Rick Perry physically grabs Ron Paul, points at his face

[War Horse]

During a commercial break, Perry walked up to Paul's podium, physically grabbed Paul's wrist, and pointed at Paul's face with his other hand

http://img.ibtimes.com/www/articles/20110908/210639_ron-paul-debate-rick-perry-gop-debate-september-7.htm

[steve2470]

1. I'm no fan of Ron Paul but this is intimidation nt

[dtexdem]

14. Well, at least he didn't do it to a human.

;-)

And in Texas, that's just a friendly conversation.

[demwing]

38. -10

Ron Paul may be a wacko, but he is a human, and deserves to be treated better.

I can't believe we have to have this type of discussion...did you just forget the :sarcasm: ?

[anneboleyn]

56. I agree with you. Perry's behavior is outrageous for a politician who wants to be president.

Grabbing and pointing at an opponent's face? This shows he even has less of a grip than I thought, which is scary. Ron Paul may have some rather batty ideas, but he certainly does not deserve to be intimidated physically at a nationally televised debate for f*ck's sake.

[liberal N proud]

2. Arrogant bastard

[Stuart G]

12. I second that motion..arrogant bastard..nt

[Lex]

3. They are all mentally ill and I wish they'd get help.

No offense to mentally ill people intended. I just truly worry about this group of GOP'ers.

[elocs]

26. When you call people mentally ill who are not, it is an offense to those who truly are mentally ill

as well as those who have family, friends, or loved ones who are mentally ill. Do not put them in the same category with this bunch of Republicans.

[Schema Thing]

30. true,

but several of the Republican candidates are almost certainly personality disordered.

[Lex]

32. yes, at the very least

[Lex]

31. You don't think these assholes are mentally ill? Delusional?

I'm sorry but I truly think they need help.

[elocs]

35. Not until they are diagnosed as such, and nobody here knows that, do they?

If they truly are mentally ill then they have a disease and should not be derided or belittled for that disease. Nobody asks to be mentally ill. If they truly are mentally ill then they do need help. If they truly are mentally ill is it ok to call them assholes because of their illness?

Do DUers mock or make fun of those who cannot walk or who have another disability? Obviously no. There plenty enough out there to disagree with these people about without having to resort to calling them mentally ill. That's just intellectual laziness.

[David Sky]

40. Just as there are many forms of physical illness, there are also..

many forms of mental illness, character disorder, intellectual and emotional incapacity.

Simply zeroing in on a proper diagnosis for their problems and inability to deal with reality in a rational healthy manner does NOT equate to "making fun" of them.

If you just thought your child had a bad cold, and the doctor told you no, your child has pneumonia, would you feel like your child had been made fun of?

And yes, some of us here have worked with people with mental and emotional disabilities for years, and we can spot the telltale signs when we see them.

[RagAss]

44. Yes...and Socio-pathology is a form of mental illness.

[elocs]

47. I have a loved one who is mentally ill, yet works for Democratic causes, canvassing for the recalls.

I certainly would not want to hear some Republican dismissing her by calling her mentally ill. Although I am sure there are Republicans who believe her to be mentally ill for working for Democrats and supporting Democratic beliefs and values.

If people are mentally ill they need treatment, they don't need to be derided and put down for their mental illness.

I still say to tag these far-out Republican candidates as being mentally ill is simply intellectual laziness. It takes more time and effort to address our differences with them so it is easier just to call them mentally ill.

[David Sky]

51. It takes time and effort to treat people with any illness, physical or otherwise...

but, in the grown-up world of science and sound medical and psychiatric practice, you can't treat the illness, nor minimize the potential damage to self or others, without a clear and proper differential diagnosis of the illness.

Differential diagnostic techniques in medical and psychiatric practice do not "deride" nor "put down" people. They are tools which trained clinicians use in the hard work of helping the patient recover from or learn to live productively with their illness.

By contrast, treating obviously ill people as if they were perfectly healthy while ignoring their mental or other health "problems", or worse, praising them for taking inappropriate avenues of avoidance, is the worst form of irrational immaturity or medical quackery.

Your loved one with a treated illness is to be praised for accepting that illness, and learning to live a productive life with it, contributing to the benefit of others by doing so. There is no shame in that! Nor is there a need to generalize that all mental incapacities are anywhere near the same, nor that ignoring the untreated problem in some is acceptable.

[Lex]

46. Well, don't fall off

your high-horse on the matter.

[SusanaMontana41]

54. The people who support this group of GOPers worry me more.

Way more.

[DirkGently]

4. American conservatives are more & more like competing priests of a fanatical religion.

You're a heretic. No, you are.

Heretic.

Infidel.


:D

[maxrandb]

45. Nope! Unfortunately, they are just giving their constituents what they want.

This type of behavior is "celebrated" in CONservanazi America.

See also "bloodlust", as in cheering for the number of people a state has executed.

God help us if this current batch ever take control of the government.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[11 Bravo]

18. Actually, he's more like a steaming pile of number two. Congratulations, however ...

on the lamest and most transparent first post by any troll in DU history!

[Lex]

19. Rick Perry will PRAY us out the recession!

"what Rick Perry is capable of" ROFL

Texas is burning and he's cut the hell out of the budget for firefighting. He's a genius.

[Life Long Dem]

6. Maybe this answer from Paul provoked Perry.

PAUL: Much more so, yes.

Just take the HPV. Forcing 12-year-old girls to take an inoculation to prevent this sexually transmitted disease, this is not good medicine, I do not believe. I think it's social misfit.

It's not good social policy. And therefore, I think this is very bad to do this. But one of the worst parts about that was the way it was done.

You know, the governorship in Texas traditionally is supposed to be a weak governorship. I didn't even know they could pass laws by writing an executive order. He did it with an executive order, passed it.

The state was furious, and the legislature, overwhelmingly, probably 90 percent -- I don't know exactly -- overwhelmingly repealed this. But I think it's the way it was passed, which was so bad.

I think it's a bad piece of legislation. But I don't like the idea of executive orders. I, as president, will not use the executive order to write laws.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/08/us/politics/08republican-debate-text.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

[Myrina]

10. ... and what was the profit margin for the Pharma Co that donates to Perry ?

THAT would have been my follow up if I were candidate R. Paul ....

[Life Long Dem]

24. Perry's next response was...

PERRY: I kind of feel like the pinata here at the party, so...

[Avalux]

7. Intimidation. Perry does it well. n/t

[TeamsterDem]

8. And they call Hoffa a thug. pfffffff. nt

[Erose999]

9. Perry: "Let me get that booger for you, Rep. Paul".

[Ohio Joe]

11. Paul and Perry can fight to the death and I don't give a shit who wins

As long as one of them loses

[Historic NY]

13. I'm telling you a circular duel will settle the entire farce.

[madinmaryland]

15. Here's a picture...

[TwilightGardener]

16. If anyone did that to me, as an adult, I'd have to be restrained from getting physical.

[guitar man]

20. Perry left himself

wide open for a left hook, which is what he would have gotten from me in that situation. ;)

[Frank Cannon]

36. If it had been me, he'd pull back a bloody stump.

What an arrogant fucking douchebag.

[Lorien]

41. No kidding. Unbelievably disrepectful!

but repugs aren't known for their maturity.

[closeupready]

17. Completely unacceptable.

K&R

[Amonester]

23. Oh... the little three-year old bully got suddenly irritated....

eff him.

Disclaimer: No offense to every better mannered three-year old's in the world.

[barbtries]

57. yeah, fuck him.

i'm no ron paul fan but that is total bullshit. and the man wants to be president of the US. phhllpt

[Trillo]

59. So just grab the finger in defense.

You don't need to bend it backwards to break it like is seen in movies, simply grab it and hold it in your fist with all your strength. Let the aggressor know that if they continue with their aggression, that finger will be broken, as a first step in possible further defense. In all likelihood, the aggressor will get the message and freeze up, not wishing their finger broken.

I guess we can physically classify Ron Paul as passive with self defense. Wonder how he'd be in charge of DOD?

[pacalo]

21. Perry is just assuring Paul that he has those Texas wildfires under control.

[SpiralHawk]

22. ReThugliCons got massive a-hole bully syndrome

since their republicon ideas are so sick, FAIL-oriented, and pathetically unconvincing, they use other MEANS to get their way

[chillspike]

25. Just confirms Perry has a huge but vulnerable ego

He thinks he can scould others into behaving how he wants them to...looks like a personal weakness to me.

[gordianot]

27. Not allowed in High School debate.

You can shake hands before the debate and after. If memory serves me correctly that is a dis-qualifier. I did wish however that Kerry pat Bush on the back for the device in his jacket during their debate. That too would have been inappropriate. Perry is an ass and Ron Paul is short a few bricks.

[Javaman]

28. how did paul react after the break during the debate? nt

[TheWraith]

29. I suddenly wish Ron Paul carried a taser.

That would be hilarious.

[DeSwiss]

33. Paul should have mussed-up his hair.

He would have left the debates.


K&R

[Lorien]

42. Then patted him on the head as one would have any toddler. nt

[Rex]

34. HE IS THE CHIMPEROR!

Of course he is going to man handle people. Just like El Chimpy. Worser.

[spanone]

37. he should have decked the texas asshole

[Odin2005]

39. That qualifies as assault.

[undeterred]

43. Well, one of our Supreme Court justices thrust her neck at another ones hands.

:sarcasm: Things aren't always what they look like.

[dembotoz]

53. i guess you are only guilty if you are a democrat

[sarcasmo]

48. Shows me that he is afraid of Ron Paul.

[eShirl]

52. exactly.

[glinda]

49. That photo shows a lot. Perry is a domineering ass.

[krabigirl]

50. Perry is an arrogant, bombastic bully. And he makes shrub look like a genius.

[Honeycombe8]

55. Son Rand Paul was asked about this, and he said that they were not arguing.

He said they were actually having a friendly conversation. They're both Texans, as you know. Rand said that altho they'd had words during the debate, that did not spill out into a private conversation.

So...that's all I know. Ron Paul doesn't look upset or angry, so maybe Perry just has that manner about him...maybe they were talking about the wildfires in Texas or who knows. Or maybe they WERE arguing.

[Zoeisright]

58. Well, that's assault.

You're not allowed to even TOUCH anyone else without their consent.

Perry is a fucking thug.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

60. Yes it is assault and battery.

Assault is defined as "offensive touching".

Assault is the force, battery is the actual contact.