick Perry to consider

I strongly believe Toomey is going to turn into an albatross around Perry's neck before this issues is settled.

[LiberalFighter]

11. Was that Merck $352k to the RGA all in one election cycle?

If so, was it stipulated by Merck for the RGA to give it to Perry?