Rick Perry Dismisses His Wife’s Abortion Comments, Tries to Explain What She Really Believes
On Saturday, Anita Perry, the wife of longtime Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R), raised some eyebrows after she appeared to voice her support for a woman’s right to choose — a position at odds with her husband’s staunch opposition to abortion even in cases of rape, incest or where childbirth threatens the life of the mother.
But rather than Mrs. Perry clarifying her opinion or explaining that she misspoke, the Governor took it upon himself to dismiss his wife’s statements and explain to a crowd of reporters what she really thinks about abortion.
“From time to time we’ll stick the wrong word in the wrong place, and you pounce upon it,” said Perry during an appearance in New Jersey alongside Republican senate candidate Steve Lonegan, who is running against Newark’s Democratic Mayor Cory Booker.
But Anita Perry did not offer up a simple, one-word answer when asked about her views on a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion. During a televised interview at the Texas Tribune Festival, Perry responded to a question about the ongoing war on women by explaining that while she herself opposes abortion, she recognizes the right that other women have to pursue one as well.
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